For all the Doubters

[TexansFan#80]

It has finally bothered me to the point where I feel like this needs to be said. Just because we lose to Cleveland doesn't mean the Texans have lost all progression and will start off next season as an expansion team. If the sucky teams were supposed to lose all the time, then why did the Titans whoop up on the Packers? Why did Miami beat SB champs New England? Any given Sunday. On any given Sunday, any team can beat any team in the NFL.

 

[hou059]

It has finally bothered me to the point where I feel like this needs to be said. Just because we lose to Cleveland doesn't mean the Texans have lost all progression and will start off next season as an expansion team. If the sucky teams were supposed to lose all the time, then why did the Titans whoop up on the Packers? Why did Miami beat SB champs New England? Any given Sunday. On any given Sunday, any team can beat any team in the NFL.

God Damn it! Thank You so much for posting this dude! You're absolutley right, On any Given Sunday any team can beat any team! That's why we play the games! Oh **** I guess the Patriots are set back a year for losing to the Dolphins...hell according to some folks here, why should the Texans even show up next season...afterall we lost to the Browns! How do you think the Jag's feel or Titans feel losing to us, think their fans are saying **** like our's are? Heck no! I bet they don't think they lost progression because they lost to a third year team!

 

[trijcomm]

It has finally bothered me to the point where I feel like this needs to be said. Just because we lose to Cleveland doesn't mean the Texans have lost all progression and will start off next season as an expansion team. If the sucky teams were supposed to lose all the time, then why did the Titans whoop up on the Packers? Why did Miami beat SB champs New England? Any given Sunday. On any given Sunday, any team can beat any team in the NFL.

The loss to Cleveland should bring us back to reality. What it shows is that we can't get by without addressing our weaknesses. I believe we felt that "The Team" could make the playoffs next year despite our weak offense and bad rushing defense after it beat Chicago and Jax on the road. The Cleveland game proved otherwise. It's that simple. Because of that, we must knock our expectations down a level because, now that we realize we can't get by without making some changes, there is no way of knowing if those changes will actually be made -- not to mention if they will be successful even if the changes do come to pass. Thus, expectations based on the Browns game must drop back to where they were this year going into Game 16. The fact is that "The Team" failed to reach the expectations we had going into the final game and we can't expect to reach the next level until we reach the goal -- which is a step below playoff contention. Let us also remember that some of the players this year were actually talking about making the playoffs. Does that mean that, since "The Team" failed to reach that goal, that this season is a failure? Realistic goals and realistic expectations are important when rating a team's success. They cannot be too lofty or else we will rush to judgment without exercising patience and yank the cake out of the oven before it's baked.

 

[hou059]

The loss to Cleveland should bring us back to reality. What it shows is that we can't get by without addressing our weaknesses. I believe we felt that "The Team" could make the playoffs next year despite our weak offense and bad rushing defense after it beat Chicago and Jax on the road. The Cleveland game proved otherwise. It's that simple. Because of that, we must knock our expectations down a level because, now that we realize we can't get by without making some changes, there is no way of knowing if those changes will actually be made -- not to mention if they will be successful even if the changes do come to pass. Thus, expectations based on the Browns game must drop back to where they were this year going into Game 16. The fact is that "The Team" failed to reach the expectations we had going into the final game and we can't expect to reach the next level until we reach the goal -- which is a step below playoff contention. Let us also remember that some of the players this year were actually talking about making the playoffs. Does that mean that, since "The Team" failed to reach that goal, that this season is a failure? Realistic goals and realistic expectations are important when rating a team's success. They cannot be too lofty or else we will rush to judgment without exercising patience and yank the cake out of the oven before it's baked.

Man you have a conservative way of thinking....who are you? Is this Dom Capers? Geeze!

 

[MichaelMC]

I only expected them to go 7-9 this season (now they did loose some that I thought the would when *cough*last week*cough*, but they also won some I thought they would loose) so I guess they met my goals and I thought after their 7-9 season this year next year would be playoff contenders next year, and since they met my expectations this year I don't have to lower my expectations in 05.

P.S. players saying they are not eliminated from the playoffs is a lot different that saying they expected to make the playoff or setting that goal for the 05 season.

Guess I'm just stealing your water cause mine is half full and yours is half empty.

 

[hou059]

ROCK ON!

