TEXANS HAVE MORE TO PROVE VS. COLTS
It is time for Bill O’Brien to prove that he is the best coach in the AFC South.
It is time for the Texans to take command of the division that was giftwrapped in their name before the 2019 season began.
Will either/both of those things happen on “Thursday Night Football” inside NRG Stadium?
After 41-7 Lamar Jackson John Harbaugh at Baltimore just four days ago, who in the world knows what to expect from these Texans.
But facts are facts and these are indisputable:
O’Brien is in Year Six. He has one playoff victory since he started running things in 2014 and now he really runs the show. He’s just 4-8 versus Indianapolis, 1-3 against Frank Reich and the only time O’Brien beat Reich — 37-34 in overtime on Sept. 30, 2018 at Indy — the over-aggressive Colts handed the Texans a crazy W. Andrew Luck’s old team also humiliated O’Brien’s squad inside NRG Stadium in a wild-card disaster last season. If O’Brien can’t beat Reich this time on TNF, the Texans should start quietly filing away intriguing résumés.
Colts running back Marlon Mack is out. Indy wide receiver T.Y. Hilton — who owns a fancy suite inside NRG — is questionable. Brian Hoyer (remember
him?!) was Reich’s quarterback not that long ago. The Texans also are missing a few key names. But the Colts aren’t exactly at full strength and the Texans are facing them at the perfect time with the division lead on the line.
This is the season that Luck retired.
OK. Enough with the facts. Let’s get to the real truth.
It is inexcusable for the Texans not to win the AFC South in 2019. Unacceptable. During a week when Carolina owner David Tepper told reporters that he can’t stand mediocrity, O’Brien potentially falling to 1-4 vs. Reich and the Texans dropping to 6-5 with the Patriots looming would bring the flaming pitchforks back to full roar on Kirby Drive.
“Every time we have a loss, my mood is (bleep),” Tepper said.
I wonder how Texans
CEO Cal McNair felt after the Ravens shredded his team.
I know how bad it’s going to look if the Texans can’t win a division that has been there for the taking for almost three months.
Tennessee changed quarterbacks midseason. Jacksonville lost its starter in Week 1. Indy didn’t even make it through the preseason with Luck as its leader.
Jacoby Brissett has been solid for the Colts. A 64.6 completion percentage, 1,797 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions, 97.5 rating and 122 rushing yards.
Brissett is not an MVP candidate. He is not one of the NFL’s next great QBs. He is not the face of a franchise. He’s still available in my friend’s fantasy league.
He is not Deshaun Watson.
With Watson, O’Brien should win this game and take back first place.
With Watson, the Texans should soon be backto-back AFC South champs for the second time since 2016.
Again: It is inexcusable for the Texans not to win the South in 2019.
The weekly wavering national meter now feels like it’s leaning toward Indy. That will immediately change if the Texans do their jobs Thursday night.
This team has too much talent to be 6-5 after Week 12.
This franchise has gone too all-in this season — no general manager, trading away Jadeveon Clowney and future first-round picks — to need the final four games just to sneak into the postseason.
The Texans horribly failed their initial test in this regular season-defining three-game run. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the reigning Super Bowl champs await on “Sunday Night Football” in 10 days. O’Brien vs. Reich. Watson vs. Brissett. Texans vs. Colts.
The better team will win on TNF and in 2019.
If the Texans can’t take the South during the season when Luck left the Colts, that insulting noshow at Baltimore will soon look like a minor letdown.