Red zone execution is key to winning football games. However, the Houston Texans won't win many games if they continue to perform like they did in the red zone against the Cincinnati Bengals, failing to score a touchdown on all four red-zone trips.
“I think you have to keep moving the ball forward and I think some of the possession downs, we stalled out, wasn't good enough,” Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley said Thursday. “I think the first week, we were much better in short yardage. We were certainly better in the red [zone] area, but being able to continue and get a new set of downs is important and when you don't convert on third down, that's a problem and that prevents you from going and moving the ball through the end zone. Positive
plays, playing clean, eliminating penalties and doing a better job of just moving the ball through the, you know, through the fringe to the high, to the low.”
Part of why they struggled in short yardage was because they were not able to run the ball against Cincinnati’s defensive line. Starting running back David Montgomery only had 10 rushing yards on six attempts and the team averaged 3.3 yards per carry.
Luckily for Houston, the Indianapolis Colts have the league's defensive line. Sitting at 0-2, Indianapolis enters Sunday with the worst run defense in the NFL, allowing an average of 177 yards per game.
Therefore, they should have much more success in those short-yardage situations and could certainly get their first win of the season. If they struggle to run the ball a third straight week, Houston might have bigger holes than just a woeful run game moving forward.
Kickoff on Sunday form Lucas Oil Stadium is set for Noon. The game will be televised on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans OC Nick Caley on poor efficiency in red zone Week 2 vs Bengals
