Near Hysterics, Denial, Acceptance...Whatever

I received a minor in psychology only because a minor was required to graduate. As a Texans fan, I've been able to use my easy B minor to various degrees.

Usually I apply my psychology knowledge to myself as I got through mental anguish, pain, joy, bed wetting, chronic masturbation and occasional enjoyment of the Texans.

Allow me to reach into my bag of self analysis again as it pertains to the Houston Texans and free agency. In the last entry, I talked myself out of a mental breakdown.  This entry I move on to the next stages.

Hysterics
I worked the graveyard shift last night.  When I woke up this afternoon, I eagerly jumped on the internet in hopes of reading that Chris Myers and/or Mike Brisiel re-signed. NO! They hadn't. Worse news that Myers scheduled a visit with the hated Titans and Brisiel with the inept Raiders.


Denial 
Next came denial. It's a negotiation ploy. Myers thinks highly of himself and will return with tail between his legs. Brisiel has connections to the Raiders staff. I'm came up with reasons to justify the visits. I wanted to deny they would dare leave. I wanted to justify my feelings of near panic. I didn't want to face reality.

In psychology that is called a defense mechanism. Basically it's a technical way to say I'm burying my head in the sand.

Acceptance
Finally, it started to set in that three fifths of maybe the best offensive line in football was breaking up. I further tried to convince myself that Rashard Butler and Antoine Caldwell will be adequate replacements. I have to believe that because right now it's the reality of the situation.

I'm finally starting to accept the fact that I'm going to be a chronic masturbating, bed wetting Houston Texans.

Off Season Edition - Not Surprised and Surprised

I'm not in panic mode yet. Breathing unevenly and on set of irregular heart beat is evident though.

I was happy when Arian Foster re-upped.
I was not surprised that Mario Williams didn't re-sign. In fact before off season, I was resigned to the fact he was leaving.

Eric Winston's release caught me off guard but really didn't surprise me. I criticized he play often.

That both Chris Myers and Mike Brisiel hit the open market surprised me. 

Matt Leinhart released didn't surprise me.

Lawrence Vickers release kind of surprised me.

How the hell is Jacoby Jones still employed by my beloved Texans? Now I'm very f**king surprised. Add to the fact the Texans might have a few cap issues....why for the love of God is Jones still under contract?

Damn, I feel that panic attack coming on after all.

Off Season Edition - Arian Foster Signed, Williams, Brisiel, Meyers Remain Unsigned

Yesterday, the Houston Texans announced Arian Foster agreed to a new contract.  The signing removes the possibility of Foster becoming a restricted free agent or the club franchise tagging him.  The value of the contract is $43.5 million over five years.  The terms guarantee $20.75 million and include $12.5 million signing bonus.  The linked article breaks down the contract in more detail.

The Remaining Free Agents 
Mario Williams, Chris Meyers, Mike Brisiel and Joel Dreessen remain potential free agents.

The Texans previously stated that signing Williams was the priority.  I didn't believe that for a second.  I figured that Arian Foster was the priority.  Today's signing only bolsters my line of thinking.

What I think they have in mind for Williams is a very basic negotiations with him.  The Texans brain trust already has a max number in mind they can pay Williams without blowing up the cap or hurting the ability to re-sign the others.  In the end, the Texans will tell Williams is a best, last and final offer. 

The ball will be in Williams court.  Williams knows what is at stake here.  It is not just the money.  The Texans are building something special and took a giant step last season toward it.  The emergence of Brooks Reed made Williams somewhat expendable.  Despite Reed's play, Williams allows a quality rotation of himself, Connor Barwin and Reed at the outside linebacker spot. 

That leaves Meyers, Brisiel and Dreessen still to sign.  To make more moves, some contracts will need restructuring along with cutting some players.  Candidates for restructured deals are DeMeco Ryan, Andre Johnson and Kevin Walters. Recovering from injury, Ryan played 58% of the time so I can see management approaching him to restructure.  Johnson just recently signed a big deal.  The Texans might ask him to restructure also and maybe shift some of the money to a later year.  Kevin Walters also might be asked to take a smaller deal or risk being cut.  Jacoby Jones is a prime candidate to hit the street.  He's not living up to the potential Gary Kubiak has for him.  Last year's playoff gaff doesn't help his case.  Back up quarterbak Matt Leinart probably is on the cutting block too.  TJ Yate's play vaulted him over Leinart.  Maybe Leinart comes back at reduced pay.

