Uh oh, I'm getting excited again

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by deucetx

Naw I think he's talking about when we played the Patriots last time and Schaub threw deep to Walter in the endzone who was covered pretty well. Meanwhile Arian Foster was open underneath with the entire field available in front of him.

Yep. Did not forget that.

Had Matt just checked it to Foster it's likely he would have scored. Who knows what happens then.

Patriots are a great team, but some act like they can't be beat. As a football player once said that beat them...ANYBODY CAN BE BEAT!

We don't have to play perfect to do so, what team goes out there and plays perfect? That team is winning superbowls.

We just have to play our game, enforce our will on them, play disciplined. Not perfect, yeah it's going to take a lot of players playing great to beat them...

Buuuuuut they are going to have to play well to beat us as well. Hello, we are a 12-4 team that shouldn't be taken lightly. Texans, at least show the world that you are the 3rd best team in the AFC for a reason.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

Not sure what you mean?

Not just you in particular. But our "job" as fans, is to root for our team, cheer for our team, to support our team. Some people can't do that for the three hours it takes to watch a game, much less the 17 weeks of the regular season.

But they expect the team to play "inspired" for 60 minutes

again, not you in particular, I don't know your rooting habits.

And this isn't to say you can't criticize your team, I criticize them myself. I'm sure they're critical of themselves. But some of the things we say as "fans" is over the line, imo.

If you've found anything to feel good about over the last 20 weeks of this season, you are not included in the "them" column.

[2012Champs]

Originally Posted by deucetx

Naw I think he's talking about when we played the Patriots last time and Schaub threw deep to Walter in the endzone who was covered pretty well. Meanwhile Arian Foster was open underneath with the entire field available in front of him.

ah Im with you. I am more than okay with Schaub taking the short to mid throws vs trying to bomb it when its not there

[Double Barrel]

Do y'all remember the first time the Texans beat the Manning-led Colts?

Christmas eve, 2006, Kubiak's first year as HC and David Carr as QB.

NOBODY expected us to win, especially that season which eventually saw Manning get his one and only SB ring.

The way we won, run game to keep Manning off the field and a defense that made some crucial plays, was the key.

That 6-10 Texans team had no business beating the eventual Super Bowl champions. No business at all. But nobody mentioned that to the Texans. They went out there and gave the Texans fanbase the second most memorable win of the young franchise's history at the time.

The Texans can do it again, folks. Keep Brady off the field, do not make mistakes, and make some plays.

I'm not predicting anything. I'm not a gambling man. But anything can happen. Anything. That's what makes us keep coming back to watch these games.

[hookinreds]

Originally Posted by Hardcore Texan

Schaub needs to take what the defense gives him. Last game there was plenty of yardage in chunks underneath and Schaub was trying to hit the big play I guess doing his best Tom Brady impression, I don't know. But if they can chew a lot of clock, have good red zone efficiency, and make a few key stops on defense it could be a close game.

Ooooh...you said clock...now it makes more sense.

[infantrycak]

Spot on DB - heck Manning even had 3 TD's that day but the Texans walked out with the W.

[BullNation4Life]

Originally Posted by GP

Cautiously optimistic.

This is how I will take this week, heavy on the Cautiously....

Defense shows up like they did this past Saturday, they have a fighting chance..

BUT...

If the offense shows up like they did this past Saturday, they have no chance...

If ANY game this year where the Texans get all aspects of their game on the same page and their Ying is intertwined with their Yang, this is the game...

[TejasTom]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

But they expect the team to play "inspired" for 60 minutes.

Where is Herb Brooks when we need him?

Posted using Tapatalk from my phone. May contain errors.

[Tailgate]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

Not just you in particular. But our "job" as fans, is to root for our team, cheer for our team, to support our team. Some people can't do that for the three hours it takes to watch a game, much less the 17 weeks of the regular season.

But they expect the team to play "inspired" for 60 minutes

again, not you in particular, I don't know your rooting habits.

And this isn't to say you can't criticize your team, I criticize them myself. I'm sure they're critical of themselves. But some of the things we say as "fans" is over the line, imo.

If you've found anything to feel good about over the last 20 weeks of this season, you are not included in the "them" column.

What I feel good about is the fact that we won 12 games and have matched last years success despite losing Cushing, Brisiel, Winston, and Dreessen.

What I dont feel good about is how that will ultimately translate into surpassing last years success.

That being said, we have not lost yet... this game still has to be played on the field, 11 vs 11, one play at a time, and nobody can predict the future. I mean, could it really get any worse than the last time we played?

Maybe it was just us not knowing how to handle that type of game in the regular season that caused us to play so tight and get behind so big so quickly. Maybe the fact that NOBODY gives us a chance to win, we have nothing to lose, and its win or go home that will enable our players to play with a more fun, loose, and wreckless abandon that we saw against the Ravens on the road this time last year. Our players keep eluding to this.

We can still play our best game of the year, and we are going to have to.

[GP]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

Just watch the Ravens upset the Broncos on Sat.... Setting up a chance to get homefield again. Lol... AND THENNN....

I would seriously LOL if that happened. You mean to tell me that the Texans couldn't wrap up HFA on their own, but by sheer circumstance we DO end up with HFA??? You can't write that stuff. It's pure comedy at its best.

I think these Patriots will safety up and play a very conservative game (conservative for them, so to speak). I think THEY think that it won't take much to beat us...and they're probably right.

