Tag: Pep Hamilton

Pep Hamilton on the need to establish the run to throw the ball effectively

Hamilton made it clear that a multidimensional approach is the only way the #Texans’ offense will be able to get in gear

The Houston Texans’ offense has been nearly unwatchable for the better part of two weeks, and things will need to change if they have any intention of getting a win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton spoke to reporters on Thursday about his approach to the matchup and gave some interesting insight into how he is preparing his unit ahead of the highly anticipated tilt.

Asked if there was anything he could do to get the offense to click earlier in games, Hamilton answered in the affirmative and explained that it will start with having a multidimensional strategy in place.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Hamilton said. “It’s one of those things where it’s always our goal. Coach (Lovie Smith) talks about it quite often. We have to establish the line of scrimmage, and we have to establish the run game. We have to come out and attempt to score and move the ball downfield. That starts with me just making sure that regardless of what we feel like we need to do to get guys settled in, we’ve just got to come out and attack and try and score points as often as we can.”

Getting the ground game in gear would go a long way toward bringing the Texans’ offense back to even a modest level of production. Early this season, they leaned on rookie running back Dameon Pierce to help push the ball downfield, but after two weeks of using him sparingly, it seems that the team is turning their back on that strategy.

Instead, they’ll look to newly minted starting quarterback Kyle Allen to move the offense through the air while utilizing receivers Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins. If they can get both elements working in unison, they just might be able to bring home their second win of the season against Cleveland.

Texans QB Kyle Allen likes OC Pep Hamilton and his togetherness with the whole offense

Houston Texans QB Kyle Allen says that he appreciates the way OC Pep Hamilton immerses himself with the whole offensive personnel.

Kyle Allen likes what Pep Hamilton has to offer.

Albeit the fifth-year pro is making just his second start for the Houston Texans when they take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 at NRG Stadium. Allen has been with the Texans since the offseason program and has been at the ground floor of Hamilton’s installation of the offense.

“I think Pep has been great in the quarterback room,” Allen told reporters Wednesday. “Pep has been trying to put us in the best positions.”

The Texans hired Hamilton in 2021 as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator on first-year coach David Culley’s staff. While Hamilton still spends time with the quarterbacks, Allen notices that the offensive coordinator doesn’t have his clique of players he talks with.

“The one thing I love about Pep is we’re in it together,” said Allen. “You get some coaches sometime where it’s a coach, coaching by himself on some players. When we’re out there Sunday, we’re in it together. We’re working through things.”

The Texans still have plenty to work out as they are second-worst in the NFL in points, last in yards, and second-worst on third downs with a 28.1% conversion rate.

“It’s been a tough year for us on offense, but when you look at football, it’s easy to point fingers at the quarterback, or it’s easy to point fingers at the coaches or coordinators,” said Allen. “At the end of the day, there’s 11 guys out there. It’s a team game, and those guys have to make it happen. I think Pep has been good for us this year.”

The Texans offense could still finish the year strong over the final six games. Houston kicks off against Cleveland Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time. The Texans have not beaten the Browns since Dec. 2, 2018, at NRG Stadium.

Pep Hamilton says Texans have explosive plays up their sleeve for Miami

Hamilton told reporters on Wednesday that he does, in fact, have concepts to push the ball upfield in the #Texans’ playbook

As much as the Houston Texans have struggled in 2022, it doesn’t seem like too much to ask for the team to at least start losing in an exciting fashion. They’ve committed full-bore to tanking for the rest of the season, which became clear when they refused to give star running back Dameon Pierce more than 10 carries last week against the New York Giants.

Facing an even more established team in Week 12, Houston will need to find ways to, at a bare minimum, lose with style. A reporter asked offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton on Wednesday if he had any plays to help push the ball downfield, to which the coach smiled wryly and answered in the affirmative.

“Yes. Yes, we do,” Hamilton explained. “It’s important that we always find way to feature our playmakers. We feel like Brandin Cooks, Phillip Dorsett, we have a number of guys, Nico Collins and now Chris Moore. They are all guys who can attack the field vertically, as well as our tight ends. That’s been a big part of what we’ve tried to do throughout the season. Not just feature our receivers, but also our tight ends in the vertical passing game. We’ve got to get more out of our vertical attack.”

Hopefully Hamilton has the intention of actually calling whatever plays he has in the playbook that might make this week’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins a bit more watchable than previous games. With rumors of a potential quarterback change swirling, this might be the perfect opportunity to throw caution to the wind and just play a bit of Madden-ball against an opponent that is clearly of a higher caliber.

