Official Texans vs. Raiders Playoff Game Thread, 1/07/2017

[HPF Bob]

Barrett's right. Osweiler looked like garbage today. They should have started Weeden. They should cut him now. How a guy that's 6-8 sneaks out there and muffs two punt returns in a row, I don't understand but it was definitely Osweiler's fault. What the heck was he doing throwing a deep pass on target? Does he think he's Aaron Rodgers? O'Brien taught him you should only throw short of the first down marker on third downs and expect your receiver to pick up the rest of the yards. Throwing long just guarantees a turnover.

Wanna win at New England? Here's the only hope. Texans send an all-out blitz on the first play and pretend they never heard the whistle because it was so frickin' cold they have cotton stuffed in their ears. Mercilus goes for the knees. Clowney goes for the head. One way or another, Brady's done for the game. Belicheat gets angry and swears revenge, but how? If he knocks out Osweiler, the Texans replace him with a better QB.

Then it's on to Pissburgh.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Barrett's right. Osweiler looked like garbage today. They should have started Weeden. They should cut him now. How a guy that's 6-8 sneaks out there and muffs two punt returns in a row, I don't understand but it was definitely Osweiler's fault. What the heck was he doing throwing a deep pass on target? Does he think he's Aaron Rodgers? O'Brien taught him you should only throw short of the first down marker on third downs and expect your receiver to pick up the rest of the yards. Throwing long just guarantees a turnover.

Wanna win at New England? Here's the only hope. Texans send an all-out blitz on the first play and pretend they never heard the whistle because it was so frickin' cold they have cotton stuffed in their ears. Mercilus goes for the knees. Clowney goes for the head. One way or another, Brady's done for the game. Belicheat gets angry and swears revenge, but how? If he knocks out Osweiler, the Texans replace him with a better QB.

Then it's on to Pissburgh.

Only Bob can read that post and come away feeling the need to defend Osweiller (a guy I never mentioned). The love affair continues.

[HPF Bob]

I was mocked when I suggested Osweiler might respond to the benching by stepping up his game and what did he do? Played turnover-free football within the confines of the ultra-conservative gameplan. On the opening drive, the Texans marched inside the Oakland 40 and had a 4th-and-3. At least 75% of the teams in the league would have gone for it on 4th down but not this one - just punt the ball away, knowing their FG kicker can't hit a 55-yarder.

It worked out because Novak was able to hit from 50 on the next possession but it shows how little confidence O'Brien has in the offense convert for first downs. The second half was entirely Woody Hayes football. Given that, a 14-for-25 day with no picks isn't such a bad day. It won't beat the Patriots but the one thing Houston will have on their side is that there's no way the Patriots will be motivated to play us. They can't possibly think less of us than they already do so let's take some gambles and hope for a James "Busted" Douglas type of result.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I was mocked when I suggested Osweiler might respond to the benching by stepping up his game and what did he do? Played turnover-free football within the confines of the ultra-conservative gameplan. On the opening drive, the Texans marched inside the Oakland 40 and had a 4th-and-3. At least 75% of the teams in the league would have gone for it on 4th down but not this one - just punt the ball away, knowing their FG kicker can't hit a 55-yarder.

It worked out because Novak was able to hit from 50 on the next possession but it shows how little confidence O'Brien has in the offense convert for first downs. The second half was entirely Woody Hayes football. Given that, a 14-for-25 day with no picks isn't such a bad day. It won't beat the Patriots but the one thing Houston will have on their side is that there's no way the Patriots will be motivated to play us. They can't possibly think less of us than they already do so let's take some gambles and hope for a James "Busted" Douglas type of result.

Bob you weren't mocked for saying Brock could play an average football game under perfect circumstances.

You were mocked for saying he deserved another year as a starter because he hadn't yet gotten a fair chance here and he was being asked to be a savior here.

I'm happy for Brock. He isn't the one who offered the contract. He's done nothing but try. It's not his fault he can't play high level NFL QB (only about a dozen guys in the world can).

And finally...

14/25, 156, TD, 0 INT, team win
11/20, 159, TD, 0 INT, team win

One of those lines is Brock's. Can you tell me who and when the other one is?

[HPF Bob]

Of course. TJ Yates in the 2011 playoff win over Cincy. Now who had these stats?

13/23, 141, 0 TD, 1 INT, team win?

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Of course. TJ Yates in the 2011 playoff win over Cincy. Now who had these stats?

13/23, 141, 0 TD, 1 INT, team win?

You know your Texans if you can recognize that without looking it up.

I don't know on that line but if it's a playoff game I'm guessing old Manning or young Brady.

[barrett]

And my initial post about us not winning a shootout was no knock on Osweiller. We are a bad offense. Our best skill guy (Hopkins) has mailed it in since the middle of the season. Our OL is average at best. Our RB is dangerous at times but also tries to bounce everything and thus creates holding penalties and tackles for loss our offense can't overcome. Our play calling is bad. And our QB play is bad.

And oh yeah, like I said in the first post, nobody wins playoff shootouts with the Patriots. They win ugly football games with the Patriots if they ever win at all.

If we have any chance to win (and we don't have much), it's in an ugly low scoring game where our guys hit Tom Brady a lot.