NFL:   Texans Defeat the Broncos; Around the Horn, Week Three.

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NFL:     THE Houston Texans are now 3-0, the Denver Broncos, 1-2, after a Sunday duel between them at Denver’s Sports Authority Field, a 31-25 Texans win that may not have happened under Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning’s watch if the team’s defense had a better first half and a more effective third quarter, and had Manning had a first quarter during which the protection given him in the pocket + the security of openings for his wide receivers existed a few rungs higher on the proficiency ladder.  

The pass-synchronicity that was Manning’s and his receivers in later periods of the Broncos/Texans game, and in the final period of last week’s Broncos vs. Falcons match, it just wasn’t there in those first quarter drives, and the Broncos defense squad just couldn’t always find the spaces that it needed to be at for pass interference; nor could QB Manning avoid being sacked twice by Texans lineman, J.J. Watt (Denver’s defensive lineman Elvis Dumervil got his first sack of the year on Sunday, vs. the Texans QB).  

By endgame, the Broncos had gained a total of 375 yards, the Texans, 436. Manning threw for a total of 330 yards from 26 of 52 passes, while the Texans QB, Matt Schaub, hurled for 290 yards, completing 17 of 30 passes, a sufficient display of economy of force from both QB’s, except that Schaub’s drives resulted in more points.

            It doesn’t take long for an NFL team to pick out an opposing club’s star players and figure out ways to neutralize their effectiveness, to reduce their ability to participate in achievement of first downs and red zone occupation, which is classic football and that which the Texans accomplished vs. the Broncos, signaling that QB Manning needed better and more options for getting rid of the ball along with tactics less conservative than those offered up against the Texans defense, which Manning found finally with receiver Brandon Stokley and tight end Joel Dreesson nailing Denver’s two TD’s of the game (the Texans bought four TD’s).

Mostly, Denver’s wide receivers and running backs were victims of the Texans “denial operations” on Sunday. The best of the Denver defense seemed to be outwitted and outrun more than “outblocked,” yet the Texans offense kept finding pass openings due to its effective blocking against potential interference. The Texans managed time and again to keep Denver’s cornerbacks from being where the football and receivers were headed (Diminishing cornerback capacity is probably a 33.5 percent add-on value for potential offense yardage.).

Reflecting a significant difference in defense prowess is that the Texans had rushed successfully for more than 145 yards by the fourth quarter’s two minute warning. The Broncos finished the game with fewer than 60 rushed yards. The Texans were averaging more than four yards per rushing attempt, the Broncos less than three per rushing attempt.

Still, a fourth quarter comeback, similar to that of last week’s vs. Falcons effort, had the Broncos a TD away from beating the Texans. The outcome of the Broncos/Texans battle may have turned favorably for Denver if receiver Demaryius Thomas hadn’t had his timing shifted for a long fourth quarter TD pass attempt from QB Manning.

Too, though Denver running back Willis McGahee couldn’t be free for a greater number of rushing attempts than perhaps anticipated, he continued to average around 3.2 yards per attempt.

Also noteworthy is that Manning’s drives were enough to reach decisions for the Matt Prater field goal, giving Denver points that matched those that the Texans obtained via the TD.

So, as the NFL moves into week four of its 2012 season, any argument that the Broncos have caused themselves to be banished from the list of possible post-season contenders is bogus---1-2 isn’t the same as 7-9.  

Around the Horn After Week-3.

Fifteen of the 32 NFL teams are at 1-2 today, 12 are at 2-1, three are at 3-0, while two are at 0-3, combined the start of a dividing line between those franchises that will be vying for post-season billets and those that will soon be out of the race.

A current value for the 2-1 teams is that five of them are leading their divisions. And, if .500 and above remains the mark for a winning team, then 15 are already at or above the margin and capable of competing for division and conference championships.

The three teams that haven’t lost a game as NFL Week Four approaches are the Houston Texans, (the only AFC 3-0 team), and the NFC’s Arizona Cardinals (NFC West) and Atlanta Falcons (NFC South).

The 0-3 teams are the Cleveland Browns (AFC North) and the New Orleans Saints (NFC South).

Last night, the Seattle Seahawks purchased a 2-1 position by beating the Green Bay Packers narrowly, sending the Packers into the 1-2 realm. Last season’s Super Bowl winner, the New York Giants, are also at 2-1, and last season’s runner up, the New England Patriots, they are at 1-2.

If NFL Weeks One through Three are “trending,” then the 2012 NFL season won’t be the 2011 repeat that some analysts have predicted.

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