Then, even when the Texans lose, at least fans would have something to point to that might indicate that the team has any fight left in it after a season of non-stop disappointment.

Texans OC Pep Hamilton expects rookie G Kenyon Green to bounce back

Houston Texans OC Pep Hamilton says that first-round G Keyon Green should bounce back in Week 12 after a humbling outing the week prior.

Count Kenyon Green among the many Houston Texans who did not have a good time during Washington’s 23-10 chokehold in Week 11.

The Texas A&M product committed two holding penalties, one of which was accepted, and had an ineligible man downfield penalty. Green was also walked back into one of quarterback Davis Mills’ five sacks on the afternoon.

The Humble Atascocita product was going against two of the best defensive tackles in the game in Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Making his ninth career start among his 10 game day activations, Green was at a disadvantage.

Even though Green had a bad week, offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton believes the first-rounder will bounce back against the Miami Dolphins.

“We expect that he’s going to continue to work to embrace the technique that he’s been taught because he’s extremely talented,” Hamilton told reporters Nov. 23. “It’s just part of the process from week-to-week. It’s understanding that guys are going to watch us on film and the opponent is going to watch us on film and come up with ways to counter the things they see us do. I’m certain we’ll continue to watch Kenyon’s progress as he continues to play.”

Green will be going against another talented defensive tackle in the Dolphins’ Christian Wilkins, who has 1.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and a pass breakup on the season.

Pep Hamilton addresses a comment made by Davis Mills following loss to Commanders

Mills made a comment about creativity in the #Texans’ offense that Pep Hamilton responded to on Wednesday

The Houston Texans are rumored to be courting the idea of making a change at quarterback in Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins, and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton fielded some tough questions at the team’s Wednesday press conference about what has led them to this point. After sticking by Davis Mills for 10 games with just a 1-8-1 record to show for it, the Texans’ coaching staff has a lot to answer for if they intend to keep their jobs heading into 2023.

Mills had made a comment following Houston’s Week 11 loss to the Washington Commanders about how the Texans’ offense could only thrive if there was more creativity in their approach. Asked whether he thought Mills was referring to the running or passing game in that remark, Hamilton deflected and pointed out the strength of the defenses his unit has been up against in recent weeks.

“I’m not sure,” Hamilton said. “We hadn’t discussed that specially. I wasn’t necessarily aware of exactly what he said, but I would agree that we’re going to face really good defenses from week-to-week. It starts with me. We’ve got to find ways to extenuate the strengths of our guys. Like I said, we feel good about our offensive line as a whole.

“That’s where it all starts for us. Coach [Lovie Smith] stands up here week-to-week and talks often about being physical at the line of scrimmage, being able to run the football, and everything comes off of us running the football. We just didn’t do that well enough this past Sunday.” 

Though rookie running back Dameon Pierce has found success in 2022 as the team’s leading rusher, last week’s result clearly showed that the Texans’ offense will stall if he isn’t able to put up prolific numbers. It will now be Hamilton’s job to find a solution to put points on the board without leaning too much on one player, especially if he intends to make a quarterback switch against an opponent as capable as the Dolphins this late in the year.

Texans losing, nature of losses underscores bigger issues

The Houston Texans are virtually where they were a season ago. However, the team appears to have bigger problems than the 2021 incarnation.

HOUSTON — One year ago, former Houston Texans coach David Culley stepped to the podium for his postgame press conference with a smile on his face because his team had just defeated one of the best teams in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans.

The victory helped Houston snap an eight-game losing streak. It was only the second win of the season for the Texans, but it gave Houston some hope for the future. The team had something to celebrate and build on, even if it was just for a day.

Fast forward to Sunday, and first-year coach Lovie Smith is still searching for his second win after the Texans lost their fifth game in a row to Washington 23-10.

“We had some disappointing losses this year,” said Smith. “Our fans deserve a lot more than that. We have to put a better product on the football field, and we’ll keep working towards that. Some of your questions, ‘Did you consider changes’ We’re trying to do what we thought we needed to do to give us the best chance to win throughout.”

It isn’t the losses that have the fans disappointed. It is how the team is losing, and that starts with the head coach and trickles down to every player that touches the field.

On Sunday, the offense had their usual putrid first-half performance. Quarterback Davis Mills threw an interception on the second play from scrimmage and watched as Washington cornerback Kendall Fuller went 37 yards for the touchdown.

