I've Finally Had It
December 3, 2006. That's the day I finally came to grips with David Carr's tenure as a Texan. That's the day I finally realized that the Texans won't win a Super Bowl with Carr at the helm. I have defended him throughout his entire career, but I'm done now. Fin. And why? Because it's clear to me now that Gary Kubiak is done with him. Kubes doesn't trust him any further than he can throw him. Witness the play-calling in the second half, immediately after Bakersfield's finest had fumbled the ball away twice on the two previous possessions. Kubes only had Carr throw three (3!) times in the entire second half. No one, and I mean no one, does that if he has even the slightest amount of faith in his QB. The run was working, sure, but even Ron Dayne's gutsy performance (more on that later) is no excuse to completely abandon the passing game. Not only does Kubes not trust Carr to win the game, he doesn't even trust him not to lose it. Hence getting the ball out of Carr's hands quickly on every snap. I've never seen anything like it, and it told me all I need to know about the Texans' QB situation. Carr will probably start the remainder of the season because of Rosenfels' injury, but I'd be shocked if he was the starting QB next September. If you couldn't tell, I've never been this depressed or forlorn after a win. But seeing years of faith dashed to bits can do that to you. Some other thoughts:
1. I am now convinced that DeMeco Ryans is the product of a modern-day Immaculate Conception. And I'm Catholic, for crying out loud.
a. 15 tackles.
b. 1 INT.
c. 1 sack.
d. 1 forced fumble.
e. 1 fumble recovery.
f. And dozens of Texans fans (I think we may be down to under 100 in number) who are thanking their lucky stars he's wearing the steel blue.
2. Speaking of linebackers, how about Morlon Greenwood? Another nine (9) tackles for him.
3. Anyone who thinks Mario Williams isn't impacting the game on every snap is out of his mind. The Raiders ran away from him on nearly every possession, and he again was in the backfield all day. I freaking love the guy.
4. The secondary is still heinous, but there were a few bright spots yesterday. Petey Faggins' fumble recovery for a TD was huge in terms of momentum and getting an early jump on the opposition. Dunta Robinson still seems to have regressed, but he played a reasonably solid second half. Glenn Earl had a big sack. But C.C. Brown's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was inexcusable. Despite the need at QB, I still am in favor of taking the best DB on the board come April.
5. Jason Babin is still a bust in my book, but he's becoming an increasingly less abhorrent bust. Still, you don't want your first round picks to be back-ups. Thanks again, Casserly.
6. How many people made the "Dayne must think it's 1999!" joke yesterday? I'd bet almost everyone that was watching. Nevertheless, the Texans don't win that game without his 18 carries and 95 yards. He literally carried the whole team for the vast majority of the second half and the entirety of the fourth quarter. Everyone knew he was getting the ball, and the Raiders still couldn't stop him. If not for DeMeco, he'd get my game ball.
a. Is anyone else a bit disturbed by the musical chairs approach at RB? It'd be a real treat if someone would consistently step up. I still think Wali Lundy can be that guy.
7. When only fourteen passes are attempted and the longest completion is for nine yards, there's not much to say about the WRs. So let's just take this opportunity to once again pimp Andre Johnson for the Pro Bowl. He'd better be in Hawaii, or Scott has threatened to abandon his daily reporting on the Astros' minor league affiliates for H-town Sports. That should buy him a vote, maybe two.
8. How Chad Stanley has not been cut is completely beyond my comprehension. He's just awful. The Texans would have been better served in asking Carr to heave it fifty yards to the Raiders secondary on fourth down. Well, he probably would have fumbled away the snaps, but you get my point.
9. Kris Brown certainly redeemed himself after missing that first field goal attempt. Dayne did the heavy lifting, but Brown had to make the clutch kicks to win that game. Kudos to him. He'd be special teamer of the week if not for...
10. Jerome Mathis. Wow. Nice to see him in action again. Sure, I briefly doubted his addition to the active roster when he opted to run that ball out of the end zone after fumbling, but an 87-yard return gets you a mulligan in my book.
11. Carr's final line: 7-14, 32 yards, 3 fumbles (2 lost). You'd get benched in Pop Warner for those numbers.
12. Many people have assumed that I'm going to make the VY comparison here and belabor the fact that he's now 5-4 as a starter, but I won't. Except to say that Vince Young wins football games and David Carr does not. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Will I sob anew on Sunday when Vince single-handedly destroys the hometown team? Yes. But do I regret the Texans taking Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft? No, I do not. Not anymore. Mario is the real deal, and I think Kubiak thought he had to take a chance on Carr. Has that chance worked out? Well, uhhhh, you see, it's only been, uhhh, four and a half seasons, and, uhhh...I need a drink.
1. I am now convinced that DeMeco Ryans is the product of a modern-day Immaculate Conception. And I'm Catholic, for crying out loud.
a. 15 tackles.
b. 1 INT.
c. 1 sack.
d. 1 forced fumble.
e. 1 fumble recovery.
f. And dozens of Texans fans (I think we may be down to under 100 in number) who are thanking their lucky stars he's wearing the steel blue.