Williams aside, Meyers and Brisiel should be high priorities.  They are the strength of the interior line.  Paul Kuharsky writes the AFC South Blog for ESPN.com.  In an article, he gives his opinion on what he'd do if running the Texans.  On Meyers and Brisiel, Kuharsky states that he'd sign Meyers and that Antonio Caldwell can take over for Brisiel.  Unfortunately I don't agree with that assessment.  In his four starts last year, Caldwell did nothing to impress.  He can't simply replace Brisiel.  Caldwell isn't good enough to be a full time starter.  A good swing guard/center for spot starts only.  Early in his career Kubiak practically handed him the guard starting spot and Caldwell was never able to keep it.

Dreessen is a #2 tight end but I believe he is expendable if it came down to losing him.  James Casey can play tight end and is much more gifted athletically.  As for Casey, I'd like to see the coaches use him more creatively.

Final Thoughts
With success comes difficult decisions.  Success also means there are quality players up and down the roster.  The salary cap forces those difficult decisions.  Sometimes the cap numbers force a team to part ways with a player that was a foundation of the team.  If the Texans can't get Williams to agree to a cap friendly deal, he's gone.

Getting Meyers and Brisiel signed remains the two highest priorities.  The line is crucial to the success of teams and the Texans have one of the best.  No need to break it up and try to work in a new lineman cause I don't think Caldwell can get the job done.

With the Texans busy signing their own potential free agents, don't expect them to be active like last year.  They might be able to get some quality back ups in free agency. However I don't see any Daniel Manning or Johnathan Joseph caliber starters signing with Texans this off season.

Next issue: A look at what the Texans draft needs.

Texans Playoff Edition - First Win Ever

The atmosphere at Reliant Stadium was electric to say the least. Houston fans celebrated the city's return to playoff football with vigor. Texans fans are notoriously late entering the stadium despite pleas from Texans mothership to be in place before kick off. On Saturday, Texans heeded the pleas and the place was rocking.

The Bengals elected to defer at the coin toss giving the Texans the ball first.  Jitters seemed bother both teams early on.  On the first play, Arian Foster almost lost the ball and then he followed it up with a false start.  Coach Kubiak replaced Foster with Ben Tate on the third play apparently to calm him down.  Foster would reenter the game shortly there after.  TJ Yates also appeared to have the jitters as his first passes were off target.  The Texans ended up punting on the first possession.

When the Texans went over on defense, the crowd went to work too.  The Bengals and Andy Dalton appeared to have some jitters too and ended up punting.  On their second possession, aided by a 52 yard pass interference call on Grover Quin, the Bengals put up the first points to make it 7-0.

At this point I a little uneasy feeling.  The Texans put a quick end to my uneasiness though.  The Texans answered the touchdown on the ensuing possession.  The key play was an Owen Daniels catch for 21 yard and a 15 yard roughing penalty added to end of the play.  Set up at the Bengals 20, Arian Foster went to work.  Three consecutive rushing plays for yards of 8, 4 and 8 for the TD. Foster definitely settled down by now.

The teams exchanged field goals and it appeared the half may end tied at 10.  The Bengals still had time to move the ball and at least try to get into field goal range.  In one instant the game changed in favor of the Texans.  Dalton dropped back to pass and rookie JJ Watt snagged the ball right out of the air and returned it 29 yards for a TD.  All I can remember is seeing him running the opposite direction and thinking "Please don't fall, please don't fall....touchdown!"  As if the crowd needed nothing more to howl about, the play sent Reliant Stadium into complete pandemonium.  For good measure, Watt sacked Dalton to end the half on an extremely high note.

From then on it was pretty much all Texans.  The defense held star rookie AJ Green in check with 47 yards receiving.  1000 rusher Cedric Benson ran only for 14 yards on 7 carries.  As the Bengals were throwing more to catch up, Benson sat on the bench for the other two backs which are considered better pass blockers.  The Texans forced three Dalton interceptions.  Offensively the Bengals were stuck in mud.

The Texans put up TDs in each quarter to make it a final of 31-10.  In the third, it was a beautiful 40 TD pass to All Universe WR Andre Johnson.  Johnson did a double move that faked Adam Jones out of his jock to get wide open for the reception.  Foster finished off the scoring, with a 42 yard scamper down the sideline.  The Bengals had an opportunity to knock him out of bounds but they didn't make much of an effort to.

