Your Week 12 Rooting Guide for the Texans

by Karsh on Nov 22, 2011 6:33 PM CST

Surprisingly, figuring out who to root for this week is far less complicated than it has been in seasons past, as we find ourselves rooting against basically everybody in the AFC rather than hoping division leaders keep winning to clear up the Wild Card race. All the same, hit the jump to learn who to cheer and who to jeer this Thanksgiving weekend.

The Obvious

Houston Texans (7-3) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7) - Texans

The Good Guys get a taste of life without Matt Schaub. Here's hoping that the GOAT's return (and possible return of our very own wounded Manning) can compensate for any rust that might be hanging around on Matt Leinart. The big storyline of this game will, of course, be learning exactly what Texans fans can expect from Matt II.

The #1 Seed Race

San Francisco 49ers (9-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (7-3) - 49ers

As one of four 7-3 AFC teams, we want the Dirty Birds to lose. Particularly because they hold a head-to-head over the Texans. It won't matter in a 3-way tie at the end, but best to just not be in that situation.

New England Patriots (7-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) - Eagles

Swallow your hatred and root for Vince Young to pull another one out against the Patriots. The less said about this, the better.

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-6) - Chiefs

Do you believe in Thanksgiving miracles?

The Rest of the AFC (That Matters)

Buffalo Bills (5-5) @ New York Jets (5-5) - Push

The Bills play the Patriots in Week 17, while the Jets basically have no remaining impact on the Texans' #1 seed hopes. Doesn't really matter who wins this one, but let's hope the Bills can pull themselves together in time for Week 17. There's probably strength of schedule or something at play here, but I can't be bothered to think that hard about it this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6) @ Methopotamia BE-SFs (4-6) - Buccaneers

Here's hoping the Buccaneers can pull out that win they've so desperately needed for the last two weeks. CJ2YPC is still in hilarious form and we'll see if Hasselbeck makes it back from his arm injury from this last week. Another loss with a Texans win puts the Good Guys 3 games ahead of the BE-SFs. Bury them.

Chicago Bears (7-3) @ Oakland Raiders (6-4) - Bears

The Raiders own a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Texans which could potentially harm their seeding, plus you always root for the NFC team in an inter-conference matchup. Hope the Bears and the Lions stay on the heels of the Packers to keep them honest through the end of the season.

The Oh God Please Stop Sucking for Lucking

Carolina Panthers (2-8) @ Indianapolis Colts (0-10) - Colts

Wow the Colts suck this year. Let's hope they can suck less than the Panthers. I wouldn't hold my breath though. Maybe he'll be a bust?

Tweet Comment 28 comments | 3 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Since its a push

always root against the jets.

2009 is too fresh.

Leinart's 2011 final line: 6 wins, 3 losses. 12 TDs - 2 INTs, 2,100 yards with 62% completion.

by texanphil on Nov 22, 2011 7:07 PM CST reply actions

Fair enough and I agree.

It feels pretty good to just give them indifference though rather than hanging on their every play.

by Karsh on Nov 22, 2011 8:01 PM CST up reply actions

ah, the high road

I guess there’s satisfaction up there, too.

Marginalization through apathy… this may work. Thanks.

Leinart's 2011 final line: 6 wins, 3 losses. 12 TDs - 2 INTs, 2,100 yards with 62% completion.

by texanphil on Nov 22, 2011 8:28 PM CST up reply actions

Blame

The Bengals. For sitting Palmer. I’ll never forgive them, they got what they deserve for being too scared to play us.

Follow @JGewurz

"So, do you think of like, poetry while you're running? Like, you just running downfield and you just like, making a haiku?" - Brian Cushing

by CanadaGoose on Nov 26, 2011 12:14 AM CST up reply actions

Karsh where the

hello kitty have these been?

"Taco Joe - the beacon of optimism" TexansDC
THEREALALLENOU: "@Joeeatstacos... You're like the second testicle to my Tom green. I dont NEED you, but life is better when your around lol"
AllenOU is the Montgomery to my Patton
God blessed Texas, but he has forsaken the Texans
Follow @Joeeatstacos

by Taco Joe on Nov 22, 2011 8:16 PM CST reply actions

Dunno

DaGoaT used to do them but fell off the map a while ago.

I’m happy to sort this stuff out (though if I start having to calculate strength of victory I might stab someone) going forward though.

by Karsh on Nov 22, 2011 8:25 PM CST up reply actions

I didn't so much fall off the map

as the weekly posts weren’t getting much response from the masses so I stopped doing them. Maybe now that its later in the season you will have better luck.