 

[trijcomm]

I only expected them to go 7-9 this season (now they did loose some that I thought the would when *cough*last week*cough*, but they also won some I thought they would loose) so I guess they met my goals and I thought after their 7-9 season this year next year would be playoff contenders next year, and since they met my expectations this year I don't have to lower my expectations in 05.

P.S. players saying they are not eliminated from the playoffs is a lot different that saying they expected to make the playoff or setting that goal for the 05 season.

Guess I'm just stealing your water cause mine is half full and yours is half empty.

My expectations were 7-9 as well going into the season but by week 16 I had adjusted them up a notch after they beat Chicago and Jax on the road. I felt that they were on a roll and were better than I thought they were. I was brought back to reality in week 17. But to think that a 7-9 team will make the jump to playoff contention is unrealistic. Heck, they've never even reached 8-8! There are tons of teams that get stuck at 8-8 for years! Not to mention that "The Team" has never had a winning season and you expect playoffs next year? Sure, some teams like the Steelers made the jump. But the Steelers have been around a lot, lot longer than the Texans -- heck, the Steelers coach has been around longer than the Texans franchise! SD made the big jump this year, but remember they've been around a lot longer than the Texans -- including a visit to the Super Bowl. For someone to say that SD and Pitt made the jump in just one year is a huge misnomer. And SD had a heckuva lot of mediocre seasons out of the playoffs -- the last nine, as I recall -- before reversing the tide. To expect the Texans to make the playoffs next year after going 7-9 is actually a disservice to "The Team." You are expecting way, way too much from them.

 

[gwallaia]

Everyone needs to read aj's latest Voice of the Fan right here on the Texans website.

 

[hou059]

Hell I already read it and I loved it. I think all the nay-sayers ought to read that article.

 

[infantrycak]

SD made the big jump this year, but remember they've been around a lot longer than the Texans -- including a visit to the Super Bowl.

LOL--yeah the fact that the Chargers went to the superbowl after the 1994 season (is there anyone on the team from that team still?) has tons to do with their improvement from last year to this--rationalize much?

 

[Doug]

Everyone needs to read aj's latest Voice of the Fan right here on the Texans website.

I thought it was the best one of the year myself.

 

[Marcus]

Well, if you want to take the glass half-full approach, which should recommended to all:

The loss to Cleveland prevents players, coaches, and especially the fans from going into next season with a false sense of security. I can just see it very clearly. If we had rolled over the Browns to go 8-8 with a 3 game win streak, there would be many that would have the mistaken belief that we had, in Capers words, "taken that last step" to be a consistantly winning playoff contender.

That 'last step" will be the hardest, most difficult one to take. Welcome back to that cruel, cold world of reality.

 

[Doug]

I don't see what a team being around longer has to do with much considering personnel changes yearly and it's not like san diego's players have been around forever. Seems their younger players put it together stepped it up and made this year happen just as ours will do next year.

 

[trijcomm]

Well, if you want to take the glass half-full approach, which should recommended to all:

The loss to Cleveland prevents players, coaches, and especially the fans from going into next season with a false sense of security. I can just see it very clearly. If we had rolled over the Browns to go 8-8 with a 3 game win streak, there would be many that would have the mistaken belief that we had, in Capers words, "taken that last step" to be a consistantly winning playoff contender.

That 'last step" will be the hardest, most difficult one to take. Welcome back to that cruel, cold world of reality.

Right on!

 

[trijcomm]

LOL--yeah the fact that the Chargers went to the superbowl after the 1994 season (is there anyone on the team from that team still?) has tons to do with their improvement from last year to this--rationalize much?

Um, the fact that they have been there and went through all kinds of hades before getting back into the playoffs has nothing to do with 2004-5? Tell that to Junior Seau.

 

[MichaelMC]

My expectations were 7-9 as well going into the season but by week 16 I had adjusted them up a notch after they beat Chicago and Jax on the road. I felt that they were on a roll and were better than I thought they were. I was brought back to reality in week 17. But to think that a 7-9 team will make the jump to playoff contention is unrealistic. Heck, they've never even reached 8-8! There are tons of teams that get stuck at 8-8 for years! Not to mention that "The Team" has never had a winning season and you expect playoffs next year? Sure, some teams like the Steelers made the jump. But the Steelers have been around a lot, lot longer than the Texans -- heck, the Steelers coach has been around longer than the Texans franchise! SD made the big jump this year, but remember they've been around a lot longer than the Texans -- including a visit to the Super Bowl. For someone to say that SD and Pitt made the jump in just one year is a huge misnomer. And SD had a heckuva lot of mediocre seasons out of the playoffs -- the last nine, as I recall -- before reversing the tide. To expect the Texans to make the playoffs next year after going 7-9 is actually a disservice to "The Team." You are expecting way, way too much from them.

