Are there any other Indian-related NFL teams that wear red and yellow on the schedule? Because I don’t think my heart can take another one.
So, that was pretty much a complete disaster (again) until the last few minutes. You could feel the collective “tightening” in Reliant Stadium today, if you know what I mean. The Texans’ defense did everything it could to lose the game, but Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, and the Texans’ offense would not allow it.
DeMeco Ryans lost for the year, so now what?
Obviously, a defense can’t get any better when arguably their best player is no longer on the field… but at this point it’s hard to imagine the Texans getting any worse on that side of the ball. The run defense will certainly take a hit, which sounds bad – but if that encourages teams to run more against the Texans, that’s a good thing, right? How’s that for a silver lining? Maybe not so much after the way the Chiefs ran roughshod over Houston on the ground today.
Big players make big plays… again
Schaub and Johnson came through when it counted the most, just as they did against the Redskins. Much like that game, this was another case of Houston’s talent (ahem, on offense) rising above and winning the day. The coaching certainly had nothing to do with the win, and the defense I’m half convinced was actually trying to lose the game. So, it was up to the playmakers, and wow did they ever come through.
A word about the fans
I know that every NFL team likes to loudly proclaim that their fans are THE GREATEST FANS IN THE NFL!!!!! but today left quite a bad taste in my mouth. I was in attendance last week when the Giants beat the Texans down with ease. Fans started heading for the exits early – which I would never do – but I get it. It was a complete beatdown, traffic sucks, whatever.
But today, when the Chiefs went up 31-21 with 7:11 to go in the game – thousands of Texans “fans” began their mass exodus. SEVEN minutes left in the game, and the team had all three of their time outs (not that that matters – it was SEVEN minutes!!)… oh, and by the way they have known and proven playmakers on offense. I was disgusted. It was only a ten-point lead, and even the season ticket holders who sat next to us took out early. As did the season ticket holders behind us. And the ones next to them. These are probably the same people who sold their tickets to Cowboy fans to make a quick buck. Disgusting.
They absolutely deserved to miss what they missed today, which was a crowd WELL short of full making a ton of noise without them. Buncha sorry quitters. Who the hell pays thousands upon thousands of dollars for season tickets, and leaves when the game is far from over? It’s their right, of course. I just find it irritating. But I also don’t want my disgust with these particular fans to account for all my comments on the fans. The ones who DID stay were loud as hell, and the electricity that surged through the place was second only to the elation when Amobi Okoye sealed the game with a sack.
So, we’ve got problems
Big ones. We’re all sick to death of the same responses every week. “We’ll work hard to get it corrected.” “We’re gonna stick with the guys we have.” And so on. RIGHT NOW is the perfect time for the Texans to make a bold move. A big change. If they’re serious about making the playoffs in 2010, with the BRUTAL schedule they’ve yet to get into the teeth of – they need to go off of their franchise “script.” Their bye week is here, and they have two weeks until the next game. Either the Texans need to send Frank Bush packing and get to work with a new guy – ANY new guy – or they need to make a move for a player that can come in and be a difference-maker. Not a guy off the street. Not a guy who might bloom into a great player – but a really good NFL veteran. If it costs them a few draft picks, or a high draft pick – so be it (depending of course on who the player is and what you’re giving up).
Of course, we all know none of this is going to happen, unless the Texans make a dramatic change in the way they do business. I want to be happy (and I am) about the win today, but has there ever been a darker cloud over a 4-2 team? You just know the good times aren’t going to last as long as the defense keeps making the same mistakes. Atrocious pass coverage, an inconsistent but mostly non-existent pass rush, poor tackling, poor scheming, lack of adjustments – it’s just the same thing over and over. I would hope that the injury to DeMeco Ryans would make the team realize that the defensive issues went from beyond critical to… whatever is worse than that.
