Knocking Hard - Patriots North VS Patriots South

When I started to break down this game, there were a few things that I took into consideration;  First, I went back and watched what I felt pumped me up and had me thinking this would be our better season to date, Bill O'Brien's intro on Hard Knocks. 

"Let's be honest with each other," Texans coach Bill O'Brien says to his coaches on the eve of training camp. "This place has no respect in the league, just so you guys are all aware of that. This organization is 96-126. Thirty games below .500. Turn your TV on. Nobody talks about the Houston Texans because nobody thinks we're gonna win. And the disrespect that they show our quarterbacks? I'm tired of that, too. Because both those kids can play. They just need a chance and one of them is going to get it. Enough is enough. Every player that is out there -- all 90 players -- are players that I want for the 2015 season. When you f------ guys show up to practice tomorrow, they better be ready to f------ go."

 Its one thing to get a new coach, but another thing to be able to get an inside scoop of the decision making process.  Well I think we all will admit we are still confused on whether Rick Smith has ultimate power, or if O’Brien has the power of veto.  Surely the little rumor that surfaced after the Ryan Mallet sleepy traffic incident didn't help our thought process.  Second, I noticed that every coach in the Trailer was either on the hot seat, or already fired and switched teams.  Let's hope that Billy O, is more on the John Harbaugh side and not the other guys, some of which are no longer coaching.  Surely I thought this defense was going to be ferocious.  Especially once Clowney returned.  And besides, in training camp we had 3 solid quarterbacks that O’Brien was ready to put up against anyone in the league.  Then they came out in the first couple of preseason games and had the best QB ratings in the league.  But after the first 5 games, we were all scratching our heads on what happened.  Surely we can blame the QB musical chairs, but again where was this NASTY defense that we were looking forward to seeing every week?  Where was JJ?  I mean we started Hard Knocks with him, all alone on the field after practice.  As I looked at that tonight, I asked myself, where were the other players?  What would it take?  Was the season over?  People said that the Miami game was turning point.  But I truly believe for the veterans, watching Andre Johnson come back into our stadium with a team we've struggled with each year, was personal for the veterans on the team.  I LOVE Andre Johnson like a brother, and truly hope things will land him back into our arms where he can play his last days as a Texan.  None of that one day contract crap either.  But the one thing that I have maintained about why this team still has the ability to be great, is because the major players that were the catalyst for our AFC dominance were still on our team.  Rick Smith has taken quite a bit of criticism, but the players that he have let go have not gone on to be great.  Yes, some of them won Super bowl rings, and some are still on some active rosters, I could name several names of players that "got away" that would not have been worth the money it would have taken to keep them.  From Dunta Robinson, Mike Brisel, Eric Winston, Ben Tate, Antonio Smith, Darryl Sharpton, Joe Mays, Bryan Braman, Joel Driessen, Conner Barwin, Brooks Reed, Demeco Ryans, to name a few, and to keep Mario Williams, much like Barwin, who would you have given up to keep him?  In fact, the circle of people that Rick has chosen to build around, is simply why I think this team is only a play or player away from being really good.  JJ Watt, Arian Foster, Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, Brian Cushing, Duane Brown.  Now with that being said I'm not saying Rick Smith is ready for the Hall.  We have seriously missed on later rounds which is what I truly define a great GM in this league.  But when I combine the Bill O’Brien seasons, I see one glaring fact.  This system is NOT easy.  Looking at last year it took those same veterans I just mentioned about 6 games to truly get an understanding of the system.  So when I start seeing the rookies take flight like Xavier Su'a Filo, it tells me that the rookies may take a little longer. 

So where does that leave us?  How does that tie in with the Patriots coming to town?  I think if someone could redo that opening scene with JJ on the field, you would start to see people magically appear on the screen.  You would see the guy I like to call LessMercy, you would see an emerging JD Clowney who has been swimming just inches from opposing QB's and is thirsty for his break out game.  I think that this is going to be a tough day for Tom Brady.  Look for Romeo to have the rookie Johnson better prepared.  John Elway, Jim Kelly, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Donovan McNabb were all defeated by a Crennel coached defense.  So why wouldn't we feel that Romeo can work his magic against Tom Brady with almost zero weapons at his disposal.  While we felt that things were falling apart, I challenge you to think that maybe they fell in line.  Injuries caused us to go back and rethink some of the cuts we made.  Our special teams play has seemingly become better.  Could that be because several of the people on Special Teams that were featured and starred in Hard Knocks somehow made it back to the team?  Starting with Charles James.  I am absolutely calling this a MUST WIN.  It will be imperative that we come out and punch the Patriots in the throat and revenge the whole letter men jacket fiasco.  We will need to find a way to run the ball.  It will be important for the offense to have several different looks.  From the wild cat, to pro style, to hurry up offense.  We will need to control the clock.  Time of possession will decide this game.  Keep the ball out of Brady's hands, but when he has it the fans will have to be louder than they've ever been.  DeAndre Hopkins will need to come out of the back field, on the line, motion left and right to get the looks we need.  Cecil Shorts will need to provide that Wes Welker like speed with short passes.  I'm looking for Charles James at running back, and JJ and Wilfork in on goal line offensive plays.  Because if we WIN against the Patriots and hand them a loss that they've ever seen, I don't care how much Luck or Hassle they have back in Indy, this team will be motivated to win the remaining games with ease!

#GoTexans

@Derwin023