So now your telling me that after one win against a mediocre team in chicago and a great performance in a divisional rivalry that we were a step closer to the playoffs. Does that mean that Miami is a step closer because they beat thier division rilvals the PATs. So you changed your expectaions based on that principal and are now disappointed because they only met your original expectations and not your new found hope based on 8 quarters of football. but 4 quarters is enough to get you dicouraged and say we have barely progressed. One bad last game of the season you did a complete 180 on your expectation.

Hey a bandwagon is coming by better jump on!!!!!!

 

[infantrycak]

Um, the fact that they have been there and went through all kinds of hades before getting back into the playoffs has nothing to do with 2004-5? Tell that to Junior Seau.

Square peg in the round logic hole there scooter. The fact that the Chargers were in the SB in 1995 has zero, zip, nada to do with their transformation from 4-12 to 12-4.

And pssst--Seau was released, he didn't choose to leave the Chargers out of disgust.

 

[trijcomm]

I don't see what a team being around longer has to do with much considering personnel changes yearly and it's not like san diego's players have been around forever. Seems their younger players put it together stepped it up and made this year happen just as ours will do next year.

Experiencing the ups and downs of the NFL and realizing how hard it is and how long it takes to move from level to level is very relevant. It took the Chargers a long, long time to go from mediocrity to success. It was a slow, slow process -- not just a one-season turnaround. And here some of us are, talking about playoffs in just our fourth year after getting whipped by the worst team in the NFL at home less than a week ago?

 

[infantrycak]

Experiencing the ups and downs of the NFL and realizing how hard it is and how long it takes to move from level to level is very relevant.

Who had this oh so relevant experience, the mascot? There is noone there from the 1994 team.

 

[trijcomm]

Square peg in the round logic hole there scooter. The fact that the Chargers were in the SB in 1995 has zero, zip, nada to do with their transformation from 4-12 to 12-4.

And pssst--Seau was released, he didn't choose to leave the Chargers out of disgust.

Simplistic reasoning again -- and even that's a little flawed. You make it sound like presto, change-o, 4-12 to 12-4 -- it was that easy! But you fail to recognize that it took nine long years to go from the heights and then plummet to the dregs and slowly climb out again. It takes a long, long time to go from level to level in the NFL -- something a lot of folks around here seem to have a problem fathoming. And as for Seau, it wasn't like he was released because he couldn't cut it anymore, now, was he?

 

[Grid]

eh.. we were supposed to have taken a step towards becoming a contender at the end of the season. Remember all the pretty qoutes after the Jags game? Our offense and defense has really come together.. our defense is finally understanding how the system works.. we arent good enough to take anyone lightly.. so on and so forth. Here we are on an 11 quarter streak with no opponent scoring a TD and only one of them scoring a field goal.. and we buckle.

The browns game just showed that we were no where near where we claimed to be.

 

[Vinny]

Simplistic reasoning again -- and even that's a little flawed. You make it sound like presto, change-o, 4-12 to 12-4 -- it was that easy! But you fail to recognize that it took nine long years to go from the heights and then plummet to the dregs and slowly climb out again. It takes a long, long time to go from level to level in the NFL -- something a lot of folks around here seem to have a problem fathoming. And as for Seau, it wasn't like he was released because he couldn't cut it anymore, now, was he?

It takes about 3 years to turn an existing franchise around. I think it takes about 5 years to totally build one from scratch. We are going into year 4. We are right on pace.

Seau was released because he wasn't cutting it anymore? Yes, that is pretty accurate. He lost a step and was part of why the Chargers defense was getting old and exploited. His big complaint his last years at SD was he busted his assignments too often trying to do too much and he wasn't the player he was before so the results were not the same.

 

[trijcomm]

So now your telling me that after one win against a mediocre team in chicago and a great performance in a divisional rivalry that we were a step closer to the playoffs. Does that mean that Miami is a step closer because they beat thier division rilvals the PATs. So you changed your expectaions based on that principal and are now disappointed because they only met your original expectations and not your new found hope based on 8 quarters of football. but 4 quarters is enough to get you dicouraged and say we have barely progressed. One bad last game of the season you did a complete 180 on your expectation.

