Houston Texans, 2012 AFC South Champions

There should be more Gatorade showers coming in the future, get used to it Gary

 

 

         Last year, the Houston Texans finally quenched their playoff thirst after being stranded in the desert year after year searching for the right pieces to break their slump. This year they feasted on their opponents and have won a consecutive AFC South championship, but this time they are looking for much more. By beating the Indianapolis Colts 29-13 and a win by the 49ers over the Pats in New England, Houston is now in prime position for home field advantage. They now sit with a two game advantage on New England and a 1 1/2 game advantage on the Broncos (head to head tie breaker). This gives them the ability to clinch home field advantage and a first round bye with a win against the Vikings next Sunday. This also means that Houston would have to just beat either the Ravens or the Colts (barring a major upset of NE vs CIN or PIT) to reach the AFC championship. Even though the game was sloppy on Sunday, Houston controlled the game by playing their brand of football.

J.J Watt Destroyer of Worlds

          Every week, when discussing Houston's defense the conversation has to start with him. Last week he was frustrated by Brady's quick release. Every time Watt managed to get free, Brady was able to get the ball off and not take the hit. Watt did not have that problem this week as he accumulated three sacks for a share of the league with Aldon Smith with 19.5 sacks. Watt is now just 3 away from Strahan's record (Part of this is due to the fact passing is more prevalent with the rule changes now then when Strahan set it. Also all Minnesota does is run and they might have the #1 seed clinched before the next Indy game so I do not see him breaking it). If you thought the sacks were impressive, he also had ten tackles (all solo), six tackles for a loss, four quarterback hits and a forced fumble that prevented an Indianapolis touchdown. Watt's tackles accounted for a total loss of -28 yards and his tackles had an average loss of -2.8 yards. He is too fast and strong for most offensive lineman and his lightning fast swim move makes it impossible for offensive lineman to get a hold on him. His best play of the game was when he stripped Mewelde Moore at the one yard line. On the play, Watt lines up as a three technique on the outside shoulder of the left guard. Luck hands the ball to Moore who runs right behind the right guard, but Watt fights across the LG's face and makes the tackle from the back side. He makes contact while still engaged and he was able to get his hand on the ball to force the fumble. It was a play he had no business making from the position he was in. Also it seemed that every time the Colts started gaining mometum, Watt would squash it with a tackle for a loss. His all around play in the running and passing game has been outstanding. He is not just a one trick pony like Aldon Smith and Von Miller, the other defensive player of the year contenders. I believe his performance on Sunday has locked this award for him.
          In spite of the great defensive performance the Texans have had, there were a few problems. Indianapolis was able to run the ball extremely effectively to the side opposite of Watt. Ballard had a great game running 105 yards for an average of 5.83 yards per carry. On one of the drives Ballard was able to collect 67 yards which led to a Luck touchdown that made it a one possession game (23-17). At this point I was worried about another Indy comeback, but the defense shut up any notion of this. However, when the Colts got the ball back with 13:31 Houston forced a three and out, and switched the field position that led to a Graham field goal. When Indy recieved the ball the next time being down by 9, the defense made another stop on 3rd and 20 after a hit by Smith that led to an intentional grounding call.
          Again, for the fifth straight week, Houston gave up another big pass play. Indy cut the lead down to 20-10 right before the half when Luck hit T.Y Hilton for a 61 yard bomb. The Colts lined up trips left with Fleener at TE on the right. Houston came out in Dime and man to man coverage. Safety will Demps was covering Hilton. Hilton ran a post and right before his break, Demps stopped his feet for a split second allowing Hilton to run right by. Luck then threw a glorious spiral that hit Hilton in stride. This play was the only pimple on the face of a great defensive game played by Houston. In the playoffs, Houston will probably have to beat New England or Denver to reach the final game and these big plays need to stop for them to have a chance.

The Luck Stops Here

         Andrew Luck played the worst game of his career on Sunday, but it was not entirely his fault. He finished the day with a career low in yardage (186), and a line of 48.1/186/2 Tds/0 Ints. He was never able to get into a rhythm because of the pass rush Texans had on him. I counted 14 plays where Luck faced pressure that forced him to either get rid of the ball early, was hit or sacked. That comes out to being pressured on 51% of his dropbacks.  On most of the passes he was able to complete, he had to step up into the pocket because of the outside pass rush by Smith, Watt, Mercilus and Barwin. Part of the problem was Luck holds the ball too long at times, but it is nothing out of the ordinary for a rookie quarterback. Over time, as he comprehends the playbook better this will improve.
         The Colts were not bad on offense and were able to move the ball on certain drives, but the sloppy play killed their chances. In the first half Indy lost 14 points because of this. In the first quarter, on their second drive the Colts were finally able to break through and move the ball on the Houston defense. They reached the Texans 34 to get into Vinateri field goal range only to be pushed out by a Watt sack. Luck had enough time to find a reciever, but Watt eventual broke through. He then tried to outrun Watt to make a play, but was quickly tackled for a loss of 15 that put them at the 49. The next two plays that followed were incompletions and the drive went from a field goal chance to a punt. Indy also lost 7 points on the Watt-forced fumble. In the second on third and goal from the Houston eight, Luck hit Wayne in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. On the play there was an offsides by Antonio Smith and a holding penalty by Heard. These offsetting penalties removed the touchdown and the subsequent play was an incompletion. Another drive another lost opportunity.

