Three reasons to watch Texans vs. Cowboys

The Houston Texans will take on the Dallas Cowboys in their fourth and final preseason game. As the Texans attempt to cut their roster to 53 men, tonight’s game is as important as any for players trying to make the team.  To many players, who are resting in preparation for San Diego on September 9^th, this game means virtually nothing. However this doesn’t mean that Texans fans shouldn’t watch. Here are three reasons you should abandon your responsibilities this evening and watch tonight’s game.

1. The interstate rivalry between the Texans and Cowboys

The Texans first game in franchise history was played at Reliant Stadium against the Cowboys.  As if Dallas needed any more reasons to be jealous of Houston, they were defeated at the hands of David Carr, 19-10. Since then there has existed an animosity towards the two franchises. Recently the owners of both franchises have engaged in a very expensive competition. The competition: which owner could build the largest screen in the National Football League.  As it stands now Bob McNair (owner of the Texans) handily defeated Jerry Jones (owner of the Cowboys) and proved his pockets are deeper when it comes to watching television. Unless the Cowboys miraculously make it to the Meadowlands in February, this will be the only time the two teams play this season. That reason alone makes the game worth watching.

2. Competition for the title of Matt Schaub’s backup.

This preseason has featured a tight battle for one of the most important yet hopefully insignificant job: 1^st string clipboard holder. All Texans fans hope Schaub stays healthy this season; he is the team’s most viable option at quarterback,  ergo, important yet hopefully insignificant. Keenum has played well this preseason and has lit a fire under second string quarterback T.J. Yates. Yates has responded to the challenge, and will force Kubiak to make a challenging decision following tonight’s game. Case Keenum has thrown 50 passes (34 completed) for 354 yards and 2 touchdowns while Yates has thrown 39 (completed 27) for 308 yards and 3 scores. Case gets the start tonight and Yates will come on in the second half. While Yates will most likely retain his job as second string quarterback, look for Keenum to put up big numbers during the 2 quarters he gets to play tonight.

3. Players fighting for their careers.

The final reason to put down your textbook and turn on the TV is to watch a number of hopeful future Texans fight for their jobs. This time tomorrow the Texans will have cut down their roster to 53 (it stands at 75 currently). An important thing to watch is the fight for third string running back happening between Deji Karim, Cierre Wood and Dennis Johnson. So far this pre-season veteran Karim has outplayed Wood and Johnson, mostly through special teams. He may not be the best man behind Foster and Tate, but over the last few seasons special teams has been lacking for the Texans.  Wood should be signed to the practice squad, as for Johnson, tonight could determine whether or not he is out of a job in 24 hours. 

There you have it, the glory of tonight’s game taking place in Dallas. A lot is on the line for certain players, be sure to tune in. 

Regression out of the question for Texans

The notion that the Houston Texans will regress in 2013 is astonishing. While it is fair to take notice of the implosion that occurred towards the end of their season in 2012, the Texans are poised to make a run at a Lombardi trophy, the franchise’s first.

To return to the playoffs the Texans must outplay the AFC South which consists of the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and the Jacksonville Jaguars; not exactly the toughest division in the NFL. The Colts do have one of the most promising quarterbacks of the next generation in Andrew Luck. In his second season, Luck will progress as a passer and hone his skills into the top notch/elite quarterback he is projected to be. The Colts are coming off a near playoff miss and they pose as the biggest threat to the Texans. Having said that, do not expect a sophomore quarterback lead, up and coming team that should be relevant in 2-5 years overtaking the Texans as division champions in 2013.

This off-season, through the draft and free agency, the Texans picked up a few players that will improve the squad as the season progresses. Following a Super Bowl winning season, former Baltimore Raven Ed Reed will join the Houston secondary which limped to the conclusion of the regular season. In 2012 the Texans secondary placed 16^th in passing yards allowed; 226 per game. Reed, coming off of a hip surgery is unsure whether or not he will be able to go come opening day. Once he joins the Texans, his play and as his knowledge of the game will help other defensive backs such as pro bowler Jonathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, and rookie D.J. Swearinger.

The Texans drafted promising Clemson receiver DeAndre Hopkins to spread the field and open up the Texans, at times, nauseatingly boring passing game. Hopkins, playing alongside the ageless wonder Andre Johnson, second year receivers Keshawn Martin, Devier Posey, and third year receiver Lestar Jean, should provide franchise quarterback Matt Schaub more targets which will lead to more production in the passing game. The Texans, who work through a two tight end set a more than any other team will also utilize Owen Daniels, Garrett Graham, and 6^th round pick Ryan Griffin. Daniels is a former Pro-Bowler, and Graham has steadily improved his game since being drafted in 2010.