Hey a bandwagon is coming by better jump on!!!!!!

We COULD have been a step closer to the playoffs but the Browns game brought me to my senses. Yes, I changed my expectations based on the fact that we were 7-8 and had a home game against a team that had lost nine games in a row, was mailing it in and was a 10-point underdog. Forgive me for expecting a win -- I guess I should have known better after watching this same team get drubbed by the Bengals in their first year after being favored in similar fashion. Yes, one bad last game of the season made me reassess the situation. It's called a dose of reality. You might try one tonight before you hit the hay. :cat:

 

[Doug]

Experiencing the ups and downs of the NFL and realizing how hard it is and how long it takes to move from level to level is very relevant.

For who? The owner.....Half the team isn't around after years and years of up and down nor are the coaches or gms for a particular team in today's NFL.

 

[trijcomm]

It takes about 3 years to turn an existing franchise around. I think it takes about 5 years to totally build one from scratch. We are going into year 4. We are right on pace.

Seau was released because he wasn't cutting it anymore? Yes, that is pretty accurate. He lost a step and was part of why the Chargers defense was getting old and exploited. His big complaint his last years at SD was he busted his assignments too often trying to do too much and he wasn't the player he was before so the results were not the same.

Uh, three years ago, the Texans franchise wasn't even "existing!" You seem to forget that "The Team" is barely out of its cradle. And even you admit it takes five years to build one from scratch. It seems to me that you are just too impatient. Oh, and the last time I heard, Seau is still in the NFL -- at a pretty nice salary, as I recall.

 

[Vinny]

Uh, three years ago, the Texans franchise wasn't even "existing!" You seem to forget that "The Team" is barely out of its cradle. And even you admit it takes five years to build one from scratch. It seems to me that you are just too impatient.

Too impatient for what? Do you even know what my position is on this topic? Also, what makes you think I don't know we are an expansion team?

Oh, and the last time I heard, Seau is still in the NFL -- at a pretty nice salary, as I recall.

So is Vinny Testaverde. So what?

 

[trijcomm]

Experiencing the ups and downs of the NFL and realizing how hard it is and how long it takes to move from level to level is very relevant.

For who? The owner.....Half the team isn't around after years and years of up and down nor are the coaches or gms for a particular team in today's NFL.

Half the team isn't around, I may grant you that. But half of it IS around. And the coaches who are around are still dealing with both tangibles and intangibles that were there before they came in and were instituted years and years ago. Don't underestimate the history and heritage of a franchise -- it is very relevant to the teams you see on the field today.

 

[trijcomm]

eh.. we were supposed to have taken a step towards becoming a contender at the end of the season. Remember all the pretty qoutes after the Jags game? Our offense and defense has really come together.. our defense is finally understanding how the system works.. we arent good enough to take anyone lightly.. so on and so forth. Here we are on an 11 quarter streak with no opponent scoring a TD and only one of them scoring a field goal.. and we buckle.

The browns game just showed that we were no where near where we claimed to be.

Right on!

 

[MichaelMC]

We COULD have been a step closer to the playoffs but the Browns game brought me to my senses. Yes, I changed my expectations based on the fact that we were 7-8 and had a home game against a team that had lost nine games in a row, was mailing it in and was a 10-point underdog. Forgive me for expecting a win -- I guess I should have known better after watching this same team get drubbed by the Bengals in their first year after being favored in similar fashion. Yes, one bad last game of the season made me reassess the situation. It's called a dose of reality. You might try one tonight before you hit the hay. :cat:

So if the PATs would have lost to Miami the last game of the season should we have taken them out of the playoffs, the idea of a team that has only been around 3 years brings inconsistancy. Everything about the team is new, they have not had a lot of time to adjust to the system, that is why they shutout a playoff conteder and then loose to the browns. If you did not realize that that would still be happening in the third year of existance you would not have believed at the beginning of the year that they would go 7-9 because we really didn't face 9 teams with better talent. The texans have a lot of talent but they are just inconsistant wich is why they are an EXPANISION team. You saw two games that could very well signal what is to come next year if we can clear away some of the inconsistancies the texans have. then just because they lost to a brows team that was "mailing it in" (I guess in some universe far far away that means the same thing as an interim head coach trying to keep his job, and a team trying not to set a record for most consecutive losses) thier whole season is now a failure.

