Coming into the eagles game, I wasn't expecting us to come away with a win. Even though I was right, there were some bright positives in that loss. However, my question is, do you consider games in which we lose closely or have several contributing players in a loss "moral victories"? Personally, I don't believe in moral victories. We have been in close games with the Cowboys and the Colts, but I don't believe that made us a better team at the end of the day. What would have made us better was: limiting the mistakes, closing out the games, and just simply picking up the W. Winning actually boosts morale, and it's obvious that some of these losses are contributing to bad morale in the locker room. I think the only time that moral victories apply are when you have a team like the Raiders that are bad and win-less, but continue to keep games close against good teams. Then again, the argument could be said that coming into the season, we weren't expected to be this good, so maybe those games do count. What's your take on the situation?
Moral victories are for losers. I saw 10 years of trying to find the good in losses. There will always be good in some losses. At the end of the day it is about wins and losses. You have no idea how a seemingly good aspect of the team will extend to next season. Make the playoffs or bust. See you guys in 2021 wildcard round.
They've been competitive in every game, save the Giants. They've also overcome some absolutely devestating stretches (1Q v Colts; end of 2Q v. Steelers) to make games close. No one should be happy with the results - but I think there's merit to being close. The Texans' point differential is +9; the Jags' is -110. They're closer to being good than they are bad.
Moral victories don't make a team better - but they are evidence that a team is better. If you lose all your games by a field goal, that projects better for the future than if you're losing all your games by 20 points. If you are able to run the ball despite losing, you're better than than if you're not able to run the ball while losing. Etc etc.
I said yes only because in a lost season, you are really more looking at what kind of team you have going forward than anything else. If the Texans had a serious chance of the playoffs or were in "win now" mode then it would be different.
No. A loss should still be treated as a loss. If you played your best and got really close to winning against a team with which you should have had no chance, you should look at that loss, feel bitter that you were so close, and resolve to beat them no doubt next time. In the case of Houston sports teams, I'd say close games are even farther away from a moral victory than just being blown out. That's because our big three teams almost always find a way to make a should-be victory into a close defeat. The Astros FOR YEARS have lost games 1-0, 2-1, etc. The last game I attended, they pitched a one-hitter and LOST. I've felt so bad for their pitchers over the past 10-15 years. Their abundance of close losses due to completely absent hitting is, if anything, immoral. After loving the 'Stros through my entire childhood, I just got sick of years of this crap, and they'll have a hard time winning me back. The Rockets, who are our greatest hope at the moment, spent the past two years gaining huge leads and then complacently letting it get down to the final shot. They played valiant and often fruitless catchup in a lot of games where they should have just been creamed their opponent into the ground. This year so far, they look a lot better, but there are still some vestiges of that complacency. They can beat anybody if they try, so there is nothing close to a moral victory for the Rockets anymore. The closer they lose, the madder and more determined I hope it makes them from now on. This year, I think that fire might actually be lit. Here's hoping. The Texans let teams score 24 points on them in the first quarter of games, have no offense to even put up any retort, and then the defense, especially one single guy, has to claw the team back to within striking distance, and they still lose. Our kicker misses indoor, windless chip shots through the uprights. The guy on 790 on the radio pointed out on Monday that the Texans had a three-turnover advantage against the Eagles, and they lost. That's pretty close to the Astros losing a one-hitter. No moral victories. Embrace the bitterness of defeat and of years of failure, Houston teams, and channel that into beating the ever-living crap out of the next team you see, whoever they are.
Why do people want to express their views anomaly? Public polls are a quick way to express their views. It's cool to see who on the board thinks what.
the raiders are 0-8, but they been close against the jets, they were very close to win against New England (1 int in the red zone in the last minute), they were close to beat San Diego, until 2 fumbles in the 4th quarter, they were close against Cleveland. last week they almost recover an onside kick and beat Seattle. Do you think the raiders fans are content because they were competitive in those close games? the bengals have a point differential of -14 but they have a 5-3-1 record, wouldnt you trade places?