It goes without saying that the Texans’ backfield is arguably the best in the National Football League. Only a few tangents of 1 and 2 backs could even come close to standing up to Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Foster missed the preseason entirely, but has assured fans, coaches, and teammates, that come MNF against the San Diego Chargers; he will be ready to go. Tate is in a contract year and ran well last week against the Saints. In 2011 Tate rushed for nearly 1000 yards, and while it is far-fetched to achieve those numbers behind the second best back in the league, he will provide a punch when Foster needs a blow.
Prior to a season ending injury to ILB Brian Cushing, the Texans boasted one of the league’s best defenses. After Cushing’s torn ACL, combined with two sports hernias Jonathan Joseph suffered, the Texans never regained the swagger they played with the first five weeks of the season. With Cushing coming back from injury, the acquisition of Ed Reed, and the best defensive end in the league in J.J. Watt, the Texans will attempt to reestablish themselves as the best unit in the league.

With a sound backfield, explosive air attack, and high profile defensive core, the only question remaining for the Texans is the man calling the signals. Matt Schaub is in his 8^th year as a starter, and has won one playoff game. In big game situations, he falls apart, and he has yet to live up to his billing as the highest paid athlete in all of the greater Houston area. In 2013 the Texans can go as far as Schaub takes them. Defense wins championships, sure, but upon closer examination of the last few Super Bowl winners, quarterbacks play a major role in postseason success. The last five quarterbacks to win Super Bowls? Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger. For the Texans to make it past the divisional round of the playoffs, Schaub must rise to the occasion, utilize what could be the best receiving corps in franchise history, and be the quarterback Gary Kubiak, Rick Smith, and Bob McNair expect him to be.

A regression is challenging to see when it comes to the Texans in 2013. A regression would mean that the Texans will either; not secure a first round bye, not make it past the divisional round or miss the postseason entirely. For that to happen six teams in the AFC must outplay the Texans. At this point only one team in the AFC is genuinely better than the Texans, that being the Denver Broncos. The Texans, Patriots, Bengals and the Colts round out the top five in the AFC. Super Bowl hopes rest on Schaub, and, with a revamped receiving core and one of the best backs in the game lining up behind him, look for him to do big things this season. Anticipate the Texans making a deep playoff run this season, they have no excuses, this team is the best the young franchise has ever been. 

Antonio Smith faces suspension

Antonio Smith has been suspended three games for his actions Saturday night in a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.

In the first quarter Smith removed offensive linemen Richie Incognito’s helmet and proceeded to swing it, missing Incognito by inches.

Incognito and Smith have a history of friction on the field.

Last season the Texan’s defensive end was fined for "allegedly" kicking Incognito while both were knocked down on a play.

Following an appeal the $21,000 fine was reduced to $11,000.

Smith has complained that Incognito is a dirty player, and has backed his claims with game tape of the linemen intentionally twisting his right ankle.

Following the game Smith refused to address the incident saying he had received a “blow to the head,” and “couldn’t remember”.

If the suspension holds up the Texans will be without Smith for the rest of the preseason and their first regular season game.

Last season Smith had 7 sacks and two forced fumbles. He will be missed during his suspension.

Second year defensive end Jared Crick should take most of the snaps until Smith returns week 2 against the Tennessee Titans.

With this episode followed closely by D.J. Swearinger’s hit on Dustin Keller which ended Keller’s season, the Texans could begin to gain a reputation as dirty players.

Only time will tell, however this should not affect the Texans day to day operation or any results during the regular season.

Smith is an important defensive factor but not critical enough to alter the results of a game played against the San Diego Chargers. 

Road to recovery runs through the farm

8 years displaced from a trip to the World Series, the Houston Astros are putting together one of the worst seasons in the history of Major League Baseball.

The Astros currently stand at 41-83.

I, like anyone who pays attention to off-season moves and understands the tactics of Jeff Luhnow (GM), realized a long time ago that this season was going to be abysmal.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, Houstonians; the future of the Astros lies tucked away in the Minor Leagues.

Sit tight; in a few years from now our prospects will be called up, and the club will be competitive once again.

We have many talented young baseball players and here is a somewhat comprehensive look at the Astros' five most promising future stars.

