Following a 31-3 defeat at Indianapolis, several Texans players described what must happen next to break a five-game losing skid.
WR Brandin Cooks, who finished with a game-high nine catches for 89 yards, minced no words.
"You've got to want to be disciplined," Cooks said. "You've got to practice that way. Not just practice that way, but you've got to be in the meeting rooms that way. Take care of your body. Success is not a gimmick. Discipline is not a gimmick. It's about everyday life. It's a choice."
The Texans turned the ball over three times at Lucas Oil Stadium and were unable to come up with any takeaways of their own. The day started with a false start on offense, and the first drive of the game resulted in a three-and-out.
Veteran RB Mark Ingram II, who carried 18 times for 73 yards, was clear on the things the Texans must do better to start picking up victories.
"We all have to lock in a little bit more," Ingram said. "We have to pay a little bit more attention to detail. Have a lot more focus and a lot more discipline. You've got to take care of the football. You can't have penalties. We've got to continue to improve. Keep holding each other accountable, and get this thing going in the right way."
Second-year DL Jonathan Greenard logged a pair of sacks, three quarterback hits and six tackles in the defeat. According to Greenard, it's all about finishing.
"We've got to finish," Greenard said. "I keep saying it every week. We've got to finish. No pointing fingers. We've just got to play better, all around. Everywhere. We've just got to play better. We know we've got the guys. We know we've got the plan. It's just executing."
The Texans fly home to Houston on Sunday afternoon and will practice this week at the Houston Methodist Training Center in preparation for another road contest next week. That game is at Arizona.
The next time you can see the Texans at NRG Stadium will be on October 31 as they host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. Kickoff is set for noon CT. Click here for tickets.