We’ll talk more about the game during the week. There’s plenty to go over, and most of it isn’t good – but the Texans did give us quite a thrilling finish today, and THANK the football GODS for that. After last week’s debacle, it was good to have something to jump up and down about today. Now the Texans have two weeks to DO SOMETHING about what will most assuredly keep them out of the playoffs if it is not remedied.
Oct 18, 2010 at 00:28:24
Chris- Great write up man, I totally agree on everything. I was at the game today and when People started leaving I was pretty shocked as their was so much time left. IT is annoying and frustrating but the people who did stay were loud and proud. I would love to see the Texans get rid of Bush and bring in someone new but my question is would that work? I mean when has firing a guy in season ever really worked? I think our best bet is to just play the hand we were dealt with Bush and hope that our D somehow fixes things over the bye.
Oct 18, 2010 at 08:32:42
What a mentally exhausting game. I really didn’t think we were going to be able to stop them, EVER, to get a chance to actually make a come back. Thankfully our D came up big although I would have to question that last 3rd down play call. A 20 yard fade pass to the TE when they’ve been running at will all day……can you say thank you Charlie Wies. Maybe he had his money on the Texans too.
Yes Schaub and Andre were great but I think what turned around our 2nd half and especially our 21 point 4th quarter were the timely catches and continued use of Owen Daniels. He had a HUGE 4th and 1 catch that was an amazing catch. Then nobody is talking about on our final drive when he had that nice catch on the quick inside slant that he dragged his defender down to the 10 yard line to get us a first down on that 3rd and 10 play. If he doesn’t do that we’re looking at a Rackers field goal to tie the game and send us to overtime. We need to continue to get Owen Daniels more active in the offense.
Our defense is clearly an issue. I really hope we turn it around similar to last year. Okoye is awful. I realize he got the final sack to end the game but that was mere luck. Antoine Smith ran the QB right into his path. That sack should be given to Antoine Smith as he destroyed the play with his penetration to disrupt them.
I can’t believe Demeco is done for the year. This leads me to ask about Shawn Merrimen. Chris, are you familiar with his situation? I’m reading he will be put on waivers. How does the waiver process work? Is it like fantasy football where the teams with the worst record will get first crack at him? Does he play the LB position as Demeco? What are your thoughts on bringing him in?
Oct 18, 2010 at 09:18:29
Chris- Great wtite up. I agree with you about the fans. I’m at every home game and even when the Texans are Winning a Game the “Fans” leave early. It really gets to me too. Now, in a blow out, I also, can see leaving early, mainly to send a message to a team. But in a close game, you suck if you leave early.
As far as making a move, I really believe that its going to have to come from the Top. I don’t think Kubiak will make one willingly, He like to give guys way too many chances.
Oct 18, 2010 at 09:27:02
Enjoyed the write up.
On the fans – We, Texans fans, have to realize THIS team is not what we are accustomed to. Even last year this would have been a lost (see AZ game). I understand it was hot (but that beats the hell out of 20 degree weather) but if my 3 elementary age boys could toughen it out well then…man up.
On the defense – The way I see it, the defense is somewhere between non-existent and pathetic. AND now we are without Demeco. My guess is we’ll see Cush take a bigger leadership role. I agree that hopefully teams now will scheme to run more to keep our offense off the field also.
Something needs to happen, AND I say Bush, unless they add a shutdown, er. competent CB, and/or a pass rusher. Has anyone seen Mario (he’s lost the Super, again)? We need a shake up even in mid-season because we can not get any worst, I hope!
Offese/ST – Glad to see JJ returning kickoffs becuz Slaton isn’t getting it done. I like DWard’s hard running too. The O just needs to be more consistent.
Oct 18, 2010 at 10:01:55
Gerb,
Merriman is a pure 3-4 rush linebacker. Totally different position. He would have coverage responsibilities in Houston. He has also been average at best since he got popped for roids, and he’s now had a major reconstructive knee surgery.
Depending on how the Chargers handle the situation, he could end up an unrestricted FA, or he could end up havin to clear waivers. In that case priority is based on last year’s team records.
