Official Texans @ Patriots Divisional Playoff Game Thread, 1/13/2013

[Keith]

TV = CBS (channel 11 local), Sunday 3:30 pm CST

Announcers (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4738048/nantz-simms-to-call-7th-pats-game) = Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, sideline - Steve Tasker

This line from Spaceballs pretty much summed up the first meeting between the Pats, with Belichick in his hoodie as Dark Helmet and Kubiak as Lone Star:

U7XVcqZodAM

[HPF Bob]

C'mon Texans! Let's keep the upset train rolling this weekend. I DO NOT want a Baltimore/New England repeat for the AFC Championship Game.

[TheMatrix31]

Not much needs to be said. Just go there and do it. Bottom line.

Let's ****************ing go.

[Warren]

Texans
CB Roc Carmichael
CB Stanford Routt
ILB Cameron Collins
OG Antoine Caldwell
OT Andrew Gardner
OG Cody White
NT Terrell McClain

Patriots
WR Kamar Allen
S Derrick Martin
CB Malcolm Williams
OL Nick McDonald
OL Markus Zusevics
TE Daniel Fells
DE Jake Bequette

[Arky]

Congrats to Atlanta - going from chokers to getting the monkey off their backs.... I wonder how many fans needed to go to the infirmary at the stadium....

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Texans in all white today...

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Kickoff in a few.

[Nconroe]

Let's go Texans.

[Arky]

Texans win the toss and will receive...

Manning! Brings the kickoff back all the way to the Patriot 12 yard line!

Texans ball.

[Arky]

Foster for 3. 2nd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Casey is dropped.... 3rd and 7 coming up....

Pass too tall for AJ in the endzone, inc. Texans to go for the FG.

Graham's 27-yarder is good.

Texans 3, Pats 0

13:57 left in the 1st quarter.

[chuck]

A pussy first down call and two complete failures of execution. Three points is not going to get it done.

[Nconroe]

That was nearly 7 to Casey, great KR by Manning.

Up 3, let's see what defense does.

[Arky]

Pats bring the ensuing kickoff back to their 19. Pats ball.

Woodhead stopped for no gain. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Welker gets about 8. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Pass to the sideline is inc. Pats have to punt.

Martin catches the punt and slips and slides to the Texan 17. Texans ball.

[Big Texas]

Shaub throws one excellent pass and one shitty pass....inconsistent as usual...

[Big Texas]

Wow what a play Kubes....

[Arky]

Pass to OD good for 11 and a 1st down.

Pass to AJ gets 10.

Dumpoff to Foster gets about 13. Ball at midfield.

Foster for no gain. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to AJ in the flat sails inc. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Pass to OD only gets 5 or 6. Texans to punt.

Punt is downed by the Texans at the Pats 11. 9:27 left in the 1st quarter.

[Arky]

Pass to Hernandez gets 4.

Pass to Hernandez gets 7 and a 1st down. Ball at the Pats 23.

Vereen sweeps left for loss of 1. 2nd and 11 coming up.

Deep pass to Gronk caught but out of bounds, inc. 3rd and 11 coming up.

Pass to Welker gets 11 and a 1st down.

Brady is sacked by Watt and Reed! 2nd and 19 coming up.

Dumpoff pass goes for 11.

On 3rd and 8, pass to Welker is dropped, inc. Pats have to punt.

Martin brings the punt back to the Texans 20. Texans ball.

[Nconroe]

Watt and Reed share a sack. Then Welker drops a pass.

Ok, now time for offense.

[BigBull]

Looks like the defense came to play. Now the offense needs to put it in the endzone.

[Warren]

Wade is definitely mixing things up -- lots of different looks.

[Arky]

5:49 left in the 1st quarter.

Pass to AJ gets about 15.

Foster for maybe 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Pass to AJ broken up, inc. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Foster is dropped, inc. Texans have to punt.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Pats 35. Pats ball.