Field Goal City

          The offense did enough to secure a Texans W, but they still have been ordinary. They have had spurts of great play followed by inability to do anything. This week, the inconsistency came in the red zone. Houston kicked way too many field goals on drives that should have yielded touchdowns. Graham kicked field goals of 29 yards (drive of 69 yards), 35 yards (drive of 63), 27 yards (drive of 78 yards), 46 yards (drive of 41 yards),  and 33 yards (drive of 78 yards). There is nothing more frusturating for an offense than to move the ball down the field only to sputter at the end. The main reason for the field goals were stupid mistakes. Penalties and negative plays (sacks and tackles for a loss) killed all the momentum that they had going.
          On the bright side Schuab looked much better than he did last week. His throws were crisp and accurate and he did not miss the open man.
New England   59.4%/232/0TD/1INT/68.8
Indy                  74%/262/1TD/0INT/109.7
He looked more like the Matt Schuab we all know against Indy than against New England. Playing against a porous pass defense helps out a whole lot. Schuab did play a much better game, but he needs to elevate his performance next time he steps on the field in prime time. Also Posey/Jean/Martin are starting to get more accustomed to the offense and have added some dynamite to it. Schuab now has another deep threat other than Johnson. Teams are going to start double teaming Andre to try to slow him down which will open up the deep ball for that trio. It still remains to be seen if this trio will be able to hook up, but the opportunity will be there.
          After the Boston Massacre on Monday the media started the "is Houston any good?" talks again. And again Houston bounced back with another two possession win. Houston suffocated Andrew Luck with their pressure and kept Luck from getting into a groove. The offense had 439 total yards and was able to move the ball, but failed to score touchdowns. Houston is AFC South champions again, but this time they are healthy and are playing for more than just making it to the playoffs.  After the loss to Green Bay, Houston answered with a six game winning streak. Let's hope this happens again since another win streak of the same amount would result in an improbable Super Bowl win.

Texans Vs Colts Week 15

14-2 Or Bust

          As of right now, we are a little less than twenty four hours away from game one of the Texans Colts two game series. A couple of years ago the NFL made a scheduling change to put divisional games at the end of the season to make weeks 16 & 17 more meaningful. As a result, Houston is playing Indy two games in three weeks with the AFC belt and playoff positioning dangling waiting for the winner of this ladder match to snag it. Houston is trying to recover from a vintage New England beat down that plummeted them back to Earth. Whereas the Colts came back from behind again and beat the Titans to push their record to 9-4 which keeps them alive in the AFC South hunt. For Houston this game is more than just winning the division. Houston still has its hands clasped around the #1 seed in the AFC at 11-2, but they are just one game up on the Pats (tie breaker over Houston) and Broncos (Houston has tie breaker over). I still believe for Houston to have a chance to reach the Superbowl they need to get the bye (don't have to play Colts or Pats until the AFC title) and have home field advantage (don't have to go to NE or DEN). After losing to the Pats last week they will probably need to win out to make this dream a reality unless the Pats lose to the Niners. Houston must respond and play their best game against the magical Colts to keep the dream alive. The Football season starts in September, but playoff teams are made in December.

Are the Colts Any Good?

           The Colts are in the midst of a Disney like season with their eyes set on the playoffs after being one year removed a 2-14 heartless, Manningless season . Despite their record, the real question that remains is, are the Colts any good? This year the Colts are 9-4, but they are 8-1 in one score games. 8-1! The only team they beat by more than one score was the Jaguars, a game they won 27-10. This stat is extremely unsustainable, despite the emotions they play with every week. In losses the average game score is 39.25-17.75. That is a margin of 21.5 that adds up to three TDs. The Colts have lost to Chicago, Jacksonville, New York Jets and New England. Their average record equal out to losses is 6.5 wins but the Jags 2-11 record really brings this average down. In games they have won the average score is 24.5-19.1, a margin of 5.4. The average record of teams they have beat is 5-8. Indy is 7-1 against teams below 500, have yet to beat a team above 500 since Green Bay which is also the first game Bruce Arians coached. Since Arians has taken over for Pagano the Colts are 8-2. When given this data its easy to see the Colts are not very good and either lucky or magical. When emotion comes into play in athletics, the unbelievable usually happens and the Colts are an example of this. Since Pagano has started his chemotherapy for Leukemia the Colts have won in wild ways.  However, being 8-1 in one score games and having an average win margin of 5.4 is not going to last. Even if you look at DVOA the Colts are ranked 28th and their one score game record has catapulted them into the playoff race. Regardless of their record, the Colts are an average team at the least. 

Raining on the Parade

         The Houston D has been awful since the Jacksonville game and most of this blame can be placed on the passing defense. The past month of football has seen atrocious pass defense for Houston. Part of it is due to injuries, but poor performance and schemes is the main reason why they have been awful. Henne, Stafford, Locker, and Brady have combined for an average completion percentage of 51%/11 Tds/3 Ints/11 sacks (6 against TEN) and an average quarterback rating of 96.7. The results have yielded some exciting games and three wins, but not the performance that they are capable of. The biggest problem has been the big play, Cecil Shorts, Blackmon, Calvin Johnson, and Lloyd all have made plays of 30+ yards. Daunte Stallworth caught a 63 yard TD pass even, Daunte Stallworth of all people. Yes Joseph was out for three of those games, yes Quin has been hurt, yes Reed is gone, but it is no excuse for how they have been playing. Monday Night Football was extremely frustrating because of how Wade called the game. Linebackers were covering Welker and Hernandez throughout the first half and were burned as a result. Every time Brady saw this match up he attacked it and destroyed Houston's defense. In the second half, he did a great job putting Manning on Hernandez and corners on Welker, but by the third quarter the game was already over.