SS Carlos Correa: Quad City River Bandits (Class A)

The first pick from the 2012 draft, Correa is young and not expected to grace the MLB until 2016. Correa has performed well in his first full season, (.328, 8 HR, 72 RBI, .409 OBP). Scouts label his defensive skills as “above average” which may seem underwhelming for the 1^st pick in the draft, but it’s key to remember that Correa is 18 years old.

Coaches admire Correa’s work ethic and his ravenous desire to improve his game. He will continue to progress through the Minors while he matures and hones his skills from an offensive and defensive standpoint. As long as management continues to move him along slowly but surely, Correa will be an All-Star in the near future. His potential for success at this game is immeasurable and only time will tell how high this prospect’s ceiling is.  

Grade: 9.25/10

OF George Springer: Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA)

This season Springer has torn the face off of the baseball: (.301, 35 HR, 100 RBI, 39 stolen bases). The thing that makes him so appealing though is his versatility across the board. His combination of skills from a defensively (arm strength, glove work, and speed) will allow the Astros to put him wherever he is needed in the outfield.

This season Springer is trying to become a member of the 40-40 club, (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases) a rare feat at any level. Many anticipate his call up fast approaching although Bo Porter has kept the Astros plans for the outfielder quiet.  

Grade: 8.5/10

SP Mark Appel: Quad City River Bandits (Class A)

In 2012, the Astros passed on the pitcher out of Stanford, however, following Appel’s senior year the Astros drafted him with the first pick in 2013. Appel went 10-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 130 strikeouts in his senior year. He hasn’t pitched much in the minors this season and will most likely be shut down soon due to his work load (combination of his season at Stanford plus minor league work). Last night Luhnow attended the River Bandits game to take a look at Appel, who got the win, and Correa who has 9 hits in his last 18 at bats.

Appel will most likely not reach the Show until 2015. His stuff is excellent and I anticipate him competing to take over the rotation once he arrives at Minute Maid in a few short years.

Grade: 8.5/10

SP Lance McCullers: Quad City River Bandits (Class A)

A first round talent that slipped to the Astros in 2012, McCullers has performed as well as our front office could have hoped when they signed him out of high school (6-5, 3.18 ERA, 117 strikeouts). McCullers has a fastball that consistently hits 97, while his slider is supposedly his second best pitch. He, like Appel, still has a good deal of progress to make. 

It is unclear whether he will compete for a starting job when he is called up or whether he will be used in middle relief/ closing games. Regardless, McCullers can be a consistent middle of the rotation pitcher in the MLB and, depending on how he continues to develop; we could see him by 2015. His control is questionable especially his changeup, but I think it will come with experience.

Grade: 8/10

1B Jonathan Singleton: Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA)

As I have come to learn, Singleton is allegedly the next Godsend for the Houston Astros. He is ranked as the top first base prospect in the league, and many put him right behind Correa in our farm system. His numbers are not overly impressive this season, (.226, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 100 strikeouts) although recently they have been improving. 

He started slow in AAA, but has gradually improved. I guess THC will do that to a professional baseball player. Singleton is coming off of a 50 game ban for a second failed drug test in which he tested positive for marijuana. The four prospects mentioned have all displayed semi-professionalism and maturity, something I do not see in Singleton, yet.

Grade 8/10

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I did not include any player who has been called up this season (Cosart, Villar, etc.) although I doubt any would shift the 5 players listed above.

The Astros look destined to receive the first pick in the draft for the third year in a row, which means another top prospect, never a bad thing.

I would like to sit here and say that the Astros will be good next year, but I do not believe it. Give it five years, if you can make it, and the Astros will be in the mix with the league’s best. Bank on it. 

The Underdog: 6 foot nothing

Last Friday, Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle wrote an article detailing his opinions on why Case Keenum should not be the second string quarterback for the Texans this season.

This is my response to a man (whom I respect) who makes tens of thousands of dollars doing what I would give my life to be able to do; write about Houston’s professional sporting clubs.

In Response to Jerome Solomon

Coming out of high school as a two star recruit from Abilene Texas, not much was thought of undersized quarterback Case Keenum.

Not surprisingly, the only school to offer him a scholarship was the University of Houston.

In his first season, Case sat and learned behind Kevin Kolb, yes that Kevin Kolb who is about to lose his starting job to a highly over-drafted E.J. Manuel.

In the following season, because of his pocket awareness, and his accuracy, Case became the first string quarterback, winning the spot over a Blake Joseph who was supposedly taller, faster and stronger than Keenum.

