This one might leave a mark.
Welcome to the longest losing streak since 2010. That year, there were two four-game slides to help send the Texans to a 6-10 record. Frank Bush lost his job and the Wade Phillips defensive era began. Bush was on the opposite sideline Sunday as linebackers coach of the Rams.
This streak is equally as bizarre as the two four-game droughts in '10 but, in many ways, it's worse. 2010 was marked by close losses in excruciating fashion. The largest margin of defeat was a 24 point loss to the Giants which was answered quickly by a come-from-behind win over Kansas City that put the record at 4-2. We would love to be 4-2 right now, wouldn't we?
During this slide, the Texans have scored a total of two 'meaningful' touchdowns (Ben Tate's scoring run against St. Louis was in mop up time). They've given up more than 30 points three times, allowed two scores on special teams and have taken the ball away only twice.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a drought of epic proportions. The Texans have been outscored by 80 points in the last four games. Even the 2005, 2-14 Texans were never outdone on the score board that badly in any four game stretch of the campaign.
That's where the similarities end. This team is out gaining the opposition by hundreds of yards and dominating in time of possession. Yet they're giving up the ball like it's on fire. At minus 12 in turnover margin, it's easy to see where the ship hit the iceberg. But can they patch the season up before it sinks into the abyss?
The fact that the team played flat Sunday, or down to the level of competition, or too mistake prone, or however you want to describe it, is inexcusable. Any one of these last four losses unto itself could have been written off as a bad day. Putting them in a knock down losing streak has formed a destructive trend.
They have enough tools and talent to climb back into the race. If the turnover virus would somehow stop. If the penalty bug would stop biting. If!
The show now goes back on the road to Kansas City where the Chiefs fans just broke Seattle's noise record and Oakland's well on the way to a 6-0 start.
We keep waiting for the Texans to clear the fog and get back to playing the winning football of which everyone knows they are capable. Let's hope we have to wait only one more week.