         Hopefully this disturbing trend shifts toward Houston's favor against Andrew Luck. This year Luck has a line of /3,792/55%/18TDs/18INTs/74. Luck is having one of the greatest seasons a rookie quarterback has ever had. As a result, Indy puts the entire offense on Luck's arm every game because of the all the one score games they play. They need for him to make huge plays and game winning drives to reach their 8-1 one score record. He has made some mistakes by trying to force the ball where he should not. Despite his 18 INTs, without Luck, Indy would be a 4-12 team.  In losses Luck has a line of 1,236/50.8%/5TDs/9INTs/61. He is the key to their 9-4 record since they live and die on his arm. This week Indy will be missing two starting offensive lineman, Winston Justice (RT) and Samson Satele (C) and they pressure on Luck will only increase. For Houston to beat Indy they can not let Luck make big plays down the field like opposing quarterbacks have the past month. 

         

          If Houston wins they clinch the AFC South and retain the #1 seed with Minnesota and Indianapolis to end the year. For Houston to beat Indy they need to have the pass rush dialed up and beat up on their second string offensive lineman. Look for Watt and Mercilus to have huge games rushing the quarterback. If Houston puts pressure on Luck he will make poor throws which lead to interceptions. The offense should be able to run rampant and hopefully ubiak calls a more unpredictable game. The run run pass offense is going to have to go for them to win in the post season and they need to change it now. Last team Houston lost they went on to win six straight games until falling to New England. This team is too good and too proud to not play their best game on Sunday. I think Houston will pick off Luck, get a big lead and win huge. Watch out if it comes down to a close game because Indy has been otherwordly in close games. I see Houston showing Indy that faires are not real by winning 31-10. Bust out the Listerine because we are getting the awful taste out of our mouth and bringing the AFC South title back home. Go Texans.

Dallas Mavericks Quarter Season Grades

A quarter of the way through this 2012-2013 season, it’s safe to say these Mavs reflect their record: pretty average. With a 10-10 record, this team has had its fair share of quality wins and embarrassing losses. Granted, when the Big German comes back, the Mavs will be a much more dynamic team. If they can stay at or slightly above the .500 mark by the time Dirk gets back, they have a shot at the playoffs. However, with Nowitzki’s injury seeming as if it will take longer time to recover than expected, the pressure is high on this team of mostly role players. On top of that, it's unrealistic for fans to expect Nowitzki to be in the form of a top ten player once he gets back, and the Mavericks have already faced arguably the easiest part of their schedule.  Coach Carlisle has been scrambling to find the most efficient lineups, and so far has done about as good a job as expected from a coach in charge of team without its centerpiece. Here’s how the Mavs have fared individually so far this season while trying to hold their head above water.

OJ Mayo: A-   Mayo is definitely shedding his reputation as an underachiever. He seems to be hitting his stride in his fifth season. Although his game still has flaws and he has had a few cold shooting streaks in recent games, Mayo has single handedly kept the Mavs in close games and even won a few. There was a five game stretch before the Mavs’ most recent road trip when Mayo was severely struggling to get his shots to fall, and in that stretch the Mavs went 1-4. But he found his groove and has since then led the team to a 2-1 road trip finish, including a 40 point performance against Houston.  His attitude also seems to be much better than the previous three years. Not that he was a disciplinary problem in the past, but his determination and desire to improve not only himself but also his teammates seems as if it’s above and beyond what it has ever been. OJ’s getting a fresh start in Dallas and he’s been making the most of it.

Vince Carter: B+   Through 20 games, it’s easy to see that Carter has harnessed his new style of play. The old man once known for his athletic highlight reel dunks now has almost perfected the half-court, conservative position of an efficient spot shooter (especially from three point range, shooting over 40%), and shines as the team’s number one option off the bench. Even though Carter has lost a couple steps over the years, he is still fueled by intense competitiveness and has proven to be clutch for the Mavs numerous times already this year. He could arguably be the Mavs’ most consistent offensive player, and has picked up the slack when Mayo’s shots aren’t falling.

Chris Kaman: B   Kaman gives Mavs fans something they haven’t experienced in a very, very long time: an effective low post scoring option. Kaman has shot extremely well from the floor, hitting 53% of his shots, including many from around the 15 foot range. Injuries have been the only concern, but his presence on the court will be invaluable in order to spread the floor in a way the Mavs have never done before, especially when Dirk gets back.­­­ The German Twin Towers will undoubtedly cause their fair share of offensive mismatches.

Shawn Marion: B   The Mavs’ best defensive player has not disappointed this year. Marion has locked down almost every defensive assignment he’s had so far. Offensively, he’s been very efficient but not spectacular (9.6 ppg on 50% shooting), but that’s to be expected from an older veteran exerting so much effort defensively against the league’s most prolific scorers night in and night out. Like Kaman, Marion’s health is vital to the team’s success this year and he’s already had a couple injuries over the first 20 games, so that raises concern.  