[chuck]

I wonder if Schaub will ever throw the ball downfield.

[Big Texas]

I wonder if Schaub will ever throw the ball downfield.

We are just dropping passes...

[Arky]

4:29 left in the 1st quarter.

Ridley rushes for 15.

Ridley met in the backfield by James for loss of 2. 2nd and 12 coming up.

Dumpoff to Ridley gets 13 and the 1st down.

Pass to Vereen goes all the way to the Texan 15 yard line.

Pass to Hernandez goes to the Texan 1 yard line.

Vereen waltzs in for the TD.

Pats 7, Texans 3

1:28 left in the 1st quarter.

[chuck]

That is the difference between a very good team and the Texans. A very good team finishes in the red zone and the Texans shrivel. The no balls / no execution pair that the Texans invariably display in the red zone is absolutely disgusting. We can expect to continue to see it as long as Kubiak and Schaub are a tandem. Which will be for as long as McNair is alive.

[Big Texas]

That TD is on the offense for doing nothing with the ball...

[Arky]

Manning downs the ensuing kickoff in the endzone, touchback. Texans ball at their 20.

------------------------------

Pass to AJ gets 16.

Foster for loss of 2. 2nd and 12 coming up.

Dumpoff pass to Foster gets 12 and a 1st down.

End of the 1st quarter.

Pats 7, Texans 3

[Nconroe]

Schaub throwing ok, couple of close drops. And hopefully we get Foster and run game going..

Atleast field position not too bad so far. Defense .

[TheMatrix31]

Happy with the first quarter. No penalties. Generally won field position except for the bad punt which naturally, set then up for 7.

Have to get a TD here.

[Joshua]

Biggest factor of the 1st is 2 usually surehanded guys dropping balls. Just unfortunate.

Biggest complaint is the D being caught completely off guard by a quick snap on the 1. Gotta see that coming.

[Arky]

Ball at the Texan 47.

Foster for no gain. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Schaub's pass way too high for OD over the middle, inc. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Schaub pressured, throws it inc. Texans to punt.

Pat fair catch the punt at their 15. Pats ball.

[chuck]

Second and ten, second and twelve.

The team needs to run the ball to win but running the ball on first down out of running formations is obviously not the path to success.

[Big Texas]

Well I guess we have gotten as close as we are gonna get on offense..we all know Kubiak doesnt make in game adjustments...

[Joshua]

The screens and underneath stuff is working. They just gotta catch the damn ball.

[Arky]

Ball spotted at the Pats 16.

Ridley for 2. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Welker too low, inc. 3rd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Welker goes all the way to the Pats 48, 1st down.

Vereen rushes for 22.

Vereen for 8 up the gut. Ball at the Texan 22.

Pass to Welker broken up, inc. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Vereen goes left and gets about 6 and the 1st down.

Pass too short, inc but flag on the play.....unsportsmanlike on Lloyd pushes the ball back to the Pats 31. 2nd and 25 coming up.

Screen to Vereen goes for 12. 3rd and 13 coming up.

Pass to Hernandez in the endzone too long, inc. Pats to go for the FG.

Gostkowski's 37-yarder is good.

Pats 10, Texans 3

10:16 left in the half.

[Big Texas]

The defense is playing as good as can be expected...the offense sucks...ok not sucks...inconsistent...

[Nconroe]

The way Pats offense is executing, holding to a FG feels like a success.

Maybe we can sustain a drive here.

[Arky]

The ensuing kickoff goes out of the endzone, touchback. Texans ball at their 20.

--------------------------------

Pass to AJ gets 13 or so.

Foster for 8. 2nd and 2 coming up.

Foster stopped for no gain....flag down....holding on Newton backs it up 10. 2nd and 13 coming up.

Pass to Posey good for 24.

Pass to OD broken up inc. Ball at the Pats 46.

Screen to Posey loses yardage. Makes it 3rd and 12 coming up.