Case is listed at 6 foot nothing, 208 pounds, which is extremely generous in my opinion.

The following four seasons though, Keenum put the cynics to rest by compiling some of the best career statistics in the history of Division I college football.

As it stands Keenum is the NCAA's all-time leader in total passing yards, touchdowns, and completions.

While that sounds impressive, he attained those numbers against the less than stellar Conference USA.

Despite his performance at the collegiate level, the same criticism he faced out of high school stood against him prior to the draft; he wasn’t strong enough, quick enough, and most certainly not big enough to be worthy of a draft pick. Keenum went undrafted in 2011, and a few days later he signed onto the Houston Texans practice squad.

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This preseason, just like 2012, Gary Kubiak told the media that Keenum was having an excellent camp.

Unlike 2012, throughout this preseason, Kubiak has continued to talk his third-string, pint-sized quarterback up, as if he was trying to sell the Texans fan base a used car.

This past weekend Kubiak let his actions talk, putting Keenum into the game ahead of T.J. Yates. Keenum delivered.

I attended the game and right before it I was on my twitter (which is full of beat reporters such as John McClain, Adam Schefter, etc.) and noticed a tweet from McClain that read:

     “If Keenum plays well, many U of Houston fans will demand he start over Schaub. They're delusional that way. 2 much eat 'em up, rah, rah, rah”

(Let me interject that I think no fan of the Texans should demand Keenum replace Schaub. It is ludicrous to want to replace a good all-around passer with an inexperienced second year practice squad quarterback. Keenum still has quite a lot to prove.)

I am an avid tweeter; always have been, I love the idea of so many different individual’s ideas in one social media. I read this tweet right before Case Keenum delivered an absolute strike to Lestar Jean for a 38 yard touchdown.

Case ended the day going 11-18 with a touchdown. Good numbers, not great,  good, especially against the competition he was facing compared to last week.

During the preseason Keenum has completed 24/36 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

It is only the preseason and the main argument against Keenum is that he has yet to touch the field during the regular season, but if we used that argument for everyone why would you ever play a rookie? Why not the seasoned vet who has always put up semi-consistent mediocre numbers?

He will never be able to prove himself if the Texans stuff him down the depth chart and put him on the practice squad again this season.

The Texans have been blasé and boring with their approach to offense over the last season or two. Obviously it has not got the job done in the post-season.

T.J. Yates is a decent quarterback; you know what you are getting when you put him on the field. His talent under center is not better than Keenum, I believe the two are on similar levels, if not Keenum has a slight advantage.

When Schaub was injured and T.J. took over in 2011 his numbers were pedestrian at best (82-134, 949 yards, 3 TD’s, 3 INT’s, 4 fumbles) as the Texans made it to the Divisional round of the playoffs.

I believe in Case Keenum, if called upon, I know he will rise to the occasion. He is an underdog at heart; he has always been passed along. If Schaub goes down this season, this underdog can lead this team.

However, at the end of the day we are arguing about a second string spot in the NFL. Hopefully our first string quarterback does not get injured, because I would be a fool to fully believe that Case Keenum, at this stage in his career, could do a better job than Schaub. I believe he would get the job done but I am not so naive to think Keenum is as good/better than Matt Schaub.

Still though, one cannot help but be curious about the UH grad, because so far he has surpassed all the cynics expectation, he has lived up to his head coaches billing, and hopefully come opening day, Case Keenum will be able to suit up for the Houston Texans.

Thanks for the read: I lied and said I would post a piece about The Texan’s draft picks following my detailing of the Texans game Saturday. The article about the draft picks will be up next. 

On Peanuts, Running Backs, and JungleBoiSwaggg

I claim to be a die-hard fan of the Houston Texans, and any true blooded fan of a sports team should not complain much following a win. This past Saturday, following our game against Miami, I had a few specific grievances. First off, the Texans may be toast in the backfield if Arian stays hurt. Secondly, D.J. Swearinger may become the new Matt Slauson. Third, smoking may result in fits of rude behavior and immaturity. Lastly, if you eat peanuts at a football game I now have a biased dislike towards you.

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Allow me to delve into my experience at Reliant before I push off with some analysis of the W against Tannehill and his group of miscreants.  

Walking up to the stadium past the Astrodome brought a few tears to my eyes, I must say. I love this city and I realized I have no desire to live anywhere else.

Supposedly I attended a few events at the Astrodome but I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast this morning so how am I supposed to recall an event from 15 years ago?