Jae Crowder: C+   The rookie out of Marquette started out the season as a pleasant surprise for the Mavs. But over the last couple weeks, Crowder has really struggled, particularly when he is in the starting lineup. For the first ten games of the season, Crowder averaged 7.3 ppg on 46% shooting. Over the last ten, his numbers dropped considerably, averaging 4.3 ppg while shooting a miserable 21%, including a game against Golden State where he didn’t even step on the floor. Despite his offensive struggles, his minutes haven’t dropped and his defensive versatility has still been strong for the Mavs, so it appears Rick Carlisle is giving the rook a little slack and hopefully Crowder can shake off the slump sooner rather than later.

 

Darren Collison: C+   Similar to Crowder, Darren Collison started the season on a tear, particularly during the team’s slightly surprising 4-1 start. But since then, Collison has been very inconsistent. He’s definitely had his fair share of impressive games and has been a key part to several Mavs wins this season. But the sloppy turnovers and poor decision making at times has discouraged coach Rick Carlisle from fully believing the young point guard can lead a playoff caliber team. Collison has the talent no doubt, but there are just a few things he can improve on, which is why the team brought in Derek Fisher to be the new starting point guard. Collison has openly expressed his dislike of already being benched, but as long as he can swallow his pride, he will greatly benefit from playing behind a successful veteran in the long run.

Elton Brand: C+   Brand has slowly grown into his new role with the Mavs this year after an underwhelming start to the season. It’s understandable for a player to get adjusted to a new system, and after expressing slight displeasure with where he fits with this team, Brand has started to relish with the Mavs. If these grades were taken over the last seven games, Brand would probably be closer to a B. He’s providing a big, physical body in the middle which is what this team lacks, and if he can continue his recent success the Mavs won’t get hammered on the boards and be in a much better position to win games.

Brandan Wright: C   It’s a shame Brandan Wright is so soft when it comes to rebounding. With a 65% shooting percentage, the guy has been one of the Mavs’ most efficient offensive players when he finds his way onto the floor. But that’s rare these days after Rick Carlisle got fed up with Wright being overpowered on the vast majority of rebounds. Over the last two games, however, Wright has been called upon due to other players’ injuries and was a key factor in what turned out to be two much needed wins. But he still only averaged five rebounds per game in that short span. It’s definitely in Wright’s best interest to do whatever it takes to improve his rebounding in some way, because he can really help this team if he can learn how to play like a true post.

Bernard James: C   James is another rookie that has earned a little bit of Carlisle’s trust. “Sarge” doesn’t receive the amount of minutes that fellow rook Jae Crowder gets, but when he does get his opportunity, he makes the most of it. He’s a hustle player who is relentless when it comes to hauling in second chance rebounds and has earned the respect of his veteran teammates. His offensive game is somewhat limited, but he takes good shots and makes 48% of them.

Dahntay Jones: C-   Dahntay Jones leads the team in offensive fouls drawn and has found his way into the starting lineup for a few games, but his game is very limited. His presence is felt much more on the defensive end rather than the offensive end (which is almost non-existent), but he’s a disciplined veteran who is ready to contribute at moment’s notice.

Derek Fisher: C-    Fisher has had a small sample size, but a 3-1 record is nothing to turn your head at. His stats have been subpar, but he provides a Kiddesque effect as the coach on the floor. His job is to set the pace and be a game manager which he has done a good job of so far. Signing Fisher does seem to be a step back for a team that wants to rebuild, but his experience could more valuable off the court than on.

 

Dominique Jones: C-   I personally don’t understand why Jones’s minutes outweigh Beaubois’s. He’s physically stronger than Beaubois and possibly slightly better at defense. But he has a bad case of tunnel vision when he drives in the lane, which isn’t the best quality for a point guard to have, and more often than not his layups don’t fall. DoJo has had his moments of productivity, but he still causes concern at the depth of the point guard position.

Roddy Beaubois: D+   Roddy must be pretty bad in practice or a douchebag teammate. I don’t know any other explanation as to why he’s been mostly glued to the bench since becoming a Maverick. Beaubois is definitely no five-star talent, but he provides a spark off the bench that Dominique Jones just doesn’t come close to in my opinion. His shots haven’t been automatic, but this will always be a mystery to me as to why Roddy has to fight so hard for minutes.

Jared Cunningham: D+   The first round draft pick earns this grade only because he’s a rookie trying to find minutes on a team with a crowded backcourt. It’s highly uncharacteristic for Carlisle to play one rookie, let alone two or three. Bernard James is getting minutes because of the lack of depth at the post position, but Cunningham is on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time. The Mavs drafted him so highly because of his talent on the defensive end, which is something for the Mavs fans to get excited about. But we will have to be patient before Carlisle allows Cunningham to see significant minutes.

Dirk Nowitzki: n/a   Get will soon big fella, we need that sweet fadeaway.

Where Art Thou Michael Young?

