Seven Takeaways From Texans' Gut-Wrenching Loss to Broncos

Late-game execution once again killed the Texans on Sunday.

After seven back-and-forth punts in the final quarter between both sides (and two three-and-outs for Houston), the Broncos were finally able to find a spark to move the chains into Texans territory in the final moments— thanks to a 25-yard Bo Nix scramble, and two nine-yard runs from J.K. Dobbins and Nix again led to a game-winning Denver field goal with time expiring.

It's not the first time the Texans' winning hopes were ripped away in the final four minutes of the game this season, and it might not be the last. Five losses on the season, and all of them have fallen within one score.

Nonetheless, another heartbreaker for Houston.

2. All Eyes on the Status of C.J. Stroud

The biggest storyline to watch coming out of this one will be what lies ahead for the status of C.J. Stroud, who left in the middle of the second quarter with a nasty-looking concussion.

As a result, Davis Mills came into the game to complete 17/30 passes for 137 yards, as the Texans failed to score a single touchdown on the day for the first time this season despite their consistent offensive turbulence.

Obviously, this Texans offense, while up and down throughout this season, isn't the same without their young star signal-caller, and having his health in check will be critical as this team moves forward to try and climb back from a 3-5 start.

3. Texans Defense Still Sits Atop the NFL

The last defensive drive of the game that led to a game-icing field goal from Wil Lutz could make the Texans' defense look a little worse than how they performed in reality against Denver.

Make no mistake, this group is still elite.

Bo Nix struggled throughout the day by completing less than 50% of his passes, forced eight total Denver punts, and of course, Houston still held their opponent under 20 points for what's now the seventh time this season.

It wasn't enough for a winning effort, but still offers hope for what Houston could put together for the rest of the season.

4. Nico Collins Hasn't Lost a Step

Coming back from a one-game absence due to a concussion, Nico Collins went right back to work in the Texans' pass-catching corps, and managed to produce with both Stroud and Mills under center.

Collins had his third game of the season with double-digit targets vs. the Broncos, hauling in seven of those for a catch to go for 75 total yards; his third-most yards on the season.

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With or without Stroud, Collins will have to be a major part of this Texans offense for it to thrive as expected. The star wideout did his part against the Broncos, but it simply wasn't enough for the win.

5. Dalton Schultz Quietly Becoming Vital Offense Piece

Let's not discount the high level of production tight end Dalton Schultz had on the day in Houston.

It actually wasn't Collins who led the Texans in total receiving yards. It was Schultz.

After being questionable leading up to the contest with a knee/shoulder issue, Schultz would be elevated to active ahead of kickoff to put up six receptions for 77 yards. His longest came from a 47-yard explosive play off a nice connection from Stroud, and effectively added a quality and much-needed boost to the air attack across the way.

Schultz continues to find himself nestled in as the second-favorite target in the Texans’ offense for throughout the season, and saw that important role continue even further against Denver.

6. Rough Day on the Ground

It was never going to be easy to put together a nice day on the ground against a stout Denver defense, and the Texans had their struggles.

On 28 total attempts on the ground, the Texans had 77 yards for a measly average of 2.8 yards per carry. Solely from running backs, they combined for only 61 yards on the ground, led by Nick Chubb’s 11 for 34.

During a day in which the Texans would be without their starting quarterbacks, the run game was going to have to step up in order for Houston to make up that ground. That just didn't happen, and thus, led to a less-than-ideal end result.

7. Ka'imi Fairbairn With a Day to Remember

The man behind the Texans' 15 total points on the day, Fairbairn deserves his flowers despite the losing effort.

Fairbairn missed an early 51-yard field goal following a long 14-play drive in the first quarter that would eventually be evened out by a blocked Broncos field goal soon to follow. However, beyond that blip on the radar, the Texans' kicker nailed the rest of his five kicks on the day, with his longest coming from 41 out.

In a day where the Texans' offense failed to put many points on the board, Fairbairn picked up the slack to chip in for 15 of his own, now with nearly a collective 90% field goal percentage through eight games.