“Good play by the defender,” Mills said about his interception. “Might have left the ball a hair inside, and he had a really good jump on it and ended up getting away and making a good play. Not many emotions after the play. Got to flush it really fast and go back out there because you’re about to get the ball right back.”

The Texans got the ball back five more times in the half and punted it all five times. By the end of the half, they scored no points and had five total yards of offense.

Is it a play-calling issue? Yes.

Is it a personnel and execution issue? Yes.

Two things can be true at the same time. In the grand scheme of things, the larger question is both perplexing and baffling.

Has Lovie Smith done enough to deserve another year as head coach or defensive coordinator? Should he relinquish one role and solely focus on the other if the Texans bring him back for another year?

The fans who stuck by the organization through Bill O’Brien’s tenure as a general manager, where he destroyed the team from the inside out, deserve better. The diehard season ticket holders who did not waver through back-to-back four-win seasons and the Deshaun Watson fiasco should not have to endure this type of pain and suffering.

Over the next seven games, Houston will play at least four teams (Dolphins, Cowboys, Chiefs, Titans) who will make the postseason. The other three (Browns, Jaguars, Colts) will also be tough opponents as they look to build this season for the future.

With that schedule, the Texans may not win another game this season. If that happens and their record ends up being 1-15-1, no one’s job should be safe, including general manager Nick Caserio.

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Texans QB Davis Mills dreadful against Washington in 23-10 loss

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills played a forgettable game as Washington forced him into two interceptions en route to a 23-10 beating.

The Houston Texans continued their slow march towards the 2023 NFL draft on Sunday afternoon with a horrific home outing against Washington. It’s been a long season of losses for Houston but, largely, coach Lovie Smith and the team have found ways to at least make the games look close.

The team’s streak of respectable losses and solid garbage time statistics for second year signal caller Davis Mills came to a screeching halt in front of a sparse Houston crowd. Mills finished the day 19 of 33 for 169 yards and two interceptions in addition to the team’s only touchdown of the day via a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Stanford product put Houston in a hole early on the team’s first offensive possession trying to target wide receiver Brandin Cooks on a flat route. Cornerback Kendall Fuller read the route perfectly and the result was one of the easiest defensive touchdowns scored this season.

In what certainly served as a poor omen for the rest of the afternoon, the team was shut out in the first half and had scored just three points leading into the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton called a hyper conservative game plan that created no room for error while Mills was left struggling to attack the defense within the confines of plays called.

On top of Mills rough outing, the Houston offensive line gave one of their worst performances of the year. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen had 2.0 sacks and Washington went on to combine for nine quarterback hits. In particular, first-round guard Kenyon Green struggled to deal with the interior pressure.

Cooks and fellow wideout Nico Collins combined for eight catches for 118 yards but the presence of Houston’s top two wideouts seemingly made little difference in the final outcome.

Overall, the game highlighted the struggles of Houston’s offense. The play calling is not built for today’s league and is uninspired, even relative to the confines of their own talent. The interior offensive line plays at a level that makes quarterbacking extremely difficult.

Finally, Mills does not appear to have the talent or decision making needed to overcome the myriad of errors placed around him.

Houston appears to be cruising towards a future where Alabama quarterback Bryce Young or Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will be heavily in discussion for the team’s selection at first overall in the draft. Mills may need to win only two or three additional games to avoid that potential future, his play to this point just does inspire much confidence that it will be possible.

Houston takes on Tua Tagovailoa and the high-powered Miami Dolphins offense next week.

Texans coach Lovie Smith ‘not going to change’ when it comes to offensive coordinator

Coach Lovie Smith expressed his confidence in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton despite the Houston Texans’ paltry production against Washington.

The Houston Texans mustered 148 yards total offense in their 23-10 loss to Washington Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium in Week 11.

Teams can have an off week.

Try an off year. The loss to Washington represents the second time in the past four games Houston has failed to get to 200 yards total offense and their fifth game of the season where they were under 300 yards.

Coach Lovie Smith was asked by the media following the loss what confidence he has in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton to rectify the situation, and Smith remained confident in his coordinator.

“I’m not going to change,” said Smith. “Right now as a football team, there’s not a whole lot that we’re doing well right now. We’re building. We’re not quite there yet. We’re not a good football team right now, but that’s how most teams start off. You’re not a good football team. You keep working on things and eventually get a little bit better.”

Even though the Texans were hideous at home against a Washington squad that had won four of its last five, Smith pointed out the Texans fared better against the New York Giants on the road. Like Washington, the Giants are also embroiled in a highly competitive division race in the NFC East and wins are at a premium.

