How the Texans’ youth was exploited by the undefeated Eagles

An undefeated team arrived in Houston an overwhelming favorite against a rebuilding franchise reeling from its latest dysfunction. A Philadelphia fanbase filled seats abandoned by disinterested locals who were consumed with the city’s contender in a completely separate sport. The Texans contended briefly with the only hope they have remaining, an assemblage of rookies and young veterans tasked with regaining the team’s respectability amid constant turmoil.

An inactive trade deadline still invoked unrest. Brandin Cooks, Houston’s disgruntled wide receiver, did not play in his team’s 29-17 Thursday night loss after the Texans were unable to trade him. Play-caller Pep Hamilton boosted offensive production behind the battering ram he built his run-oriented scheme around. Dameon Pierce bashed Eagles defender upon defender, breaching 100 yards rushing for the second time in his rookie season.

Pierce’s 139 yards on 27 carries allowed the Texans to keep pace with the undefeated Eagles for three quarters, but Houston’s deficiencies across the rest of its roster restricted them from sustaining success in ways only fully functioning teams like the Eagles can.

The Eagles were content with punishing the Texans in a drawn-out, physical beatdown engineered by a dual-threat quarterback whose career originated in Channelview. Jalen Hurts kept handing the ball off again and again to running backs who ducked and drilled through a defensive front made up mostly by rookies.

There was Kurt Hinish, a rookie defensive tackle from Notre Dame, an unlikely starter who every day stares at a Post-it note on his locker that reads “undrafted” in black marker. An Eagles offense that averaged 5.8 yards per play kept attacking the middle, where right guard Isaac Seumalo pushed Hinish backward on a 6-yard run by Miles Sanders to the Texans 4. Two plays later, Kenneth Gainwell hurled himself through the same hole, slipping past Hinish and rookie linebacker Christian Harris for a 4-yard touchdown that gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead with 4:32 left in the first half.

The Eagles bled 13:36 off the clock with their first two touchdown drives of the game. They exuded confidence in a gameplan constructed around a rushing attack that entered the weekend averaging the sixth-highest yards per game (149.6). They could gain chunks of yardage, dominate the game’s time of possession and count on an inefficient Texans offense to make mistakes.

There was a time when it seemed like Pierce could provide enough points. On a power run with just under three minutes before halftime, he broke through a tackle attempt by safety Marcus Epps, then caromed off a shoulder-level hit from safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson for a 36-yard gain to the Eagles 27. Pierce’s power is unquestionable. Of his 88 halftime yards, 75 were gained after contact.

Houston’s offense functions best when Pierce is productive. Mills finished that drive rolling out to his right, then firing a 13-yard touchdown pass to a sliding Chris Moore to tie the game at halftime. Mills appeared to be poised, tossing two touchdowns in the first half. On his first, he sailed a 2-yard pass to rookie tight end Teagan Quitoriano, whose leaping snag gave him a touchdown on his first career catch. Only Derick Armstrong and Jaelen Strong had recorded touchdowns for the Texans on their first career receptions.

The game unraveled in a familiar collapse. Mills heaved a desperate third-quarter throw into open space, misreading Moore’s route, and Gardner-Johnson picked off the pass for a 25-yard return to the Texans 17. Hurts hit A.J. Brown for a 17-yard touchdown to go up 21-14, with Brown running wide open with safety Jonathan Owens trailing far behind.

Hurts finished the game 21-of-27 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns, completing passes to seven different receivers. As his team’s lead continued to swell, it became once again apparent that Houston’s roster isn’t yet enough to beat a complete contender. 

A group of Texans rookies left the field as Philly fans hung a banner near the tunnel that read “8-0… Houston… These birds are a problem.” Yet another loss continues to hang the question of how long Houston’s problems will last.

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