Overall, Texans quarterback CJ Stroud said the team was “embarrassed” Thursday night. More specifically, he implicitly suggested a number of things the Texans may or may not be doing that are contributing to the situation.

“I would say we need to play better football more honestly, perform better, stop pointing fingers and realize that at the end of the day this is not winning football,” Stroud told reporters after the 21-13 defeat. “We can’t keep pushing our way through every game, we are a very good football team, we have a lot of very good players. Once we believe in the systems and what is being coached, we must also have leadership to take over. I believe this is not the end, but it is certainly a great wake-up call for us to tighten the ship. This is playoff football now, it’s November-December, this is the part of our schedule, we’re playing a lot of great teams in prime time and we have to be able to find ways to win.

When he tells them to stop pointing, it means they do. If it says that they have to buy into the systems, it means that this is not the case.

That’s ultimately the job of the coaching staff, but the players have a role in overseeing themselves. Stroud said it publicly last night. With a game against the Lions looming, it will be critical for the Texans to address these issues privately.