Getting to the gate was no problem, and the line was moving quickly. The NFL just started an initiative in which you can have no bag or item larger than 6.5 inches (i.e. handbags, clutch, purses,) or in my case a wallet. That’s right I was the douche at the Texans game that had to walk all the way back to the car because my wallet was too big.

Due to my rookie mistake I was privileged to make the walk past the Astrodome for a second and third time; not as enjoyable the second OR third time.

My attempt to get into the stadium went off without a hitch the second time around and I got up to my just as the Texans marched down the field on a beautiful scoring drive orchestrated by Schaub and his high powered receiving corps. That sounds so bizarre to say; high powered receiving corps…

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The Texans starters barely played on Saturday night, a smart move from Kubiak seeing as star players around the league are dropping faster than my GPA this past semester (Too soon? No? Perfect). Due to limited work on both sides of the ball, it is hard for me to say much about our starters.

In the limited action here are some things I noticed.

It was incredible to see Cushing back in uniform. The linebacker almost had a nice sack on Tannehill, but in the end he settled for one tackle on about 10 snaps.

Our lack of a consistent running game while Schaub and Case were under center is extremely concerning to me. Without number 23 in the backfield we are completely one sided. Ben Tate is not good enough to be a starter in this league for any team that wants to make a run at a trophy. He would be a great fit for a bottom dwelling team with no hope like the Jaguars, or even the Cowboys.

Foster inked a 43.5 million dollar deal in March of 2012 and I would hate to see his play start to decline this early in his five year deal.

This is the second time in three years that he has missed significant time in the preseason. As a fan who has invested a lot of time and energy into this team, I have to say I am highly disappointed with the entire situation.

The last thing that stood out to me was Swearinger’s hit on Dustin Keller. It was a legal hit, trust me, I asked Mark Schlereth about it.

In the post game interview D.J. told reporters,

"I was making a hit playing football," Swearinger said. "In this league you’ve got to go low. If you go high you’re going to get a fine."… "The rules say you can’t hit high so I went low and I’m sorry that happened,"

With that, D.J. has painted a bright red target on his back. This situation is all too similar to last season when Cushing tore his ACL and how outraged Texans fans were.

The Dolphins acquired Keller and Mike Wallace this offseason for their young quarterback. It’s tough to see Keller go down for the season, as a fan of the game it is easy to empathize with the Dolphins.

The hit was clean but will still bring some negative energy onto the field for our second round pick who (with the injuries to our Secondary) could be starting soon.

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No trip to Reliant is complete without an altercation with another Texans fan. In my case it was with the loudest, most irritating woman I have met in my life.

I am not over exaggerating when I say that this woman sounded as if she had been smoking since kindergarten. In the highest pitch her poor vocal chords would allow, she screeced “GET HIM, GET HIM, GET HIM,” Relentlessly.

Every. Single. Play.

Fast forward a drive or two, my friends and I had heard enough, so one of my friends started screaming SHUT UP, at no one in particular.

Mind you, I said nothing, she was annoying, yes, but I understood she was simply enjoying the game, so my left ear just gritted its teeth and I continued to watch.

My friend’s demand to “SHUT UP” was of course heard by Mrs. Smokes-a-lot as she quipped “These guys are pissing me off I am going for a smoke,” Just loud enough for us to hear. When no one from her party said a word, she stood up, dropped a peanut down my shirt and tore off down the stairs.

Basically what occurred next was all too predictable, this lady, fully clad in Michael Kors and Tori Burch, returned from her smoke break and started pelting us with peanut shells.

I learned at a young age that if you do not engage a bully they will simply get bored and move on to a different target, and after about 15 minutes she stopped, content with herself, a 35 year old woman who just attempted to pick a fight with two 19 year olds, I would be proud too.

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The rest of the game was fine; we were some of the last to leave because not many fans are interested in seeing the third and fourth string players on the bubble to make the roster.

It was great to watch the Texans in action, considering I will most likely not be attending a regular season game. I highly recommend you do though; the new screen alone makes the trip worth it. Most of the game I struggled to avert my eyes and actually watch the players on the field.

In weeks to come, I hope the Texans address issues surrounding our backfield. It would be a damn shame to be able to blame our lack of a Lombardi trophy on our undrafted former super-vegan. I am highly impressed with our passing game, but that will not carry us this season. When Schaub was putting up insane stats a few seasons ago, we were not winning enough games to make the playoffs. We are a better team than we were a few years ago, but I just don’t know if Schaub could carry the load without Arian lining up behind him.

