Enemy Reaction 2017: Houston Texans (Part II)

When we last left the Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans, Seattle nursed a 27-24 lead heading into the final quarter. If you want to check out part I of this special two-part edition of Enemy Reaction, click here. Part II features the end of the game, plus the usual post-game stuff and a little bonus reaction from the Los Angeles Rams.

Once again, game thread comments from Texans fans are courtesy of Battle Red Blog.

Deshaun Watson spins out of trouble and finds Lamar Miller for the touchdown (31-27 HOU)

Tyler Lockett gets free for 54 yards (31-27 HOU)

Paul Richardson touchdown gets wiped out by Thomas Rawls penalty (31-27 HOU)

Seahawks advance to the one-yard line after Texans commit pass interference (31-27 HOU)

Seahawks retake the lead on an easy TD toss to Jimmy Graham (34-31 SEA)

DeAndre Hopkins scores on a 72-yard screen pass touchdown (38-34 HOU)

Russell Wilson evades Houston’s pass rushers for a 20-yard run (38-34 HOU)

...Only to throw a terrible interception to Marcus Williams (38-34 HOU)

Seahawks stop Lamar Miller on 3rd down to get the ball back (38-34 HOU)

Paul Richardson makes a wonderful catch for 47 yards (38-34 HOU)

Russell Wilson to Jimmy Graham for the lead! (41-38 SEA)

Deshaun Watson gets sacked by Frank Clark (41-38 SEA)

Richard Sherman picks off Watson’s desperation throw, Seahawks WIN (41-38 SEA Final)

---

Reaction from Rams fans at Turf Show Times

Post-Game: Michael Bennett’s tackle on Lamar Miller will give me nightmares (John Harris, Houston Texans official site)

16. I’m so glad that the Texans won’t see Paul Richardson, Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett and Jimmy Graham any time soon. That group, wow. If the right hand didn’t get you, the left hand knocked you out.

17. Russell Wilson’s magic trick where he gets away from three rushers on a late fourth quarter drive still has me shaking my head. I mean, he got hit by three 300 lb. defensive linemen and he just shrugged them all off and picked up a key first down gain on the ground. The Texans completely took away the run game and turned the Seahawks into a one dimensional offense and Wilson still picked up key yards at an all-important point in the game.

18. I will see Michael Bennett’s shoestring tackle on Lamar Miller on second down on the Texans second to last drive in my nightmares. Miller sped through the hole and it looked like he had a first down in his sights. Bennett got a hold of Miller’s foot and held him to a five yard gain. It could’ve been 15 yards fairly easily, had it not been for Bennett. If it were 15, that would’ve been the end of the game and a win for the Texans. That’s really all that separated these two teams on this day. Then, I went and watched it on the plane on the way home and, yep, nightmares.

Post-Game: Another late knuckleheaded playcall by Bill O’Brien (Diehard Chris, Battle Red Blog)

Considering all that went on leading up to the game, this was setting up to be the best regular season win of the Bill O'Brien Era.

But then two things happened. First, another late knuckleheaded play call by the head coach who had the chance to end the game on offense rather than put it in the hands of an abhorrent late-game defense. Second, well, an abhorrent late-game defense.

The bottom line is this. Yes, you want to trust your defense. But you also have to trust your eyes and your game "feel". Deshaun Watson did whatever he wanted out there, and Russell Wilson was SHREDDING the Texans defense.

Just so much dumb. It was all right there, right in their hands.

Post-Game Audio: Opponent audio recap with Texans announcers Marc Vandermeer and Andre Ware (via KJR’s Softy Mahler Show)

Post-Game Video: Deshaun Watson is amazing (Spitz389 Tha Definition Of Throwed)

Enemy Preaction: Washington Redskins (Hogs Haven)

---

It’s a shame that this game was on CBS’ singleheader weekend, hence the majority of the country didn’t get to see this one on television, because the performances of Wilson and Watson deserved to be broadcast in front of a much larger audience. It was special to watch and you have to appreciate what an enthralling contest that was, now that everyone has presumably had their heart rates restored to normal.

A programming note: I am flying cross-country on November 2nd and won’t have my usual set-up to do Enemy Reaction for the weekend. As a compromise, if the Seahawks beat both Washington on Sunday and then the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night, I’ll combine those two posts into one big Enemy Reaction. If Seattle manages to lose one of those two games (and they better not), then we’ll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading and go ‘Hawks!