Man of the Match
Arian Foster - 153 yards, 24 carries, 2 TDs
Without a doubt, Foster carried the team to victory.  Having Andre Johnson back definitely took some defenders out of the box.  Johnson proved a dangerous weapon with his 90 yards and a TD.  But Foster was the work horse with 182 yards total offense.

Key Play of the Game
Obviously, JJ Watt's INT returned for a touchdown.  With the score tied at 10 going into the half, Watt swung the momentum to the Texans in one quick play.

Next up the Ravens in a divisional round match up.  Go Texans!  Bring on the Ravens!

First Ever Playoff Edition

I fell down on the blog. In the midst of the greatest season ever, I failed in my goal to weekly chronicle my opinions and happenings of my beloved Houston Texans.

There is just not enough time in the day to do what I want in addition to working. I used to work graveyard shift and that's where I did most my writing. Now I work almost exclusively on the day shift and to many eyes watching what I do.

So this is my first entry in a while.

The Houston Texans limped through the season losing player after player to injury. None bigger than losing Matt Schaub for the season to a Lisfranc broken bone. Schaub isn't the vocal leader of the team. For the most part though, as Schaub's play goes so do the Texans chances. Schaub was having a fine season as a ball control specialist. We already knew Schaub could put up big numbers. Most of the time, due to the defense, he had to. This year he didn't and the Texans still put up big points in some games.

The big losses besides, Schaub, were to Mario Williams, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. Ask any casual fan to name a Texans and odds are at least two of the previously mention is one. For good reason, they are the top Texans guns.

Injury be damned. Here we are with the first ever Texans playoff game and in hours hopefully the first Texans playoff victory.

My expectations are Texans are going to not deviate from running the ball as they have been all season. With Andre Johnson healthy, look for the occasional shots down field. Remember that Johnson was putting up big numbers with rookie TJ Yates throwing to him against the Falcons. I think more of the same happens here along with the tight ends hitting the seams in zone coverage.

Defensively, I expect mass chaos thrown at the Bengals and Andy Dalton. I hope for a couple of early turnovers lead to short fields for Yates. Nothing can get a team up in a hurry and the crowd into it like turnovers.

I also hope the crowd is loud and proud from before kickoff. Make it loud to keep Dalton having to use more time to call plays and difficult for the line and WRs to hear the count.

I could go into more detail but I'm keeping in generic. There are better websites out there for pregame analysis. I like to do post game analysis.

Here we go, Texans! (Yuck that's the steeler chant)

Bring on the Bengals! Bring on the first playoff victory.

Houston 17 Pittsburgh 10 - Good Old Fashion Football

No updates due to personal matters but I haven't missed a minute of Texans football.

In this day and age of high flying offenses, it was refreshing to attend a football game where some serious ball control and hitting going on.

The Opening Drive
The Texans dominated the opening drive. The best way I can describe it? A thing of awesome beauty. Of things I've seen in person, it ranks up there with the Grand Canyon and the Vatican.

The Texans started the drive on the 5 yard line and drove the length of the field to go up 7-0. The amazing part was the time consumed. Time of possession on the drive was under 11 minutes. I was at the game but I watched the replay the other night. A few times the camera panned to Fat Ben Roethlisberger. As the drive progresses, it looked to me that Fat Ben got more restless and antsy.

On the field, the Texans dominated. Mixing up pass and run perfectly, the Texans kept the Steelers on their toes. Arian Foster carried the ball nine times for 41 yards and back up Ben Tate chipped a 20 yard scamper. Matt Schaub threw seven times while completing five for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Amazing things happen when the run game succeeds. On goal to go, Texans ran play action with Foster and the offensive line going right. Owen Daniels sold the play and slipped pass the line of scrimmage. Schaub floated the ball to him and Daniels hauled it in uncovered for about the easiest six the Texans ever scored.

Things went so right on that drive that even a few penalties did nothing to slow them down. They came out with a script and executed the plan perfectly.

The Defense
Two things always impressed me with Fat Ben. Because he is Fat Ben, he is hard to bring down. In spite of being Fat Ben, he scrambles well to buy time and more often than not complete a play.

Pittsburgh brought a patchwork line to Reliant Stadium. It showed.