 

[disaacks3]

Hell I already read it and I loved it. I think all the nay-sayers ought to read that article.

Maybe you better re-read it...it sure doesn't paint any kind of "rosy" picture...see "ineptitude for 3-plus hours" or "That’s ineptitude at its finest". I agree with his analysis that a win / loss in the Cleveland game (in and of itself) wasn't that big of a deal one way or the other.

One quote (from VOTF) that puzzled me was this: "The million-dollar question is whether it's scheme, personnel or a combination of both." That sure sounds like we're only talking about the players and leaving no responsibility for any of this on the coaches. This team played absolutely FLAT in 25% of its games this year - that sounds like a coaching issue to me.

Oh well, there's always next year.....

 

[Wolf]

eh.. we were supposed to have taken a step towards becoming a contender at the end of the season. Remember all the pretty qoutes after the Jags game? Our offense and defense has really come together.. our defense is finally understanding how the system works.. we arent good enough to take anyone lightly.. so on and so forth. Here we are on an 11 quarter streak with no opponent scoring a TD and only one of them scoring a field goal.. and we buckle.

The browns game just showed that we were no where near where we claimed to be.

The Browns game wasn't the deciding factor on whether or not we were playoff ready. To me it happened the first week of November and I knew we weren't playoff ready. What happened that week? well we went on a streak of 4 out of 5 wins in a row (Oakland,K.C.Tennesse and Jacksonville (lost to Minnesota)) and the media comes out and mentions the dreaded "playoff" word.. Wins sugarcoat things (i.e. lack of passrush,stopping the run, and giving up 3rd down conversions)..and when the media mentioned the "P" word things got buzzing in Houston.. Well we play 2 playoff bound teams in a row at,at their place mind you and get blown out by a combo of 80-27 (denver and indy) ... that is when I knew we weren't playoff ready.. it wasn't just the Browns game

 

[HJam72]

I think we're putting way too much emphasis on a single game here, mostly just because it was the last game of the season. I don't think winning 2 more next year is too much to ask. I'm not even asking for play-offs, necessarilly. I just want more wins next year than losses.

There's something else here too. We're looking at this season as if this season should tell us what to expect from this team next year. That's like grading on an extremely friendly curve there. The worse they do, the easier we grade them? I'm not saying they did that bad this year, but I'm looking at what I really think we should expect from a 4th year team (who is supposedly going somewhere), regardless of what they've done the past 3 years. All this year, I was expecting 8 wins, but thought 7 would be exceptable. I really never changed my opinion of that. When they were 4-3, I thought they might to much better (maybe even 10 wins), but I never changed my mind about what I expected. It was always 8, but 7 gets a passing grade. If this team wins 8 games next year, I will not feel like my statements here were wrong. I will feel like my expectations were not met and that this team is not progressing enough to be sure about everyone's job--I mean, if it were up to me, which it's not, anyway, lol. Maybe I'll buy it when I'm a billionaire next year. Yeah, that'd be cool.

If this team had won 5 games this year, I would still expect 9 next year, assuming they kept the GM and All the same coaches (which I would be wailing for them not to do). Year after next, I expect playoffs. Don't matter what they do next year. Playoffs or bust in the 5th year and they better at least compete in the first round, if not win it. It's a five year plan. I expect to have a GOOD team in 5 years time.

 

[trijcomm]

The Browns game wasn't the deciding factor on whether or not we were playoff ready. To me it happened the first week of November and I knew we weren't playoff ready. What happened that week? well we went on a streak of 4 out of 5 wins in a row (Oakland,K.C.Tennesse and Jacksonville (lost to Minnesota)) and the media comes out and mentions the dreaded "playoff" word.. Wins sugarcoat things (i.e. lack of passrush,stopping the run, and giving up 3rd down conversions)..and when the media mentioned the "P" word things got buzzing in Houston.. Well we play 2 playoff bound teams in a row at,at their place mind you and get blown out by a combo of 80-27 (denver and indy) ... that is when I knew we weren't playoff ready.. it wasn't just the Browns game

I think you are confusing being playoff contenders this year with being contenders next year. Yes, some folks were talking playoffs for this year for awhile. That idea was snuffed out after the Denver, Indy and NYJ games. Then after the Bears and Jax games, we honestly began to think, "Well, maybe NEXT year!" The Browns game did that idea in.

