I was lucky enough to be in attendance for the Texans 19-13 win over the Bengals on Saturday. I have no voice left, and my ears are still ringing. Reliant was a madhouse. I have to admit I was afraid the crowd wouldn’t “perform” as well as they have in the past, especially after witnessing the massive amount of booing against the home team in the previous home game against Minnesota.
The Texans did their thing on defense. For this week at least, the Bulls on Parade were back. Though the Bengals haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut this season, Houston limited them to 198 yards and (stat of the game) literally did not allow one single third down conversion (0 for 9). Maybe even more impressive is how the Texans were able to limit Cincy’s AJ Green, who is already in the conversation for best WR in the NFL along with Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, etc. Green didn’t have a single catch in the first half of the game, and finished with five catches for 80 yards. Houston only gave up one big play to him, a 45 yard reception. That’s how you do it against a WR of Green’s ilk. You can’t stop him, but you have to make sure he doesn’t dominate you. Well done.
You can always count on JJ Watt to do what he does, and he did it once again with a sack and two passes defended. The Bengals were double and triple teaming Watt all game long, but he still had his typical impact. There’s just no stopping that guy. Even Brooks Reed got back in the groove, notching another playoff sack. Houston was able to survive their talent and health-deficient inside linebacker corps, which was a bit of a surprise to me. I expected Cincy’s tight ends to be running free, but the Bengals offensive game plan, I thought, left a lot to be desired.
Connor Barwin had a pretty solid game Saturday, playing the run well and getting some good pressure on the quarterback at times. Barwin has certainly improved in the last quarter or so of the season, and with the horrible inconsistencies that have plagued this team – it’s good to be able to say that about anyone on either side of the ball right now.
On offense, it certainly seemed as if the Texans were about to bust through their recent struggles. The team moved the ball with ease at times, with Arian Foster and the offensive line looking like the group of old. On top of that, hey – Owen Daniels sighting. OD was catching balls all over the place, and Matt Schaub looked pretty good out there despite his one absolutely huge and unforgivable mistake that resulted in a Leon Hall interception return touchdown. The Texans rolled up 420 total offensive yards against arguably the best defensive front in the playoff field, but they still couldn’t cash it in once they reached the red zone. Houston settled for four Shayne Graham field goals (48, 27, 22, 24), and one touchdown by Foster, who had a magnificent game.
Arian Foster. Just, wow. In person, I had no idea what a great game Foster was having. When I saw stats during the game that said he had gone over the 100-yard mark, I was surprised. When I re-watched the game, I was STUNNED at what a great game he and the offensive line had. Foster was SUPERB on Saturday, with superior vision, patience, and the ability to get a few extra inches here and there – basically all the things that Foster is so good at. Sure helps when your offensive line plays so well. Unexpectedly well, at that – the Bengals are very, very good up front on defense.
Though we all would have loved to see touchdowns over field goals in this game, it felt REALLY good to see the team close out the game on offense, with Arian Foster getting a first down with a 10-yard run on 2nd & 8. Everyone in the building knew 23 was getting the ball, and he unleashed a great 10-yard run – gliding, cutting, and getting some great blocking – especially from oft-maligned Wade Smith, who just did EVERYTHING he could to hold his block long enough for Arian to get by.
Of course, the reward for all of this is a return trip to Foxboro. If there is one element to the team that I could instantly wish to be “fixed” to give the team the best chance to win in New England, it would be the offensive line above anything else (and it’s not close). The Texans offensive line played a VERY good game against the Bengals, who were obviously playing better defense up front than the Patriots have been.
So there’s that if you’re looking for a little hope. If the O-Line is who they were against the Bengals, hey – anything can happen next week. Unfortunately lately, that performance has been the exception and not the rule.
Jan 6, 2013 at 17:41:32
I dont know about you but im pretty worried about going up agiast the pats
Jan 7, 2013 at 00:54:49
@TheDon
Interesting stat I saw on bleacher report in an article called “the biggest flaw for every NFL team”:
Since the 2005 season, all six of the Patriots’ playoff losses have come against teams they played in the regular season.