 The Epitome of Michael Young's time with Texas

          Peyton Manning going from the Colts to the Broncos. Albert Pujols wearing an Angels hat. LeBron taking his talents to South Beach. Players are nothing more than mercenaries now and teams will due whatever it takes to make themselves better, including trading the face of their franchise. The past two days have been a culmination of this as well as weird for Rangers' fans as we have seen the death of Michael Young's time with Texas across the front of his jersey. No more T on his hat, no more hitting doubles towards the Sonic sign, no more 200 hits in a year and no more Eric Nadel, "Past a Diving Michael Young" calls. As I have written before, Michael Young was a below average player last year. He was only able to hit Left handed pitching, could not field well, and was put into poor opportunities to succeed by Washington. Texas will miss his leadership and clubhouse presence and will need Beltre or Kinsler to pick up the slack. However, I can not wait to see Profar and Olt (If he does not get traded) get their chance to play everyday.  
          As well of the loss of Young, Rangers' fans are mourning a Zach Greinkeless future. He would have solidified Texas as having the best rotation in the American League. Darvish, Greinke, Harrison, Ogando and Holland with the Colbra and Felix coming back sometime this Summer would have dominated the AL. With absence of a player like Greinke there is a huge whole in the middle of the rotation. It's dissapointing to see Greinke somewhere else after hearing the rumors about the impression that Nolan Ryan, the Maddox brothers, and the farm system had on him. Only to be seen going to the movies with another guy while we were left crushed in the parking lot. I wanted Grienke, but not for six years 147 million dollars. It's too much risk for a pitcher that has been great, but not a top five pitcher. Money like that should only be spent on players like Verlander, Cain, Kershaw or Halladay. Since the new Dodgers ownership group has come into play the have taken on 588 million dollars in contracts. I guess the days of monopoly money baseball will continue even after the Yankees becoming more frugal and staying underneath the luxury tax. Greinke's signing will get the market going like Metamucil and hopefully Josh makes his decision soon. Hamilton will be staying with Rangers again unless someone offers him a Prince Fielder like contract and the rumors have been he is looking for six to seven years. The free agent pitching market was slim this morning and is much slimmer now that the Royals have traded their tow best hitting prospects Will Myers, Jake Odorizzi and two other prospects for James Shields and Wade Davis. I understand this will help the Royals contend in a weak AL central, but they should be wary of former Rays pitcher throwing half their games in a different ball park.

Top Free Agent Pitchers Left

Anibal Sanchez

Kyle Lohse RHP

Edwin Jackson RHP

Ryan Dempster RHP

Shawn Marcum, Roy Oswalt, Fransisco Liriano, Joe Saunders, and Daisuke Matsuzaka round out the rest.

Meh... Is the best reaction to the rest of the leftovers. Sanchez, and Jackson are good pitchers, but not for the money someone will give them. I do not see Lohse having the type of season he had last year and the Dempster experiment did not work out last year. Texas has been snooping the Mets about a trade for Dickey, but they want more than just Olt. However, there is no way he has a dream season like last year and I think the Ball Park in Arlington would be terrible for him.  If I was making the decisions I would stand pat and use Perez or Grimm as a 5th starter on opening day and then make a trade mid season after knowing what you have.  hearing all the talk of us obtaining a top pitcher and hitter this is an extremely disappointing off season. Hopefully Texas is able to bring Hamilton back and make a trade for a pitcher. If Myspace was still around my mood will be set to lugubrious.
          I never thought I would see the day of Michael Young wearing a different jersey. I imagined him breaking every Rangers record, leading Texas to their first World Series Championship and becoming the first Ranger I have grown up watching to join the Hall of Fame. After last season's turd in the punchbowl type of year I thought he could stick around play until he reached 3000 hits (I will still see this occur in MVP Baseball 2005) just like Craig Biggio. The problem is Texas is a contender, and this is not a Disney movie, but a baseball team that is trying to get better and win games. Now Young gets to do what he has craved, be an everyday position player for a contender. He does have value, but not in an everyday format for the Rangers, especially with the young talent they have.
         The other day at work a man came in wearing a Propane work shirt, blue jeans, and boots. Each article of his clothing was covered in dirt and grime. On top of his greasy curly hair sat a beaten up Texas A&M hat. In the restaurant the Heisman trophy presentation going on and everyone was watching in silence. Despite, having his order to go he sat stone face waiting for the results to see if his freshman would win the Heisman and bring relevancy back to College Station. When the Heisman trustee announced Johnny Manziel as the winner, a glimmer came to his eyes and his mouth turned into a waxing crescent moon. As soon as Manziels's speech was done he was gone into the night just quick as he came. He probably went home, ate his BBQ plate, drank some beers and went to bed only to wake up early in the morning to go to work and go through the same routine all over again. At least that night something different happened. Johnny Football won the Hesiman, the freshman superstar he had been watching all year did something no one has done before. Life is not completely awful when one has these moments like these.
          That is the beauty in sports, all it is is just a silly little game, but it brings happiness and meaning to the fan's life. It teaches those that play life lessons that they will carry until they die and beauty to them as fans when that reaches an end. As a fan our job is to love our team and stay with them until we die, and through the bad and the good. I will always love Michael Young as a baseball player and will always look back on the years watching him opposite field singles with a smile on my face. But, with him being gone the Texas Rangers are a better ball club. I wish the best for Michael Young and I hope to see him in Arlington again next October in the World Series.

Key Factor's That Can Help Houston Triumph

As the Monday night quickly approaches, we as Texans supporters have to realize that this match-up is no walk in the park. All week the Texans have been preparing for this game and how to stop the juggernaut New England offense. The Patriots offense is very fast, can go vertical, and nickel or dime you down the field. Which results in touchdowns and quickly tires out opposing defenses. On top of that, it will be a cold and rainy night in New England with low foretasted to get down to 40 degrees with rain falling down constantly. This will be the toughest challenge of the year by far, but Houston is no slouch and has played their brand of football every week. Houston will be looking to come out and hit Tom and Co. right square in the mouth. I have come up with a few keys to the game that can really help Houston come away with the victory in this one.