Oct 18, 2010 at 10:50:07
Thanks Chris. Sadly, it doesn’t look like Cushing has been the same since he’s been back from “over training” suspension either.
Oct 18, 2010 at 11:11:20
should have paid him Rick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAR_zEvT7dM
Oct 18, 2010 at 12:33:15
Amen Chris – especially about getting a proven vet back there like today. Nnamdi Asamugha for Slaton, JJ, a first and a third in 2011. I know it seems like a lot, especially when you figure we’d have to take on that contract too. But, I really think he’d be worth it. We’re not going to get anyone like him ever unless we do this deal now. Getting him would allow us to do so much more with our defense. Pollard could serve as a forth LB at the line, and we could double up the opposite side of the field. This one dude could make our defense look ….dare I say it….actually good. I think Diles will do a good job of replacing DeMeco, but those draft picks will do us no good next year. What are we going to do if we keep them, draft another corner? We don’t need another rookie corner. Honestly, we don’t need anymore rookies period. I love the draft and all, but we need proven vets on this team. We need NA – today! Next year, we’ll be getting Tate, Barwin, and Ryans back, so that can be our draft.
Thanks,
T
Oct 18, 2010 at 12:40:51
Let me begin by saying I would rather the Texans go 4-12 than hire Shawne Merriman. Merriman has some very shady off-the-field allegations that paint him ad exactly the kind of player we should never hire, and also he ended the career of my favorite NFL player, Priest Holmes.
One player we SHOULD look into would be Denver’s Champ Bailey. He’s old but has had a great season so far, had a great season last year, and is in a contract year. Trade for a second in 2011 and a conditional pick in 2012 (we’ll say third if we re-sign him, fifth if we don’t) and let him shore up the secondary while mentoring our young bucks. I don’t know if he’s available, but the Broncos have a ton of young players Josh McDaniels drafted so he might like a chance to get them on the field.
As for firing Frank Bush, trust me when I say the best is yet to come. Stay with me here.
1. The Second half vs. NYG showed us that Bush has more than cover 2 in his arsenal.
2. The Raiders, Giants, and Chiefs were all games we expected to win despite the poor pass defense.
3. Cushing has his legs under him now.
4. Remember that bye week? The Colts have it too.
What I take from all this is that, aside from some garbage-time experimentation, Kubiak told Bush to keep it simple and not give the Colts anything to work with. He probably took a “don’t worry. Schaub’s got this” attitude, and, for what it’s worth, we went 2-1.
The Colts game determines the state of our franchise, as it almost always does.
-we are on the road, so the sense of urgency SHOULD return
-we have a bye week to prepare. Combine the time with the knowledge that we CAN pressure Peyton Manning, and we SHOULD see a better defense.
-AJ and JJ should be healthy, plus Owen appears to be back to normal, so we SHOULD see the high-octane unbeatable offense we expected this year.
Those three bullets are important, because if we sweep Indy and earn the head-to-head tiebreaker…
…we SHOULD win the South.
Oct 18, 2010 at 12:51:05
@Truth. No way should we have paid Dunta all that money. He’s a smaller version of Pollard. He can hit with the best of them but he doesn’t cover anywhere near well enough to warrant all that money. From what I’ve heard, secondhand info, he hasn’t been doing all that well for Atlanta.
Oct 18, 2010 at 13:39:43
I have watched every game that I could and followed the ones I couldn’t. Whenever the dbs have covered man to man they have been more successful but when they go into their zone defense they are picked apart. I have heard the excuse that they are all young and need more experience. What better way to get the experience than man to man if they miss the coverage at least they are close to make the tackle and they learn.
Should they fire Bush…absolutely …or slap the hell out of him and wake him up so he is aware that he has to make some changes not grin and bear it.
Wonder why Kevin Walters was not even targeted?
Oct 18, 2010 at 14:25:04
@ Gerb
We were not the 32nd ranked against the pass with dunta. With dunta atl is giving up 16.8 pts a game while we are giving up 27.8. He might not be a shutdown corner but he is a heck of alot better than kareemed Jackson. Our secondary made matt cassel look like a prowbowler. It is worth franchising dunta in a year when you know you are going to be facing your hardest schedule to date.