They were swept by the 2005 Broncos, 2006 Colts and 2011 Giants. Despite beating the 2007 Giants and 2009 Ravens in the regular season, they lost to them in the playoffs. New England split with the 2010 Jets, but just over a month after a dominant 45-3 win, it stunningly lost 28-21 in the AFC divisional playoffs.
—
In short, this Pats team is not the 2001-2004 team nor the 2007 FU team. Tom Brady is 35, in his 13th season as a QB, and his only real weapons are 31-year-old Wes Welker (who’d be blanketed by either KJax or JoJo all game, and he’s no AJ Green) and the TE duo of Aarob Hernkowski, and if there was EVER a team that knew how to prepare for multiple good TEs it’s the Texans and their TE of Jamgarwen Casgrahaniels.
Their defense is porous and full of young guys who will feel intense pressure to uphold the Patriots name, and pressure to excel —> mistakes.
They have no answer for AJ nor JJ.
Monday night, we weren’t ready. We weren’t focused, and we weren’t hungry.
This is potentially our first AFC Championship (a title game against either hosting a Ravens team we sandblasted @BAL or a Broncos team featuring the worst playoff performer ever of any “best ever” QBs, F Peyton), and we are ready. The Bulls are firing on all cylinders, and, frankly, when we play New England, Kubes won’t settle for FGs. Lets respect him that he made conservative 4th down calls because his d was taking care of business and he knew a bunch of field goals would be enough. (Plus now Graham will be as confident as possible in case he needs to kick a game winner in Boston).
Let’s not kiss Brady’s rings just yet. If Rex Ryan isn’t scared of them, neither then should we be. They’re tough, but they’ve lost 4 times already. What’s a fifth?
Go Texans!
Jan 7, 2013 at 09:16:37
@ Kyle im not saying that we dont have a chance but after watching the game vs cincy i came to a scary conclusion. If a team can shut down arian foster and make Matt beat the with the pass we are in seriouis serious trouble.
Jan 7, 2013 at 10:09:09
@ The Don
I agree that if anything major goes wrong we are in trouble, but this could be said of 31 other teams as well. Whichever team minimizes their mistakes will come out the winner. I believe in this team. (not saying you don’t)
Jan 7, 2013 at 10:16:02
I saw a different team on Saturday. Yes the Texans settled for FGs but the offense was moving the ball. The defense showed up as well in allowing only 6 points. I truely believe the Texans will compete in Boston. The playoffs is a different season. Doesn’t matter how you get there…just get there.
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:18:36
@ chris
I dont know if you can say that about any team currently in the playoffs right now that if you remove just one cog (foster) the whole thing falls apart. With the texans if the running game does not work then Matt Schaub is completely off his game. I cant say that about Denver, Packers, Pats etc.
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:19:19
A Grantland article before the end of the season covered “the kryptonite team for each contender.”
First off, they called the kryptonite team for HOU “nobody” because, paraphrasing, the “weakness” that the team can’t come from behind…yeah ANY TEAM without an MVP-capable QB struggles to win from behind.
Second, they listed New England’s weakness as Cincinnati. Why?
-”throwing to a dominant receiver”. New England doesn’t have a defensive answer to AJ, and if there’s one thing that irrefutably didn’t regress with Schaub last month, it was targeting AJ.
-”elite interior pass rush”. Watt will likely spend a lot of time as a DT in a nickel/dime package against NE’s spread offense. The Pats line (like ALL o-lines protecting elite QBs) is overrated and will allow Watt to be disruptive, not to mention Smith, Barwin, and Reed.
-”harder to find mismatches”. Cincinnati has a deeper bench at cornerback, but we have three CBs plus a safety that I feel good about in coverage (JoJo, KJax, Harris, & Manning).
As a lot of people noted, the similarities between us and Cincy were striking, but we have a better QB, better RB, and better play-action.
Plus, if there was a “no chance in Hell” vibe vs Cincy (Jason Whitlock tweeted for ppl to put their mortgage on Cincy, while 7-of-11 ESPN experts had Cincy winning straight-up), you better believe there’s a “no chance in Hell” vibe this week.