I wish we could hire coaches without "having grown up in Houston" being a job requirement.

by DaGoaT on Nov 23, 2011 7:47 AM CST up reply actions

I liked them. Soemtimes there is not much to say, but I found them helpful.

I like Karsh’s too.

What’s weird is that this year we are just taking care of business and we don’t need all kinds of weird scenarios to happen like we’re Jacksonville or something.

Follow Me on Twitter @WhiskeyR9

by WhiskeyR on Nov 23, 2011 8:55 AM CST up reply actions

Oh I see.…

It’s OUR fault.

Why you guilt trip us like this?

.................

by Schlauton on Nov 25, 2011 9:27 AM CST up reply actions

Its on me

I wish we could hire coaches without "having grown up in Houston" being a job requirement.

by DaGoaT on Nov 25, 2011 1:19 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I want the Colts to go 0-16

and get Luck. And then suck with Luck for the next 3 years.

He’ll be a key backup to teh Schaub on your 2015 Houston Juggernaut!

Leinart's 2011 final line: 6 wins, 3 losses. 12 TDs - 2 INTs, 2,100 yards with 62% completion.

by texanphil on Nov 22, 2011 8:29 PM CST reply actions

Andrew Luck

Has anyone confirmed that he’ll enter the draft after this year? He’s got another year of eligibility left, and I’d love to see the Colts go 0-16 only to have him not come out.

by T-Moar on Nov 22, 2011 8:34 PM CST reply actions

I thought...

he was eligible last year. they made a big deal about him staying in Stanford after his coach abandoned him for some NFL team.

by Taco Joe on Nov 22, 2011 8:53 PM CST up reply actions

ahh the 49ers

9-1. Oh what a good coach can do

by BC5 on Nov 22, 2011 9:51 PM CST up reply actions

Luck was a redshirt sophomore last season and could've come out

He, technically, can return next year for his final season of eligibility.

Is it confirmed that he’ll come out? No. He hasn’t declared yet at all.

"Lord, beer me strength."

by TexansDC on Nov 23, 2011 12:43 AM CST up reply actions

Not a declaration and not difinitive, but telling:

Luck not expected to re-enroll at Stanford

Two people close to Luck said the Stanford quarterback is not expected to take classes next quarter. Instead, Luck is expected to declare and focus on preparing for the 2012 NFL draft, in which he is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Follow Me on Twitter @WhiskeyR9

by WhiskeyR on Nov 23, 2011 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

he already said before the stanford - oregon game that this was his last year.

he said he only came back for one least championship try and since that is done he will declare for the draft. i doubt he changes his mind.

- Feeling the five stages of grief since 2002.

"It's either gonna make you a man or a coward. One of the two. I'm a be a man. I ain't never seen a coward, heard a coward, coward not in ma vocabulary." - Lawrence Vickers

by NoSafetiesNeeded on Nov 23, 2011 2:03 PM CST up reply actions

Really Enjoy These Posts

Please don’t let ’em die.

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Nov 22, 2011 10:42 PM CST reply actions

I'll try to keep them up as the season goes on.

by Karsh on Nov 22, 2011 10:48 PM CST up reply actions

btw

you forgot the Browns vs Bungals game. Root for Colt to stop sucking so much.

I wish we could hire coaches without "having grown up in Houston" being a job requirement.

by DaGoaT on Nov 23, 2011 7:54 AM CST reply actions

bengals.

theres no team named bungals in the nfl

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Nov 23, 2011 8:36 AM CST up reply actions

not sure if serious /jpg

I wish we could hire coaches without "having grown up in Houston" being a job requirement.

by DaGoaT on Nov 23, 2011 9:12 AM CST up reply actions

serious..check out sig...

'Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.' -Frank Herbert

by chuckiepoo on Nov 23, 2011 8:21 PM CST up reply actions

So

I guess he is just being butthurt that I called them the bungals. Nice.

I wish we could hire coaches without "having grown up in Houston" being a job requirement.

by DaGoaT on Nov 25, 2011 6:29 AM CST up reply actions

I agree that we should root against the Jests

They have been so bad thought – I actually don’t care – except for the lulz at watching them lose.

"The greatest danger in planning for tomorrow is using yesterdays logic."
Marc Kahlberg
"Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them." - George Orwell

by Barryfromtexas on Nov 23, 2011 12:51 PM CST reply actions