2. Speaking of linebackers, how about Morlon Greenwood? Another nine (9) tackles for him.
3. Anyone who thinks Mario Williams isn't impacting the game on every snap is out of his mind. The Raiders ran away from him on nearly every possession, and he again was in the backfield all day. I freaking love the guy.
4. The secondary is still heinous, but there were a few bright spots yesterday. Petey Faggins' fumble recovery for a TD was huge in terms of momentum and getting an early jump on the opposition. Dunta Robinson still seems to have regressed, but he played a reasonably solid second half. Glenn Earl had a big sack. But C.C. Brown's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was inexcusable. Despite the need at QB, I still am in favor of taking the best DB on the board come April.
5. Jason Babin is still a bust in my book, but he's becoming an increasingly less abhorrent bust. Still, you don't want your first round picks to be back-ups. Thanks again, Casserly.
6. How many people made the "Dayne must think it's 1999!" joke yesterday? I'd bet almost everyone that was watching. Nevertheless, the Texans don't win that game without his 18 carries and 95 yards. He literally carried the whole team for the vast majority of the second half and the entirety of the fourth quarter. Everyone knew he was getting the ball, and the Raiders still couldn't stop him. If not for DeMeco, he'd get my game ball.
a. Is anyone else a bit disturbed by the musical chairs approach at RB? It'd be a real treat if someone would consistently step up. I still think Wali Lundy can be that guy.
7. When only fourteen passes are attempted and the longest completion is for nine yards, there's not much to say about the WRs. So let's just take this opportunity to once again pimp Andre Johnson for the Pro Bowl. He'd better be in Hawaii, or Scott has threatened to abandon his daily reporting on the Astros' minor league affiliates for H-town Sports. That should buy him a vote, maybe two.
8. How Chad Stanley has not been cut is completely beyond my comprehension. He's just awful. The Texans would have been better served in asking Carr to heave it fifty yards to the Raiders secondary on fourth down. Well, he probably would have fumbled away the snaps, but you get my point.
9. Kris Brown certainly redeemed himself after missing that first field goal attempt. Dayne did the heavy lifting, but Brown had to make the clutch kicks to win that game. Kudos to him. He'd be special teamer of the week if not for...
10. Jerome Mathis. Wow. Nice to see him in action again. Sure, I briefly doubted his addition to the active roster when he opted to run that ball out of the end zone after fumbling, but an 87-yard return gets you a mulligan in my book.
11. Carr's final line: 7-14, 32 yards, 3 fumbles (2 lost). You'd get benched in Pop Warner for those numbers.
12. Many people have assumed that I'm going to make the VY comparison here and belabor the fact that he's now 5-4 as a starter, but I won't. Except to say that Vince Young wins football games and David Carr does not. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Will I sob anew on Sunday when Vince single-handedly destroys the hometown team? Yes. But do I regret the Texans taking Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft? No, I do not. Not anymore. Mario is the real deal, and I think Kubiak thought he had to take a chance on Carr. Has that chance worked out? Well, uhhhh, you see, it's only been, uhhh, four and a half seasons, and, uhhh...I need a drink.
posted by Anonymous | 4:20 PM
2 Comments:
Congratulations on locating the bold tag after about 18 months of blogging.
Agreed that yesterday was the first time that I've vomited multiple times during a Texans game without blaming a moldy tap on the Miller Lite keg. Fear not, however. Look at the impact that Drew Brees has had in New Orleans, Steve McNair in Baltimore, a healthy Chad Pennington in New Jersey. There's reason to believe in the near-term future of this franchise. Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans are two of the brightest defensive stars in the game. Jerome Mathis is the best kick returner in the league. The offensive line is missing three starters. Anthony Weaver is playing great, and Owen Daniels looks like a keeper. #80's a pretty nice WR, right?
Maybe I'm still feeling the effects of a Deke elbow, but let's just grab Adrian Peterson in the first round, add a solid DB in the 2nd, an interior OL in the 3rd, a hard-hitting safety in the fourth, look at a sleeper QB prospect (Kevin Kolb, anyone?) and add a punter capable of kicking it more than 35 yards in the air, and this team's not necessarily that far away, is it?
What is really needed more than anything is a change in attitude on the offensive side of the ball, and it starts by sticking DC on the next one-way flight to Abu Dhabi. Give Sage the keys next season, pound AD and Lundy 30 times a game, and I don't think that the next two seasons have to be total wastes by any stretch of the imagination.
I believe Kubes consciously allowed the smoke to be blown up his ass because he simply wanted the Texans job, Carr or no Carr. It's his hometown, great facilities, cooperative ownership, huge fan base in The football state. This offseason will be the one that counts; Kubes will likely make his feelings known in a matter of roster areas, beginning with the well overdue exorcism of #8.
I agree on Kolb. And I love Troy Smith and Michael Smith. However, I'm afraid that there's not going to be a top-three type DB in this draft. Guys you like, FB?
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