Pass to Graham only gets 5. Texans to punt.

Pats call timeout.

Punt goes into the endzone. Pats ball at their 20. 6:34 left in the half.

[Big Texas]

Inconsistent

[chuck]

Gary Kubiak, offensive genius. That WR screen was pure gold. Outstanding call.

Punting the ball down the middle of the field from midfield drives me fing crazy. This team is just stupid in too many areas.

[Arky]

They're forcing Schaub to pass and a few weeks ago, I would have thought no problem.... lately? Not so much....

This is a winnable game.... too bad they can't execute....

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Watt stops Ridley for loss of 1.

Brady's short pass over the middle inc. 3rd and 11 coming up.

Pass to Welker gets about 13 and a 1st down.

Pass in the flat goes for gain of 7. Ball at the Pats 39.

Ridley for 5 and a 1st down.

Deep pass to Welker down the sideline is complete for 47 yards. Ball at the Texan 8. 1st and goal.

Dumpoff pass to Vereen goes for the TD.

Pats 17, Texans 3

3:38 left in the half.

[chuck]

Welp, nice season fellas.

I guess I like this better than when the team was total dogshit. But the reality is that the team doesn't have any better chance of winning the Super Bowl than it did in 2003.

[Nconroe]

That drive hurt. Welker is something.

[Arky]

Manning brings the ensuing kickoff back about 35 yards + horsecollar tackle on the Pats on the tackle places the ball at the Pats 47. Texans ball.

------------------------------

Foster pops one for 21.

Foster for 13 or 14. 1st and goal at the 7.

Foster for 2. 2nd and goal at the 5.

2 minute warning.

[Big Texas]

That drive hurt. Welker is something.

Kareem was trying to avoid the PI...but Welker got away with it instead...

[Arky]

Foster to the 1 yard line. 3rd and goal from the 1 coming up.

Foster punches it in for the TD!

Play is under review...... maybe not a TD......

Play stands, touchdown!

Pats 17, Texans 10

1:15 left in the half.

[Big Texas]

Why does it always seem like we have to work so much harder than everyone else to score...

[Nconroe]

Started with another Manning KR. Then Foster. Close but we needed that TD.

Pick 6 would be nice now.

[Arky]

Pats bring the ensuing kickoff back to their 26. Pats ball. 1:09 left in the half.

---------------------------------

Vereen for 4.

Pass to Hernandez is dropped, inc. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Brady hit by Watt during the throw, inc. Pats have to punt with 31 seconds left in the half.

Oy, Keo almost draws the roughing the punter foul. Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 38.

[Arky]

Pass to Casey gets 9. Timeout Texans with 18 seconds left in the half.

Pass to OD goes to the Pats 42 or so.... Texans use another timeout with 11 seconds left.

Schaub's pass to OD inc. 7 seconds left...

Schaub pass to OD gets short gain. Texans use their final timeout to try the long FG try.

Graham's 55-yarder is good!

Pats 17, Texans 13

Halftime.

[chuck]

Wow. That was some leg we haven't seen.

[barrett]

How do you get a career long at his age. That is a miracle kick.

[Big Texas]

Now the chess match begins...

[Nconroe]

Nice, sweet 55 yarder by Grahm.

Kubes says gotta stay aggressive.

Overall, we got momentum going into halftime and score is close.

Exciting.

[barrett]

All 13 points are from the special teams. Who would have thought.

[Keith]

How do you get a career long at his age. That is a miracle kick.

I'd like to take this post to personally thank Gingy's PED dealer.

