Houston Texans: 3 reasons why Bill O’Brien is hurting the kicking game
By Paul Conlon
Houston Texans’ PK Fairbairn is having his worst season to date. O’Brien should have sought a kicker with a stronger leg and here are 3 reasons why.
Following a Houston Texans’ game that might forever be known as the “Beatdown in Baltimore”—Texans fans were left to do some soul searching. After all, for Texans faithful hoping for a deep playoff run this season, what happened in Baltimore should probably stay in Baltimore. The 41 to 7 drubbing was a lot like making reservations for a romantic candlelit dinner to celebrate an anniversary only to be told at the restaurant in no uncertain terms—It’s over.
But on Thursday night, the Houston Texans showed resiliency by bouncing back and winning a tight contest at NRG Stadium against the Indianapolis Colts, 20 to 17. Both teams are vying to finish in first place in the AFC South at the end of the regular season, and desperately desire to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs. However, with the likes of the Patriots, Ravens, and a healthy Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City squad on the playoff horizon, nothing is guaranteed for the Houston Texans come the 2019 postseason.
The three-point difference between points allowed and points scored in the Houston Texans’ final 2019 regular-season matchup against Indianapolis represents the exact point value of a field goal. With little to no margin for error in the Houston Texans’ most recent win against Indy, how does Texans’ kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn—who went a critical 2 for 2 in field goal opportunities against the Colts—stack up against other kickers in the league?