So before I begin my main point of interest, let me make a few notes about Thursday's game. The protege defeated the master. Coach Gary Kubiak and his Houston Texans manhandled the Kubiak's old team, the Denver Broncos, 31-13.
The Texans held the Broncos' sixth-ranked rushing offense to only 72 yards all night. The Texans' secondary had their hands on the ball all night, deflecting passes and making plays in crucial moments, and the defense held the Broncos to only 4 for 12 third down conversions.
And then there was the offense. Texans' quarterback Matt Schaub sat out for the second straight game with a shoulder injury, and his backup Sage Rosenfels came in and got the job done once again. Rosenfels threw for 200 yards and a touchdown, and ran a smooth offense due to the production of the running game. Rookie running back Darius Walker came in and rushed for 66 yards and running back Ron Dayne scored a touchdown and had 67 yards rushing. Wide receiver Andre Johnson had 87 yards and a touchdown, and a little known fact, Johnson has the highest receiving yard average a game with 102.8, coming in above Moss and Owens.
The main thing about the Texans' offense is that they are able to stay consistent. Houston has scored at least one touchdown in the first quarter in six consecutive games.
And now that the Browns and Jaguars won, the Texans need a miracle to make the playoffs. However, no matter what happens for the rest of the season, you have to be excited for the direction this team is heading.
Now we need to get straight to the fact that Texans' defensive end Mario Williams has gone into a league of his own on defense, especially Thursday in Houston. Williams recorded 3.5 sacks, bumping his season total up to 13, good for first in the AFC and second in the NFL.
"I know this kid is a tremendous football player," Kubiak said. "It’s a great example of a young guy and the pressure he went through last year and the pressure that was on him as a very, very young man."
Williams came at the Broncos' offense from both ends of the defensive line, leaving Denver confused for the most part. He is making it impossible for offensive linemen to go at him one-on-one and even defeating double teams. I don't want to bring up last years draft again, but I don't see Vince Young or Reggie Bush looking all that promising at this point.
"I’m just so much more comfortable now. As the week goes on, I take a look at the plays and see how they work," Williams said.
Now Williams needs to get ready for a Pro Bowl selection. And Williams is aware of the talk, even creating a hula dance after one of his sacks on Thursday night.
"I would like to go. Obviously, it would be a great accomplishment, but the most important thing is the last two games, definitely," Williams said.
So despite the success of Williams this season, and the overall improvement of this young team, the Texans are probably not going to get to the postseason. However, as I stated last week, you have to wonder what they could have done if they were healthy this year. With that in mind, I can't wait to see what this team is going to do in years to come.
This Sunday the Texans are on the road in Indianapolis to take on the Colts. It would be a great end to a great season if the Texans could win out and finish 9-7. The first step is this one, taking on the AFC South champions, I just don't know if they will be able to without all the pieces.
My prediction: Colts 27, Texans 20.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Hanging By A Thread
Let's face it, there are a lot of "what-ifs" for the Texans this late in the season. The Houston Texans really are still in this thing. With Sunday’s 28-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Texans put themselves back into the playoff hunt. They now sit two games behind Cleveland for the final wildcard spot in the AFC. So needless to say, this is about to get interesting.
On Sunday, the Texans managed to score a touchdown in every quarter, and led the entire game. Quarterback Sage Rosenfels filled in nicely for the injured Matt Schaub, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie running back Darius Walker made his debut, and although he only rushed for 46 yards, he kept the defense honest and brought the speed in the background that the Texans have been looking for all season. Running back Ron Dayne sat out most of the game with an injured back, but the Texans offense kept rolling, converting 10-of-17 third downs.
And with 35 minutes of possession, the Texans kept their defense rested and off the field. Defensive end Mario Williams added another sack, bringing his total to 9.5 for the year, which is good for second in the AFC.
Which brings me to my first note. Can we have talks of considering Mario WIlliams for a pro bowl nomination? Williams has a sack in each of the last four games and has been a complete beast on the line.
Williams and linebacker Demeco Ryans should be in the pro bowl this year and I would also throw kicker Kris Brown in the mix.
Now back to the game.
The Texans didn't lose the turnover battle, and being dead last in the NFL in turnovers explains a lot of their problems. However, when the Texans can protect the ball, we truly see what they are capable of.
You have to also consider the fact that the Texans have the most players in the NFL on injured reserve, and are still in the hunt to make the playoffs. What could this team possibly do if they were a healthy team? Who knows?
With the win, the Texans matched their win total for last season. They also finished off the NFC South, with a 3-1 record against that division. The Texans have a short week facing the Denver Broncos at home on Thursday, which might as well be can’t-see-TV with game being televised on the NFL network.
Matt Schaub might be good enough to go, although if Rosenfels has to start, I don't think anyone will complain. The Texans, then will go against the Colts and Jaguars to finish off the season, but have a very good chance to make a playoff run, which would be a Texans’ first.
I think that Kubiak will have his team ready for the short week ahead, and especially wanting to defeat the team that gave him his first shot at coaching. With Buffalo facing Cleveland next week, and San Diego having to play Detroit, the Texans could inch closer to a playoff spot with a win.
My prediction: Texans 20, Broncos 13.
On Sunday, the Texans managed to score a touchdown in every quarter, and led the entire game. Quarterback Sage Rosenfels filled in nicely for the injured Matt Schaub, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie running back Darius Walker made his debut, and although he only rushed for 46 yards, he kept the defense honest and brought the speed in the background that the Texans have been looking for all season. Running back Ron Dayne sat out most of the game with an injured back, but the Texans offense kept rolling, converting 10-of-17 third downs.
And with 35 minutes of possession, the Texans kept their defense rested and off the field. Defensive end Mario Williams added another sack, bringing his total to 9.5 for the year, which is good for second in the AFC.
Which brings me to my first note. Can we have talks of considering Mario WIlliams for a pro bowl nomination? Williams has a sack in each of the last four games and has been a complete beast on the line.
Williams and linebacker Demeco Ryans should be in the pro bowl this year and I would also throw kicker Kris Brown in the mix.
Now back to the game.
The Texans didn't lose the turnover battle, and being dead last in the NFL in turnovers explains a lot of their problems. However, when the Texans can protect the ball, we truly see what they are capable of.
You have to also consider the fact that the Texans have the most players in the NFL on injured reserve, and are still in the hunt to make the playoffs. What could this team possibly do if they were a healthy team? Who knows?
With the win, the Texans matched their win total for last season. They also finished off the NFC South, with a 3-1 record against that division. The Texans have a short week facing the Denver Broncos at home on Thursday, which might as well be can’t-see-TV with game being televised on the NFL network.
Matt Schaub might be good enough to go, although if Rosenfels has to start, I don't think anyone will complain. The Texans, then will go against the Colts and Jaguars to finish off the season, but have a very good chance to make a playoff run, which would be a Texans’ first.
I think that Kubiak will have his team ready for the short week ahead, and especially wanting to defeat the team that gave him his first shot at coaching. With Buffalo facing Cleveland next week, and San Diego having to play Detroit, the Texans could inch closer to a playoff spot with a win.
My prediction: Texans 20, Broncos 13.
A Major Setback For The Texans
I really wanted to be enthusiastic about something when I wrote this. I wanted to be able to say the Texans would enter week 14 with a 6-6 record and be in a playoff race. Now technically, the team isn't out of it completely, but the 28-20 loss to the Titans on Sunday was definitely a major setback.
The thing that kills me about the Texans is the fact that they continue to beat themselves over and over again. Whether it is the turnover factor or poor play, the Texans have taken themselves out of it more than anything.
In the Texans' seven losses this season, I can count two of them (at Jacksonville, 37-17 and San Diego, 35-10) that we had no chance to win. The other five games, we fought until the end, and should have even won. And right now that is the difference between the team you see now, and what could be a legitimate candidate for the playoffs.
On Sunday, quarterback Matt Schaub went down once again, leaving the game in backup Sage Rosenfels' hands. The Texans held control of the game until this point, then seemed to have the life sucked out of them all over again. And even after the injury, the Texans still were within one score of the Titans in the fourth quarter. With 10:50 left, the Texans trailed 21-17 and forced Tennessee to punt. Of course, fate would have it out for the Texans, as receiver Jacoby Jones muffed the punt return and gave the ball back to the Titans. Tennessee then scored, putting the score at 28-17 and forcing the Texans to go into panic mode.
So it this point I have to be the bigger person and admit a mistake I made at the beginning of the season. This was an exact quote from one of my earlier columns: "No longer refer to Jacoby Jones as 'that guy from Lane.' After the preseason Jones is having, there is no question he will line up in that second receiver spot. It isn’t just the special teams play either, although the two punt returns for touchdowns in two games doesn’t hurt."
Well, go back to referring to Jacoby as "that guy from Lane." I am at such a point of disgust with him that I want him cut from the team. Jones has made nothing but big plays this season...for the other team.
One major bright spot on Sunday was watching Mario Williams get 2.5 sacks on Vince Young. If you aren't keeping track at home, that is 8.5 on the season which is good enough for third in the AFC and tenth in the NFL. So I want all talks of this guy being a bust to cease immediately.
Unfortunately, I can't come up with any other bright spot and this season is making me want to jog into oncoming traffic.
Next week the Texans take on the NFC South leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Houston. And as I said before, the Texans aren't completely down and out, but it would be a borderline miracle for the playoffs to happen now.
My prediction: Bucs 24, Texans 13.
The thing that kills me about the Texans is the fact that they continue to beat themselves over and over again. Whether it is the turnover factor or poor play, the Texans have taken themselves out of it more than anything.
In the Texans' seven losses this season, I can count two of them (at Jacksonville, 37-17 and San Diego, 35-10) that we had no chance to win. The other five games, we fought until the end, and should have even won. And right now that is the difference between the team you see now, and what could be a legitimate candidate for the playoffs.
On Sunday, quarterback Matt Schaub went down once again, leaving the game in backup Sage Rosenfels' hands. The Texans held control of the game until this point, then seemed to have the life sucked out of them all over again. And even after the injury, the Texans still were within one score of the Titans in the fourth quarter. With 10:50 left, the Texans trailed 21-17 and forced Tennessee to punt. Of course, fate would have it out for the Texans, as receiver Jacoby Jones muffed the punt return and gave the ball back to the Titans. Tennessee then scored, putting the score at 28-17 and forcing the Texans to go into panic mode.
So it this point I have to be the bigger person and admit a mistake I made at the beginning of the season. This was an exact quote from one of my earlier columns: "No longer refer to Jacoby Jones as 'that guy from Lane.' After the preseason Jones is having, there is no question he will line up in that second receiver spot. It isn’t just the special teams play either, although the two punt returns for touchdowns in two games doesn’t hurt."