[Arky]

Halftime stats:

Passing: Schaub 14/23, 146 yards

Rushing: Foster 11/57

Receiving: AJ 4/54, OD 4/31, Foster 2/25, Posey 2/22

Tackles: B James 6, Barwin/Keo 4 each, Manning/GQ/Watt 3 each, Ruud/KJ/Reed 2 each

TOP: Texans 14:24, Pats 15:36

3rd down efficiency: Texans 1/6, Pats 4/8

Red zone: Texans 1/2, Pats 2/3

1st downs: Texans 12, Pats 14

Total yards: Texans 203, Pats 260

Penalties: Texans 1/10, Pats 2/30

Turnovers: Texans 0, Pats 0

[chuck]

All 13 points are from the special teams. Who would have thought.

I know the TD drive started with a nice return but you have to give a little bit to Arian and Ryan Harris. Maybe more than a little bit.

[barrett]

I know the TD drive started with a nice return but you have to give a little bit to Arian and Ryan Harris. Maybe more than a little bit.

I agree for sure. Just saying the terrible ST have us in this game. And we have to feel like its house money in the 2nd half. If we get a stop NE will really tighten up under expectations.

[Big Texas]

I just hope Kubiak makes some halftime adjustment s

[chuck]

I agree for sure. Just saying the terrible ST have us in this game. And we have to feel like its house money in the 2nd half. If we get a stop NE will really tighten up under expectations.

That the Texans are in this thing does not surprise me at all. New England is clearly better at quarterback, head coach and owner but otherwise I'd take the Texans' roster over theirs any day. The Texans need to keep Brady from those long third down conversions, maybe force a turnover and finish in the red zone. If they do they'll have to open up Reliant next Sunday.

[Arky]

Pats bring the 2nd half kickoff back to their 31. Pats ball.

--------------------------------

Brady's pass too tall to the receiver, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Dumpoff to Welker gets 6. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Brady's pass to Hernandez gets about 5 and the 1st down.

Pass to Welker gets 6.

Pass to Hernandez goes all the way to the Texan 12.

Ridley for 4. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Ridley takes it in for the TD.

Pats 24, Texans 13

11:30 left in the 3rd quarter.

[chuck]

I don't understand this Manning/Quin/Keo secondary.

[Arky]

Damn, defense has just got to get stops - offense can't be chasing the scoreboard all day.......

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The ensuing kickoff goes out of the endzone, touchback. Texans ball at their 20.

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Foster for 6.

Oy, pass to OD goes nowhere and then he fumbles....... Pat recover but refs rule forward progress was stopped. Still Texans ball. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Schaub is pressured and can't find a receiver and throws it away, inc. Texans have to punt.

Pats return the punt back to their 35. Pats ball.

[chuck]

What a break.

[Big Texas]

Well there it is...we'll have to score two more times...not sure we can score 2 more scores...

[chuck]

Schaub is such a despicable pussy.

[Nconroe]

Rough start to 3rd . Settle down guys.

[Big Texas]

So we get a gift and give it away...Shaub straight panicked under pressure....he might as well have thrown a deep ball

[Arky]

Dumpoff to Vereen gets 5.

Pass over the middle is broken up by KJ. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Brady pressured, throws inc. Pats have to punt...

Martin fields the punt but out of bounds at the Texan 9. Texans ball.

[Big Texas]

Can we move the ball please?

[Arky]

When are we gonna see a deep ball from the Texans?

------------------------------------

Flags presnap. False start G Graham, -5. 1st and 15 coming up.

Pats blitz gets foiled, dump pass to Foster goes all the way to the Texan 33.

Foster for 3 tough yards.

Schaub pressured, loses the ball and falls on it at the Texan 27.

Pass to AJ goes all the way to the Texan 49.

Foster sweeps left for 7. 2nd and 3 coming up.

Screen to Casey goes for 5 and a 1st down. Under 5 1/2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

Foster for 2.

[Nconroe]

Wilffork. Looks bigger than 325 lbs.

[Arky]

Dumpoff to Foster gets 1. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Schaub's pass is INT'ed by Ninkovich. Pats ball at their 37.

[Big Texas]

This stage is tooooooooo big for Shaub....he cant handle it....well guys good season

[Nconroe]

Come on Schaub. Shake it off. Show us how tough you are.