Get the running game going early

I know it is said every week that this is what Houston has to do early to help the passing game but this time we really need to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible. In Arian Foster's first career start, he happened to be matched up against the Patriots and that was the game that solidified him as the stalwart in the Houston backfield for good. He ran the ball 20 times, racked up 119 yards and 2 td's in the final five minutes of the game to give the Texans a 34-27 comeback win over the Patriots and lead Houston to it's first winning season in franchise history. The pace Arian has been on this year carries wise shows that Kubiak will be trying to use him plenty but will also be mixing in Forsett and Tate to try and keep Foster in the game longer. Houston must be able to stay on the field as long as possible to keep Tom Brady off the field because we have all seen what their offense does. I see Arian getting 25+ touches and breaking the 100 yard mark early in the 3rd quarter, and if all goes according to plan 2 td's to keep the offense's pace.

Get to Tom early and often

We all know what Tom Brady can do when he has time to sit back in the pocket and the only way to really beat him is to keep him under pressure and off the field. Watt will be getting double teamed constantly to try and neutralize him, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the bulls on parade can't get in on the action. Connor Barwin and Whitney Mercilus are gonna have to beat the tackles all game long and cause Brady to move up in the pocket where Watt, Cody, and Ninja Assassin will be waiting to eat his lunch. Since it will be a wet and wild game, forcing Brady to move around will make him more likely to turn the ball over and give us the time to be on the field. Tom turns the ball over very little but this weather mixed with are pass swatting abilities and solid tackling from the front 7 can ensure that the turnovers will start to happen. Houston will have to win the turnover battle to win this game.

Let the offense set the tone

Everyone in the NFL knows that defenses are usually the ones that change the whole momentum of the game and I completely agree with that. This week though, it is the offense that needs to set the tone to ensure that the game can roll in favor of Houston. If Houston comes out throwing and mixes in the run well, it will be a long day for the Patriots defense that has been known to give up some big chunks of yards. If the offense rolls, so will the defense and the game momentum will take us to victory. If the offense does not get it going, the defense will be suspect and be heavily relied upon to spark the team and get the ball rolling in the Texans direction which has been done many times this year.

Overall, I see this being a dog fight where the game could really go either way and most likely will be decided by a field goal at the end of regulation. Something close to maybe 27-24 with either team being on top, but if the Texans execute their game plan to perfection, this W will be going back home to Houston. The Space City will erupt with Texans pride and have all the doubters eating their words and rethinking this whole "the Texans are overrated BS". I know I am confident in my team, now it's time for the rest of football to realize that we are the at the top of the AFC and we're here to stay.

Winter Meetings Day 3

Uncertainty, Uncertainty, Uncertainty

         The sun is setting on the winter meetings In Nashville only to witness a dud firework. The only real changes to the Rangers so far has been Napoli leaving to Boston for three years 39 million, Soria signing a two year deal, and Soto is coming back for one more. That is it. All we have are some intriguing, mouth watering rumors, but nothing has yet to take place. The Rangers strategy is clear, sign an all-star pitcher and corner outfielder. That is easier said then done, but the Rangers have the assets and will to do both.

Rangers lead the negotiations for Greinke and Hamilton

          All the dominoes and pieces of the puzzle can't fall into place until these two sign. Top free agent pitchers and batters are handicapped by their contracts so they can get an idea of what their market value is. From what I have read Grienke is looking for a Sabbathia like deal that at the time he signed was seven years 161 million. Grienke is looking around the 160 million dollar range and the only team that will offer him that is the monopoly money Dodgers. If his asking price drops to about five years 125 million dollars expect the Rangers to make an offer. If that does not occur the Rangers will sign Hamilton for about four years 100 million and a club option for five. The biggest aspect to take away is that Texas will end up with one of these two top twenty-five players. Will Texas stretch their budget enough to sign both? Texas does have enough money coming in based on their new TV deal and an owner that is willing to spend. There is too much risk involved for me to see Daniels signing both. I think Texas will go after Greinke first and if he chooses to go with the Dodgers then Hamilton will be back as a Ranger. If Greinke signs Daniels will get creative and make a trade for a corner outfielder that can smash. He will weasel his way to make a three team deal, get Upton by trading Olt, Perez and some other pieces so a top young short stop can go to Arizona. Profar or Andrus wont, and should not be going anywhere. If Hamilton signs it will be the other way around. Texas will trade for one of the great young Rays pitchers like Hellickson or try to get Matt Garza from the Cubs. Regardless, of what option the Rangers will be a better team than last year. As a fan, the situation that you like the most depends on how you feel about Hamilton. A rotation of Greinke, Darvish, Harrison, Ogando, and Holland would be the best in baseball. Texas is also going to get mid season returns of the Colbra and Feliz. I would love for Hamilton to be back, but I would rather see the team get better and I think adding Greinke just does that.

WWMYD (what would Michael Young do?)