 

[trijcomm]

I think we're putting way too much emphasis on a single game here, mostly just because it was the last game of the season. I don't think winning 2 more next year is too much to ask. I'm not even asking for play-offs, necessarilly. I just want more wins next year than losses.

There's something else here too. We're looking at this season as if this season should tell us what to expect from this team next year. That's like grading on an extremely friendly curve there. The worse they do, the easier we grade them? I'm not saying they did that bad this year, but I'm looking at what I really think we should expect from a 4th year team (who is supposedly going somewhere), regardless of what they've done the past 3 years. All this year, I was expecting 8 wins, but thought 7 would be exceptable. I really never changed my opinion of that. When they were 4-3, I thought they might to much better (maybe even 10 wins), but I never changed my mind about what I expected. It was always 8, but 7 gets a passing grade. If this team wins 8 games next year, I will not feel like my statements here were wrong. I will feel like my expectations were not met and that this team is not progressing enough to be sure about everyone's job--I mean, if it were up to me, which it's not, anyway, lol. Maybe I'll buy it when I'm a billionaire next year. Yeah, that'd be cool.

If we are putting too much emphasis on it, then so are the players. The players themselves were saying how important a win was before the game on Sunday, how they would go into next season with the taste of that game in their mouths. They are still saying that to this day. So if the players are doing it, I don't see anything wrong with us doing it as well. I personally doubt there are a lot of players walking around talking about playoffs next year after last week's debacle.

 

[wags]

I personally doubt there are a lot of players walking around talking about playoffs next year after last week's debacle.

That's pretty much what all the Texan players will be talking about next year. If you are a fan you should be encouraged by that.

 

[jacquescas]

Everyone is putting too much weight on the Browns game. We lost a game we were supposed to win, we came out flat. that doesn't mean that the other 15 games meant nothing.

Get over the browns game people it was 1 game. 1 loss. its not the end of the world.

 

[Wolf]

I think you are confusing being playoff contenders this year with being contenders next year. Yes, some folks were talking playoffs for this year for awhile. That idea was snuffed out after the Denver, Indy and NYJ games. Then after the Bears and Jax games, we honestly began to think, "Well, maybe NEXT year!" The Browns game did that idea in.

nope, strickly talking this year. the P word was thrown around in Oct. by the media and even heard some mentioned by the Texans. (it was thrown around as in a possiblity and not necessarily that we were going to make it)

At that time Carr was in the top 10 on QB ratings and AJ was kicking some tail.

 

[trijcomm]

nope, strickly talking this year. the P word was thrown around in Oct. by the media and even heard some mentioned by the Texans. (it was thrown around as in a possiblity and not necessarily that we were going to make it)

At that time Carr was in the top 10 on QB ratings and AJ was kicking some tail.

This year's over and history. Can't do anything about this past year.

 

[trijcomm]

Everyone is putting too much weight on the Browns game. We lost a game we were supposed to win, we came out flat. that doesn't mean that the other 15 games meant nothing.

Get over the browns game people it was 1 game. 1 loss. its not the end of the world.

It was more than just one loss. It showed that we were weak against a weak team and that we will not be able to hide from our sore spots this coming season. This last game will carry over into training camp -- and it's not me who is saying that, it's the players. This game was much, much bigger than the other 15 games. If you don't believe me, ask the players. They may not say that now because they lost. But look at what they said before the game.

 

[trijcomm]

That's pretty much what all the Texan players will be talking about next year.

I sincerely doubt that. They may be HOPING to make the playoffs, but I doubt they'll be seriously discussing it. Same for me -- I will be HOPING they make it, but not expecting it.

 

[infantrycak]

Simplistic reasoning again -- and even that's a little flawed. You make it sound like presto, change-o, 4-12 to 12-4 -- it was that easy! But you fail to recognize that it took nine long years to go from the heights and then plummet to the dregs and slowly climb out again. It takes a long, long time to go from level to level in the NFL -- something a lot of folks around here seem to have a problem fathoming. And as for Seau, it wasn't like he was released because he couldn't cut it anymore, now, was he?

And you evidently don't try rational reasoning at all--so the only way for a team to make the same results leap the Chargers did is to have had the same 20 years of history before--that is beyond whacked. And no I am not saying it is easy to go from 4-12 to 12-4--what I am saying is there are plenty of examples of improvement like that by teams demonstrate that your assertion that the Browns game proves we should shoot for 8-8 next year and play-offs are completely unrealistic is completely detached from NFL reality.