[chuck]

Show us how tough you are.

Are you joking?

[Arky]

Ridley for about 9.

Pass to Hernandez goes for about 10, 1st down.

Pass to Lloyd gets 7.

Ridley gets 5 and a 1st down. Ball at the Texan 28.

Ridley carries it all the way to the Texan 5. 1st and goal.

Screen pass to Lloyd gets the TD.

Pats 31, Texans 13

1:21 left in the 3rd quarter.

[chuck]

This is what happens when the best organization in the NFL plays a team run by a dilettante and a bunch of halfwits.

[Arky]

Manning brings the ensuing kickoff back to the Texan 14.

--------------------

Pass to Graham goes for 8.

Foster for maybe 1. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Foster ..... don't know if he got it .... looks like a bad spot.... measurement shows the ball is about 2 feet short of the 1st down.

End of the 3rd quarter.

[Big Texas]

13 points....and we are fighting for one yard...our offense is overrated and sucks...why is Kevin Walter on this team?

[Arky]

Texans going for it on 4th down and Foster sweeps left for the 1st, barely... Belichick challenges that Foster was short ....play is under review....

[Big Texas]

Kubiak and Shaub make me wanna punche them in their ****************in throat...you know it was close snap the ****************in football...dumbasses...DAMNNNNNNN

[Arky]

Play stands, 1st down.

Schaub pressured scrambles for 1.

Schaub pressured again, throws it away, inc. 3rd and 9 coming up.

Pass to Walter goes for 9 and just short of the 1st down. Texans going for it on 4th down.....

Schaub's pass too tall for Posey, inc. Pats takeover on downs. Ball at the Texan 33.

[chuck]

Goddamn Schaub is a joke.

[Big Texas]

Bring out TJ Yates...

[Arky]

Deep pass to Vereen goes for the TD. 33 yards.

Pats 38, Texans 13

13:07 left in the game.

[chuck]

This group of slapdicks is going to waste Andre's entire career and probably half of JJ's. I can't believe I paid money for this shit for ten years.

[BigBull]

Goddamn Schaub is a joke.

I agree. The bad thing is we are stuck with him.

[chuck]

I KNEW they were going to run a draw play on first down. Kubiak's nutlessness is visible from 2,000 miles away.

[Big Texas]

Got their asses murdered...took our weak link and exploited ....13 points... and the one Td was questionable...

[chuck]

On the other hand, I didn't see the draw play coming on third down so they got me on that one.

[Arky]

Nice return by Manning on the ensuing kickoff.... brings it all the way back to the Pats 37.

--------------------------------

Foster for 7.

Pass to Posey off his hands, inc. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Foster gets almost 3..... brings up 4th and 1.

Foster for 3 and the 1st down. Under 12 minutes left in the game.

Posey makes the catch in the endzone but out of bounds, inc. Kubes challenges that Posey had possession in bounds....

[Arky]

Play is ruled a touchdown!

Pats 38, Texans 20

11:35 left in the game.

[Big Texas]

We have reached our peak under this system...how do you get your ass obliterated twice in the same season by the same team...a loss..ok...but an ass whoopin....no way...

[Big Texas]

Wade has played almost all year without the second best player on the defense...whats kubiaks excuse?

[Joshua]

Just too hard to win with mediocre pocket passers. Your QB either needs to be Brady or be able to move around. Someone like Schaub requires too much to go right to succeed. That simply won't happen for 3-4 games in the playoffs.

[Arky]

The ensuing kickoff goes into the endzone, touchback. Pats ball at their 20.

----------------------------------

Brady pressured gets rid of it, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Lloyd goes for 5. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Pass to Hernandez goes to the 47... flags down... PI on Hernandez brings it back.... 3rd and 15 coming up.

Brady almost sacked gets the pass off but inc. Pats have to punt.

Punt rolls all the way to the Texan 22. Texans ball.

