Happy New Year!
Don’t forget to eat your black-eyed peas for good luck.
I don’t think the Texans ate their black-eyed peas last year.
I trust you guys had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday.
One more game against the Titans, who need to win to earn their first AFC South title since 2008. The Texans have won six division titles since 2008.
Can the Texans pull the upset? Are you kidding me? Did you see the defense against Cincinnati? This one could get ugly fast.
I read and hear from so many of you who swear you’ve sworn off the Texans. I’m sure many of you feel that way at this time of the season, but Deshaun Watson makes every game worth watching to me.
Besides, the Texans are one season removed for an AFC South title and playoff victory. This is the third time in 10 years they haven’t competed for the playoffs and the fourth time in 10 years they haven’t won the division title, so I think good times are coming with the new general manager and coach, assuming they hire the right people.
By the way, please check out the Chronicle’s two television shows: “Texas Sports Nation” airs at around 11:30 p.m. Sundays on KPRC (Channel 2) after “Sports Sunday.” Our second show, “Texas Sports Nation: In Depth,” airs new episodes twice a month on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, which also reruns it at different times.
And thank you for contributing to the Mailbag, reading our stories in the Chronicle's print editions and online at Texas Sports Nation, where we also have multiple weekly podcasts. As you do every week, please send your comments and questions to john.mcclain@chron.com. Note: questions have been edited for clarity and/or brevity.
Q: The Cincinnati loss was a disgrace of a game. Who do you think is the favorite to be the new GM and coach of the Texans? And when are you going to start taking questions on the Chronicle Facebook page again? — Christofer H.
A: Good to hear from you, Christofer. When we move beyond the pandemic and the Chronicle clears us to return to the building, hopefully sooner rather than later, Greg Rajan and I will resume our weekly Facebook Live sessions with you. I appreciate you asking. As for as favorites, there aren’t any at this point in the process. The Texans will crank up the GM interview process Monday. Once they hire a GM, he’ll recommend a head coach, and Cal McNair will sign off on him. Don’t be a stranger, Christofer.
Q: Just when you think it can’t get any worse, the Bengals come to town and prove it can get worse. This second-string QB, a real offensive juggernaut, and a last-place team in their division comes to Houston and shows the country again that Texans are a horrible organization. Has anyone seen the defense? This defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed. Watson should sue McNair for false representation of an owner and a team. How can we end this game? Mercifully, there is only one more game left. Biggest disappointment in the NFL this season? Well at least we won that. — Darryl K.
A: I think it’s unfair to criticize the team for the Bengals’ loss, Darryl. Watson played great, and the offense scored 31 points. That game was on a defense decimated by injuries, COVID-19 and Roby’s suspension. Still, there’s no excuse to play like that against an offense that’s missing its leading passer, rusher and receiver.
Q: Watt and Watson are playing at an elite level on a team that is embarrassing the city of Houston as well as the entire NFL. Watson should not play on Sunday even if he gets a clearance to play. — Joe I.
A: He’s healthy, and he’s playing, Joe. How about embarrassing themselves, too?
Q: I believe that the most competent person to be GM of the Texans is right under our nose and that is Oliver Luck. You know him as well as anyone. Bend McNair's ear. — Tom S.
A: Tom, I’d love to see Luck get consideration, but it’s not happening. They want someone who’s either working under a GM in a team's personnel department or someone who’s been a GM.
Now Playing:
Q: It’s Monday morning, and I am reading articles on Texas Sports Nation about the debacle at NRG. Pretty much the same as every Monday, except today I have to put whiskey in the coffee. I love the fact that J.J. went on record as to the state of the team. Will it wake any of them up? Hope so. In your opinion, would they be best served hiring a head coach with a mainly offensive background or a defensive background? Then they could find good coordinators for each side of the ball. That is, as you stated, would anyone come here. Also, I have attached a diagram of a screen play. Please see that both Weaver and Kelly get a copy, because the Texans can't defend it, nor can they run one. Thanks as always! — John W.
A: John, the plan is for the new GM and McNair to interview candidates with offensive and defensive backgrounds and try to hire the best one. I’d have no problem with them hiring 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh or Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Both are highly respected and ready to become head coaches. So are a lot of offensive coordinators. By the way, what’s a screen pass?
Q: I just keep shaking my head at the McNair legacy. I just hope one day that Cal McNair will realize what a horrific ownership the McNair family has been for the Houston Texans. He obviously has absolutely no football knowledge and his family allowed Bill O’Brien to singlehandedly destroy this franchise not only for the past but also the future. I feel sick for the city of Houston because what we are seeing today will be repeated for years to come thanks to the incompetence of the McNair family. — Dave D.
