Bears have no Love, Osweiler NOT the Leader of the team, and Odds NOT in Texans favor, BUT JJ!

We have all been waiting years to have a winning football team here in Houston.  Several Cowboy fans will remind you that football goes back much further than just 2002.  The Oilers also failed to bring home a Superbowl win.  Our trophy case is only filled with Banners, and ability to brag about being a winner has been few and far between.  But who is concerned with Cowboy Fans when our collective record since 2002 is better than theirs.  With that being said, I am a bit surprised after seeing what I saw in preseason, how most of the people out there are still putting the Jags, and a few, even the Titans, as winners of this division.  Tomorrow's game will be Brock (B-Oz)'s second debut against the Bears.

Last year Brock made his starting debut with a 17-15 win against the Bears.  A game that saw several substitutes in that rock solid defense of theirs.  You can see where the nerves may have been there in the beginning.  But B-Oz threw for 2 touchdowns in the win, and the Broncos ran for 170 yards on the ground.  I will get more into my predictions on the game in just a bit, but I can tell you that it is very exciting to grab a quarterback that has actually started against 7, and played against 1 of the 8 teams that we will face this season.  This is where the sample size of how much he's played doesn't bother me.  This is where it makes me feel comfortable telling you that it is imperative that we shut down the Bears, who have no love, Lovey that is.  The Bears who were very dominating over the years, have become mediocre at best since letting go Coach Lovey.  With a Superbowl appearance and 2 playoff appearances, one can only shake his head as to why they made this move.  John Fox was definitely a nice pick up.  But needs more time to build a team, they are simply just not there right now.  In my humble opinion.

Now we are a year past the RyanBryan, or BryanRyan experiment depending on which week of our quarterback carousel you want to look at.  I have obviously made it clear that I am very fond of Coach O'Brien, and also Rick Smith.  I believe these guys to be Coach O'Brien's picks, and once again proving to the owner that Rick may have had a better guy in mind.  I think that Rick Smith still has ties to the Denver Broncos staff, especially with most of our previous staff being there.  I believe there was some serious intel to be had about Brock not being happy that even after Peyton retired that he was not automatically solidified as their future.  So far, after the Broncos debut, even with the win, I don't think you can deny that the offense would have been much better if B'Oz was toting the rock.  But O'Brien has to, and already has to a certain extent, owned up to the mistakes he's made in the past.  BryanRyan was very familiar with this system but simply lacked the athletic ability and maturity to lead this team.  He has already made it clear that "you have to work EVERY DAY".  Very close to the Bill Billichek "Do your JOB, WELL".  The one thing that has been very consistent with O'Brien is that he will not hesitate to make a move if you are not doing your job.  Including letting go the WR coach who was with him at Penn State, to hire Sean Ryan former coach of O'Dell Beckham Jr.  I do not think there is a surprise that these young receivers out played the vets that have been Texans in the past.  From a route running and pass catching perspective, this once again may prove to be the move of this off season.  With a close second to my boy Izzo handling things finally on Special Teams.

Click Here to hear O'Brien describe a Leader

But O'Brien has made it crystal clear that the way to describe you as a leader IS, WIN GAMES.  As my old General Manager Jeff Bettencourt used to tell us after making one of his amazing points,  "PERIOD, END OF STORY".

Looking at this preseason I can't tell you how excited I was about what we were going to do as a team.  I had to, however, temper my expectations after looking up stats of undefeated preseason teams.  Out of 10 teams since 2007 that have gone 4-0 in the preseason, ONLY 3 teams had winning seasons.  The 2008 Detroit Lions went 0-16, the 2007 Rams went 2-14.  Several 6-10's with a 7-9 rounding out the overall records of those preseason champs.  7 out of 8 of those teams ranked out of the top 20 in defense.  The 2007 Ravens had the 3rd best defense in the league and went 9-7, and the 2009 49ers had the 16th best defense and only went 6-10.  HOWEVER, the 2013 Seahawks, who was 13-3 and had the #1 ranked defense in the league, went on to the Superbowl.  Now when I look at these teams to see who we are more likely to match up with, it has to be the 2013 Seahawks.  This defense is set to be extremely nasty.  But if Lamar Miller can stay healthy, and we hold up this offensive line until Duane gets back, this season should be very nice to absorb in the H.

