The Houston Texans (1-2) got back into the race in the AFC South with Sunday's 19-9 win at home over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2). Here's what you need to know:
- The win aside, Houston remains a black hole on offense and it starts with Ryan Mallett. The Texans starter made a rash of throws, but he's inexcusably sloppy. Mallett was lucky that his first-quarter fumble -- recovered by the Bucs -- was wiped out by a flag. He quickly gave the ball back to Tampa, though, with an ugly second quarter pick, highlighting a first half that saw the Texans come away with zero points on drives that started at the Tampa 38, 34 and 25. Mallett's 5.8 yards per attempt lands him squarely in the Gabbert Zone -- exactly what we've come to expect from this up-and-down passer.
- Jameis Winston made some pretty throws for an equally stifled Bucs offense, but his 19 incompletions remind us that he's still a project. I was impressed with Winston hanging in the pocket under pressure and making aggressive choices downfield, with completions of 20, 21, 32 and 33 yards. He's responsible for an ugly pick to start the second half, but Winston flashes tools that Houston will never see from their underwhelming passers. Check out Winston escaping J.J. Watt on this first-half completion:
- The Texans need Arian Foster back on the field, but Alfred Blue played admirably in his place on Sunday, running low to the ground for positive yardage and finishing with 139 yards at a respectable 4.5 yards per carry. His 20-yard rumble in the final quarter was the difference in this ugly game.
- The bright spot for Tampa remains Mike Evans. The second-year wideout opened the afternoon with an outstanding 20-yard grab against Texans corner Kareem Jackson, kicking off his first 100-yard outing of the year. This is far from a complete attack, but Winston benefits from Evans and Vincent Jackson leaping for jump balls down the sideline.
- Both teams missed an extra point. Why don't more clubs just go for two?