Thanks for the read, my next article will take a look at our draft picks and how each has fared up to this point. 

In respect to 56

Every group of friends has that one asshole; the guy you love for all the wrong reasons. Usually he is not the biggest or the brightest but you keep him around because of his quick wit and his endearing quips about your other friends… Brian Cushing is the Texans asshole.

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I remember the night vividly. October 8^, 2012, watching the Texans play the New York Jets, only about a month into the NFL’s regular season. At that point the Texans had been dominant, on their way to an early 5-0 record, with absolutely no end in sight.

That night I was at a friend's apartment about a month into my first semester of freshman year. I went to grab a slice of pizza off of the host's dining room table, only to come back into the room with everyone staring wide-eyed into the mounted flat screen. All the joy from the first quarter of the Texan's season was sucked out of the air, and was quickly replaced with misery and despair. The Texans Super Bowl hopes were in serious danger.

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The Texans never pick offensive players in the NFL draft. When we should have picked Vince Young we balked and picked some kid named Mario. In 2010 we picked a pizza delivery boy named Watt, and in 2009, with the 15^th pick in the draft the Texans selected a kid with shoulder length hair from USC named Brian Cushing.

In college Cushing was an enigmatic defender; he played outside linebacker, but he was strong enough to line up as a defensive end. He recorded 3 sacks his senior year, nothing impressive. His numbers were never what wowed scouts, but rather, his versatility, and his natural tendency to lead on the field.

Anyone who did not do their research prior to the draft wouldn’t have seen anything overly impressive with the 6’3 205 pound surfer from Cali, nothing stood out about Cush.

Fast forward one year, and the linebacker was considered to have had one of the most impressive rookie seasons in the history of the league (133 tackles, 4 sacks, 10 pass deflections, 4 interceptions, & 2 forced fumbles). He was voted to start the Pro-Bowl back when it used to mean something… wait… and was selected as a second team All-Pro linebacker.

Cush sat out the first four games of the following season due to doping, which he still denies.

2010-2011 was not a great time for Texans fans, as we regressed from a team that went 9-7 in 09-10 to a basement dweller in the AFC South, finishing 6-10.

Since his rookie season though, Cushing has been making mince meat out of offensive units, namely AFC South starting quarterbacks.

So 2012 seemed like a prime time for the Texans to make a push to the playoffs and beyond, no more Peyton, no more speed bumps in our division, no worries. One thing the Texans didn’t anticipate? An illegal block laid by Matt Slauson.

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In 2012 the Texans started 5-0 thanks in a large part to the defense pioneered by Wade Phillips and lead by Cushing. J.J. Watt was on the rise, Kareem Jackson had finally started coming into his own, and the Texans defense looked insatiable.

Monday night; I most likely should have been studying for a test, but instead I headed over to watch the Texans take on Mark Sanchez and the Funky bunch. The Texans were playing decently, a little sloppy seeing as it was a prime time game, and we never can perform under the watch of scrutinizing fans all across the US of A.

In the second quarter, on a simple run play, Jets offensive lineman Matt Slauson laid one the dirtiest blocks I have seen in my football watching days, barreling into Cushing’s lower leg, helmet first.

Seeing as I was indulging myself in a slice of pizza, I did not get to witness it in real time, but in the highlight I saw the block and then got to see the Texans hopes of a Super Bowl, writhing on the ground in agony.

I stayed up late that night, “studying” and hoping to hear that the injury was a minor bruise, or anything that didn’t threaten to end Cushing’s season. When no news came I decided to go to sleep, and woke up to the worst case scenario; Cushing had torn his ACL, his 2012 was finished, needless to say I was heartbroken.

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This week Brian Cushing anticipates suiting up for the first time in 11 months, as the Texans will play the Dolphins in our second preseason game. I will be watching, waiting for Cushing to lay a vicious blow and make everything right in the H.

The chemistry of our defense was never perfectly balanced following Cush’s injury. As Wade Phillips said,

"We missed him when he was out," defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. "We did a satisfactory job without him, but anytime you lose a great player it's going to hurt you some. And we're glad to have him back."

Everyone, ranging from the 52 man roster, to coaches, to fans alike, everyone knows how pivotal number 56 is to our defense, and we aren’t the same without him douching it up on the football field. 

Because honestly, what is a group of friends without their asshole?

Thanks for the read, next piece: a tasteful selection detailing Jackson Pollock’s influence on the artistic movement of the mid to late 20^th century.