Houston Texans a Sneaky Contender in NFL Playoffs?
The Houston Texans have officially won the AFC South and are in the NFL Playoffs. Could they be a sneaky contender in the postseason? Don’t count on it.
We’ve all been down this path before when it comes to the Houston Texans. They tend to play hard when it matters most and earn an entry into the postseason. It’s not easy making the NFL Playoffs and, while anything can happen, the Texans can’t help but wonder if they’ll be in another “one and done” situation.
Their success boils down to the excellent coaching that Bill O’Brien brings to the table. It’s no secret he has a way to get the most out of his players and they’ll play hard for him undoubtedly.
The problem is, their 12-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to clinch the AFC South didn’t exactly scream dominance. They waited too long to bench quarterback Brock Osweiler in favor of Tom Savage, and now it’ll take some time for him to gel with the Texans starting unit.
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Savage doesn’t exactly scream franchise quarterback, but he did what he needed to do in order to ensure victory over the Bengals. Sometimes, that’s all a team needs to go the distance. The football world has seen champions being crowned with an average quarterback under center.
Not every team has the luxury of a stable and consistent franchise quarterback and, unfortunately, that might be what brings the Texans back down to reality once they face their first opponent in the postseason. Good teams know how to win, no matter what. Inconsistent ones, much like the Texans, won’t really go far when it comes down to it.
It’s admirable to see the Texans win out and not only make the playoffs, but do it again for the second-straight year. Due to their uncertainty at the most important position on the team, however, their defense can only go so far. They’re a very good defense as a whole, but again, they’re inconsistent and can fall apart when it matters most in key game-changing situations.
Next: Texans Clinch AFC South on Bullock Missed Field Goal
Needless to say, the Osweiler experiment went horribly wrong. Now, their hopes of winning a championship for Houston comes down to what they ultimately have in Savage. It’s hard to tell what he’s capable of, but again, it’s not looking good from here on out, despite barely winning the AFC South. Once all is said and done, it looks like the Texans will be back to the drawing board at quarterback for 2017 and beyond.
Unfortunately, it’ll be another quick exit for the Texans in the new year.