          Another offseason another round of drama about what to do with the face of the franchise, Michael Young. As a disclaimer, I love Michael Young, he has been my favorite player since middle school, but he just does not produce at the level he has in the past. He can not field and he can not hit right handed pitching. He is nothing more than a situational player. If he is used in the right situation he would have value, but it would be in limited at bats. Also it is impossible to trust Washington to put him in a situation where he can exceed. Washington will keep playing Young everyday and watch hard hit ground ball after ground ball get hit right past him. The Yankees have a whole at third base with A-Rod out, but the rumor is the Phillies are the team that is in on him. It all comes down to Young choosing between staying in Texas or waiving his no-trade clause and getting the playing time he craves in Philadelphia. If Young leaves Profar will finally get his chance (I am not including Olt because I feel he is going to be gone) which he should. He is only 19, but he is major league ready. An infield with Beltre, Andrus, and Profar would be a Mozart led symphony of beautiful defensive baseball. Washington seems to notice as well and is looking forward to giving Profar playing time and go against his ways of playing veterans over younger guys. Every Rangers fan loves Michael Young and his 1085 runs, 2230 hits, 415 doubles, 177 home runs, and career .301 batting average. All of us that are in their twenties grew up watching him play and he is the last link left between the mediocre teams of the 2000s. The whole point of the offseason is to get the team better and trading Young, to get Profar playing time, does just that. Michael Young will be missed, but, sometimes that's the way baseball goes.

          I never in my entire life would I think the Texas Rangers would hold the burner of the hot stove in their hand, but that is exactly what is occurring. Every team, every free agent is waiting for them to make their decisions on who to sign. They have the entire major leagues handcuffed to the bed like George Costanza, but let's just hope Texas gets something better than a crappy suit and eight dollars. Until Greinke and Hamilton put the pen to the paper the offseason is going to stay constipated. Whatever happens I believe Texas will be a better team at the end of it and will be ready to contend for a title in 2013.

Texans Vs Titans Week 13 Recap

Clinchin' Ain't Easy

          After a dominating, soul crushing performance, the Houston Texans are officially going to be playing football in January again. By beating the Titans 24-10 they have secured a spot in the post season for the second year in a row. However, this year they will not be injury ridden and hobllling into the postseason, but storming into it. Houston dominated from the first snap on and there was no doubt who was going to win this one. The past three games have been a wild ride, but it was awesome to see a convincing, Texans' style win that we have grown accustomed to the past 2 seasons.

The Hurt Locker

         After being drafted #8 in the 2011 NFL draft Locker has only played 11 games in his two years in the league. Unlike the Jaguars, the Titans have stuck with their plan on how to develop Jake Locker. After they chose him, they signed the veteran Matt Hasselbeck to let him sit behind, grow and learn the nuances of the game from. Last season Locker did not start one game and played only in garbage time. In his limited action Locker had a line of 51.5%/ 542/ 4/ 0/ 99.4 (From now on when describing quarterbacks I am going to use a stat line of completion percentage/yards/TDs/INTs/Quarterback Rating.) The Titans still manage to go 9-7 last year with Hasselbeck at the helm and just missed the playoffs because of a tiebreaker. This year they went with Locker as the starting quarterback to see what they had in their number first round draft pick. He started the first four games of the season only to have his shoulder dislocated by a car crash of a hit by Glover Quin. He was able to return sooner than expected, but the injury extinguished the roll he had going after his career day in a win against Detroit.

Before injury- 3 games started 63.2%/ 781/ 4/ 2/ 89.1 and 67 rushing yards
After injury- 3 games started 50%/ 689/ 4/ 5/ 69.2 and 95 rushing yards

There is not much a different in the numbers which is good news that Jake is alive and well.  Locker's numbers have not been awful, but average and what one usually expects from a quarterback in his first year as a starter. He is dynamic, has an incredible arm and is able to make plays with his legs. The Titans need to get some play makers for him (receivers drop way too many passes) and fix their running game in order to put him in situations where he can succeed. The Titans are not disciplined enough to have long drives down the field and seem to make more mistakes the longer the drive goes. They have big play ability, but long drives are usually how most points of their points are created. Locker is still an unknown commodity and the Titans still do not know what they have with him. However one can wonder if the Titans and the Jags, drafted their franchise quarterback a year early and as a result missed out on RGIII and Andrew Luck. Regardless, of the numbers the Titans are giving Locker his shot to play since he has started in every game that he has been healthy. They need to stick with Locker and keep giving him his time to develop and wait and see if he really is the franchise quarterback they need.

Bulls On Parade 

          This was one of the greatest defensive performances in the history of the Houston Texans. With their defense decimated by injuries they tyrannized the line of scrimmage and forced the Titans into 6 turnovers.  Locker accounted for five of the six turn overs (3 INTs and 2 fumbles lost). The pass rush was dominated the Titans the entire day. Phillips consistently rushed 5 or more and forced Locker have to find the open man quickly. Locker was awful at making his pre snap reads and constantly put himself in bad positions. The offensive line did not help at all though. I counted Locker being in pressure on 24 of his 49 drop backs. The defense was able to put pressure on Locker 48.9% of the time, sack him 6 times, hit him 8 and knocked down 16 of his passes. 61.2% of Locker's passing attempts resulted in either a neutral or negative outcome. Two of Locker's interceptions were the result of passes tipped at the line of scrimmage that went up in the air for a Houston player to track down. The defense was able to play with a lead which led to the Titans looking like the Detroit Lions and not their usual more balanced offense.
        Again Chris Johnson played timid football and was not able to get anything going on the ground. Almost every running play had 4 Texans players in on the tackle as they swarmed to the ball like a shark on a wounded seal. If you go back and watch a replay of the game, every running play had multiple white shirts attacking Johnson. Houston had 7 tackles for a loss and held Johnson to 51 yards on 13 carries. One of his runs was for 26 yards and if you remove this run his yards per carry drops from 3.9 to 2.08. Chris does not help himself at all by the way he runs. He constantly looks to juke and shimmy instead of making one cut and hitting the hole. He is always looking for the big play instead of realizing gains of 4 and 6 are just as important as 20+ yard runs. The Houston defense is too quick to be dancing around and the defense line consistently moved the line of scrimmage backwards. For Tenessee to ever get back to a season like they had in 2008 they need to go back and learn how to run the ball and control the line of scrimmage.