A: Dave, let me ask you a question: You call the McNairs' ownership horrific and incompetent. Their teams won six division titles in eight years, including four playoff games. Is that horrific and incompetent? Not in my book. Those are facts, not my opinion. Those numbers can’t be disputed. The Texans haven’t reached a Super Bowl, and nobody is more disappointed about that than the McNair family. I realize fans are exasperated but horrific and incompetent with 11-5 and 10-6 records within the past three years? Yes, they bottomed out this season, and McNair fired O’Brien after a 0-4 start. He’s hiring a new GM and coach. As far as losing “years to come” remember when they went from 2-14 to 9-7 in O’Brien’s first season and won the division in his second season? They’ve fallen short of reaching their goal of winning a Super Bowl, but if they’re horrific and incompetent, how would you describe ownerships that haven’t come close to winning as much as the Texans? Send me some adjectives, and I may use them to describe their performance against the Titans. I’m getting tired of pathetic, horrible, terrific, wretched, rotten, etc.
Q: It all started when O’Brien sent Watson’s "right arm" (DeAndre Hopkins) to another team. The most stupid thing that the owners let happen, so what can you expect? — Don S.
A: Funny you would say that, Don. Watson’s having his best season without Hopkins. I think a bigger issue — as it’s turned out — was trading two first-round draft choices and a second-round pick for Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills. They helped them win the division title last season, but Stills was cut six games ago, and the Texans have compiled a terrible record with Tunsil at left tackle even though he’s played well. If the draft were today, the Texans would have the third pick that belongs to Miami.
Q: Yes, I watched the Cincinnati game. Your grades were spot-on. It was hard to think of them as professional football players at times. I would say the defense will be the first subject for the new GM and Coach. As Leo Durocher once said, "Back up the truck.” I want to recognize J.J. Watt's reaction of the game and the subsequent postgame comments. I have been frustrated in my professional life just as you and many others have had. There is nothing wrong with blowing off steam. I saw the pain in his face and voice. It was real. Most postgame reviews are somewhat muted and vanilla. This is the first time I have heard a player actually tell the truth and call out his own teammates. J.J. was specific: "show up late to meetings, not working out, taking plays off," etc, etc. Now, he did not name names, nor did we expect him to. The players will know exactly who he was talking about. Another observation that I wanted to make is about motivation. You don't have to be the biggest or the fastest to get the job done. Darrell Royal once said, "It’s not how big the dog is in a fight, it's how much fight is in the dog." We trust the personnel people when they say, "He can play. The club pays them millions of dollars with the expectations they will earn it. They all seem to be the same size and they all profess to be ready to "leave it all on the field". We didn't need J.J. to tell us they suck. We know the suck! The Texans are either the worst athletes in the league or they are severely under motivated. In spite of having one of the most prestigious jobs in the country, are paid millions and are treated like royalty wherever they go, they just go through the motions. It's sad for the McNairs and us as fans. — Joe K.
A: Thanks for your observations, Joe, as always. And Happy New Year.
Q: I would bench all the starters and give every backup player some snaps in a real game. I would also rent that venue beside NRG and invite everyone even remotely involved with the Texans to a postgame party (even O'Brien). I have found that a blowout party really clears the air and gets everyone on the same page. Also plenty of Uber drivers for those of us who enjoy drinking too much. Just a thought. — Jack C.
A: The backups have been playing, Jack, and some not very well. As for the party, I don’t think anyone feels like partying, including OB.
Q: I hope you had a great Christmas, John, and looking forward to a happy New Year. Thanks for asking Romeo about Ross Blacklock. His answer left me wondering if the Texans made another bad draft pick since the defense is so bad and he can’t get on the field for a substantial amount of time. The Texans defense is so bad and I don’t know if you can get enough pieces in free agency and the draft to fix them. Also the offensive line other than Tunsil and Howard is a mess. I’m not sure if they should keep Nick Martin even though he’s got a big contract. Zach Fulton and Max Scharping, I just don’t think they’re good enough to start. The offense has put up enough points even without a running game or DeAndre Hopkins but the defense can’t stop a clock. Do you think Mercilus, David Johnson and Randall Cobb will be back? I also think (Kahale) Warring needs to go. The Texans have 3 tight ends better than him. Should they hire an offensive or defensive coach? I know their defense is absolutely horrible and their offensive line for the most part and running game are horrible. — Glen K.
A: Glen, they want to hire the best candidate, regardless if he has an offensive or defensive background. I believe the new GM and coach will get rid of about 35 to 40 percent of the roster by the time they cut to 53 the week before next season. It depends on what the GM and coach want to do, what systems they install and what they think about players like Mercilus, Johnson and Cobb. It won’t surprise me if all three are gone.
