With an offensive line that has been among the worst in the league in each of the last two seasons, the offense hasn’t been something that the Houston Texans have been able to rely on consistently. However, the one exception that was their ground game, with an uber-talented backfield consistently finding ways to keep the ball moving.
In a primetime game against an elite Seattle Seahawks defense, that is the where the Texans may have like to put their emphasis on. Unfortunately, when the first half came to a close, it wasn’t a savoury sight for their two primary running back options, Nick Chubb and Woody Marks.
What Happened to Nick Chubb and Woody Marks?
As the Seahawks jumped out to an early 14-point lead in the first quarter, the Texans tried to chip away at the lead by adding six before halftime themselves. However, that was an effect of an incredible defensive performance rather than the offense.
At the halfway mark in the game, the Houston offense had less than 150 total yards to its credit, with the ground game almost nonexistent. Chubb, who has taken over the RB1 duties in Joe Mixon’s absence, had three carries, but added just seven rushing yards.
Marks, on the other hand, tallied 13 rushing yards on four carries. Both players, though, also had one catch to their name. While Marks made it count with a seven-yard reception, the throw to Chubb ultimately ended up costing the Texans, as it went -5 yards.
On the season, the two have been solid throughout, ranking 33rd (Chubb) and 38th (Marks) on PFSN’s RB Impact. While the former had 249 rushing yards coming into the game, Marks had also contributed 137 rushing yards to the tally. However, the latter had 50 more receiving yards, with 96 receiving yards in five games.
In the second half, though, as the game seemed to threaten to get out of hand for the Texans, the offense took on a far more pass-heavy approach. As a result, Chubb only got two more carries, adding nine more yards for a final stat line of five carries and 16 yards.
Marks, on the other hand, got six more carries in the second half. However, his running ability remained suspect, as he finished with just 15 yards on the ground in the game. His impact, though, came through the air.
Adding two more catches to his total, he gained 13 receiving yards, including a four-yard touchdown reception that gave Houston some hope late in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, though, their effort wasn’t enough, and Seattle walked away with a 27-19 victory.
