The Houston Texans led the Dallas Cowboys 30-27 with 2:23 left Sunday, then gave up a 74-yard landing drive in a 34-30 loss. The loss dropped Houston to 0-4 and introduced contemporary criticism of coach DeMeco Ryans from reporters and analysts.
CeeDee Lamb caught the profitable 12-yard landing move from Dak Prescott with 40 seconds left. Lamb completed with a career-high 17 catches for 189 yards. Prescott threw for 248 of his 335 yards within the second half after Houston led 16-6 at halftime.
“Yeah, right now it was not an ideal end by our group defensively,” Ryans mentioned. “It was not ok. If the offense goes out and performs like they performed to provide us 30 factors, defensively you must discover a method to shut that sport out.”
Texans Protection Criticized After Shedding a Late Lead for Second Straight Week
It was the second straight week the Texans misplaced a late lead. At Indianapolis in Week 3, they went forward 17-16 with 1:48 left and misplaced 19-17 on Spencer Shrader’s 53-yard subject objective with 16 seconds remaining.
Houston Stressans, an account that covers the Texans, wrote that quarterback C.J. Stroud has handed the protection “a lead within the closing minutes of three of 4 video games, needing one cease to win.” The account wrote that the protection has “failed each single time.”
Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns with out an interception. Each scores went to Nico Collins, who had seven catches for 118 yards in his return from a hamstring harm that value him two video games.
“It was disappointing that we’ve been in three video games that manner the place the offense has accomplished an ideal job and we haven’t been capable of shut it on the market within the second half,” Ryans mentioned.
Houston allowed the NFL’s fewest yards final season, 277.2 per sport, and the second-fewest factors, 17.3. Via 4 video games this season, it’s permitting 343.8 yards and 27.3 factors a sport. “We’ll have a look at the movie and see what actually occurred on the explosive performs, however there isn’t a protection the place we designed to go away guys open,” Ryans mentioned.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:r
“Extreme defensive letdown and flawed sport plan,” Aaron Wilson, who covers the NFL and the Texans for KPRC2, wrote on X. He additionally listed protection, communication, penalties on either side of the ball and particular groups amongst Houston’s issues.
DeMeco Ryans’ Timeouts, Penalties Draw Scrutiny as Requires Change Develop
Ryans used all three of his timeouts throughout Dallas’ closing drive. DallasCowboys.com wrote that the timeouts had been an try to purchase Houston’s offense time. The positioning wrote that they led to the Cowboys scoring a landing quite than probably settling for a tying subject objective if time had run out.
“You anticipate that they’re going to attempt to use them to save lots of time,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned. “It exhibits they respect their offense they usually know we’re able to placing up factors in a rush.”
“Concerning finish of sport time administration DeMeco Ryans would possibly want to think about taking part in Madden and NCAA within the offseason,” ESPN Texans reporter DJ Bien-Aime wrote on X. “I’m so severe.”
Houston was penalized 13 instances for 90 yards. Dallas was flagged six instances for 47 yards. “The penalties positively crushed us right now,” Ryans mentioned.
Within the third quarter, Kamari Lassiter was known as for move interference on third down and for holding on fourth down. Every penalty gave the Cowboys a primary down on the 1. Javonte Williams scored on the following play, the second of his three second-half touchdowns.
Ryans mentioned he needed the cease on fourth down. “I don’t management what occurs there with the penalties, however man, our guys battled there,” he mentioned. “I believed we had been clear.”
“You may have 13 penalties,” Stroud mentioned. “A whole lot of them are crucial as nicely. A few of them questionable, however they made the decision, you gotta flush it in, and discover a method to execute the following play.”
“DeMeco Ryans has had a number of the most comically undisciplined groups I’ve ever seen,” SportsTalk 790 host Adam Clanton wrote on X earlier than the sport ended.
Solely the 1992 Chargers have made the playoffs after beginning 0-4, based on The Related Press. The Texans went 12-2 after an 0-3 begin final season to achieve the playoffs. “I perceive lots of people wish to evaluate 2025 to 2026, however for me, it’s not the identical,” Ryans mentioned.
“If I’m the Texans I transfer on from DeMeco Ryans this 12 months,” Ringer host and NFL analyst Raheem Palmer wrote on X. “You want an offensive minded man in there.”
Requested what modifications he would possibly make, Ryans mentioned, “I imply, it’s my job because the chief of this soccer group to do no matter it takes for us to show this factor round.” Discussing the protection’s end earlier, he mentioned, “We’ve bought to have a look at all of it and see what modifications we have to make and what we have to repair.”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:r
Stroud spoke to the group after the sport. “I simply needed to get in entrance of them and allow them to understand how a lot I consider in them and belief in them,” he mentioned. Tight finish Brevin Jordan mentioned Stroud’s message was “straight up like we are able to go 13-4.”
“It’s irritating, nevertheless it’s the NFL,” defensive finish Will Anderson Jr. mentioned. “We’ve bought to bow up, man.”
The Texans go to the Tennessee Titans subsequent Sunday. The Titans are additionally 0-4 after a 24-18 loss at Baltimore. The Cowboys (2-2) host Tampa Bay on Thursday evening.
This text initially appeared on ok.