What the heck is your point with Seau in the 1st place? You acted at first like he left in disgust, which (a) is wrong and (b) has nothing to do with the Chargers' improvement this year.

 

[jacquescas]

Wow this is the most negative i've seen this board in a couple years.

you guys are such Debbie Downers...


There is still a draft where we have 4 first day picks... Free agency where we have no major players up for free agency, so the bulk of our team will be back next year.

 

[trijcomm]

And you have no reasoning at all--so the only way for a team to make the same results leap the Chargers did is to have had the same 20 years of history before--that is beyond whacked.

What the heck is your point with Seau in the 1st place? You acted at first like he left in disgust, which (a) is wrong and (b) has nothing to do with the Chargers' improvement this year.

Um, nothing comes easy in this world or the NFL and for you to expect a team that is just three years removed from its birth to jump from being a 7-9 team that just lost to one of the worst teams in the NFL a matter of days ago into a playoff contender next year presto, change-o is, well, "beyond whacked." And the point I was getting in regards to Seau is he was around for the lean years when he played his heart out for a losing team and knows exactly what it's like to go through the lean, tough years and see the team finally change things around.

 

[TexansFan#80]

Um, nothing comes easy in this world or the NFL and for you to expect a team that is just three years removed from its birth to jump from being a 7-9 team that just lost to one of the worst teams in the NFL a matter of days ago into a playoff contender next year presto, change-o is, well, "beyond whacked."

Look at what the Panthers AND the Jaguars did in their early years as an expansion team. And you're saying the Texans can't do the same?

 

[trijcomm]

Wow this is the most negative i've seen this board in a couple years.

you guys are such Debbie Downers...


There is still a draft where we have 4 first day picks... Free agency where we have no major players up for free agency, so the bulk of our team will be back next year.

It is NOT a negative statement to say I don't expect the team to jump from 7-9 three years removed from its birth after losing to the worst team in the league at home less than a week ago into the playoffs in one year! In fact, to say that they WILL make that jump could be VERY detrimental to the team and its future. After all, using the Berkleyan philosophical approach, if everybody were to unrealistically expect that and it didn't happen, then Capers would be fired before the cake was baked and we'd have to start all over again. It is a very dangerous game to set expectations too high.

 

[trijcomm]

Look at what the Panthers AND the Jaguars did in their early years as an expansion team. And you're saying the Texans can't do the same?

Umm, look at one of the lead stories on this website. Capers -- who coached the Panthers to that achievement, by the way -- is NOT looking for that same kind of quick move. He has always looked for slow, steady growth and that's the way he is approaching it. And if you will recall, following the Panthers and Jags brief appearance in the playoffs, they collapsed for several years before they began to emerge out of the muck just recently. Those were also the days that the two expansion teams got sweetheart draft deals from the league -- something neither the Browns nor the Texans ended up getting in their first drafts.

 

[HJam72]

Umm, look at one of the lead stories on this website. Capers -- who coached the Panthers to that achievement, by the way -- is NOT looking for that same kind of quick move. He has always looked for slow, steady growth and that's the way he is approaching it. And if you will recall, following the Panthers and Jags brief appearance in the playoffs, they collapsed for several years before they began to emerge out of the muck just recently. Those were also the days that the two expansion teams got sweetheart draft deals from the league -- something neither the Browns nor the Texans ended up getting in their first drafts.

Most of us don't even need to look at it to know that you're right about that, but 9 wins next year is still something I expect. 8 wins next year is TOO slow. Eventually, this team WILL regress for a while, so they need to get somewhere before that starts to happen. If you only win one extra game every year, it takes way too many of those years to get where you want to be. Let's try to do it while Carr isn't retired yet.

 

[trijcomm]

Most of us don't even need to look at it to know that you're right about that, but 9 wins next year is still something I expect. 8 wins next year is TOO slow. Eventually, this team WILL regress for a while, so they need to get somewhere before that starts to happen. If you only win one extra game every year, it takes way too many of those years to get where you want to be. Let's try to do it while Carr isn't retired yet.

Um, if they improve their record by one game every year, they hit nine wins by 2006. That's just one year later than this coming season. That isn't bad at all.

 

[HJam72]

9 wins in the fifth year of a 5 year plan? I think Jerry Glanville could've done better.

 

[trijcomm]

9 wins in the fifth year of a 5 year plan? I think Jerry Glanville could've done better.

We're talking the first five years of a team's existence -- starting from SCRATH!