Well, go back to referring to Jacoby as "that guy from Lane." I am at such a point of disgust with him that I want him cut from the team. Jones has made nothing but big plays this season...for the other team.
One major bright spot on Sunday was watching Mario Williams get 2.5 sacks on Vince Young. If you aren't keeping track at home, that is 8.5 on the season which is good enough for third in the AFC and tenth in the NFL. So I want all talks of this guy being a bust to cease immediately.
Unfortunately, I can't come up with any other bright spot and this season is making me want to jog into oncoming traffic.
Next week the Texans take on the NFC South leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Houston. And as I said before, the Texans aren't completely down and out, but it would be a borderline miracle for the playoffs to happen now.
My prediction: Bucs 24, Texans 13.
Shoot Me In The Face
Over the past week, I made two mistakes. One, I under estimated the Cleveland Browns. And two, I gave the Houston Texans to much credit.
I over-hyped the Texans, thinking they could be a playoff contender, but I was sorely mistaken. As usual, the Texans went in reverse on Sunday bringing back their inconsistency on both sides of the ball. The Cleveland Browns had control of the game once the first quarter ended and never looked back. Quarter back Derrick Anderson found open receivers all day, and running back Jamal Lewis looked like his old self rushing for 134 yards and a score. Which brings me to a newly found mistake, I benched him in fantasy football.
The Texans lost their first game this season with Andre Johnson playing, but you wouldn't even notice he was there. Johnson had three receptions for 37 yards and couldn't be found because he was swallowed by the secondary. The Schaub was sacked twice although it seemed like 17, and could have been mistaken for David Carr with the way he was running around the backfield aimlessly. And a three-to-one turnover ratio was also difficult to overcome.
After the performance last week against the Saints, many would question if they were watching the same team. A Texans secondary, which shut down an explosive Saints offense last week, was completely lost on Sunday. An offense that ran smoothly on every aspect became helpless and lost.
So now the Texans sit at 5-6, still behind Cleveland and head to Tennessee next week. The only positive of the day, is that the Titans lost. But that could also be looked at as a negative, because had the Texans won they would have moved within a game of Tennessee. Don't count the Texans out yet, there is still hope and they are still in the hunt, but a goal for the playoffs is slipping out of reach.
My prediction: Titans 20, Texans 14.
I over-hyped the Texans, thinking they could be a playoff contender, but I was sorely mistaken. As usual, the Texans went in reverse on Sunday bringing back their inconsistency on both sides of the ball. The Cleveland Browns had control of the game once the first quarter ended and never looked back. Quarter back Derrick Anderson found open receivers all day, and running back Jamal Lewis looked like his old self rushing for 134 yards and a score. Which brings me to a newly found mistake, I benched him in fantasy football.
The Texans lost their first game this season with Andre Johnson playing, but you wouldn't even notice he was there. Johnson had three receptions for 37 yards and couldn't be found because he was swallowed by the secondary. The Schaub was sacked twice although it seemed like 17, and could have been mistaken for David Carr with the way he was running around the backfield aimlessly. And a three-to-one turnover ratio was also difficult to overcome.
After the performance last week against the Saints, many would question if they were watching the same team. A Texans secondary, which shut down an explosive Saints offense last week, was completely lost on Sunday. An offense that ran smoothly on every aspect became helpless and lost.
So now the Texans sit at 5-6, still behind Cleveland and head to Tennessee next week. The only positive of the day, is that the Titans lost. But that could also be looked at as a negative, because had the Texans won they would have moved within a game of Tennessee. Don't count the Texans out yet, there is still hope and they are still in the hunt, but a goal for the playoffs is slipping out of reach.
My prediction: Titans 20, Texans 14.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Texans Once Again Clicking On All Cylinders
Remember the beginning of September? The Houston Texans were off to the first 2-0 start in franchise history and were clicking on all cylinders. Something else happened during that time. The Texans lost receiver Andre Johnson in the second game of the season and changed what looked to be the franchise's first bright year. The Texans then went 2-5 over the next seven games, with injuries continuing to plague the team.
I asked myself two questions during these struggling weeks. One, should I relocate to Europe, force myself to enjoy soccer and forget the NFL ever existed? And two, can a receiver really have that much impact on a team?By reading this right now, it is safe to assume I didn't move nor did I start to watch soccer. It is also a good bet that, yes, a receiver of Johnson's magnitude can make a difference as seen on Sunday in the Texans 23-10 stomping of the New Orleans Saints.
Now, many can argue that the Texans defense took over the game, causing three turnovers, but note how the offense ran smoothly with Schaub back under center and Johnson back as the primary receiver.
Johnson brought in the Texans first score on a 73-yard pass from Schaub in the first quarter, looking like he never missed a step. With Johnson demanding attention, this created wide holes for the running game helping running back Ron Dayne rush for 89 yards.
"Any time we can get those long passes, that helps out the running game," Dayne said. "We can continue to keep the ball moving, and it helps keep our defense off the field."
Not that the defense needed help. The Texans defense caused quarterback Drew Brees to throw two interceptions and forced three fumbles, one being recovered by the Texans.
And speaking of, how about Mario Williams? I promised myself I would not bring up the overly tired storyline of last year's draft, but Williams' stat line on Sunday should shut everyone up. It also didn't hurt that Reggie Bush forgot how to run the ball, carrying it 15 times for 34 yards and adding a fumble on the opposing one-yard line.
Reliant Stadium even erupted in "Reggie! Reggie!" chants to mock Bush. And for those of you saying, "It isn't his fault the Texans didn't pick him," remember one thing: He is the one that wouldn't let it go.
And now that the offense seems to be able to be productive once again, and the defense looks as motivated as ever, the Texans could be prepared to make a run. With cornerback Dunta Robinson out for the season, rookie Fred Bennett made the start and impacted the entire game.
"This really gave us confidence," Bennett said. "We wanted to come out and get this win. And it gives me a lot of confidence as well as my teammates."
So now the Texans sit at .500 with a 5-5 record, sitting behind the 6-4 Cleveland Browns for the last AFC Wild Card spot. And guess who comes into town next week? That's right, Cleveland.
So with Schaub healthy, and the Texans having one of the top-five receivers in football back, it could go anywhere from this point on.
My Prediction: Texans 24, Browns 21.
I asked myself two questions during these struggling weeks. One, should I relocate to Europe, force myself to enjoy soccer and forget the NFL ever existed? And two, can a receiver really have that much impact on a team?By reading this right now, it is safe to assume I didn't move nor did I start to watch soccer. It is also a good bet that, yes, a receiver of Johnson's magnitude can make a difference as seen on Sunday in the Texans 23-10 stomping of the New Orleans Saints.
Now, many can argue that the Texans defense took over the game, causing three turnovers, but note how the offense ran smoothly with Schaub back under center and Johnson back as the primary receiver.
Johnson brought in the Texans first score on a 73-yard pass from Schaub in the first quarter, looking like he never missed a step. With Johnson demanding attention, this created wide holes for the running game helping running back Ron Dayne rush for 89 yards.
"Any time we can get those long passes, that helps out the running game," Dayne said. "We can continue to keep the ball moving, and it helps keep our defense off the field."
Not that the defense needed help. The Texans defense caused quarterback Drew Brees to throw two interceptions and forced three fumbles, one being recovered by the Texans.
And speaking of, how about Mario Williams? I promised myself I would not bring up the overly tired storyline of last year's draft, but Williams' stat line on Sunday should shut everyone up. It also didn't hurt that Reggie Bush forgot how to run the ball, carrying it 15 times for 34 yards and adding a fumble on the opposing one-yard line.
Reliant Stadium even erupted in "Reggie! Reggie!" chants to mock Bush. And for those of you saying, "It isn't his fault the Texans didn't pick him," remember one thing: He is the one that wouldn't let it go.
And now that the offense seems to be able to be productive once again, and the defense looks as motivated as ever, the Texans could be prepared to make a run. With cornerback Dunta Robinson out for the season, rookie Fred Bennett made the start and impacted the entire game.
"This really gave us confidence," Bennett said. "We wanted to come out and get this win. And it gives me a lot of confidence as well as my teammates."
So now the Texans sit at .500 with a 5-5 record, sitting behind the 6-4 Cleveland Browns for the last AFC Wild Card spot. And guess who comes into town next week? That's right, Cleveland.
So with Schaub healthy, and the Texans having one of the top-five receivers in football back, it could go anywhere from this point on.
My Prediction: Texans 24, Browns 21.
Handing Out Midseason Awards
I don't want to read too much into the Texans beating a poor Oakland Raiders team. So I won't. The only thing I will really say about that is, it was a must-win game.
As I stated last week, for the Texans to have any chance at the second half of this season, they had to go into the bye week with this win on their shoulders. Now the Texans sit at 4-5, and play the New Orleans Saints in two weeks.
And don't be too quick to praise running back Ron Dayne either. He was the player of the game in my book, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown. However, the Texans still have one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL, and were playing against a terrible run defense.
And now that this game is over, let's wrap up the first half of the season a week late, and hand out some awards.
My "I would be a candidate for MVP talk if I wasn't injured" Award goes to wide receiver Andre Johnson. In two games Johnson had 262 yards and three touchdowns, the Texans were 2-0 and we started to compare "Schaub to Johnson" with "Manning to Harrison". Once Johnson was injured, the Texans have gone 2-5 and sit in last place in the AFC South. I'm going to go light myself on fire.
My "How does he have a job in the NFL" Award goes to cornerback Demarcus Faggins. If Faggins had any other profession, he would be camping out in the unemployment line right now. I begin to wonder if he could cover a receiver with two broken legs.
My "He sure was worth the money" Award goes to running back Ahman Green. I don't want to believe that the paycheck is all he cares about, I really don't. But he was injured for 2-3 games and has rushed for a total of 260 yards on the season. Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson has done that in a single game twice this season.
My "Where did this guy come from?" Award goes to receiver Kevin Walter. Walter has 545 receiving yards so far this season, and has been the only bright spot on offense since Johnson went down in Carolina.
So where does that bring the Texans now? Well if they can defeat the Saints, who are on a four-game winning streak as of Sunday, they will sit at 5-5. Then the Texans play the likes of Cleveland, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Denver. I was about to think that they could handle the second half of the season, but it looks like their hands will be full.
Although, with Matt Schaub and Johnson healthy after the bye week, we really don't know what team is going to come out to play.
As I stated last week, for the Texans to have any chance at the second half of this season, they had to go into the bye week with this win on their shoulders. Now the Texans sit at 4-5, and play the New Orleans Saints in two weeks.
And don't be too quick to praise running back Ron Dayne either. He was the player of the game in my book, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown. However, the Texans still have one of the worst rushing offenses in the NFL, and were playing against a terrible run defense.
