Loss offers a tease of what could come
A young man decked out in a battle red Brock Osweiler jersey and deep steel blue ball cap emblazoned with the Texans logo looked down and shook his head while a table full of Patriots fans cheered loudly behind him.
The Texans had just let the game slip away.
It had been close, appeared within reach. For more than two quarters Saturday night, it seemed like the Texans would pull off the unthinkable and beat the Patriots.
The scene at Texans Grille was a familiar one around the city. While the home team battled in a playoff game in Foxborough, Mass., local sports bars were packed full of passionate Texans fans hoping for a miracle.
They were teased with one. They believed and hoped and cheered. They high-fived each other, hollered at TV screens, oohed and aahed as the defense made plays and kept hope alive.
Then in the second half, they watched the Patriots pick apart their team and watched the season come to an end.
“That was better than I thought, at least,” one fan muttered as he paid his bill.
“We needed the defense to score a couple of touchdowns. It was our only chance,” another said to his group of friends.
“We’ll have J.J. (Watt) back next season,” someone else said, looking for a silver lining.
“Yeah, we should be pretty good next season,” another fan said.
There’s always next season.
On Sunday, as the NFL playoffs continued without the Texans, fans across Houston could lean on those words.
It’s true. Next season could be better.
The QB question
With the right offseason moves, with improvements that Bill O’Brien and Osweiler promised to make over the next few months, the Texans could come back next year with more to give.
For now, though, the Texans are done for a while.
There are improvements to be made. They are the same improvements that needed to be made all season.
Osweiler didn’t pan out. He wasn’t what the Texans or their fan base hoped for. He fell short and made a lot of money doing so. Decisions are going to have to be made regarding his role on the team, as he has a year guaranteed on his contract. It remains to be seen if Osweiler can grow to become the starting quarterback the Texans need.
The offense as a whole needs work, and it starts with the play-calling. O’Brien says he will look in the mirror, that things will start with him.
Hopefully, the mirror has answers that will help the Texans with their issues in the red zone.
This team is not a lost cause.
The defense was stellar all season. The unit had a lot of standout performers, a lot of big playmakers, a lot of potential to get better.
If that group can stay together — which the Texans should make a priority — that’s something to get excited about.
On Saturday night, the defense came to play in a big way and kept it close. It gave the Texans a better chance than most people gave them.
The city can take a day or two to grieve the loss to New England. Saturday night was an emotional roller coaster for Texans faithful. High hopes to start, a lot of early highlights, then some unraveling at the end.
Fans can bide time
But Houston has a lot to look forward to. Football isn’t over — the Super Bowl heads to town early next month, bringing the best football in the country to NRG Stadium.
The Rockets are one of the best teams in the NBA — one of the most entertaining to watch in years — and have half a season left. James Harden is a front-runner for the MVP trophy.
Jeff Bagwell could land a spot in the Hall of Fame this week, and the Astros will be back in the spring, giving us all a lot to talk about.
Before we know it, the Texans will be back, and we will all get to see if a fan base yearning for more will get what it’s hoping for. A better team. More wins. Another step forward for the franchise. It could happen. There’s always next season.