Moment of truth
FOR TEXANS COACH BILL O’BRIEN, ANOTHER QUARTERBACK QUANDARY HIGHLIGHTS A MAKE-OR-BREAK YEAR DURING HIS FOURTH SEASON ON JOB
In his fourth season as Texans coach, it’s a make-or-break year for Bill O’Brien.
W ould you give Bill O’Brien a contract extension? Are the Texans on a true Super Bowl path, one that will eventually lead in the next few years to this city’s first NFL title? We have all season to figure that out. And those are just the first of many pressing questions that could define a make-or-break year for the only coach in franchise history with two playoff appearances in his initial three seasons and a fiery man coming off back-toback division titles. Is O’Brien really willing to place the ball in Tom “No Touchdowns” Savage’s hands from Weeks 1-17? When does O’Brien turn everything — this season, his tenure — over to first-round pick Deshaun Watson, realizing that an obvious future can be paused for only so long? And has a coach with a 27-21 mark and two AFC South banners BRIAN T. SMITH forced himself to take on too much in Year Four? Let the fun begin. The Astros have taken over Houston since April. The James Harden-Chris Paul Rockets are a must watch, even with the NBA season two months out.
But we all know who rules this city. Who dominates talk radio, takes over our televisions and manipulates our daily conversations for eight months out of the year.
Just imagine what it would be like if the Texans could win more than nine games and stick with one quarterback for an entire year.
Uncertainty reigns
Seven months after our NFL team played the Super Bowl LI champions tight for three quarters in New England, then were ultimately undone by Brock Osweiler — somewhat of a recurring theme in 2016 — I look back in bewilderment at O’Brien’s third year. And that’s not even factoring in signing Osweiler for $72 million ($37 million guaranteed), benching him in Week
15, needing ex-Texan Randy Bullock to blow a Christmas Eve kick to win the South, injuring Savage a week later on a pointless QB sneak, destroying the Connor Cook (who?) Raiders in a wildcard win, and eventually returning to reality against the relentless Patriots.
Did I mention there were serious questions about whether O’Brien even wanted to remain with the Texans on game day of an AFC divisional playoff road contest versus Bill Belichick and Tom Brady?
“It starts with me,” O’Brien said. “I don’t point fingers. I look right square in the mirror, and I figure out what I can do better, and I’m already thinking about that right now. You can’t have the offense where it’s at in this league and expect to win a championship.”
The coach said that in the hard minutes after a 34-16 Pats season-ender.
“We’ll sit down and see what he’s happy with and if he wants to be extended and see how we feel.”
The owner said that just two months later, with Bob McNair capturing the uncertainty that colors the fourth year of the O’Brien era.
The 2017 Texans should have one of the top defenses in the league. J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney are finally together. Romeo Crennel and Mike Vrabel are two defensive-obsessed brains united on one side of the ball.
And as I’ve been saying for three years, these Texans have proved they’ll play their butts off for O’Brien — even when there’s a different QB every few weeks (or in the same quarter).
But how good can they really be? And is there anyone out there penciling in 12-4 — heck, 10-6 — with the inexperienced Savage as a lockedin starter, Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown intentionally missing offseason workouts, and No. 2 wide receiver Will Fuller shelved by a broken collarbone?
Did I mention O’Brien parted ways with former offensive coordinator and close friend George Godsey, is calling plays again, and has insisted he’s having more “fun?”
It’s complicated
The last two seasons, the Texans survived with grit … and luck. Andrew Luck went down in 2015. Marcus Mariota and Derek Carr were broken at the end of ’16. Blake Bortles kept confusing interceptions with touchdowns. The Texans were 2-6 on the road last year, had a minus-49 point differential, and tied for 28th in average scoring (17.4).
They also allowed the fewest average yards (301.3) in the league, won four of their final six games, actually could have beaten the Patriots in the playoffs with a better QB, and were one of the last teams left standing in the AFC.
“This team did a great job playing against us,” Brady said Jan. 14, following the strongest coaching performance of O’Brien’s career.
The one word that best describes evaluating O’Brien’s Texans from 201416: complicated.
If I’m cutting the checks on Kirby Drive, I’m not extending anyone coming off a losing season. I also already know that for all the (offensive) flaws, endless quarterbacks, back-room drama and front-office intrigue that have dragged down O’Brien’s initial three seasons, he’s clearly proved he can coach playoff teams in this league and in some ways is one of the most underrated leaders in the NFL. To extend him or to walk away? Savage or Watson? A third straight year in the playoffs or the season that breaks O’Brien’s hold over NRG Stadium? More power or out of control? If this was a TV show, you’d already have it DVR’d.
This is the Texans, which means absolutely anything can happen. And it probably won’t be what you expect.
Let the fun begin.