And now that this game is over, let's wrap up the first half of the season a week late, and hand out some awards.
My "I would be a candidate for MVP talk if I wasn't injured" Award goes to wide receiver Andre Johnson. In two games Johnson had 262 yards and three touchdowns, the Texans were 2-0 and we started to compare "Schaub to Johnson" with "Manning to Harrison". Once Johnson was injured, the Texans have gone 2-5 and sit in last place in the AFC South. I'm going to go light myself on fire.
My "How does he have a job in the NFL" Award goes to cornerback Demarcus Faggins. If Faggins had any other profession, he would be camping out in the unemployment line right now. I begin to wonder if he could cover a receiver with two broken legs.
My "He sure was worth the money" Award goes to running back Ahman Green. I don't want to believe that the paycheck is all he cares about, I really don't. But he was injured for 2-3 games and has rushed for a total of 260 yards on the season. Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson has done that in a single game twice this season.
My "Where did this guy come from?" Award goes to receiver Kevin Walter. Walter has 545 receiving yards so far this season, and has been the only bright spot on offense since Johnson went down in Carolina.
So where does that bring the Texans now? Well if they can defeat the Saints, who are on a four-game winning streak as of Sunday, they will sit at 5-5. Then the Texans play the likes of Cleveland, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Denver. I was about to think that they could handle the second half of the season, but it looks like their hands will be full.
Although, with Matt Schaub and Johnson healthy after the bye week, we really don't know what team is going to come out to play.
All The Hype For Nothing
Okay I don't think I am quite as pumped up about Friday's matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets.
To quickly sum everything up for everyone, China and the NBA are ecstatic about Rockets' center Yao Ming taking on Bucks' rookie forward Yi Jianlian. Apparently this "showdown" is going to be something for the ages, or at least that's what we are supposed to believe. But what will actually happen on Friday? Yao (averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds a game) will dominate a poor Bucks team, probably have a 20-point, 10-rebound game and we will forget that Yi is even playing.
I know I am missing the point, that this isn't about who plays better, it's just about the showdown of China. But wouldn't the "showdown" be a little better if the players' talent level was in the same vicinity?
Hall of Fame coach and person I no longer have respect for, Pete Newell, told the USA Today:
"Yi will end up being the best player in the NBA from China, and I know that is saying a lot."
Really? There hasn't been a sentence that has made me want to punch a baby in a while and then I heard that. I don't even want to speak on Yi because he is four-games deep into his career and has yet to prove anything.
Instead let's talk about how Yao has taken over for Shaquille O'Neal as the best center in basketball, and has been an all-star every season he has played so far. And even though Shaq disagrees, can we vote on when we will see another double-double from O'Neal?
And I know it's because he has an entire country voting for him in, but do you really think we will see Yi play for the Eastern Conference? If we do, then I will start to petition the already ridiculous way all-stars are voted onto the team.
Again, I understand this is more of a publicity stunt than anything. From a writer's standpoint it gives you a topic to rant about, and gives the sports world something to talk about. I just don't see what the hype is about, although I guess I fed right into just by writing this.
To quickly sum everything up for everyone, China and the NBA are ecstatic about Rockets' center Yao Ming taking on Bucks' rookie forward Yi Jianlian. Apparently this "showdown" is going to be something for the ages, or at least that's what we are supposed to believe. But what will actually happen on Friday? Yao (averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds a game) will dominate a poor Bucks team, probably have a 20-point, 10-rebound game and we will forget that Yi is even playing.
I know I am missing the point, that this isn't about who plays better, it's just about the showdown of China. But wouldn't the "showdown" be a little better if the players' talent level was in the same vicinity?
Hall of Fame coach and person I no longer have respect for, Pete Newell, told the USA Today:
"Yi will end up being the best player in the NBA from China, and I know that is saying a lot."
Really? There hasn't been a sentence that has made me want to punch a baby in a while and then I heard that. I don't even want to speak on Yi because he is four-games deep into his career and has yet to prove anything.
Instead let's talk about how Yao has taken over for Shaquille O'Neal as the best center in basketball, and has been an all-star every season he has played so far. And even though Shaq disagrees, can we vote on when we will see another double-double from O'Neal?
And I know it's because he has an entire country voting for him in, but do you really think we will see Yi play for the Eastern Conference? If we do, then I will start to petition the already ridiculous way all-stars are voted onto the team.
Again, I understand this is more of a publicity stunt than anything. From a writer's standpoint it gives you a topic to rant about, and gives the sports world something to talk about. I just don't see what the hype is about, although I guess I fed right into just by writing this.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The New Old Texans
Despite the events that were taking place in San Diego outside of Qualcomm Stadium, there was something inside that left Texans fans in disgust.
Everyone realized on Sunday, after a hard fought start to the 2007 season, that it was time to start thinking about next season. The Texans began the season strong with a 2-0 record, giving fans reason to believe that something special might happen. But after injuries plagued the team and they have trouble with execution, it's time to wonder where in the draft order we will fall.
Quarterback Matt Schaub has gone from tremendous to mediocre to check for a pulse, none of this being his fault. Schaub has left the game early two games in a row because of a dreadful performance from the offensive line. Don't get me wrong, Schaub will be the future of this football team, and had the line not taken a time machine back to the David Carr Era, we still might be battling. But now Schaub is bruised up and the Texans sit at 3-5 in last place of the AFC South.
On top of that, the Texans bring a junior varsity running game to the table, ranking next to last in the NFL. On Sunday, someone finally stepped up, when practice squad running back Adimchinobe Echemandu was brought in and rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries. Nothing to write home about, but so much better than what we have seen in the past few weeks.
Now I know it might be early to write them off, but going into week nine the future of this season doesn't look bright. The Texans head to Oakland to face a 2-5 Raiders team in which their record doesn't justify their talent. Then, after a bye week, the Texans come back home to take on the New Orleans Saints.
So it went from thinking, "10-6, playoffs baby!" to "9-7, we still have a shot," to "8-8, hey .500 isn't bad," to "I'm going to go stick my head in the microwave."
But to look at all of this positively, maybe we can get yet another top ten pick, finally draft a running back, and become a playoff team next season. That is until week one, when 14 players get injured.
Everyone realized on Sunday, after a hard fought start to the 2007 season, that it was time to start thinking about next season. The Texans began the season strong with a 2-0 record, giving fans reason to believe that something special might happen. But after injuries plagued the team and they have trouble with execution, it's time to wonder where in the draft order we will fall.
Quarterback Matt Schaub has gone from tremendous to mediocre to check for a pulse, none of this being his fault. Schaub has left the game early two games in a row because of a dreadful performance from the offensive line. Don't get me wrong, Schaub will be the future of this football team, and had the line not taken a time machine back to the David Carr Era, we still might be battling. But now Schaub is bruised up and the Texans sit at 3-5 in last place of the AFC South.
On top of that, the Texans bring a junior varsity running game to the table, ranking next to last in the NFL. On Sunday, someone finally stepped up, when practice squad running back Adimchinobe Echemandu was brought in and rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries. Nothing to write home about, but so much better than what we have seen in the past few weeks.
Now I know it might be early to write them off, but going into week nine the future of this season doesn't look bright. The Texans head to Oakland to face a 2-5 Raiders team in which their record doesn't justify their talent. Then, after a bye week, the Texans come back home to take on the New Orleans Saints.
So it went from thinking, "10-6, playoffs baby!" to "9-7, we still have a shot," to "8-8, hey .500 isn't bad," to "I'm going to go stick my head in the microwave."
But to look at all of this positively, maybe we can get yet another top ten pick, finally draft a running back, and become a playoff team next season. That is until week one, when 14 players get injured.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Bitter Taste
At one point on Sunday, I wondered if a bitter taste could be taken out of my mouth. As you all remember, back in 1993 the Houston Oilers were involved in "The Comeback Game," in which they gave up a 32-point lead in a playoff loss against the Buffalo Bills.
Back to Sunday. I sat and watched the Houston Texans play one of their worst games in the history of the franchise for three quarters, and then something happened. With Matt Schaub knocked out of the game with an ankle sprain, backup Sage Rosenfels struggled to lead the team back. Somehow, he did just that. After three quarters of play the Texans were down to the Tennessee Titans, 32-7. And then Rosenfels and the offense composed a 29-point fourth quarter, putting the Texans up 36-35.
I couldn't really believe what I was watching. With two minutes off the clock in the fourth, the Texans scored their first offensive touchdown of the game, putting the score at 33-15. I was still in the middle of writing this column, which took me five drafts until I came to this. I wanted to talk about how much the Texans were moving in reverse. How I felt like it was 2005 all over again.
I mean, after a 2-0 start, the Texans have constantly moved backwards. I understand that there is a plague of injuries on both sides of the ball, but they still don't seem to be a productive football team. Instead of thinking they might be a contender and might be a dark horse team to get into the playoffs, they are hopeful to get by this season with an 8-8 record. Even saying they will get to .500 seems like a stretch.
And as I pondered all of these things, I notice that Texans reciever Kevin Walter just caught another pass from Rosenfels. 32-22 Titans. I stopped writing. After Titans kicker Rob Bironas made the score 35-22 with a field goal, I wanted to see if the Texans had anything left. Rosenfels connected with tight end Jeb Putzier to put the score at 35-29.
I began to sweat. I was nauseated. I felt like I was going to go into labor. We were one score away from winning with 1:43 left in the game. Now the Texans needed the ball back. An onside kick was attempted and recovered, but flags were flying everywhere. The Texans were called for illegal procedure and had to retry the kick. How many things can possibly go wrong in one game? The second onside kick was attempted and recovered by the Texans. At that point I didn't really know what to do with myself. The Texans would have the ball with 1:40 left, and could win the game with a touchdown.
Games like these aren't good for the weak at heart. It is the type of game that makes you want to drink bleach. On second down, Rosenfels connected on a 53-yard pass to Andre Davis and the Texans took the lead. I was now in a euphoric state. I had no clue what just happened. I just knew that the bitter taste from 1993 just exited. Something good finally took place for Houston football.
Then, Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins drove the Titans down the field, and with :02 seconds left, Bironas kicked a 29-yard field goal to break the record for most field goals made in a game (eight) and win the game.
Maybe 14 years from now I can get the bitter taste of this game out of my mouth.
Back to Sunday. I sat and watched the Houston Texans play one of their worst games in the history of the franchise for three quarters, and then something happened. With Matt Schaub knocked out of the game with an ankle sprain, backup Sage Rosenfels struggled to lead the team back. Somehow, he did just that. After three quarters of play the Texans were down to the Tennessee Titans, 32-7. And then Rosenfels and the offense composed a 29-point fourth quarter, putting the Texans up 36-35.