Click Here 9-7 Not the Bar, Critics not sold on Texans Week 1 win

Keys to a Texans Win.  We will have to make sure, unlike in his starting debut against the Bears, where he was sacked 5 times, B'Oz will have to be protected and not hold on to the ball too long.  In that game the Broncos rushed for well over 100 yards which should not be a problem.  I look for some rotation in the back field, much like when the Patriots ran BenJarvus Green Ellis, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, etc.  One of the things that B'Oz did well was coming out of halftime against the Bengals, he ran the no huddle up and marched down 80 yards for the score.  With Bill O'Brien saying every chance he gets about us "needing to start fast", I am fully expecting our offense to keep them on their heels, until it's time to slow it down and win the clock battle. 

I can tell you I am not worried one bit about JJ Watt's reps.  I fully expected him to return.  I also told you in my very first blog about the season that you should think Adrian Peterson recovery vs anyone else.  JJ said some AMAZING things that I don't know if you caught in his press conferences.  JJ has gone 100 miles an hour since coming on the scene.  He has been OUR TEAM.  He has all the commercials, he has not had one scandal, in fact, he supposedly doesn't even have a girlfriend.  But I think you will see JJ be more of a team player this year.  He has to let the other players have some.  I have always wondered when JJ gets to choose what lineman he wants to rush; how does that work for his teammate to get use to the person he's going up against.  I'm not a coach, but I do know what it's like to manage a team.  JJ seamed to have taken a step back.  Walked out of the spotlight, and had time to reflect on his role on this team.  I told you that it was important for B'Oz to have a chance to be the Leader of this team.  JJ was obviously playing through a lot of pain last year in the second half of the season.  A season that still saw him win Defensive player of the year.  If JJ comes in and holds down the left, Mercilus the right, and allow Wilfork and Clowney to work the middle, or plug anyone of these guys in anyone of those spots, this season SHALL be special.  And please don't get it twisted.  JJ has never been a selfish player, or pro for that matter.  I'm just saying that if we can get some of these other young defensive players even close to Watt's level, this year will be record breaking.  I'm looking at a 35-13 route over the Loveyless Bears.  But of course, a win would suffice in any shape or form.  A loss in my opinion would be hard to swallow, as the Bears really didn't do a good job of replacing Matt Forte, and their 20th ranked defense from last season.  I think we are better on Defense this year.  A Defense  that posted a top 10 (7th ranked) defense the last 2 seasons.  A loss tomorrow would defeat the purpose of starting fast.  Tomorrow is the day.  We shall see if we silence the critics.  Last year's week 1 Power Rankings were just a bit off.  I have posted them below.  Being ranked 12th going into week one is definitely an improvement from 20 this year.  I will say that the Colts  dropping to 24th on nfl.com is going along with my theory that they simply failed to make the moves necessary, mainly from the head coaching position,  to dominate the AFC South again.  

Week 1 Power Rankings 2015
22. Carolina Panthers
20. Houston Texans
7.  Denver Broncos
3.  Indianapolis Colts


We have always had a stout defense since @Sunofbum (Wade Phillips) came to town.  But the first time in forever, we may have an explosive offense.  I'm not counting any chickens, but I am saying this young receiving squad, along with the back field,  can give you hell in the first half, then use speed in the second half to just take the wind out of a team.  Put in Romeo's closing pitcher, THE DEFENSE and I am truly READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL, AND AS ALWAYS

Go Texans!

DJ THE DJ

Tune in Next week when we face the Chiefs, a team that beat both Osweiler and the Texans pretty bad last year.