Wade Phillip's 3-4 constantly harassed, hit and terrorized Fat Ben. On the stat sheet, the Texans defense sacked Roethlisberger five times and delivered eight QB hits. They also limited Mike Wallace, on a six game 100+ yard game streak, to 77 yards.

Things are working right when Pittsburgh is held to 9 possession that ended in punt, punt, blocked FG, TD, punt, punt, turn over on downs, interception.

The Texans defense had a brief lull coming of out of half time. Despite the makeshift offensive line, the Steelers had their way in the opening possession. The Steelers came out throwing with short completions and a few long passes before Rashard Mendenhall punched in the ball on a student body right play for a TD.

Again the Texans seemed flat footed on the Steelers second possession. Isaac Redmen just molested the defense. In consecutive plays, Redmen ran for 18, 6, 2 and 5 yards. Mewelde Moore spelled Redmen after the 5 yard run and took the ball for 15 yards.

The Texans managed enough of a stop to hold Pittsburgh to a field goal but the Steelers flipped the time of possession table on the Texans. Houston held the ball for a total of one minute and 38 seconds in the 3rd quarter.

The 4th Quarter
With the game knotted at 10, Gary Kubiak lit into the offense before the start of the 4th. I don't know what he said but it worked.

It took five plays and under three minutes but the Texans took control away from the Steelers. Foster followed up a Schaub 30 yard pass to Daniels with a 42 yard touchdown.

Given the lead, the rest was up to the defense. After the touchdown, the Steelers, due mainly to the Texans offense going three and out, possessed the football four more times.

The first post TD possession key play was a sack of Roethlisberger. The distance mandated a pass down field. Cornerback Jason Allen separated Hines Ward from a first down catch with a wallop.

With time becoming a factor, the Steelers had no choice but to go down field. When you have an offensive line in shambles that makes for a bad situation. At crunch time the Texans defense held and ended the game by Allen picking off a deep pass.

What To Like
The game opening drive is the way all football should be played.

The defense coming up at the end and keeping the Steelers off the board in the 4th quarter. That more than likely would not happen last year.

Arian Foster is back and healthy.

155 yards rushing on any Steeler defense is an accomplishment in any decade.

What Not To Like
Andre Johnson going out. Foster's running keeps teams off Johnson and make him a dangerous weapon. The same the other way. Teams have to play Foster or Johnson will make them pay. The team stepped it up while Foster was hurt...now they have to do the same for Angry Dre.

Penalties. Joel Dressen had two holding penalties that set the offense back in the opening drive. Fortunately the offense overcame them but they could have been drive killers.

The biggest killers were the illegal block in the back on the blocked field goal. Why Danieal Manning hit the place holder once Johnathan Joseph had the ball is beyond me. The punter would not run Joseph down and the penalty took a TD off the board.

The second penalty wasn't JJ Watt's fault as he appeared to be blocked into Fat Ben's knees. Some say as the rule is written, the ref had no choice but to call it. Another blog I read pulled out the rule book and quoted scripture. By the letter of the law, if a player is pushed into the quarterback then it is not a penalty. One more score was erased on that play.

Man of the Match
Arian Foster - the hammy is officially healed. Foster carried 30 times for 155 yards including his 42 yard TD.

No Quarter - Texans 34 Colts 7

Make no mistake about it. The Texans did what they were expected to do. The Colts came to town with octogenarian Kerry Collins. For the first time in Texans vs. Colts history, Peyton Manning didn't answer the bell. Nursing what I consider a career threatening injury, Manning's streak of 277 game started ended.

The Colts limped into town primed for a thrashing. They crawled back to Indianapolis after a 34-7 battering. A couple of second half turnovers saved the Colts from a 40 point beat down.

From start to finish, the Texans physically abused the Colts. The offense moved the ball at will. The Colts best defense was the Texans offense making mistakes and turning over the ball. Defensively the Texans blitzed early and often. Even special teams got in on the act.

How bad was it for the Colts? They knew exactly what the Texans were going to do on both sides of the ball. The Texans did everything but email the playbook and game plan to Jim Caldwell. Even if they did, I doubt Caldwell would know what to do with it.

The only bright spot for the Colts? Reggie Wayne is still Reggie Wayne. Wayne produced 106 yards and the single Colt touchdown.

3-4 Unveiled

The Texans unleashed the new 3-4 front to devastating results. Two early turnovers gave the offense two early short fields. Without Manning, the Colts huddled up. Collins lost a fumble during a sack and also dropped an exchange from center. The results put the Colts in an early whole and they never recovered.

