It took a mere 55 seconds Sunday for the Houston Texans to go from leading by one, inside the Jets’ 10 yard line with the ball, to losing their fourth straight game. It’s impossible to argue that it takes a special kind of ineptitude to pull that off. A historic kind, even.
This comes on the heels of losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars on a deflected 50-yard Hail Mary as time expired one week prior. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Texans are the first team in NFL history to lose consecutive games on go-ahead TD passes in last 10 seconds.
With 301.0 pass yards per game allowed, the Texans have the worst pass defense in the league this year. This fact has been well-circulated throughout the season thus far. But is their pass defense the worst in league history?
Most Pass Yards Allowed
Single Season, NFL History
The numbers tells us that yes, they are. Houston is currently on pace to shatter the NFL record for most pass yards allowed in a season, which is currently held by the 1995 Atlanta Falcons. They allowed 4,541 yards passing en route to (amazingly) a 9-7 record and a playoff appearance. Houston is currently allowing 17 more yards per game through the air than that Falcons group.
The Texans also lead the league in most touchdown passes allowed with 25. With an average of 2.5 allowed per game, that puts them on pace to give up 40 through the air this season. Why is 40 an important number? It’s the record for most passing touchdowns allowed in a season -- that by the 1963 Denver Broncos.
Most Touchdown Passes Allowed
Single Season, NFL History
In defense of the Texans -- and obviously, they need all they can get -- each of those teams but the 1981 Colts did that in fewer than 16 games.
Texans fans wanted to see their team make history this season by earning their first ever postseason berth. They’re witnessing history, alright, just not the kind they had hoped for.