The Texans may struggle as heavy favorites, but they know how to win as underdogs.
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:19:21
And i do believe in this team because they are my team just a little worried.
Jan 7, 2013 at 13:48:45
I understand…me too.
Jan 7, 2013 at 14:35:27
Well, unless a miracle occurs and Baltimore wins, the Texans won’t have to come back to Reliant stadium again this year. I attended the Titans, Ravens, Colts and Cincy games this year, all games the Texans won. They led most of the time. The crowd booed the Texans on a regular basis. It was embarrassing. It really does ruin the experience when you cheer hard for your team and you’re sitting among a bunch of boo birds who are booing a 12-4 team that is winning. At least the Texans won’t get booed as badly at Foxborough and Mile High. I think it improves their chances. The New York Giants are the same way. Their fans suck and playing at home is a hostile environment for them. They relax and play their game on the road…and win. There was less booing during the David Carr years; people didn’t waste their energy. If Texans fans think booing is a way to show that they care, they need lesson on what caring really means. Yes, Gary Kubiak is a frustrating coach. They all are. Still, you don’t boo every time a team punts…
Jan 7, 2013 at 15:53:25
I havent been to a texans game in years and the only time they booed were the kickers when they stunk it up. But im in 100% agreement dont boo your own team its not like its gonna make them play harder for a bunch of fake fans. I think that is my number one pet peeve about the fans in houston if you can call them that. I have been going with the texans since the beggining and have been laughed at season in and season out. Now the same people who said they were gonna ride with the cowboys untill the texans got good are all of a sudden THE BIGGEST TEXANS FANS IN THE CITY. And i can bet dollars for doughnuts that these are the same people that boo at games.
Jan 7, 2013 at 18:45:29
I kinda hope that Foster basically calling out the boo birds as spoiled helps the problem.
And they will have to deal with the Ravens. Peyton’s legacy will ALWAYS be being great in the regular season (in 14 seasons, this is #12 with 10+ wins) and terrible in the playoffs (9-10 lifetime; to compare, Brady is 16-6, Rodgers is 5-2, and Joe F’n Flacco is 6-4 and is 5-0 in the first playoff game, whereas Peyton is 4-7). If I were a gambler, I’d put half a paycheck on the Ravens.
Jan 8, 2013 at 17:13:17
So they got the Pats as a 10 point fav. im gettin MAD NOW
Jan 10, 2013 at 16:09:20
I just can’t in good conscience predict a Patriots victory.
AJ vs Talib
D Brown vs Chandler Jones
JoJo/KJax vs Lloyd/Welker
Watt vs a very old Logan Mankins
A Smith vs Dan Connolly
Foster/Jamgarwen Casgraniels vs Mayo/Spikes/Hightower
Every potential matchup favors us except their TEs vs our LBs.
I said in Week 14 that Kubes threw the New England game playing vanilla and having Wade blitz.
This game we will play the stretch run game we didn’t in week 14, and stubbornly stick to the run game, wearing down the Pats defense that is not very deep. Wilfork will be taken out of the game as Chris Myers is not the baby seal he once was and he will lead this O-line to trench victory.
Our PA game will come back and, with Schaub’s over-AJ-ing ways the past few weeks spooking Belichek and bracketing the receiver, Schaub will bring OD, K-Dubz, and Foster back into the passing game to play the mismatches they will easily find.
Call me crazy, but weeks of Conserviak and all day-AJ have led to this moment. Fool the Hoodie, win the game, make Vegas a ton of money, then head back to Houston after Peyton chokes away another playoff opportunity.
Texans 29, Patriots 21
And that is 5 FGs. The Texans take a 13-7 lead into the half, break out the Justariben Forstertate backfield, and jam it down the Patriots’ throat, mixed in with some PA beauty and AJ bubble screens, and choose long time-consuming drives that prevent Brady from getting on the field, as well as forcing the playcalling to abandon the run and try to score quick strikes in the passing game. This leads to boom-bust drives of either quick long TDs or three-and-outs, playing into our hands, and securing the victory.