O'Brien looks to bright side after dismal opener
The offense went nowhere, the defense was picked apart and the mistakes and penalties mounted. Bill O'Brien's first game as Houston Texans coach could've hardly gone worse. A day after Houston's 32-0 loss in Arizona on Saturday night, O'Brien wasn't overreacting. It's just one game, the first game, and the more O'Brien watched film, the more positive signs for a team rebuilding off a 2-14 season.
''In any game like this, when you walk off the field, you feel like there are so many things that went wrong, '' O'Brien said. ''There were a lot of negatives out there, as far as penalties and turnovers and not being able to get off the field on third down. But just like anything else, there are also some good things. ''Just not too many. The Texans mustered only 172 yards and nine first downs and went 0 for 8 on third down. They also committed 13 penalties for 126 yards.
Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick played the entire first half and looked shaky, completing only 6 of 14 passes for 55 yards with two interceptions. He finally got the offense moving late in the first half, only to have a pass picked off by Marcus Benard. ''We were driving the ball well there, '' O'Brien said. ''It was a good moment of situational football, obviously, until he threw the interception. We can't do that. ''Case Keenum and Tom Savage, competing for the No. 2 spot, hardly played in the second half, because the Cardinals had their way with Houston's defense, converting 11 of 17 third downs. Arizona held the ball for more than 42 minutes.
''In any game like this, when you walk off the field, you feel like there are so many things that went wrong, '' O'Brien said. ''There were a lot of negatives out there, as far as penalties and turnovers and not being able to get off the field on third down. But just like anything else, there are also some good things. ''Just not too many. The Texans mustered only 172 yards and nine first downs and went 0 for 8 on third down. They also committed 13 penalties for 126 yards.
Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick played the entire first half and looked shaky, completing only 6 of 14 passes for 55 yards with two interceptions. He finally got the offense moving late in the first half, only to have a pass picked off by Marcus Benard. ''We were driving the ball well there, '' O'Brien said. ''It was a good moment of situational football, obviously, until he threw the interception. We can't do that. ''Case Keenum and Tom Savage, competing for the No. 2 spot, hardly played in the second half, because the Cardinals had their way with Houston's defense, converting 11 of 17 third downs. Arizona held the ball for more than 42 minutes.
AnthonyBryantok - 13. Aug, 04:53