I couldn't really believe what I was watching. With two minutes off the clock in the fourth, the Texans scored their first offensive touchdown of the game, putting the score at 33-15. I was still in the middle of writing this column, which took me five drafts until I came to this. I wanted to talk about how much the Texans were moving in reverse. How I felt like it was 2005 all over again.
I mean, after a 2-0 start, the Texans have constantly moved backwards. I understand that there is a plague of injuries on both sides of the ball, but they still don't seem to be a productive football team. Instead of thinking they might be a contender and might be a dark horse team to get into the playoffs, they are hopeful to get by this season with an 8-8 record. Even saying they will get to .500 seems like a stretch.
And as I pondered all of these things, I notice that Texans reciever Kevin Walter just caught another pass from Rosenfels. 32-22 Titans. I stopped writing. After Titans kicker Rob Bironas made the score 35-22 with a field goal, I wanted to see if the Texans had anything left. Rosenfels connected with tight end Jeb Putzier to put the score at 35-29.
I began to sweat. I was nauseated. I felt like I was going to go into labor. We were one score away from winning with 1:43 left in the game. Now the Texans needed the ball back. An onside kick was attempted and recovered, but flags were flying everywhere. The Texans were called for illegal procedure and had to retry the kick. How many things can possibly go wrong in one game? The second onside kick was attempted and recovered by the Texans. At that point I didn't really know what to do with myself. The Texans would have the ball with 1:40 left, and could win the game with a touchdown.
Games like these aren't good for the weak at heart. It is the type of game that makes you want to drink bleach. On second down, Rosenfels connected on a 53-yard pass to Andre Davis and the Texans took the lead. I was now in a euphoric state. I had no clue what just happened. I just knew that the bitter taste from 1993 just exited. Something good finally took place for Houston football.
Then, Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins drove the Titans down the field, and with :02 seconds left, Bironas kicked a 29-yard field goal to break the record for most field goals made in a game (eight) and win the game.
Maybe 14 years from now I can get the bitter taste of this game out of my mouth.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The Madden Curse
If you aren't aware of the "Madden Curse" by now, allow me to bring you up-to-date. The popular video game series, Madden NFL, has a jinx that has been going on since 1998.
Before that year, John Madden himself appeared on the cover on the game. Since, an NFL athlete has been nominated as the cover boy and it hasn't gone very well due to injuries or other reasons.
Starting in 1999, 49ers running back Garrison Hearst was the first athlete ever on Madden's cover. The year prior, Hearst had his best season of his career, rushing for over 1,500 yards. Then, suffered an ankle break in the first round of the playoffs and we wouldn't hear of Hearst again until 2001.
In 2000, Lions running back Barry Sanders posed as the cover athlete. Sanders, one of the greatest running backs of all-time, was closing in on Walter Payton's rushing record. Then, Sanders abruptly retired prior to the season's beginning...cutting his career way too short.
In 2001, Titans running back Eddie George posed for Madden. George had a good season, but fumbled seven times and it seemed to be the aftermath that brought the curse back. After that 2001 season, George rushed for career lows in every rushing category. A toe injury nagged George for the rest of his career, in which he never rushed for over 3.4 yards per carry again.
In 2002, Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper was coming off a career best and almost MVP year, throwing for 4,000 yards and scoring a total of 40 touchdowns. Culpepper threw 13 touchdowns in the first 10 games of the 2002 season, then sat out the rest of the season with a back injury. Culpepper never got back to his old self, and has been shipped from city to city in hopes to find that talent he once had.
In 2003, Rams running back Marshall Faulk was one of the best backs in the league. In 2001, Faulk rushed for 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. In 2002, Faulk rushed for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns and lead the 14-2 Rams to a Super Bowl appearance. In 2003, the Rams went 7-9. Faulk would never rush for over 1,000 yards again, and was forced to retire due to injury.
In 2004, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was the poster child for Madden. Vick, coming off a career season in 2003, fractured his fibula in a preseason game, and was out for most of the 2004 season. Then, Vick decided dog fighting was a good idea. He is no longer on the Atlanta roster.
In 2005, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis appeared on the cover. Lewis was the first defensive player to appear. After the Ravens winning their division the season before and Lewis finishing with six interceptions, Baltimore failed to make the playoffs and Lewis had only one interception in 2005.
In 2006, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was chosen for the cover. McNabb was coming off of a 13-3 year and Super Bowl appearance. McNabb suffered a sports hernia and had to have season ending surgery for it. The Eagles finished 6-10 and failed to make the playoffs.
In 2007, Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander was on the Madden cover. Alexander was coming off of an 1,880-yard, 28 touchdown season, and a Super Bowl appearance. Alexander has only missed one start in his first 61 games, however, fractured his foot, sat out most of the season and failed to reach 1,000-yards rushing for the first time since 2000.
And now, the present cover of Madden 2008 features Titans quarterback Vince Young. Young was coming off of his rookie season, in which he won AFC Rookie of the Year. Young strained his right quadricep against the Tampa Bay Bucs on October 14. It has yet to be seen how the injury will affect him.
So the question I bring is this: Why do these athletes agree to be on the cover? I would be terrified out of my mind to risk it. Call it coincidence, but it is eight years of injuries and struggling. If a Texans player is ever on the cover, I will lock myself in a closet until that season is over.
Before that year, John Madden himself appeared on the cover on the game. Since, an NFL athlete has been nominated as the cover boy and it hasn't gone very well due to injuries or other reasons.
Starting in 1999, 49ers running back Garrison Hearst was the first athlete ever on Madden's cover. The year prior, Hearst had his best season of his career, rushing for over 1,500 yards. Then, suffered an ankle break in the first round of the playoffs and we wouldn't hear of Hearst again until 2001.
In 2000, Lions running back Barry Sanders posed as the cover athlete. Sanders, one of the greatest running backs of all-time, was closing in on Walter Payton's rushing record. Then, Sanders abruptly retired prior to the season's beginning...cutting his career way too short.
In 2001, Titans running back Eddie George posed for Madden. George had a good season, but fumbled seven times and it seemed to be the aftermath that brought the curse back. After that 2001 season, George rushed for career lows in every rushing category. A toe injury nagged George for the rest of his career, in which he never rushed for over 3.4 yards per carry again.
In 2002, Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper was coming off a career best and almost MVP year, throwing for 4,000 yards and scoring a total of 40 touchdowns. Culpepper threw 13 touchdowns in the first 10 games of the 2002 season, then sat out the rest of the season with a back injury. Culpepper never got back to his old self, and has been shipped from city to city in hopes to find that talent he once had.
In 2003, Rams running back Marshall Faulk was one of the best backs in the league. In 2001, Faulk rushed for 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. In 2002, Faulk rushed for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns and lead the 14-2 Rams to a Super Bowl appearance. In 2003, the Rams went 7-9. Faulk would never rush for over 1,000 yards again, and was forced to retire due to injury.
In 2004, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was the poster child for Madden. Vick, coming off a career season in 2003, fractured his fibula in a preseason game, and was out for most of the 2004 season. Then, Vick decided dog fighting was a good idea. He is no longer on the Atlanta roster.
In 2005, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis appeared on the cover. Lewis was the first defensive player to appear. After the Ravens winning their division the season before and Lewis finishing with six interceptions, Baltimore failed to make the playoffs and Lewis had only one interception in 2005.
In 2006, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was chosen for the cover. McNabb was coming off of a 13-3 year and Super Bowl appearance. McNabb suffered a sports hernia and had to have season ending surgery for it. The Eagles finished 6-10 and failed to make the playoffs.
In 2007, Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander was on the Madden cover. Alexander was coming off of an 1,880-yard, 28 touchdown season, and a Super Bowl appearance. Alexander has only missed one start in his first 61 games, however, fractured his foot, sat out most of the season and failed to reach 1,000-yards rushing for the first time since 2000.
And now, the present cover of Madden 2008 features Titans quarterback Vince Young. Young was coming off of his rookie season, in which he won AFC Rookie of the Year. Young strained his right quadricep against the Tampa Bay Bucs on October 14. It has yet to be seen how the injury will affect him.
So the question I bring is this: Why do these athletes agree to be on the cover? I would be terrified out of my mind to risk it. Call it coincidence, but it is eight years of injuries and struggling. If a Texans player is ever on the cover, I will lock myself in a closet until that season is over.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
What To Say After That One...
I'm almost speechless after that one. The Texans didn't just lose to the Jaguars on Sunday, they got a reality check. A 37-17 beatdown was all I needed to bring me back down to earth. I guess I never really saw flaws in this team because the Texans had yet to be blown out. Then they went to Jacksonville.
The fact that the Jaguars haven't beaten the Texans in four of the last six meetings made the loss worse. The Texans seem to always beat the Jaguars, and the roles were reversed on Sunday. Matt Schaub even played a subpar game, throwing for 259 yards and an interception.
So instead of the Texans improving to 4-2 and taking over second place in the AFC South, the Texans move in reverse to 3-3 and last place in the division, something Houston fans got used to seeing.
Don't get me wrong, I am not writing this team off. As I have mentioned before, I might have too high expectations for the team. But when you watch a team like the Jaguars struggle mightily in the first half and commit three turnovers in the game, you have to wonder where it all went wrong.
The Texans entered the fourth quarter trailing 16-9, and still in the game. And then the Texans forgot how to tackle. Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew took over the game, and Jacksonville scored 21 points in the final quarter to complete the pounding.
It looked good to see Texans running back Ahman Green out there for the first time in three games, but the offense was still held to only 60 yards on the ground. Offensive penalties seemed to bring any big play back, and the offense couldn't score a touchdown in the red zone to save their life. On the Texans first drive, they had three plays from the 2-yard line and still had to settle for a Kris Brown field goal. And on another chance to score, wide receiver Andre Davis fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line into the endzone for a Jacksonville touchback. It was definately a stomach punch game to some degree.
Next week the Texans host the Tennessee Titans, in Vince Young's second homecoming. Wide receivers Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones should be back, and hopefully can give the team the boost they need.
My prediction: Texans 23, Titans 17.
The fact that the Jaguars haven't beaten the Texans in four of the last six meetings made the loss worse. The Texans seem to always beat the Jaguars, and the roles were reversed on Sunday. Matt Schaub even played a subpar game, throwing for 259 yards and an interception.
So instead of the Texans improving to 4-2 and taking over second place in the AFC South, the Texans move in reverse to 3-3 and last place in the division, something Houston fans got used to seeing.
Don't get me wrong, I am not writing this team off. As I have mentioned before, I might have too high expectations for the team. But when you watch a team like the Jaguars struggle mightily in the first half and commit three turnovers in the game, you have to wonder where it all went wrong.
The Texans entered the fourth quarter trailing 16-9, and still in the game. And then the Texans forgot how to tackle. Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew took over the game, and Jacksonville scored 21 points in the final quarter to complete the pounding.
