Click here to see all recaps on a single page
| Other Week 14 Game Recaps | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI at SEA | CAR at JAX | CHI at WAS | CLE at NYJ | DAL at DET | IND at BAL | KC at DEN | MIA at BUF |
| MIN at SF | NO at ATL | NYG at PHI | OAK at GB | PIT at NE | SD at TEN | STL at CIN | TB at HOU |
Week 14 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14, Houston Texans 28
What you need to know
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Luke McCown started for the Buccaneers, who were without Jeff Garcia who missed the game due to a back injury. McCown was a respectable 25 of 38 for 266 yards, but failed to get the club in the end zone through the air and lost a fumble that the Texans converted into an offensive score.
RB Earnest Graham was one of the bright spots for the Tampa Bay offense, rushing for 61 yards on 15 attempts, including touchdown runs of four and 11 yards. Graham also added six receptions for 45 yards in the passing game.
Joey Galloway led the Buccaneers in receiving, with six receptions for 87 yards, but was unable to come up with any of the big plays he seems to make week in and week out.
Tampa Bay had a tough time containing the Houston offense, which scored a touchdown in each quarter of the game. They allowed three touchdowns in the passing game, and also gave up a kickoff score on special teams. To their credit, they did hold the Texans to 71 yards rushing on 27 attempts and gave up two scores on short fields following turnovers by their offense. For the game, they allowed just 257 total yards, forced two fumbles and recorded three sacks, but could not overcome the sloppy play by their offense that forced them to defend a short field.
| Houston Texans |
QB Sage Rosenfels got the start for the Texans and played well in relief of the injured Matt Schaub. Rosenfels led a first quarter scoring drive that ended with a touchdown strike to WR Andre Johnson and followed that up with an eight yard score to WR Kevin Walter in the second quarter following a Tampa Bay turnover. After another Buccaneers miscue gave the ball back to the Texans at the start of the fourth quarter, Rosenfels hit TE Owen Daniels from four yards out to put Houston up 28-14.
Ron Dayne got the start for the Texans and had 17 yards on seven attempts before leaving the game with an injury. He did return later in the game, but was not used much following the injury. Darius Walker took Dayne's place in the backfield, and finished with 46 yards on 16 attempts and added six receptions for 35 yards in the passing game.
WR Andre Johnson led the way for the Texans in receiving, with nine receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, and WR Kevin Walter and TE Owen Daniels each contributed scores in the passing game.
A big story of this ballgame was the play of the Houston defense. They were able to keep the Buccaneers out of the end zone in the passing game, and did a great job containing WR Joey Galloway, not allowing the speedster to get downfield for any big plays in the passing game. The Texans held Tampa Bay to 71 yards on the ground and shut the Buccaneers down on third downs, where they completed just three of 13. Houston forced two turnovers, which led to scores by their offense, had four sacks, and won the special teams battle, with a kickoff return by WR Andre Davis.
What you ought to know
| QB Luke McCown, Pass: 25 - 38 - 266 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 10 - 0 |
Luke McCown could not replicate the success he had last week, as he finished 25 of 38 for 266 yards, zero scores and a lost fumble. He looked comfortable in the pocket, but the Texans pressure forced McCown outside the tackles, where McCown could not find any open receivers downfield. He looked comfortable on the run, and showed some athletic ability, but just could not get into a rhythm with his receivers. He had his chances downfield, and missed Joey Galloway on a sure touchdown on an overthrown ball.
| RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 15 - 61 - 2, Rec: 6 - 45 - 0 (11 targets) |
Graham finished with 15 rushes for 61 yards and two rushing touchdowns on the ground, and added six receptions for 45 yards in the passing game. He continued to run hard, and while he doesn't have breakaway speed, he uses his workmanlike attitude to get the most out of every run. His touchdown runs came from four and 11 yards out, and his 11 targets were a team high.
| WR Joey Galloway, Rec: 6 - 87 - 0 (8 targets) |
Joey Galloway was targeted eight times, and caught six passes for 87 yards. He was overthrown on a deep pass route that would have been a sure touchdown, but aside from that missed opportunity, the Houston defense did a nice job containing Tampa Bay's biggest offensive weapon.
| WR Michael Clayton, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (6 targets) |
For the first time this year, Michael Clayton looked healthy. He totaled just four receptions for 39 yards, but when he did have the ball in his hands, he showed some of the playmaking ability that has been missing for a few years now. Clayton was targeted six times in the game with two third down targets.
| WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (3 targets) |
Hilliard caught all three passes thrown his way for 28 yards, but left the game after fumbling the ball on his third reception with an apparent shoulder injury. The turnover led to a Houston touchdown, and Hilliard did not return to the game.
| TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) |
Alex Smith was targeted five times and caught two passes for 39 yards.
| PK Matt Bryant 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points |
Bryant made two extra points, and did not attempt a field goal, finishing with two points.
| TB Rush Defense |
Tampa Bay shut down the Houston rushing attack, as they held the Texans to 71 yards on 27 attempts (for a 2.6 ypc average), did not give up a rushing score, and gave up just one rushing first down.
LBs Cato June and Derrick Brooks each totaled five solo tackles and two assists to lead the Buccaneers defense.
| TB Pass Defense |
The Buccaneers pass defense had trouble shutting down the Houston passing game, most specifically WR Andre Johnson. They didn't seem to have anyone that could cover the talented wideout, who burned them for nine receptions and a touchdown. Along with that score, they also gave up passing touchdown to WR Kevin Walter and TE Owen Daniels. They gave up 17 passing first downs, and allowed the Texans to convert ten of 17 third downs.
DB Ronde Barber totaled eight solo tackles and two assists, and DL Greg White finished with three sacks and two forced fumbles.
| QB Sage Rosenfels, Pass: 27 - 36 - 209 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0 |
Rosenfels did not put up huge yardage numbers, throwing 27 of 36 for 209 yards, but made plays when he needed to, connecting with his receivers on three passing scores. The first came on a four yard toss to WR Andre Johnson that put Houston up 7-0. Rosenfels later connected with WR Kevin Walter from eight yards out and TE Owen Daniels from four yards out for his second and third scores of the game. He did lose two fumbles, one of which led to a Tampa Bay touchdown, but continued to make plays on third downs to keep the chains moving.
| RB Darius Walker, Rush: 16 - 46 - 0, Rec: 6 - 35 - 0 (6 targets) |
Darius Walker entered the game following the Dayne injury, and played well enough to keep Dayne on the sidelines. He ran the ball 16 times for 46 yards, and added six receptions for 35 yards on six targets in the passing game. While those numbers aren't great, Walker showed some playmaking ability in both the run game and the passing game.
| RB Ron Dayne, Rush: 7 - 17 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
Dayne started the game and ran the ball seven times for 17 yards, while adding two receptions for 15 yards in the passing game, before leaving the game with an injury. He did return to the game, but was not used much following the injury.
| WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 9 - 82 - 1 (11 targets) |
Johnson was targeted 11 times and finished with nine receptions for 82 yards. While he did not come up with any big plays downfield, he had six third down receptions that resulted in first downs, and added a four yard touchdown to lead the Texans receivers.
| WR Kevin Walter, Rec: 5 - 47 - 1 (8 targets) |
Walter finished with five receptions for 47 yards on eight targets, and added an eight yard touchdown.
| WR Andre Davis, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Davis caught the only pass thrown to him for a five yard gain, but had a huge play in the return game, taking a kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown.
| TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 3 - 20 - 1 (5 targets) |
Daniel received five targets, and was able to come down with three receptions for 20 yards that included a four yard touchdown reception.
| PK Kris Brown 0 - 0 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 4 points |
Brown had no field goal attempts, but made four extra points to finish with four points for the game.
| HOU Rush Defense |
The Texans defense played well on both sides of the ball. In the rushing game, they held the Buccaneers to 71 yards on 17 attempts and while they gave up two rushing scores, they didn't give Tampa Bay many big gains on the ground. They finished off tackles and swarmed to the ball, and were helped in their efforts to stop the run by their offense, which kept putting points on the board.
LB Morlon Greenwood totaled seven solo tackles and six assists to lead the Texans.
| HOU Pass Defense |
Houston was able to keep the Buccaneers out of the end zone through the air, and much of that can be credited to the attention they gave WR Joey Galloway. They bottled Galloway up throughout the game, with help coverage over the top to limit any big plays downfield. For the game, they held Tampa Bay to three of 13 on third downs and forced two fumbles.
DB Fred Bennett led the Houston defensive backfield with eight solo tackles and DL Mario Williams totaled four solo tackles, two assists and added a sack. LB Morlon Greenwood added a sack of his own, and rookie DL Amobi Okoye was credited with a half sack.