Mario Williams abused TE Dallas Clark on two plays that resulted in two sacks. Rookie JJ Watt and Antonio Smith wreaked havoc on a makeshift Colts offensive line. With the front seven chasing the aging Collins, the Colts offense never really settled into any rhythm.

Joseph Addai scratched out 39 yards and the Colts only managed 69 rushing yards. Collins passed for 172 yards.

The Colts were an abysmal 1-9 in 3rd down conversions.

Foster Lite
Rushing champ Arian Foster sat the game out with a hamstring injury. Last season, he destroyed the Colts defense with over 200 yards rushing. No Foster, no worries. Derrick Ward started the game but left the game injured. No Ward, no problem. Insert second year running back Ben Tate. Even lost man Steve Slaton briefly jumped in on the action.

The Texans racked up 167 rushing yards with Tate leading the way with 116. Interceptions aside, Matt Schaub used rollouts effectively and to flow away from Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and the speed of the Colts defense. Andre Johnson finished with a strong 95 yards receiving and a touchdown. He caught a tipped passed on a play action that fooled even the camera man. He's simply an amazing athlete.

The defense applied the body blows with blitzes. The offenses delivered the head shots with touchdowns. The special teams and Jacoby Jones delivered the knock out blow. Jones ran back a punt 79 yards for a touchdown that finished off the Colts and any hope of salvaging the game. The Texans went into the locker room with a 34-0 lead.

What To Like
The Texans pretty much telegraphed the game plan on both sides of the ball. Blitz defense, run and rollouts on offense. The Colts were helpless.

Schaub managed the game and made long throws down field to keep the Colts on their heels. The offense played hard and did not change the plan to run. Coach Gary Kubiak committed to the run despite Foster not suiting up. Ward and Tate filled in effectively.  Johnson continues to show why he is an elite wide receiver.

The defense thrashed and abuse the Colts offensive line.  When there was a mismatch, the Texans punished the Colts for it.  Either stupidly or by mistake, Clark had no business taking on Williams one on one.

What Not To Like
Turnovers. Schaub threw two picks and Tate fumbled once. They need to take care of the ball better. In close games, turnovers kill and there will be some close games this season. Clean it up.

Again some of the play calling blows the mind. On one possession inside the 20, Kubiak calls some pass plays when you want to kill the clock and get out of the half. Yes you want touchdowns but you also want to keep the opponent's offense off the field and give the defense some extra rest before the half.

James Casey = Nasty
Before the season, I doubted the idea of Casey at fullback. As the preseason progressed, I started to come around to the idea. Casey adds another dimension a potent offense. He presents match up problems. He can stay and block at fullback or he can motion out to the slot, halfback, TE or even WR spot.

I imagine as the season progresses they will add more to his already full plate. Make no mistake about it, Casey is a football player but also a scholar. As much as I think rice is insignificant, it is one of the few college teams where student athletes must meet same academic requirements of the student body. No free passes or easy classes.

Now for the nasty.




On Tate's TD run, Casey lines up at fullback. Watch how he blows up #41 Antoine Bethea. Casey completely takes Bethea out of the play and Tate runs in untouched.

There is another play later in the game where Casey lines up at fullback. He runs down field full speed, lowers his shoulder and wipes out a linebacker. Without missing a beat, Casey keeps running his route. It was so effortless that I don't even remember the result of the play.

Just nasty on both plays and hopefully we will see more as the season progresses.

Man of the Match
Without a doubt, Ben Tate takes this week's award. Third on the depth chart, he moved up to second with Foster out and then took the load fulltime when Ward went out injured. He put up great numbers for a third back. As a result the Texans never abandoned the game plan.

Conclusion
The Texans did what they had to do. They beat a bad team. The Colts were built for Peyton Manning on both sides of the ball. Offensively the Colts expect to play with the lead early due to Manning and a potent offense. Due to an early big lead, they know teams throw to catch up so they defend with speed not size.

The Texans instead imposed their brand of football. They attacked early, forced turnovers and build a big lead. In turn, they ran the ball to against and a speedy but smaller than usual defense.

The Texans now must keep up the intensity defensively next week against Miami. Chad Henne put up over 400 yards on offense. Brandon Marshall will test the secondary. Can the Texans handle success and a team better than the one they whipped last Sunday?