Houston Texans Media Conference

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Houston, Texas, USA

Bill O'Brien

Press Conference


Ravens - 33, Texans - 16

Q. When you look at the defense and the lack of turnovers how much do you feel like that's impacting what's happened the first couple --

BILL O'BRIEN: I can barely hear you. I'm sorry.

Q. When you look at what's happened with the defense the first couple of games, how much do you feel like the lack of turnovers has been a big issue?

BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I mean, I think it's, obviously a team effort. We got to get better. We got a long way to go and a short time to do it, so we have to really improve. But, yeah, we turned it over, and then we don't get any takeaways. And then they run the ball again. So we have to figure this out very quickly, that's all I can really say. We're not playing very well, we're not coaching very well and we have got to really get improved here this week in a real hurry here.

Q. Will Fuller, his hamstring issue?

BILL O'BRIEN: We'll have to find out, but, I don't know, but I think it's, we'll have to figure that out. I don't know that. I'll probably know that tomorrow, you know, better what to tell you tomorrow.

Q. Could you take us through your decision to go for it on fourth and one early?

BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, we had a fourth and one early in the game and then the game was changed a little bit. We punted that one and then they went down and kicked a field goal, but they possessed the ball. So again, we felt like we needed possessions in the game, so we decided to go for it. We put a play out there, they called timeout, we changed the play. The play didn't work and so we didn't convert it. But that's just the way it works. They did a better job than us on that and we just need to work hard to improve.

Q. How critical was the KT fumble in that situation?

BILL O'BRIEN: I mean, I'm sure he feels as bad about it as anybody. He's worked hard but, when you fumble and it's a touchdown, that's, it's a tough play. But we turned it over twice, they didn't turn it over and that's really the name of the game. Penalties and turnovers. They won the battle.

Q. Can you talk about your run defense and kind of what's going on there for them to be able to get so many, pile up so many runs -- or I mean, yards against you?

BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, it's not very good, obviously. We have given up a lot of rushing yardage in the last two weeks and it's just not very good. I think that we just have to go back and figure it out and have a good week. We got to improve. We got to work hard to improve. But, yeah, the run defense has to improve.

Q. Going back to that fourth and one decision at your 34, how much did that hurt you guys? It's a 3-0 game. You don't convert. And all of a sudden they take it down in a couple of minutes and it's 10-0 Baltimore, and you're playing a very good team that you weren't favored to beat coming into this game.

BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, look, it hurts. We wish, again, they did a better job on that one than us and we had a good play there. We felt we had a couple good plays and we just didn't get it done. So I don't think that that lost the game. We were able to come back at the end of the half and cut the lead, but that definitely was one of the plays that hurt.

Q. Did you see what happened with Ross Blackrock on the ejection?

BILL O'BRIEN: I didn't see what happened. I didn't see, so I'll have to see it on the tape. I didn't see what happened.

Q. Did he have an explanation for you or did you have a chance to talk to him?

BILL O'BRIEN: No. When you get disqualified they basically take you right off the field.

Q. During the late third you guys were at their 17. You had a chance to make it a one-possession game. It was third down, I believe, and Deshaun looked like he had an open receiver, didn't make the connection. Can you take us through that play and how critical that was in that scenario.

BILL O'BRIEN: Yeah, I would have to see the play on tape. I know what play you're talking about, but I really wouldn't be able to take you through the play. I'm sorry, I would just have to see it on tape first.

Q. Can you tell us, what was your message to your team after this game? I mean, obviously starting 0-2 wasn't in the plan but what is your message to your team at this point?

BILL O'BRIEN: We have to get better quickly. We have to -- in all areas. We have to coach better. We have to play better. It's a long season. We have to get better very quickly here, though. We go to Pittsburgh, so we have to really work hard this week to improve and we need to play a lot better than we have been playing against Pittsburgh. There's really, we don't have any choice, right? We don't have any choice. We have got to get back to work here and really work hard to improve.

Q. How would you evaluate your pass protection today?

BILL O'BRIEN: I think at times when they knew, when we were down late there and there's really no threat of the run when you're in a two-minute offense there at the end, I mean, they were bringing pressure. We can do better, obviously. Everything needs to improve. But I thought at times that we pass blocked well, but we need to improve overall, no doubt about it.

Q. Your thoughts on the pass rush. Obviously even more pressure, but just your thoughts on some of the sacks by JJ Watt and other guys today?

BILL O'BRIEN: I thought at the end of the half there we got good pressure. I think throughout the day we had some good pressure in there and I thought it was good. I think it just needs to keep getting better, needs to keep improving. But I thought overall, I thought that was, that felt like it was good. We'll have to watch it on the tape to really see it, but it felt like we had pressure for a lot of day.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
101748-1-1044 2020-09-20 23:46:00 GMT

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