Texans able to run on Steelers
HOUSTON — Houston beat the Steelers at their own game Sunday.
It was the Texans, not the Steelers, running for over five yards a pop. It was Arian Foster, not Rashard Mendenhall, gouging the defense for 155 yards and a 5.2 average.
The Texans’ 17-10 win over the Steelers was a signature win for that franchise against the one that drew up the blueprint.
“That’s it right there,” linebacker James Farrior said. “If you can’t stop the run, it’s going to be a long day. For us, it was a very long day.”
Just like Baltimore did on opening day and Indianapolis did to a lesser degree last week, the Texans ran early and often. They ran so well, it was barely noticeable when all-world wide receiver Andre Johnson was not on the field.
“We didn’t look stout like we normally do against the run,” Farrior said. “That was definitely the key to the game. We’ve just got to do a better job of tackling.”
The Texans schemed to let nose tackle Casey Hampton’s aggressiveness work against him. That’s why you saw Foster reverse field so many times.
“Foster’s a real patient runner,” Hampton said. “It is what it is. They did a great job of executing. We’re just missing a whole lot of tackles. Nobody’s getting blown off the ball or anything like that, we’re just missing tackles.”
As for Houston copying the cut-back running style that had worked against the Steelers earlier in the season, Hampton said to expect more of it.
“When something works in this league, everybody sees it and everybody will try it,” Hampton said. “They’ll keep doing it until we stop it once or twice.”
POSITIVES: Special teams caused a fumble and drew a holding penalty on the opening kickoff. Ben Roethlisberger passed to Mike Wallace for a 40-yard gain on Pittsburgh’s last possession of the first half. … The Steelers drove 74 yards on 13 plays with the opening possession of the second half and capped it with a Rashard Mendenhall TD run. Roethlisberger ran for 8 and a first-and-goal on the drive.
NEGATIVES: The defense gave up an 19-play, 95-yard touchdown drive to open the game. Houston converted three third downs on the drive. … Wallace caught a pass for 22 yards, but drew a 15-yard taunting penalty at the end of it. Roethlisberger was hit early and often in Pittsburgh’s first possession, which ended with a Connor Barwin sack. … Maurkice Pouncey drew a personal foul penalty at the end of a red zone run by Mewelde Moore. … Danieal Manning came untouched and blocked a Shaun Suisham field goal attempt on the last play of the first half.
IN THE BOOKS: Hines Ward caught one pass for 19 yards. He passed Don Maynard for 20th place on the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list. Maynard finished his career with 11,834 yards and Ward has 11,838. Michael Irvin is 19th with 11,904 receiving yards. … Mendenhall’s touchdown was his 22nd rushing touchdown, tying him with Walter Abercrombie for 10th place on the team’s all-time rushing touchdowns list. … Mike Wallace had his streak of 100-yard receiving game stopped at six, one shy of the NFL record. Wallace caught four passes for 77 yards, all in the first half.
INJURIES: LB James Farrior suffered a stinger on Houston’s first possession, but returned during the drive. FS Ryan Clark went down also on the first series and returned after missing one play. … Houston’s Andre Johnson suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter and did not return. … LB James Harrison was poked in an eye in the second quarter and did not return. Mendenhall suffered a hamstring injury and did not return. … DE Aaron Smith suffered a foot injury and did not return. LB Jason Worilds suffered a quad injury in the fourth quarter and did not return. … QB Ben Roethlisberger suffered a foot injury, but didn’t miss any playing time.
INACTIVES ANALYSIS: The majority of the Steelers inactive players was injury-related. Brett Keisel (knee) was replaced by Ziggy Hood. Bryant McFadden (hamstring) was replaced by William gay. Doug Legursky (shoulder) was replaced by Ramon Foster. Jonathan Scott (ankle) was replaced by Trai Essex. Also deactivated were Dennis Dixon, Jonathan Dwyer and Chris Carter. Jerricho Cotchery and Jamon Meredith dressed for the first time with the Steelers, Jason Allen started for Kareem Jackson in the only Houston inactive involving the starting lineup.
UP NEXT: The Steelers return to Heinz Field for a 1 p.m. Sunday kickoff against the Tennessee Titans (3-1). Pittsburgh stays home to host Jacksonville on Oct. 16.
WORTH REPEATING: “We had opportunities, but we didn’t make enough plays and they did,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It was a tale of two halves, but quite frankly, we didn’t make enough plays.”