It looked good to see Texans running back Ahman Green out there for the first time in three games, but the offense was still held to only 60 yards on the ground. Offensive penalties seemed to bring any big play back, and the offense couldn't score a touchdown in the red zone to save their life. On the Texans first drive, they had three plays from the 2-yard line and still had to settle for a Kris Brown field goal. And on another chance to score, wide receiver Andre Davis fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line into the endzone for a Jacksonville touchback. It was definately a stomach punch game to some degree.
Next week the Texans host the Tennessee Titans, in Vince Young's second homecoming. Wide receivers Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones should be back, and hopefully can give the team the boost they need.
My prediction: Texans 23, Titans 17.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Texans Struggle Against Winless Dolphins
Well, if I was a betting man, I would have been upset with the Texans game on Sunday (five-point spread). In a way I still am, the Miami Dolphins had no business contending. Give credit to the Dolphins, however, who stayed in the game until the very end until Kris Brown ended it with a 57-yard field goal to give the Texans a 22-19 victory.
I woke up on Sunday and decided to get to the game early and go tailgate. If you ever head out there, be sure to make a stop in the Red Lot. The white tent next to the entrance has great food, and there are some of the nicest fans you can meet.
A few sidenotes from the game itself:
• Have you ever noticed that Texans running back Ron Dayne is the football equivalent of San Antonio Spurs forward Manu Ginobili? And by that I mean the falling down and flopping part. He takes the handoff, then it's one step and fall. Touched or not. At least I have come up with a new nickname for him. Ron "London Bridge" Dayne.
• Remember a few weeks ago when I asked why wide receivers couldn't get interceptions when its not the quarterback's fault? That happened yet again due to a pass being deflected by tight end Jeb Putzier.• When I awoke on Sunday morning, I kept saying to myself, "I really hope to see a field goal battle today. None of this 'touchdown' nonsense. Just all kickers." Wish granted.
• For the first time since 2003, Miami scored on first four possessions. At halftime, I noticed that David Carr was carted off the field in the Panthers game against the Saints. Apparently, he suffered a fractured hair follicle. I had to get my weekly jab in there.
So the Texans struggle yet again against a winless team, but thankfully get the win this time, improving to 3-2 on the season. I know the Texans are injury plagued right now, but you would think they could still get the job done a little better than what they have been doing.
Matt Schaub is still getting the job done even though it wasn't the greatest performance. With a depleted wide receiver corps, Schaub still threw for 294 yards.
I will say this: That was hands down the greatest performance by a field goal kicker I have ever seen. Texans kicker Kris Brown had a ridiculous day.Brown set an NFL record with three 50-yard field goals in one game. One of those being the 57-yarder that won the game. What many people aren't aware of is that he did that with an injured kicking foot. "The kid took a shot at halftime for his foot," Kubiak said. "So he came out and did that hurt. He did that for his team."
However, on a pessimistic note, the Texans still struggle to run the ball. That will change once running back Ahman Green returns from injury, but until then it will be painful to watch. It also seems like after every big play the Texans have on offense, it is called back because of an offensive line penalty. If these problems can be fixed has yet to be seen.
The Texans defense allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time this season, giving up 114 yards to Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown. "They're gonna get him touches," Kubiak said. "They have a lot of weapons, but he is the big puzzle piece in their game."
Next week, the Texans head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in an AFC South showdown. With the Jags winning on Sunday and improving to 3-1, it would be a big win for the Texans. But at this point, I have no idea what to expect.
My Prediction: Toss-Up.
I woke up on Sunday and decided to get to the game early and go tailgate. If you ever head out there, be sure to make a stop in the Red Lot. The white tent next to the entrance has great food, and there are some of the nicest fans you can meet.
A few sidenotes from the game itself:
• Have you ever noticed that Texans running back Ron Dayne is the football equivalent of San Antonio Spurs forward Manu Ginobili? And by that I mean the falling down and flopping part. He takes the handoff, then it's one step and fall. Touched or not. At least I have come up with a new nickname for him. Ron "London Bridge" Dayne.
• Remember a few weeks ago when I asked why wide receivers couldn't get interceptions when its not the quarterback's fault? That happened yet again due to a pass being deflected by tight end Jeb Putzier.• When I awoke on Sunday morning, I kept saying to myself, "I really hope to see a field goal battle today. None of this 'touchdown' nonsense. Just all kickers." Wish granted.
• For the first time since 2003, Miami scored on first four possessions. At halftime, I noticed that David Carr was carted off the field in the Panthers game against the Saints. Apparently, he suffered a fractured hair follicle. I had to get my weekly jab in there.
So the Texans struggle yet again against a winless team, but thankfully get the win this time, improving to 3-2 on the season. I know the Texans are injury plagued right now, but you would think they could still get the job done a little better than what they have been doing.
Matt Schaub is still getting the job done even though it wasn't the greatest performance. With a depleted wide receiver corps, Schaub still threw for 294 yards.
I will say this: That was hands down the greatest performance by a field goal kicker I have ever seen. Texans kicker Kris Brown had a ridiculous day.Brown set an NFL record with three 50-yard field goals in one game. One of those being the 57-yarder that won the game. What many people aren't aware of is that he did that with an injured kicking foot. "The kid took a shot at halftime for his foot," Kubiak said. "So he came out and did that hurt. He did that for his team."
However, on a pessimistic note, the Texans still struggle to run the ball. That will change once running back Ahman Green returns from injury, but until then it will be painful to watch. It also seems like after every big play the Texans have on offense, it is called back because of an offensive line penalty. If these problems can be fixed has yet to be seen.
The Texans defense allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time this season, giving up 114 yards to Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown. "They're gonna get him touches," Kubiak said. "They have a lot of weapons, but he is the big puzzle piece in their game."
Next week, the Texans head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in an AFC South showdown. With the Jags winning on Sunday and improving to 3-1, it would be a big win for the Texans. But at this point, I have no idea what to expect.
My Prediction: Toss-Up.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Live Blog: Dolphins @ Texans
10:30 AM: I decided to get to the game early and go tailgate. If you first enter the Red Lot of Reliant Stadium go directly to the left, and you will find the white tent next to the Miller Lite blow-up bottle. The food is ridiculously good and there are some of the nicest people you can meet.
12:00 PM: A fan at the tailgate told me some insight about last year's draft. Apparently the Texans drafted Mario Williams because of this:
- Reggie Bush wasn't going to sign. He wanted too much money, and his agent refused to sign with the Texans pre-draft. One thing you want to do if you have the number one pick is make sure that player is signed before draft day (See: Jamarcus Russell).
- The Texans were never going to take Vince Young. They said it was a possibility to please the UT fans in the Houston area.
- Mario Williams could be signed pre-draft without any hassle, and for 20 million dollars less than Reggie Bush would have started asking for.
12:01: With 12 seconds off the clock, Schaub goes for a bomb to Kevin Walter. Dolphins cornerback Will Allen molests Walter, and there is no flag. I'm going to throw my lap top across the room.
12:04: Did you notice that Ron Dayne is the football equivalent of Manu Ginobili? And by that I mean the falling down part. He gets the handoff, takes one step, and then falls. Touched or not. Where is Dominick Davis/Williams?
12:06: Schaub to Apostrophe Davis. 49-yard strike to the one yard line. Followed by Ron Dayne "falling" for three downs then finally scoring. 7-0 Texans.
12:20: False start keeps the Dolphins away. Field goal. 7-3. Trent Green ran for like 30 yards to get them close. I just a comment IMed of: "Trent Green! Its Trent Green. He is three years away from getting social security." Shout-out to D, Mike, Jason R, Touch, Simpson, Casie and whoever else is reading.
12:25: Remember a few weeks ago when I asked why wide receivers couldn't get interceptions when its not the quarterback's fault? Thanks Jeb Putzier.
12:27: Trent Green gets away with clipping, and nearly kills himself in the process. Travis Johnson then taunts Green's corpse, and gets a 15-yard taunting penalty. I don't want to "laugh", but I am. (Sidenote: Trent Green gets the fumble on his stats. Good play Trent.)
12:33: Is it 2006? Trent Green getting taken off in a stretcher? I swear this has happened before.
12:35: When I woke up today, I said to myself: Man I hope I get to see Cleo Lemon. And can we trade for Ronnie Brown? Im willing to give up Demarcus Faggins and Ron Dayne.
12:39: Ronnie Brown scores. 10-7 Dolphins. I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
12:40: Trent Green suffered a concussion and will not return. Deja Vu.
12:46: Horrible play calling. Running back pitch/pass looking play on 3rd and 87. Im going to go find Mike Sherman in the bathroom. 12:22 left in the 2nd.
12:50: Texans defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in six-straight games, dating back to last season. Looks like Brown is going to end that.
1:01: Kevin Walter is pretty good........at replacing Jacoby Jones. No really, he is filling in nicely....at least he can get open.
1:02: Schaub fumbles after getting attacked from behind. That was the first Carr-esque looking play ive seen this year. Do the Texans know this is a regular season game?
1:09: 16-7 Dolphins. The only positive I have right now is that the defense isn't giving up TD's. We need to score before halftime. And we have 3:31 to do it.
1:10: Idea: Put Dexter Wynn at running back. Just try it. Hell, nothing else is working. Especially Ron "London Bridge" Dayne.
1:11: Every good play gets called back because of holding from the offensive line. And by offensive line I mean Chester Pitts. And by Chester Pitts I mean the guy who is on the cover of the Texans program this week.
1:18: Witch Hunt Time: Check Jason Taylor for 'roids.
1:19: Kris Brown is insane. 54-yard field goal. Longest in Texans history. Could that be the firecracker up the ass we needed?
1:23: 16-10 Dolphins. I'm going to go swallow bleach.
1:31: Sidenote: David Carr had to be taken off the field in the Panthers game. Sources say it was a strained hair follicle due to using the wrong conditioner.
1:39: CBS just showed the stat that the Dolphins haven't scored on their first four possessions since December of 2003....until this game. Then, C.C. Brown intercepted the ball, so I out the razor blade down.
1:46: I have slowed down I know. But I am in shock we are losing. 16-13 after a Kris Brown field goal. A colleague of mine (Not really colleague, but just a guy sitting next to me....I have just wanted to always say that) agrees that Kubiak is calling way too conservative of a game. Stop the Dayne B.S. and throw the ball. Just because Andre version 1 is hurt doesn't mean we can't stretch the defense. Apostrophe Davis can do the same things.
1:55: Doop Doop Doop Bah Doop Doop Doop Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doop Dah Doop Doo Doo. Super Mario.
1:58: I love Amobi Okoye. Going to be a bust eh? Well bust this. (I know you can't see what I am doing because this is being read not seen, but pretend.)