[Big Texas]

How many plays before the pick?

[Arky]

Pass to AJ gets 3.

Pass to OD gets 6. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Pass to KW gets about 7 or 8 + hit on a defenseless receiver +15. Places the ball at the Pats 48.

Pass to Foster gets 9.

Dumpoff to Foster loses 1. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Pass to OD goes all the way to the 16. Under 7 1/2 minutes left in the game.

Pass to OD goes to the 4 yard line, 1st and goal.

Foster to the 2.

Pass in the endzone too tall for OD, inc. 3rd and goal at the 2.

Schaub scrambles for no gain but flag on the play....offsides defense, 1/2 the distance..... Posey injured on the play.... Injury timeout with 6:07 left in the game.

[Big Texas]

Shaub looks so scared

[chuck]

I have no idea why they're huddling. Also, if Schaub knows he has a free play why does he not throw it into the end zone? Instead he tries to go Cam Newton with predictable results. The more I see of Schaub the less I understand.

[Arky]

On 3rd and goal, pass to AJ goes for no gain. Brings up 4th and goal.

Pass to Foster good for the TD!

Texans going for 2....

Pass to AJ gets the 2 point conversion.

Pats 38, Texans 28

5:11 left in the game.

[Big Texas]

The more I see of Schaub the less I understand.

Too funny..........

[Arky]

Oh, man..... onside kick was there for the taking but Pats get the ball....

-----------------------------

Pats ball at the Texan 47.

Ridley for 6. 2nd and 4 coming up.

Ridley for 2. 3rd and 2 coming up. Timeout Texans....

Oy, 3rd down pass is batted down, inc but they get KJ for holding. Auto 1st down a the Texan 34.

Ridley sweeps left for 6. Timeout Texans, 2nd and 4 coming up.

[Nconroe]

That was close on onsides kick. But no cigars. Now defense needs a play.

That was marginal holding on KJ.

[chuck]

How did Braman not snag that? That was a perfect kick.

[Keith]

How did Braman not snag that? That was a perfect kick.

I thought it might have even hit Mercilus in the helmet.

That the last TD drive burned so much time off the clock is infuriating.

[Arky]

Ridley for 1. Texans use their last timeout, 3rd and 2 coming up.

Pass to Lloyd goes for 8 and a 1st down.

Ridley TFL'ed -2. 2nd and 12 coming up.

Ridley for 2. 3rd and 10 coming up.

2 minute warning.

[chuck]

That the last TD drive burned so much time off the clock is infuriating.

I'm arriving at the conclusion that Kubiak is not great at math.

[Arky]

Pats kneel it. 4th and 12 coming up..... tick, tick, tick.... Pats call a timeout with 1:18 left in the game. Pats to go for the FG.

Gostkowski's 38-yarder is good.

Pats 41, Texans 28

1:14 left in the game.

[Arky]

Texans field the ensuing pooch kick and Casey brings it back to the Texan 28.

---------------------------------------

Schaub is hit as he passes, pass goes inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to AJ goes to the Texan 44, 1st down.

Pass to Casey goes to the Pats 41.

Pass to Jean ruled inc. 2nd and 10 coming up with 17 seconds left.

Pass to OD goes for 9.

Time runs out.

Final Score:

Pats 41, Texans 28

[chuck]

Schaub and Kubiak are a PERFECT tandem. Perfectly nutless.

I wonder what improving either element of that equation would do. I'll never know, of course.

[Keith]

Just inexcusable for an offensive-minded head coach to not have his team and staff ready to run a no-huddle or even a sugar-huddle offense.

And that last TD pass and the 2-pt conversion are two examples of how much easier it should be to score TDs deep in the red zone.

[WMH]

Posey tore his Achilles. That's not good. Would guess he's back for TC though.

Interesting to see most of you pin this on Schaub. He's not Brady, Manning, Rodgers, or Brees. Never has been, never will be.

