Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Stage Improbable Comeback, Then Fail In Totally Probable Fashion On Monday Night Football

Well as usual I was in attendance at Reliant, and have never missed a home game since we got the team here. After realizing our hearts were still beating somewhere deep in our sunken abdomens, most of the fans in our section just felt terrible for Schaub knowing his heart must have surely stopped and sunk deep into his stomach with that pick 6. It really sucks to be a hero and then have the bomb go off and kill everyone at the end of the movie and nobody gets the girl.

Like you said Tim, this team fights and doesn’t give up. It’s really amazing how they hang in there and don’t quit on each other, or on the coaches or the fans. Neither should we as fans give up. That doesn’t mean we don’t have emotions or well intended criticisms about how to solve some of the issues, but we all have to stick with this. It was horrible during those years with no team in Houston. Yep, we expect more and we expect progress. The NFL is a really harsh and relentless canvas that often portrays paintings of brutal circumstances and unfair outcomes. It is harder than other professional sports in that there are fewer games played each season and far less room for error.

Now that the expectations and stress have started to fade away and logic settles in, here is what I see in looking back over the season at this point:

EXPECTATIONS:
This was the year the Texans would go to the playoffs and possibly deep into the post-season. All we needed was a running game and better play calling assuming everything positive from 2009 carried over.

REALITY:
2010 was really an investment year to develop the team before they could get to the next level. We still have a very young and mostly inexperienced team of players who are learning their trade, individual technique and advanced unit schemes. They are learning what works and what doesn’t for their make up of players, and how those strengths and weaknesses apply against various teams they face. We still have a very inexperienced management team (Owner, GM, HC, DC, etc). They have made horrific choices and decisions over the season that they have hopefully learned from.

YTD POSITIVES (in no particular order):
1. Kareem Jackson has absolutely improved. I watched him close on receivers with great speed and a much better sense of where the play was going. He jammed them en-route a few times, and played the run well.

2. Glover Quinn is the real deal. Last year he and Champ Bailey were the only two starting corners in the NFL without a TD against them. He struggled in Bush’s schemes early this season, but he is making great plays all over the field. He may indeed develop into a premier shutdown corner.

3. Pollard and Cushing are world beaters and extremely physical when up to full speed in a working system/scheme. They increase the intensity for the rest of the defense and lead them into battle like a gladiator movie. I can’t wait to see all of this with a healthy Mario and ’Meco back on the field.

4. Andre Johnson is our future Hall of Famer and has NEVER taken a play off if he’s on the field. The guy has put the team on his shoulders and forced the issue and changed the momentum and possible outcome of more games than we can count. Then he has a humble approach and keeps a low profile. We are damn lucky to have him. He deserves a retired #80, a Superbowl ring, an MVP award and all the praise he gets each day from the fan base.

5. The offensive line has improved to a significant degree. Going into the game I kept thinking we would see an endless thrashing by Ngata and Ray Lewis. They were nearly non-factors thanks to great blocking and pass protection all night.

6. Foster is as good a running back as the NFL has seen in more than 10 years. He reminds me of Marcus Allen and Terrell Davis rolled into one player. Patient, great vision, smart downhill cutbacks, and power just at the right time. It will be incredible to have him, Tate and Ward together.

7. Schaub finds ways to lead the team from the abyss. He doesn’t lose his cool, and he plays best under pressure in up-tempo scenarios.

8. Kubiak finally showed some fire and spoke more from the heart after this last game than I’ve ever seen. Saying things like; “We know everyone is disappointed out there, WE are disappointed. I’m from here, that’s why I came here [back to Houston], because I know how hungry this city is to win. I tell everybody out there we are hurting as bad as they are, but we keep fighting. I want to win. It’s been a positive uphill climb over the last four years and six weeks, but it’s been a rough last seven weeks. That’s the NFL, you keep your chin up and keep fighting.” I saw this interview while still at Reliant and it brought me down from any angry or frustrated emotions. These guys are human and doing everything they can in a tough tough league.

9. Discipline across the team is pretty solid. Very few penalties, very few turnovers, and no “head cases” screwing up the team in the locker room, on the field or off the field out in town.

NEGATIVES:
1. The defense has been in experimentation mode most of the season, and is filled with too many players who are still learning their positions. The DC has obviously struggled to find the right combination that this unit can work with effectively. That’s what pre-season is supposed to be used for, and that’s why you balance veterans with rookies. It’s finally getting dialed in, but it took 13 games in a 16 game season.

2. The special teams unit needs a complete overhaul. They have not been able to get a return game going all season, and tackling on coverage is abysmal. Field position has been horrific for too many intervals in most games.

3. The entire team takes nearly two quarters to get up to game speed on both sides of the ball. This results in digging holes and having to rally back from them in the second half. Something needs to be done to inspire them to play at the opening kickoff. This trend existed last season as well, but is more evident this year with a weaker performance on defense.

4. Clock management is not improving. Scoring strategy (Field Goals vs going for TD’s) is not working in our favor often enough.

5. Abandoning the running game once Schaub gets into his “come from behind up-tempo” rhythm is incredibly frustrating. Somehow they need to learn how to shift gears and mix up the play calling all throughout the games.

6. Can we please get a working communication system in our own damn multi-hundred-million dollar facility so the team can call in their plays and not screw up clock management worse or lose precious time outs?!!! Hey Uncle Bob, I’m directing this one at you and your side kick Rick Smith. Unacceptable! What are you doing with all the money being made? Last I heard it was $54M in profit this year. Spend some of that so the team doesn’t fail due to lack of equipment.

7. Other facility crap: The music selection at Reliant needs to be addressed by someone with common sense. For a few times there I thought the music goal was an attempt to put Ray Lewis and company into a coma. The guys running on the field with the flags after a score should all be given other duties. It really looks pretty gay to most fans (ask anyone sitting in the stands under the age of 93).

SUMMARY:
We have seen some improvements over the course of the season. No we are not in the playoffs. But individual improvement is significant and obvious. Unit coordination and teamwork is improving. The Texans have come damn close to beating several of the leagues best teams this year. The players NEVER quit on their teammates, coaches or fans. We still have a few things to fix. Let’s hope like hell the CBA gets taken care of so there is not a gap in progress going into next season. Let’s stick with these guys and get there together for a championship that will have us all raising a glass and flushing the past pain behind us. I’m not in favor of a major shake up in the coaching (except perhaps a new DC). I’d love to see someone like Cowher or Dungy come in at as a mentor to this staff as a President of Operations, GM, etc and elevate the strategic aspects of the organization to the next level.

I hope they finish strong and stick together. I’ll be there for the Jags game in a couple of weeks. I’ll be there next year too. Cheers to you all.