2:06: I am ready to say it. Kris Brown might be the greatest field goal kicker I have ever seen. Two...yes TWO 54-yard field goals in one game.
12:00 PM: A fan at the tailgate told me some insight about last year's draft. Apparently the Texans drafted Mario Williams because of this:
- Reggie Bush wasn't going to sign. He wanted too much money, and his agent refused to sign with the Texans pre-draft. One thing you want to do if you have the number one pick is make sure that player is signed before draft day (See: Jamarcus Russell).
- The Texans were never going to take Vince Young. They said it was a possibility to please the UT fans in the Houston area.
- Mario Williams could be signed pre-draft without any hassle, and for 20 million dollars less than Reggie Bush would have started asking for.
12:01: With 12 seconds off the clock, Schaub goes for a bomb to Kevin Walter. Dolphins cornerback Will Allen molests Walter, and there is no flag. I'm going to throw my lap top across the room.
12:04: Did you notice that Ron Dayne is the football equivalent of Manu Ginobili? And by that I mean the falling down part. He gets the handoff, takes one step, and then falls. Touched or not. Where is Dominick Davis/Williams?
12:06: Schaub to Apostrophe Davis. 49-yard strike to the one yard line. Followed by Ron Dayne "falling" for three downs then finally scoring. 7-0 Texans.
12:20: False start keeps the Dolphins away. Field goal. 7-3. Trent Green ran for like 30 yards to get them close. I just a comment IMed of: "Trent Green! Its Trent Green. He is three years away from getting social security." Shout-out to D, Mike, Jason R, Touch, Simpson, Casie and whoever else is reading.
12:25: Remember a few weeks ago when I asked why wide receivers couldn't get interceptions when its not the quarterback's fault? Thanks Jeb Putzier.
12:27: Trent Green gets away with clipping, and nearly kills himself in the process. Travis Johnson then taunts Green's corpse, and gets a 15-yard taunting penalty. I don't want to "laugh", but I am. (Sidenote: Trent Green gets the fumble on his stats. Good play Trent.)
12:33: Is it 2006? Trent Green getting taken off in a stretcher? I swear this has happened before.
12:35: When I woke up today, I said to myself: Man I hope I get to see Cleo Lemon. And can we trade for Ronnie Brown? Im willing to give up Demarcus Faggins and Ron Dayne.
12:39: Ronnie Brown scores. 10-7 Dolphins. I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
12:40: Trent Green suffered a concussion and will not return. Deja Vu.
12:46: Horrible play calling. Running back pitch/pass looking play on 3rd and 87. Im going to go find Mike Sherman in the bathroom. 12:22 left in the 2nd.
12:50: Texans defense hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in six-straight games, dating back to last season. Looks like Brown is going to end that.
1:01: Kevin Walter is pretty good........at replacing Jacoby Jones. No really, he is filling in nicely....at least he can get open.
1:02: Schaub fumbles after getting attacked from behind. That was the first Carr-esque looking play ive seen this year. Do the Texans know this is a regular season game?
1:09: 16-7 Dolphins. The only positive I have right now is that the defense isn't giving up TD's. We need to score before halftime. And we have 3:31 to do it.
1:10: Idea: Put Dexter Wynn at running back. Just try it. Hell, nothing else is working. Especially Ron "London Bridge" Dayne.
1:11: Every good play gets called back because of holding from the offensive line. And by offensive line I mean Chester Pitts. And by Chester Pitts I mean the guy who is on the cover of the Texans program this week.
1:18: Witch Hunt Time: Check Jason Taylor for 'roids.
1:19: Kris Brown is insane. 54-yard field goal. Longest in Texans history. Could that be the firecracker up the ass we needed?
1:23: 16-10 Dolphins. I'm going to go swallow bleach.
1:31: Sidenote: David Carr had to be taken off the field in the Panthers game. Sources say it was a strained hair follicle due to using the wrong conditioner.
1:39: CBS just showed the stat that the Dolphins haven't scored on their first four possessions since December of 2003....until this game. Then, C.C. Brown intercepted the ball, so I out the razor blade down.
1:46: I have slowed down I know. But I am in shock we are losing. 16-13 after a Kris Brown field goal. A colleague of mine (Not really colleague, but just a guy sitting next to me....I have just wanted to always say that) agrees that Kubiak is calling way too conservative of a game. Stop the Dayne B.S. and throw the ball. Just because Andre version 1 is hurt doesn't mean we can't stretch the defense. Apostrophe Davis can do the same things.
1:55: Doop Doop Doop Bah Doop Doop Doop Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doop Dah Doop Doo Doo. Super Mario.
1:58: I love Amobi Okoye. Going to be a bust eh? Well bust this. (I know you can't see what I am doing because this is being read not seen, but pretend.)
2:06: I am ready to say it. Kris Brown might be the greatest field goal kicker I have ever seen. Two...yes TWO 54-yard field goals in one game.
2:09: A few things. 1. Ronnie Brown is the first back to get over 100 yards on the Texans defense this season. He is good. 2. Kris Brown hit over 800 points with that field goal, and its the first time he has hit two 50-plus field goals in one game. My friend Mike just pointed out "Whoever scores the most points is going to win the game." Brilliant.
2:19: Feely hits another field goal. 19-16 Dolphins. I wished for a kicker battle. Screw all of this "touchdown" nonsense. Shoutout to Gina.
2:27: Chester Pitts must have been listening to "You really gotta hold on me" on the way to the game.
2:31: Why can't we have a Green Bay-style only passing offense? We have Matt Schaub! When does he NOT find a man open? He even hits open people with Chester Pitts on the O-Line.
2:36: Kris Brown. Again. 19-19. Im going to ask him to come home with me tonight.
2:58: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! KRIS BROWN! IM HYPERVENTILATING! Texans win 22-19!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Texans Fans Shouldn't Panic Just Yet
There is certainly something different if you are a Texans fan. Instead of hoping for a win against any team at any point in the season, you have now gotten to the point of disgust if they lose.
Before, you were shocked if they won a game, and now you expect them to win them all.That’s why the 26-16 loss on Sunday to the Falcons gave every Texans fan a nauseous feeling in their stomach. The Texans were supposed to win that game. After this game in Atlanta, I had the Texans pegged at 2-2, but one of the losses not coming from this depleted Falcons team.
So in a way the Texans are right on schedule, but they should be ahead of it. Poor clock management and bad play calling seemed to doom them this time. I will never understand why a running play should be called on third-and-ten. I will also never understand why a pitch play to Ron Dayne is called on third-and-one on the goal line. A quarterback sneaked wouldn’t have worked?
Moral victories are out the window. Now, we can start criticizing the Texans as a legitimate team. And yes, injuries are playing a part in our losing efforts, but we are still putting up a challenge each game. The Texans could very well be 4-0 right now.
Schaub’s 317-yard and one touchdown performance seemed to be the only positive note about Sunday’s game. The only other production came from wide receiver Andre Davis (117 yards, one touchdown), who should have secured a starting job after the receptions he made.
The defense did not cause a turnover for the second week in a row, and seven penalties for 78 yards kept the Texans in reverse. If the secondary can get their act together, I don’t see a reason to hit a panic button yet.Just remember, we are only entering week five. As I stated before, the Texans are right where they should be. And now they come back to Houston to face a winless Miami Dolphins team.
Everyone expects them to win that game. Right?
My prediction: Texans 20, Dolphins 14.
Before, you were shocked if they won a game, and now you expect them to win them all.That’s why the 26-16 loss on Sunday to the Falcons gave every Texans fan a nauseous feeling in their stomach. The Texans were supposed to win that game. After this game in Atlanta, I had the Texans pegged at 2-2, but one of the losses not coming from this depleted Falcons team.
So in a way the Texans are right on schedule, but they should be ahead of it. Poor clock management and bad play calling seemed to doom them this time. I will never understand why a running play should be called on third-and-ten. I will also never understand why a pitch play to Ron Dayne is called on third-and-one on the goal line. A quarterback sneaked wouldn’t have worked?
Moral victories are out the window. Now, we can start criticizing the Texans as a legitimate team. And yes, injuries are playing a part in our losing efforts, but we are still putting up a challenge each game. The Texans could very well be 4-0 right now.
Schaub’s 317-yard and one touchdown performance seemed to be the only positive note about Sunday’s game. The only other production came from wide receiver Andre Davis (117 yards, one touchdown), who should have secured a starting job after the receptions he made.
The defense did not cause a turnover for the second week in a row, and seven penalties for 78 yards kept the Texans in reverse. If the secondary can get their act together, I don’t see a reason to hit a panic button yet.Just remember, we are only entering week five. As I stated before, the Texans are right where they should be. And now they come back to Houston to face a winless Miami Dolphins team.
Everyone expects them to win that game. Right?
My prediction: Texans 20, Dolphins 14.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Texans Still Impress In Loss
The Texans somehow continue to impress me, even with a loss at home against the Colts on Sunday. After the opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown by Jerome Mathis, I had to be resuscitated.
And that Mathis kick return was the fastest score in Texans history coming just 21 seconds after the start of the game. What I wasn't prepared for is that I would soon want to trade in that fast score for four quarters of scoring. Well, I would have traded in my iPhone for a win against the Colts.
Once I awoke, things started to go downhill for a while. The Texans were losing for the first time this season at halftime, something I wasn't used to. I also developed a nervous tick out of anger from watching Peyton Manning audible twenty-seven times at the line of scrimmage on one play.
The second half is when I became intrigued. At one point, the Texans were trailing 27-10 and it looked as if the excuses could start rolling in. My first priority became to start a petition to check Manning for steroids. My next was to attempt to clone injured wide receiver Andre Johnson. I have another request for the NFL. When a quarterback (Matt Schaub) throws to a receiver (Jacoby Jones) and it bounces off the receivers chest and is then intercepted, why is it a statistic against the quarterback? Should we not give interceptions to wide receivers as well? Just a thought.
I will say, the defense did give up 30 points to the Colts, but allowed Manning to throw only one touchdown pass. And even with all of the injuries and sloppy play, the Texans were still within a score of winning. I asked Mario Williams after the game if he could see the loss as positive. "Well even with one more turnover the outcome could have been different," Williams said. "If we could have that fumble at the end of the game, the offense could have had more time to work. When you are playing a team of that caliber, you have to have turnovers."
Which is exactly what the Texans needed. One big break. One fumble recovery. With one change in the game, the Texans could be sitting at 3-0 on top of the AFC South. So despite the fact that the injuries in this game made Reliant Stadium look like a scene out of '300', there was still a way they could have won.
But you have to think to yourself, "what if." What if the Texans had Andre Johnson? What if Ahman Green and Ron Dayne weren't out of the game? What if the Texans would have had that one turnover that Mario was talking about? Ill tell you...the Texans would have won.