Said Smith: “We did not play this way last week. We didn’t. We were down in red zone six times and didn’t score a touchdown. We didn’t play this way last week. It hasn’t been like that always. Today it was. In those games you just have to kind of take it that the other team was a lot better than us and hope that won’t be the case next week.”

The Texans get back in action Nov. 27 on the road when they face the 7-3 Miami Dolphins, who will be coming off their bye.

Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton focused on execution ahead of Week 11 matchup vs. Commanders

Hamilton told reporters that the #Texans will find success when they aren’t forced to throw the ball at crucial points late in games

With an immensely challenging matchup against the Washington Commanders on the schedule for Sunday, the Houston Texans are still in search of their second win of the 2022 season. Though their 1-7-1 record is a clear indication of their failures to this point in the season, offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton spoke to the media on Thursday about how he can help the offense improve over the Texans’ last eight games.

Asked about how his unit can limit turnovers at crucial points in a given game, Hamilton told reporters that execution is key and that the Texans will find success when they aren’t in a position where they have to force the issue offensively.

“We just want to be more consistent in our overall execution as an offense,” He explained. “We have moments. We came out of the half guns blazing, but we want to start the game that way and we want to play that way for four quarters. More importantly, we want to finish the game that way. In a perfect world, we want to finish the game running the football. It shouldn’t come down to the last play of the game for us to be victorious, so we want to play fast and execute at a high level for four quarters.”

While it will take improvement on both sides of the ball for Houston to play legitimately competitive football consistently, Hamilton isn’t wrong in his assertion that the team will benefit from any strategy that enables them to play for ball control late in games. His Sisyphean task will be to draw up offensive schemes that mitigate the inadequacies of quarterback Davis Mills, magnify the impact of rookie running back Dameon Pierce, and put the Texans in a position to score even a modest amount of points in the process.

In theory, this shouldn’t be impossible, but given the state of the team at this juncture in the season, one couldn’t blame him for feeling like it is. Hamilton will have his work cut out for him against a talented Washington defense that has playmakers across every phase of its roster in Week 11.

Newly acquired running back Eno Benjamin fitting in well with Texans

“I feel like I am a guy who can run it inside, outside, and run past you as well,” Benjamin said of his playing style.

HOUSTON –  Running back Eno Benjamin made his first appearance as a Houston Texan on Thursday at the Methodist Training facility. Houston acquired him off waivers after the Arizona Cardinals released him on Tuesday.

“I think he’s dynamic,” Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton said of Benjamin during his weekly press conference on Thursday. “From watching the film earlier in the season, he’s an explosive playmaker.”

It is unlikely that Benjamin, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, will see any action Sunday when the Texans take on the Houston Commanders at NRG Stadium since he arrived so late to the team and will only have two days of practice.

Benjamin was very productive this season as he started three games for the Cardinals when running back James Conner had to sit due to injury. He carried the ball 70 times for 299 yards, which equated to 4.3 yards per carry. Once inserted into the running back rotation, Benjamin will accept his role as the potential backup to rookie Dameon Pierce.

The fourth-round selection out of the University of Florida is on pace to become the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with 772 rushing yards on the season.

“He is a great back,” Benjamin said when asked about Pierce. “I have been watching him. Specifically, in the [Philadelphia] Eagles game when all eyes were on that game. Me and my former Arizona teammates were watching that game and said, ‘This guy is running the ball.'”

The Texans have had a drop-off in production once Pierce leaves the field, with current backup Rex Burkhead being inefficient and Dare Ogunbowale not seeing the field enough to make an impact. By adding Benjamin, Houston hopes he can continue to help the offense move once Pierce catches his breath.

“I feel like I am a guy who can run it inside, outside, and run past you as well,” the former Arizona State running back said when asked about his playing style.

Even though he is a Texas native, Benjamin was given restaurant recommendations in Houston by former Arizona teammate J.J. Watt, who spent the first ten years of his career in a Texans uniform.

“I asked if there was any advice you can give me in Houston and he gave me a lot of food options,” Benjamin explained.

When asked about some of the restaurants Watt recommended, Benjamin pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through the list of options.

“He said Kata Robata,” Benjamin told reporters. “He said that’s his No. 1. … B&B Butchers … um …El Tiempo. There is a lot, so I am definitely looking forward to trying out…Breakfast Klub, I am definitely looking forward to trying it all out.”

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