Oct 18, 2010 at 16:03:49
Truth – You coiuld have franchised PayMeRick but he would have held out and been a malcontent all season long. Besides thats old news.
Kyle – I like the Bailey idea, and I’ve read he may be available but they’re not out of it either. I know there isn’t really anything on the street but we need some veteran presence. Any suggestions?
Oct 18, 2010 at 18:36:09
Raiders said EVERYONE was up to trade on their team. You think it might be possible for a Nnamdi Asomugha trade? Also heard that Shaun Rogers is on the block. Any thoughts? (of coarse just wishful thinking)
Oct 18, 2010 at 21:34:18
Raiders need draft picks since they gave up their 1st rounder to the Patriots. I easily give our 1st round pick to them for Nnamdi. I highly doubt that would get it done so possible a 3rd or 4th to go along with it. Yes, Nnamdi has a huge contract but I have no problem spending Bob McNairs money on a player that at least does his best to earn that paycheck.
Oct 18, 2010 at 21:48:26
Nnamdi would be a dream for us. Would take alot to get him but I like it. I also like champ but I doubt Denver would be willing to trade him with their current record.
I also like the Rogers idea. He hasn’t done anything of late besides trying to pack some heat on a plane but bringing him home might light some fire under him. He shouldn’t be a difficult grab as he is nothing more than a over priced backup on a rebuilding browns team. Is there a year they aren’t rebuilding by the way?
Oct 18, 2010 at 21:52:04
SAY NO TO NNAMDI!!!
Asomugha has played very poorly this season, most notably in penalties. He’ll cost too much and not do enough
Oct 18, 2010 at 22:12:50
I’m not gonna say that I’ve never left a game early; hell I left the Giants’ game with 4:35 to go in the 4th. I’d had enough that day. But in no way was I ever close to even thinking about leaving Sunday & I was sitting in the North (sunny) end zone. To all those who unwittingly chose to leave early, please learn from your mistake. Despite the low head count, the moment when Dre caught the winning TD @ 0:28 of the fourth wasn’t the loudest Reliant has ever been, but it was in my top 10. I was one of those loud guys you cited. It’s those kind of moments that make it all worthwhile. That being said, this win still felt like a loss because Captain Meco is done and our D continues to be dominated. This game felt like a loss from midway in the 1st until the last few minutes when we got the ball back with a chance to do something. Teh Schaub continues to amaze. Dre and OD are weapons.
The inconsistency from week to week continues to aggravate the piss outta me. I’ve watched the NFL since the 60′s, but I’ve never seen a Houston team as schizophrenic as this year’s Texans. They are already a Dickensian tale of two teams with 10 games remaining. As Kalu pointed out on the postgame show, a defense is much easier to put together midseason than is an offense. Do the Texans have a chance of playing just average D with out the Cap’n? That’s all they have to do for us to win, but can they do it? An extra player or 2 would surely help. ND was pining for Fat Albert or scrabble, but it ain’t happening. It’s up to guys like Sharpton, Bentley, Adibi, Nolan, Kareem, McCain and Glover to step it up. We can do it, but will we? The tale of 2 teams continues….
Oct 19, 2010 at 00:21:19
My suggestion would be to sign Merriman and trade for Asomugha. Merriman will be released when his calf heals and while he has had injury problems since he was busted for steroids he would be an instant upgrade with ‘Meco out. And the Raiders have said their willing to trade any player at this point and getting a lockdown corner would all but guarentee us a playoff spot baring a catastrophic failure to a different part of the team. We add at least Namdi and talk of a deep playoff run would emerge.
Oct 19, 2010 at 13:30:16
It was loud at the end of the game. It was funny to see the moods of the Chiefs fans change in the matter of minutes. Good win. Still have issues but no complaints about being 4-2.