I have this theory that the Patriots and the Texans are really not that far apart, on the surface. Both these teams do one thing well: They insist that their opponent crumble before they do. The Texans have been doing this to teams all season long...making the opponent crack under the pressure, which was evident in the Jags and Lions game that both went to OT.

The Patriots are notches above the Texans in this, however, as evident by how we went up there and acted like we'd never touched a football before.

[Bulls on Parade]

Hit Tom Brady hard and often. Force turnovers!!!!!

Something we failed to do last time...

When the ball is on the ground, please fall on top of it, Kareem!

[TexanSam]

If the Texans can control the clock like they did against Cincy, then we'll have a chance. We have to score TDs instead of FGs and I think that's possible. It's only been the last month that we've had trouble scoring in the red zone. If we can reverse our fortunes in that area, then a win is possible.

[Bulls on Parade]

Originally Posted by TexanSam

If the Texans can control the clock like they did against Cincy, then we'll have a chance. We have to score TDs instead of FGs and I think that's possible. It's only been the last month that we've had trouble scoring in the red zone. If we can reverse our fortunes in that area, then a win is possible.

Agreed. I actually thought the Texans came out with a great game plan at Foxboro a month ago. We ran it down their throats for a couple of big gains, but one was called back because a ticky tack holding call. And then Lestar Jean dropped a potential big pass play -- Schaub may have over-threw it a bit but Jean had his man beat one on one and should have made the catch.

And then the Patriots fumbled trying to punch it in for a Touchdown on a great goal line stance for the Texans defense. Danieal Manning forced the fumble but Kareem Jackson foolishly tried to scoop it up and run. He tried to make a big-time play but in that situation we need to fall on top of the ball and recover a game-changing turnover.

I almost felt the Texans should have went on top 14-0 or 10-0 in that game but left points on the table and the Patriots just blew us out and went up 21-0 not long after. And mind you, once it's 21-0 that completely takes Arian Foster out of the game. We can't run that often after that if we want to play catch up and win...

Don't try to be a hero, just play hard and smart football. If we do that, I'm confident we can pull off the upset against a great Patriots team that is favored by 9.5 points.

[texanhead08]

I'm staying even keel for this one. I will be going bat**** crazy if we win, but if we lose I am not going to flip out and scream on this forum that we need to fire the whole staff and cut all the players too.

[arb729]

Originally Posted by Bulls on Parade

Hit Tom Brady hard and often. Force turnovers!!!!!

Something we failed to do last time...

When the ball is on the ground, please fall on top of it, Kareem!

PREACH! No one around here (Boston, not TT) listens to me, but Brady turtles when he gets hit early. It's been like that ever since he blew out his knee.

In regards to the original point of the thread, I am the same way. I wasn't looking forward to last week's game, even up to arriving at the bar to watch. But quickly, I found myself pacing and not being able to sit. Something about sports, man...

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by GP

I have this theory that the Patriots and the Texans are really not that far apart, on the surface. Both these teams do one thing well: They insist that their opponent crumble before they do. The Texans have been doing this to teams all season long...making the opponent crack under the pressure, which was evident in the Jags and Lions game that both went to OT.

Valid theory. And why not? The Texans learned a lot from that game. I doubt they go to NE all wide-eyed and acting like a high school team having fun on a yellow bus to the state championship game.

I think this time they KNOW who they are playing and how not to act. They know the killer instinct in the Patriots now. They know how it feels to be dominated in NE on primetime.

We learn our best lessons from our worst mistakes. And this game should be no different. It might actually be a good thing that the Texans got whooped in a blowout at Foxboro. It might focus this team like it's never been focused, knowing that they cannot meet champs on the field while acting like chumps. The only way to beat a champ is to act like one. The Texans know this now.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

It's true, whether you're in the "ready to crown them" club or the "burn Gary and Matt at the stake" mob it's that time of the week when you start thinking about the possibilities. One win and it's all better. Really. I mean that.

We've all heard that tired cliche about having nothing to lose and that fact making someone "a very dangerous man". Well what do the Texans even have to lose this week? I mean, if they go up to New England and get their collective asses beat by, I dunno say "42-14" What does that matter? That already happened so big friggin deal. What's the worst that can happen? At this point it's just a matter of going up there, relaxing, and taking your best shot.

A loss and everyone moves on. We come back at this problem again next year.

A win however, well that's uncharted territory. That's back on track time.

A Texans win combined with an equally unlikely Ravens win in Denver puts the AFC Championship game back in Houston. Sure it's a ridiculous scenario. Most likely impossible but what the hell. If you're gonna dream, dream big.

New England in January. Nobody wanted it but here it is. I don't know how much pressure there can possibly be on the Texans at this point so maybe this will work. They don't respond to pressure so how about zero expectation of success and a national media that thinks they're a punchline? They might just respond to that.

This is currently my line of thought. Go 100% all out 4 quarters. Schaub and Kubiak ain't leaving so take deep breath, spit and go get 'em. This youg team would revel in a win. Mistake free ball and fair play calling by refs and we upset.

[76Texan]

My first reaction when I read the thread title was "Down, boy, down!"

[ArlingtonTexan]

There should be some level of excitement when you actually are in the playoffs, and have at least a puncher's chance. We are only two years removed from never playing a meaningful game past Thanksgiving. Give me frustration over six weeks of disappointing play and in the playoffs over realistically done by Halloween and only worrying about the draft.

[Tailgate]

Ok, so Garrett Graham is now a concern? If he doesnt play I may have to retract my excitement completely.

I just hope Fiddler doesnt have to witness that.