However, I will not take credit away from that Colts team. Going 8-14 on third down conversions, committing no turnovers and averaging 9.3 yards per pass, that's a solid day on offense. On the Texans end, rushing for only 40 yards in a game isn't going to cut it. And Schaub didn't have his greatest game (27-33, 236 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions), but he did enough to keep them close in the final minutes, and that's what the Texans need. On another positive note, the next four games look like easy wins on paper. Did you ever think the Texans would have a chance to be 6-2 going into week 9?
Next week the Texans go into Atlanta to face the 0-3 Falcons. Even if the dog fighter himself was playing, I would still take the Texans in this game. My prediction: Texans 24, Falcons 13.
(This column appeared in the September 24, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
And that Mathis kick return was the fastest score in Texans history coming just 21 seconds after the start of the game. What I wasn't prepared for is that I would soon want to trade in that fast score for four quarters of scoring. Well, I would have traded in my iPhone for a win against the Colts.
Once I awoke, things started to go downhill for a while. The Texans were losing for the first time this season at halftime, something I wasn't used to. I also developed a nervous tick out of anger from watching Peyton Manning audible twenty-seven times at the line of scrimmage on one play.
The second half is when I became intrigued. At one point, the Texans were trailing 27-10 and it looked as if the excuses could start rolling in. My first priority became to start a petition to check Manning for steroids. My next was to attempt to clone injured wide receiver Andre Johnson. I have another request for the NFL. When a quarterback (Matt Schaub) throws to a receiver (Jacoby Jones) and it bounces off the receivers chest and is then intercepted, why is it a statistic against the quarterback? Should we not give interceptions to wide receivers as well? Just a thought.
I will say, the defense did give up 30 points to the Colts, but allowed Manning to throw only one touchdown pass. And even with all of the injuries and sloppy play, the Texans were still within a score of winning. I asked Mario Williams after the game if he could see the loss as positive. "Well even with one more turnover the outcome could have been different," Williams said. "If we could have that fumble at the end of the game, the offense could have had more time to work. When you are playing a team of that caliber, you have to have turnovers."
Which is exactly what the Texans needed. One big break. One fumble recovery. With one change in the game, the Texans could be sitting at 3-0 on top of the AFC South. So despite the fact that the injuries in this game made Reliant Stadium look like a scene out of '300', there was still a way they could have won.
But you have to think to yourself, "what if." What if the Texans had Andre Johnson? What if Ahman Green and Ron Dayne weren't out of the game? What if the Texans would have had that one turnover that Mario was talking about? Ill tell you...the Texans would have won.
However, I will not take credit away from that Colts team. Going 8-14 on third down conversions, committing no turnovers and averaging 9.3 yards per pass, that's a solid day on offense. On the Texans end, rushing for only 40 yards in a game isn't going to cut it. And Schaub didn't have his greatest game (27-33, 236 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions), but he did enough to keep them close in the final minutes, and that's what the Texans need. On another positive note, the next four games look like easy wins on paper. Did you ever think the Texans would have a chance to be 6-2 going into week 9?
Next week the Texans go into Atlanta to face the 0-3 Falcons. Even if the dog fighter himself was playing, I would still take the Texans in this game. My prediction: Texans 24, Falcons 13.
(This column appeared in the September 24, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Post-David Carr Era
Welcome to the post-David Carr era, Houston fans. I won't take any shots at the former quarterback, I will just say one thing. It must have been very uncomfortable watching a man in your previous jersey dominate your new team.
With that said, the Texans 34-21 stomping of the Panthers on Sunday proved something to me. It showed me that even I can underestimate this team. I had the Texans picked to lose seven games. Then, after watching them plow through the Chiefs a week ago, I thought a 10-6 record wasn't out of the question. I thought that one of those losses would definitely be coming in Carolina.
Well, Matt Schaub backhanded my prediction in the face. Schaub's 227 yards passing and one touchdown doesn't begin to explain what happened in Charlotte. After the Texans trailed 14-0 in the first quarter, they rallied off 34 unanswered points against the Panthers. If a previous Texans team would have gone down by two scored that early, they would have laid down and admitted defeat.
Not this team. They have that professional swagger about them that is letting everyone know, this isn't your sub-500 Houston Texans team. After Schaub connected on a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Johnson with three minutes left in the first quarter, things changed. The defense took over the game, shutting down the Panthers on every drive. The offense clicked, on the ground and in the air. Ahman Green looked five years younger as he found holes everywhere in the Panthers defense. And speaking of, how about that Texans offensive line? Who knew they were capable of blocking. The Panthers didn't see the end zone again until the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter, when they already trailed by 20 points.
So where does this bring the Houston fans now? Do Texans fans take this as the win that proved things are changed? Or is it too early to determine anything yet? I say if a team can have possession of the ball for 34 minutes and string together 16-play, 80-yard drives, then they are ready to compete. Don't hesitate to celebrate Houston. This Texans team is like nothing before. And if nothing else, at least enjoy watching internet clips of David Carr's priceless face during the game. Well, I almost made it through a column without a Carr joke.
Next week the Texans take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. Houston split wins with
the division rivals last season, winning at home against the Colts 27-24. I have to believe they can do the same, with a much better team.
My prediction: Texans 28, Colts 24.
(This column appeared in the September 17, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
With that said, the Texans 34-21 stomping of the Panthers on Sunday proved something to me. It showed me that even I can underestimate this team. I had the Texans picked to lose seven games. Then, after watching them plow through the Chiefs a week ago, I thought a 10-6 record wasn't out of the question. I thought that one of those losses would definitely be coming in Carolina.
Well, Matt Schaub backhanded my prediction in the face. Schaub's 227 yards passing and one touchdown doesn't begin to explain what happened in Charlotte. After the Texans trailed 14-0 in the first quarter, they rallied off 34 unanswered points against the Panthers. If a previous Texans team would have gone down by two scored that early, they would have laid down and admitted defeat.
Not this team. They have that professional swagger about them that is letting everyone know, this isn't your sub-500 Houston Texans team. After Schaub connected on a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Johnson with three minutes left in the first quarter, things changed. The defense took over the game, shutting down the Panthers on every drive. The offense clicked, on the ground and in the air. Ahman Green looked five years younger as he found holes everywhere in the Panthers defense. And speaking of, how about that Texans offensive line? Who knew they were capable of blocking. The Panthers didn't see the end zone again until the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter, when they already trailed by 20 points.
So where does this bring the Houston fans now? Do Texans fans take this as the win that proved things are changed? Or is it too early to determine anything yet? I say if a team can have possession of the ball for 34 minutes and string together 16-play, 80-yard drives, then they are ready to compete. Don't hesitate to celebrate Houston. This Texans team is like nothing before. And if nothing else, at least enjoy watching internet clips of David Carr's priceless face during the game. Well, I almost made it through a column without a Carr joke.
Next week the Texans take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. Houston split wins with
the division rivals last season, winning at home against the Colts 27-24. I have to believe they can do the same, with a much better team.
My prediction: Texans 28, Colts 24.
(This column appeared in the September 17, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
Monday, September 10, 2007
Schaub, Williams Solid In First Start
Where do I begin? I could start off with the fact that Mario Williams has more touchdowns this season than Reggie Bush. Or that I contemplated buying a Mario Williams jersey. Or that I definitely gave the Kansas City Chiefs too much credit.
We will hear this until next week: The Texans shouldn't take too much pride in the win because after all, they beat a team that wasn't picked to do much of anything. Well, Kansas City has one of the top five running backs in the NFL in Larry Johnson, and the Texans held him to 43 yards on 10 carries. The defensive side of the Texans looked possessed. The Texans caused four turnovers out of the Chiefs offense, and held them to 219 total yards. Mario Williams added two sacks to his fumble recovery touchdown. The only bad thing that happened on defense was Jason Simmons’ injury, which unfortunately, sidelined him for the rest of the season.
On the offensive side of things for the Texans, there was a bit of inconsistency. Matt Schaub made an out-of-character pass that was intercepted, but turned that around with his touchdown pass to Andre Johnson. The only thing I am still worrying about is the Texans offensive line. They are adjusting from David Carr to Matt Schaub. Carr would always take off and run with the ball if he was hurried out of the pocket, and Matt Schaub sits back and buys time to throw. That's why those "ineligible receiver downfield" calls kept occurring. The offensive line would start running down the field, thinking Carr was following. Schaub was also sacked twice and hurried nearly every other play.
A positive note on offense, however, was Johnson. If he can manage a 140-yard game every week, then I will need to add more wins to my 9-7 record prediction.Nevertheless, it was a great win for the Texans, and their first opening-day win since 2003. These guys actually looked like a mature and professional team. But then again, that could be because we aren't put through the torture of watching David Carr.
The difference in this season from years past will be that Texans fans can actually be confident about their football team. And, fans won't have thoughts of jogging off a cliff after a game. Next week, the Texans travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers, and I think everyone will be able to see if this team is for real or not after that. My prediction: Carolina 20, Houston 17.
(This column appeared in the September 10, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
We will hear this until next week: The Texans shouldn't take too much pride in the win because after all, they beat a team that wasn't picked to do much of anything. Well, Kansas City has one of the top five running backs in the NFL in Larry Johnson, and the Texans held him to 43 yards on 10 carries. The defensive side of the Texans looked possessed. The Texans caused four turnovers out of the Chiefs offense, and held them to 219 total yards. Mario Williams added two sacks to his fumble recovery touchdown. The only bad thing that happened on defense was Jason Simmons’ injury, which unfortunately, sidelined him for the rest of the season.
On the offensive side of things for the Texans, there was a bit of inconsistency. Matt Schaub made an out-of-character pass that was intercepted, but turned that around with his touchdown pass to Andre Johnson. The only thing I am still worrying about is the Texans offensive line. They are adjusting from David Carr to Matt Schaub. Carr would always take off and run with the ball if he was hurried out of the pocket, and Matt Schaub sits back and buys time to throw. That's why those "ineligible receiver downfield" calls kept occurring. The offensive line would start running down the field, thinking Carr was following. Schaub was also sacked twice and hurried nearly every other play.
A positive note on offense, however, was Johnson. If he can manage a 140-yard game every week, then I will need to add more wins to my 9-7 record prediction.Nevertheless, it was a great win for the Texans, and their first opening-day win since 2003. These guys actually looked like a mature and professional team. But then again, that could be because we aren't put through the torture of watching David Carr.
The difference in this season from years past will be that Texans fans can actually be confident about their football team. And, fans won't have thoughts of jogging off a cliff after a game. Next week, the Texans travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers, and I think everyone will be able to see if this team is for real or not after that. My prediction: Carolina 20, Houston 17.