The D gave up 41 points tonight. Even the top 5 would struggle to win with that.

BTW, Boston is a great city, and Foxboro is an awesome place to watch a game.

[HPF Bob]

Thanks, Arky, for your season-long diligence.

A disappointing loss, made worse since I had two favorite teams vying for home field advantage throughout the playoffs just three weeks ago and now they are both out so I have to watch f'in Ravens and Patriots.

Time to start checking out the draft. We still need better personnel. The real question is whether we now know we have a QB who can't win when it matters.

[Joshua]

Posey tore his Achilles. That's not good. Would guess he's back for TC though.

Interesting to see most of you pin this on Schaub. He's not Brady, Manning, Rodgers, or Brees. Never has been, never will be.

The D gave up 41 points tonight. Even the top 5 would struggle to win with that.

BTW, Boston is a great city, and Foxboro is an awesome place to watch a game.

Schaub played a pretty good first half and the offensive troubles were primarily the result of drops and an inability to run the ball.

Second half was another story. He managed to evade the rush for one of the few times i can remember and then inexplicably just threw the ball away. On 3rd down no less. Then he sacked himself after fumbling and threw the pick. Finally, he continued to dink and dunk despite being down by 3 scores.

Having said that, you're right. Schaub wasn't singularly bad. However, i think what is setting in for a lot of people is that Schaub has to have everything go right to succeed and that's just not going to happen in the playoffs. At least for me, it's the realization of something I've known for a while but didn't want to face.

[chuck]

...it's the realization of something I've known for a while but didn't want to face.

I'm not so sure I've known it until this year. I always thought that he was good enough to get the team to the big game but that seems to be out the window.

It's a lot clearer to me this year I guess because of the success of all of the (much) more mobile quarterbacks we've all seen come to the forefront this year.

He doesn't really have the arm to be a traditional pocket passer and he cannot, does not, ever, EVER, extend a play on his own.

Bob's right, nice work, Arky.

[Nconroe]

Yeah, super work Arky

Really appreciate your game logs.

[popanot]

Texans better give Yates a shot at competing for the starting job or bring in someone who can or the fans are going to go nuts. No way anyone has confidence in Schaub now. I'd even suspect some players and coaches have lost confidence in him at this point. I'd rather see Yates screw up and have some hope of improvment than see Schaub screw up and regress. I swear you can see that guy crumbling when the pressure gets tight. You can see it in his face and body language.

I hope McNair and Smith have a long talk to Kubiak about his "hurry-up" offense. We've seen time and time again Kubiak has no clue when to run it and we're the only winning team in the league that can't execute it. What an embarassment.

This team needs a speed upgrade all over the place - offense and defense. Kubiak not only runs the offense at a snails pace, but there is no speed at the skill postitions. It's hard to get on Schaub for not hitting anyone deep when no one can get deep and also beat his man.

The defense wasn't much better than the offense. No way should they get a pass in this game. They really didn't stop anything and didn't force any turnovers. You're not going to win a playoff game like that. Their constant inability to get lined up against a known quick-pace team (the same one they just played a few weeks ago) is inexcusable. I'm totally disappointed in Wade in that regard.

No way do I pay Barwin, goodbye and good riddance James, hoping Keo and Harris follow you.

One fear I have is Manning's big night returning kicks may have saved Marciano. Amazing...

Unfortunately, and despite going 12-4, with Schaub at the helm and with this team's collapse, no one will take them seriously next year.

And, yes, thanks a bunch Arky!!

[chuck]

One fear I have is Manning's big night returning kicks may have saved Marciano. Amazing...

I doubt he was going anywhere regardless but now we know for sure.

Marciano is not the guy out there punting but Donnie Jones had an unusually bad game.

I was listening to a discussion earlier and the consensus was that the only facet of the Texans that improved this year over last was the defensive line. Each and every other facet regressed. IF the defensive line improved (and I'm not sure that it did) it was 95% because of JJ's getting better. The remaining regression across the board is a serious indictment of the organization as a whole.

