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Friends, in the likely event the trifecta of a Texans win/Browns win/Chiefs win doesn't happen on Sunday afternoon, this will be the final "Three and Out" of the 2014 campaign. We've laughed. We've cried. We've made some heinous predictions. It's been real, and it's been tolerable a pleasure. I'm not one for mush--unless "What Dreams May Come" is on, in which case I will start leaking like a bad faucet--so I'll just thank you for reading and move on to the predictions for the second round of Texans-Jaguars this year.
1. The Texans featured quite a few gimmicks on offense against the Ravens last week, and I expect to see more of it on Sunday against the Jaguars. That means more WildPterodactyl with Arian Foster (but no TD pass this time) and more empty backfield sets for Case Keenum. This isn't the kind of thing a team can get away for over a prolonged period of time in the NFL, but for two games it can work. All credit to Bill O'Brien for his willingness to depart from the norm in the name of what works and keeps the opposition off balance.
Keenum will play better against the Jaguars than he did against the Ravens, which is to say he'll complete 58% of his passes, break 200 yards passing, and will throw for a TD (along with an INT).
2. Rivers McCown has opined that J.J. Watt will be named NFL MVP if he manages to finish with twenty or more sacks this year-. Entering the final game of the season, Watt needs 2.5 sacks to get to 20. He'll have three sacks on Sunday to finish with 20.5, which will make J.J. the first player in NFL history to have 20 or more sacks in more than one season. We are watching one of the greatest players ever to step on the field in his prime. That is a frigging treat.
I still don't think J.J. Watt will win MVP. The QB favoritism is simply too strong to overcome.
3. I feel like a Blake Bortles pick-six is in the cards. I'm going to say it's Kareem Jackson's, and his agent will love it even more than you do.
PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Your Houston Texans shall prevail by a score of 24-13, finishing Bill O'Brien's first year in Houston with a record of 9-7. Unfortunately, neither the Browns or Chiefs will win, so Houston's season ends on Sunday afternoon. As disappointing as that will be, we'll look back on this season as an unadulterated positive and a building block toward sustained success going forward.
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