(This column appeared in the September 10, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
Changing For The Better
Now that the NFL preseason has come and gone, the 2007-08 season kicks off this Thursday. And, as I have attempted to analyze everything about the new Houston Texans, here are some awards for the past four weeks of preseason play.
The "David Carr Award" goes to quarterback Matt Schaub. Thank you to Texans general manager Rick Smith for making that move. If I had to watch one more year of David Carr, I would have stuck a hot fork in my eye. Many can argue that the Texans lost athleticism in the deal, but they gained everything else in the process. Schaub is a born leader, and you are about to witness your first winning football season in Houston since the days of the oil derrick.
The "Welcome Home Award" goes to wide receiver Keenan McCardell. You passed on the Vikings to sign with your hometown Texans, only to be cut two weeks later. It could be the age, it could be the injury, or it could be because of the person that receives the next award.
The "Dominique Wilkins Award" goes to the Texans human highlight film, wide receiver Jacoby Jones. Jones has become a standout in a month of play, took the role that McCardell was brought in to do and gave the Texans the next Devin Hester. My goal is for him to guarantee me that he will do one thing this season: on Nov. 18, when the Saints come to town, Jones needs to run back a punt and end the return with the Reggie Bush "flip" into the end zone. It's the only way.
The "Arthur Blank Award" goes to none other than Falcons owner Arthur Blank. You had so much faith in Michael Vick that you and general manager Rich McKay decided it was a good idea to unleash Schaub. Now that Vick is in the doghouse — no pun intended — you are stuck going to war with Joey Harrington. Wait, this was the Texans awards...sorry I blacked out for a minute there.
And finally, the "Jason Jennings Award" goes to underachieving linebacker Jason Babin. When you were drafted in 2004, you were made out to be a dominating force at linebacker. After having less tackles in three seasons (135) as linebacker Demeco Ryans had in all of his rookie year (155), the Texans have shipped you off to Seattle to fill their need in the secondary with strong safety Michael Boulware.
Now that Smith has brought in the talent needed, and coach Gary Kubiak has put the pieces together, the Texans look prepared to move forward instead of reverse. The Texans start the season this Sunday, at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. My prediction: Houston 24, Kansas City 17.
(This column appeared in the September 3rd, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
The "David Carr Award" goes to quarterback Matt Schaub. Thank you to Texans general manager Rick Smith for making that move. If I had to watch one more year of David Carr, I would have stuck a hot fork in my eye. Many can argue that the Texans lost athleticism in the deal, but they gained everything else in the process. Schaub is a born leader, and you are about to witness your first winning football season in Houston since the days of the oil derrick.
The "Welcome Home Award" goes to wide receiver Keenan McCardell. You passed on the Vikings to sign with your hometown Texans, only to be cut two weeks later. It could be the age, it could be the injury, or it could be because of the person that receives the next award.
The "Dominique Wilkins Award" goes to the Texans human highlight film, wide receiver Jacoby Jones. Jones has become a standout in a month of play, took the role that McCardell was brought in to do and gave the Texans the next Devin Hester. My goal is for him to guarantee me that he will do one thing this season: on Nov. 18, when the Saints come to town, Jones needs to run back a punt and end the return with the Reggie Bush "flip" into the end zone. It's the only way.
The "Arthur Blank Award" goes to none other than Falcons owner Arthur Blank. You had so much faith in Michael Vick that you and general manager Rich McKay decided it was a good idea to unleash Schaub. Now that Vick is in the doghouse — no pun intended — you are stuck going to war with Joey Harrington. Wait, this was the Texans awards...sorry I blacked out for a minute there.
And finally, the "Jason Jennings Award" goes to underachieving linebacker Jason Babin. When you were drafted in 2004, you were made out to be a dominating force at linebacker. After having less tackles in three seasons (135) as linebacker Demeco Ryans had in all of his rookie year (155), the Texans have shipped you off to Seattle to fill their need in the secondary with strong safety Michael Boulware.
Now that Smith has brought in the talent needed, and coach Gary Kubiak has put the pieces together, the Texans look prepared to move forward instead of reverse. The Texans start the season this Sunday, at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. My prediction: Houston 24, Kansas City 17.
(This column appeared in the September 3rd, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
Seeing Is Believing
You have to admit at this point this isn’t the Texans team we are all used to seeing. We are seeing touchdowns scored. We are seeing an offense average 27 points per game, the most scored out of any team in the NFL this preseason.
And yes, it is just the preseason, but after all that hasn’t happened since the inaugural year in 2001, shouldn’t this be reason for excitement? If you still have a bitter taste in your mouth from watching Vince Young in a Titans jersey, or David Carr picking himself off the turf with a Paris Hilton-esque look on his face, then here are 10 reasons you should get pumped for this season’s Houston Texans.
10. No longer refer to Jacoby Jones as “that guy from Lane.” After the preseason Jones is having, there is no question he will line up in that second receiver spot. It isn’t just the special teams play either, although the two punt returns for touchdowns in two games doesn’t hurt. He is quick, and gives quarterback Matt Schaub another target besides Andre Johnson. The opposing safeties will have to think twice before double teaming AJ, when you have Jacoby streaking down the sidelines.
9. Mario Williams has something to prove. Will he? Who knows. Saturday night, when Tony “can the center turn around and just hand me the ball” Romo fumbled the snap, Mario was right there in his face to bring him down. Now if he can bring that speed and power all season, with Amobi Okoye commanding attention on the inside, we might have something to talk about.
8. Guess what everybody? We have a running back that isn’t either a washed up veteran or a no-name rookie. Ahman Green, although in the later stages of his career, is an all-pro back that can easily tack on 1,000-yard seasons. With him standing in the backfield, defenses now have to pay close attention to the Texans’ running game, and it makes the play action game deadly.
7. There has only been one sack in the entire preseason. That gives me reason to believe a few things. One, that David Carr is as bad as I thought he was. And two, that the offensive line might actually be able to block someone this season.
6. They beat the Cowboys. So even if the Texans somehow go 0-16 for the season, fans can at least look back and say, “Oh well, we destroyed Dallas.” Governor’s Cup, baby.
5. Dunta Robinson. If you haven’t watched him closely yet, start now. Every game I have watched so far, I found myself asking “what did this guy do in the offseason?” Nothing gets by this guy. Saturday, Romo tried a short pass to T.O. and Dunta hit him with such immediate force that Owens dropped the ball, then looked around for Drew Rosenhaus to explain what just happened.
4. Did you know that Johnson lead the league in receptions last season? And that was with Carr at the helm. You can’t tell me you never thought to yourself, “man if this guy had a good quarterback he could really do something.”
3. No more Charlie Casserly. ‘Nuff said.
2. Lack of turnovers. They aren’t giving the ball away. The Texans starters have yet to fumble or throw an interception this preseason. I will wait for you to go buy your Schaub jersey before I get to number one. Speaking of...
1. Houston, we have a quarterback. He can throw. He can read defenses. He isn’t spending the entire game looking up at the roof of Reliant Stadium. I don’t care about the ‘lack of experience.’ In approximately three quarters worth of preseason play, his stats read 24-of- 33 for 242 yards, two touchdowns and a 102.5 passer rating. He doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t take a lifetime to make a decision and he doesn’t train dogs to fight each other. He is the ultimate answer to what the Texans needed.
And now I think this team is finally ready to compete. The schedule looks difficult at first, but analyze it. The Texans split with the Super Bowl Champion Colts last season and split with the Jags. I am calling for a 9-7 season. Whether that is good enough to make the playoffs is yet to be seen, but it’s going to be fun watching them try.
(This column appeared in the August 27, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
And yes, it is just the preseason, but after all that hasn’t happened since the inaugural year in 2001, shouldn’t this be reason for excitement? If you still have a bitter taste in your mouth from watching Vince Young in a Titans jersey, or David Carr picking himself off the turf with a Paris Hilton-esque look on his face, then here are 10 reasons you should get pumped for this season’s Houston Texans.
10. No longer refer to Jacoby Jones as “that guy from Lane.” After the preseason Jones is having, there is no question he will line up in that second receiver spot. It isn’t just the special teams play either, although the two punt returns for touchdowns in two games doesn’t hurt. He is quick, and gives quarterback Matt Schaub another target besides Andre Johnson. The opposing safeties will have to think twice before double teaming AJ, when you have Jacoby streaking down the sidelines.
9. Mario Williams has something to prove. Will he? Who knows. Saturday night, when Tony “can the center turn around and just hand me the ball” Romo fumbled the snap, Mario was right there in his face to bring him down. Now if he can bring that speed and power all season, with Amobi Okoye commanding attention on the inside, we might have something to talk about.
8. Guess what everybody? We have a running back that isn’t either a washed up veteran or a no-name rookie. Ahman Green, although in the later stages of his career, is an all-pro back that can easily tack on 1,000-yard seasons. With him standing in the backfield, defenses now have to pay close attention to the Texans’ running game, and it makes the play action game deadly.
7. There has only been one sack in the entire preseason. That gives me reason to believe a few things. One, that David Carr is as bad as I thought he was. And two, that the offensive line might actually be able to block someone this season.
6. They beat the Cowboys. So even if the Texans somehow go 0-16 for the season, fans can at least look back and say, “Oh well, we destroyed Dallas.” Governor’s Cup, baby.
5. Dunta Robinson. If you haven’t watched him closely yet, start now. Every game I have watched so far, I found myself asking “what did this guy do in the offseason?” Nothing gets by this guy. Saturday, Romo tried a short pass to T.O. and Dunta hit him with such immediate force that Owens dropped the ball, then looked around for Drew Rosenhaus to explain what just happened.
4. Did you know that Johnson lead the league in receptions last season? And that was with Carr at the helm. You can’t tell me you never thought to yourself, “man if this guy had a good quarterback he could really do something.”
3. No more Charlie Casserly. ‘Nuff said.
2. Lack of turnovers. They aren’t giving the ball away. The Texans starters have yet to fumble or throw an interception this preseason. I will wait for you to go buy your Schaub jersey before I get to number one. Speaking of...
1. Houston, we have a quarterback. He can throw. He can read defenses. He isn’t spending the entire game looking up at the roof of Reliant Stadium. I don’t care about the ‘lack of experience.’ In approximately three quarters worth of preseason play, his stats read 24-of- 33 for 242 yards, two touchdowns and a 102.5 passer rating. He doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t take a lifetime to make a decision and he doesn’t train dogs to fight each other. He is the ultimate answer to what the Texans needed.
And now I think this team is finally ready to compete. The schedule looks difficult at first, but analyze it. The Texans split with the Super Bowl Champion Colts last season and split with the Jags. I am calling for a 9-7 season. Whether that is good enough to make the playoffs is yet to be seen, but it’s going to be fun watching them try.
(This column appeared in the August 27, 2007 edition of The Huntsville Item.)
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