The owner, of course, will see this differently. Which is why I no longer donate to him my money.

[Arky]

Ya, thanks for the thanks. Logging the weekly games here gives me something to do with gameday anxiety....

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Dang, several hours later and I'm still a bit flummoxed..... That was a winnable game. In baseball terms, it's like we're a bunch of singles hitters. Get men on base (dink and dunk) and keep the lineup moving (time of possession). Trouble is, when we run into a good pitcher (QB), we don't get on base as much and can't keep up and I find myself craving the occasional 3-run homer (ala Flacco/Ravens/deep ball), All. The. Time.....

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The thing about Schaub, aka "Matty Nice" ;), is you look at the stat line and it says he went 34 for 51, 66.6% completion, 343 yard, 2 TD's, 1 INT and you think that is a pretty good stat line. Definitely a case where the stats don't tell the full story. One can get fooled into thinking the accuracy is OK. On some of the incompletions, you wonder how he missed the receiver - on short passes even. A certain amount of throwaways per game will occur - this is normal and as we learned with Carr, advisable. Still, if he were more accurate, I'm thinking he should be connecting at a 70-80% rate in this system. In his defense, it does not help when the receivers drop balls... but I'm not so sure he can "make all the throws" anymore..... Maybe something was discovered today on the 2 pt conversion.... throw the ball up high and let your beasty receiver fight for it...

One of the NFLN guys just mentioned "Romo" when Schaub threw the INT and I can't disagree....

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So, we're picking 26th? 27th? ;)

[Keith]

Yes, I think the Texans pick 27th.

Arky, not sure why you are flummoxed... looks like you nailed it. A good QB can pick apart the blitz. The Pats O-line did a nice job keeping Brady upright. Perhaps as much as any team in the league, the Patriots are just a tough matchup for the Texans' schemes.

Can't take away the QB since he is the game's most critical player, but the Texans seem to have better overall talent than the Patriots minus the combo of QB+coaching. It is a decisive advantage for the other guys.

Have to question the coverage decision on Wes Welker, especially in the first half. Way too much Brandon Harris and not enough of either Kareem Jackson or Johnathan Joseph. And the other coaching flaws exposed in this game - namely hurry-up offense and redzone efficiency - have been discussed.

Special teams weren't nearly the problem they could have been, aside from a poor punt at one point, but "saving" Daniel Manning for kickoff returns in the playoffs makes me wonder. The Texans obviously lack depth at safety (hello Shiloh Keo!), but it is not like Manning played a phenomenal season this year, either. If he is the best KOR on the roster, I don't think I would have waited until the playoffs to take the bubble wrap off of him. Getting him returns in any (and really all) of those Decemeber regular season games, at least until homefield was secured, might have been helpful.

[HPF Bob]

Baltimore had a worse record and if they somehow made it to the Super Bowl, their draft position would move down to 31st or 32nd which would cause Houston to move up one.

The mistake is that the tiebreaker for playoffs is different than the tiebreaker for draft order. IIRC, the weaker your opponent's record, the stronger your draft position and I don't know how we match up with other 12-4 teams.

[Keith]

Thanks for clarifying.

One more thought... I think we all can look back on the decision to outright release Eric Winston as being problematic. The right side of the offensive line was an issue all season. Not that Winston was a Pro Bowler there, but one has to wonder why they team didn't try to get him to take a pay cut or renegotiate.

The other key release was DeMeco Ryans... before the injuries at ILB, I doubt this one really had an impact on the season, but in the final analysis, it would have been nice to have both him and Winston on the roster. Cap management probably forced Winston out whereas cap management was blamed for Ryans' departure when in reality he probably wasn't living up to his salary. Bottom line though is that both of these veteran leaders would have been nice to have this season had money not been an issue.