          The Texans had to go call on their reserves after Brooks Reed hurt his groin chasing down a Lions receiver on Thanksgiving day. Texans Linebackers Reed, Dobbins, James, and  Cushing all have been injured this season. Regardless, Houston has manage to keep a top 5 defense because of their depth. This week Mercilus made his first career start in the NFL and man did he shine. He had two sacks, recovered a fumble and constantly put pressure on Locker. With Reed out until maybe the post season Houston will not lose a step with Mericlus starting and Barwin at strong side linebacker. Mercilus' performance will go unnoticed in the national spotlight because JJ Watt  devoured the Titans offense. Against Tennessee Watt had five tackles, three for a loss, one sack, two swats (one of which led to a Dobbins INT) and a forced fumble. JJ is having one of the greatest seasons a defensive lineman in the NFL has ever had. Watt has become the first defensive lineman in the history of the NFL to knock down 15 passes and have 15 sacks. All of which has been from a position that is supposed to open holes for linebackers by swallowing up double teams. Teams in the NFL will eventually get smart and double team him every play like what the Bears did. Until then we will get to see this immovable object keep terrorizing offenses and stay the top candidate for defensive player of the year.
          The only problem the defense had against the Titans was big plays. The secondary was torched for 309 yards and gave up 300+ passing yards for the third straight game. Part of this is due to injuries, since Houston has guys playing that did not even suit up at the beginning of the year. Brandon Harris did an adequate job, but he led the team with 6 tackles (5 of them were on pass plays) which is one stat category no one wants a corner to lead the team in. Jake Locker went 6 for 9, 193 yards and one touchdown on deep throws. Locker had completions of 25, 34, 49, and 38. This does not bode well for the Patriots game next week, but hopefully Joseph will be ready to go by then. Overall, the defense shut up any doubts about their ability as a unit.

The Big Nastys

          With starting right tackle Derek Newton missing the Texans offensive line controlled the game. They held the Titans to a clean sheet and Schaub had an even cleaner jersey. I counted 8 plays where Schuab faced pressure which comes out to 22.8% of the time he had to deal with a defender near him. This was done against a down and out beggarly defensive line that ranks 22nd in the league, but it should not diminish the immense job they did. The passing game looked a little rusty due to Schuab being a little inaccurate 60%/ 207/ 2/ 0/ 95.8. He seemed to miss some wide open receivers at time, but he had to fall back down to earth sometime. The running game was back to its old ways and Tate was finally back in pads. Houston ran the ball 35 times for 121 yards and one touchdown. Foster, Forsett and Tate each got 14, 14, and 3 carries respectively (It was nice to see Foster rest and not run 20+ times). Duane Brown was the star of the offensive line as Houston was able to run to the left edge 11 times for 37 yards and one touchdown. Week after week they run behind him and week after week they have success. After years of having awful to average LTs protecting the blind side they have franchise cornerstone in Duane Brown. The curse of Tony Boselli has finally been lifted and I bet David Carr would have liked to play with him during his time in Houston. Rick Smith and Kubiak have done an incredible job putting this unit together. 6 out of the 11 members of the offensive line were drafted by Houston. Only one of the six was drafted using a first round pick. Three of the five starters were drafted by Houston as well. Like the linebackers the depth is incredible as they have lost two starters this year, but not the production. Despite the injuries, Houston dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball on Sunday.

The Week Ahead

         I spent most of my life watching playoff football wondering "what it feels like to have a winning franchise and watch a championship contender?" Here we are Texans' fans and it is hard to fathom and describe how great these past two years have been. It is like having a best friend that had a rough some rough middle/high school years. When he was still in elementary school his dad left his mom and moved to Tennessee.  To top it off he was a little slow, chubby and was the butt of all the jokes. His old friend that protected him was quarterback and captain of the football team, but it never led to wins. He ended up moving to New York, backed up for a prep school and won two state titles. Because of his weight and more popular older brother, his parents spoiled him with presents. He saved his money then invested it in the stock market. Now everyone that picked on him suddenly wants to hang out. He is about to go to an Ivy League Graduate School, his extra weight helped spur a colossal growth spurt and his stocks did incredibly well. His older, cooler, popular brother now lives at home, smokes a lot of pot and spends most of his time thinking about the glory days. Now he finally gets the chance at redemption by proving to the father that left him how great he has become while his older brother watches at the wayside. The most important part of this story is that you were there the entire time and helped him when he needed it the most, unlike all the creatures who now have leeched their way on to the bandwagon. Most of the time it takes climbing through a mound of crap for good things to happen. After years of terrible football the Texans' window is open and they are ready to parade right through it.
          The Texans beat the 4-8 Tennessee Titans to and stuck it right in Bud Adam's wrinkly face. The defense finally looked rested and played up to the standards they set for themselves this year. Hopefully it continues this Sunday and Jonathon Joseph is back and healthy. Houston heads up to the Northeastern United States to go to war with the 9-3 New England Patriots.The Texans are playing on Monday night to put a stranglehold on the #1 seed and what could very well be the precursor to and AFC championship rematch.