Q: No one can confuse you with a homer after all of those F-minus grades. You have given out many of those and people still unjustly call you a homer or not calling it like it is. Ugly performance for sure, but I don’t agree with we are running future GMs and coaches away. We have played competitively with a lot of good teams. We could have, should have beat Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Indy twice, blah, blah, blah. You know the schedule better than me, we have had a lot of close losses meaning we are not that far away. A good GM will cut Watt, David Johnson, Benardrick McKinney and probably Darren Fells this year and Cobb, Murray and Mercilus and others next year. There is some young talent on this roster and DW4 is a huge draw. And how in the hell do you have a guy getting paid millions to announce an NFL game and he keeps saying "Deshaun Jackson" and does not get corrected? You have connections, volunteer me to announce NFL games and I will get the names correct. Verne Lundquist and I are buddies and he can give me some tips. Anyway, we can take this roster right now with a better coaching staff next year and a third-place schedule and do a lot better. Some roster management can move that forward. I know it is anathema, but J.J. is not a $17.5M player. You could get another Roby at corner for $10M and a defensive end at $7.5M just as good. Love the guy, but 5 sacks isn’t worth $17.5M and that does not count that most casual fans do not realize how many times he gets out of his lane, rushes too deep, takes an inside angle and gives up big plays. He has always been undisciplined, it was worth it when he was knocking down 12 balls and sacking the QB 15 times a year. Now he just jumps the wrong gap and gives up big plays. Offsides play against the Bengals was not helpful. Better coaching, we have a decent O line, tight ends and receivers and obviously DW4. We need to spend a pick on a good running back and should cut both Johnsons. Either one wants to re-sign for $2M that is fine. On defense, we have two good ILBs in Cunningham and Adams, but Cunningham is also not filling his lane a lot and needs to do his job. Again better coaching keeps them in their lane or they need to sit awhile and get the message. Romeo talks about it, but when it happens over and over and over then the coaches are not doing their jobs. When J.J. jumps an inside gap they need to sit his butt for a series or two and let him think about it. The players are running this deal and that is the problem and they are not doing a good job. Roby is fine, need a FA CB but Crossen is showing promise. Reid is a good safety, but also needs to stay in the lane more. Lonnie Johnson has a roll. Jon Greenard, Jacob Martin are probably good options at OLB with Scarlett and Mercilus as depth until they cut him. They have pieces with Omenihu, Dunn, Watkins, Blacklock and P.J. Hall. We have pieces, we can free up salary cap, we can add pieces and hey Justin Reid was a third-round pick and we have a few of those next year. We just need an executive team willing to make hard decisions, hire good coaches and let’s go. — Mike A.
A: Thanks very much, Mike. I write what I believe, not what people want me to write. That’s served me well going into my 46th year at the Chronicle. By the way, if a GM cuts Watt, McKinney and Fells, he’s not a good GM. Why cut McKinney when you could get a draft choice for him? Same with Watt. Cutting them would be one of the dumbest things a GM could do. There’s more to defense than sacks, especially when there’s nobody since Jadeveon Clowney to take some attention away from Watt, who gets doubled on passing plays. Do you know who leads the NFL in tackles for loss against the run this season? T.J. Watt. Second? His older brother.
Q: Thank you for your true telling of the way it is at the Texans' office. I stood by them for a long time but then they give away the beast receiver in Hopkins. Broke my heart and spirit. I hope they can overcome what they have become, but reality is they are more interested in making money than being a championship team thanks for laying out what is the truth. — Dave G.
A: Dave, thanks very much. I appreciate it. What do you mean more interested making money than being a championship team? Do you know what team spent more on players this year than any other? The Texans. They also were paying three GMs at the same time — Rick Smith, Brian Gaine and Bill O’Brien. I’m not saying they’ve spent wisely, but saying they’re only interested in making money is unfair.
Q: I can’t help but think that if Mercilus had played against the Bengals, two of those screens might not have been so successful. — Joe T.
A: You may be right, Joe, but we’ll never know because he was unable to play because of COVID-19 protocols.
Q: Assuming he is not snapped up by Detroit, Washington or Atlanta, any chance the Texans would try to lure Rick Smith back? Looking over his Texans drafts, he hit on all but two of his first-round picks and had a couple of drafts with multiple Pro Bowlers. He also brought in a few really good undrafted free agents. What do you think allowed a Texans O-line filled with backup players to suddenly open up running lanes we have not seen all year? David Johnson did demonstrate he could gain some yards if there were holes to run through. He probably had not seen holes like that outside of practice against the Texan defense. Also thought Buddy Howell and Keion Crossen showed up well in the last few games. Do you still think the Texans will bring back Watt and Fuller? How many years under the new regime to draft and rebuild before the Texans could realistically look like a Super Bowl contender? Hopefully better coaching stabilizes the o-line and the Texans find a good low cost running back but the defense....what do they prioritize? — Tim M.
A: Thanks very much, Tim. Same to you. Rick Smith is going to get a GM job, but it won’t be with the Texans. I’m happy he’s going to be back in the league. I’m guessing it'll be with Atlanta. I believe Watt will be back, and I think Fuller will be re-signed. As for the running game against the Bengals, I’m as bamboozled as you. If they do it again against the Titans with three backups on the field in Johnson, Scharping and Heck, it’ll be a credit to them again. It’ll give the new head coach, offensive coordinator and line coach something else to consider when they evaluate the linemen and decide what moves need to be made. Everyone likes how hard Crossen plays. And he’s made some plays. He could help next season. I’ve written and said this many times because I believe it: They went from 2-14 to 9-7 in O’Brien’s first season. The offense doesn’t need much. The defense needs an overhaul. I think they can return to being a playoff contender next season if the right head coach and position coaches are hired. By the way, Mike, I’ve never written that I think the Texans are a Super Bowl contender. It’s because I’ve never thought they were.
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