Chron: Will third year be a charm for David Carr?

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2588639

Texans quarterback looks for breakout season

Hang around the Texans these days, and you'll find there is much ado about a do.

After a crisp workout to begin the first set of coaching sessions last Monday, quarterback David Carr removed his helmet and revealed a new look. The clean, cropped haircut of the Californian turned Texan is gone in favor of locks so long a double take is necessary to confirm it's Carr.

It's different, Carr admits, but he likes it, even if he doesn't like the circumstances that led to this impromptu makeover.

After the Texans' Week 4 victory over Jacksonville last year -- a win Carr sealed with a quarterback sneak for a touchdown as time expired -- the family was sitting around the dinner table when Carr's father, Rodger, announced he wasn't going to cut his hair until the Texans won consecutive games.

The quarterback echoed his father's pledge, and the growing began. Nearly eight months later -- give or take a touch-up or two -- both are sprouting like Chia pets.

"My wife likes it, so that's really all that matters," Carr said. "I might keep it -- maybe not this long. But my dad has got to cut his hair, because my mom is about tired of it. It's getting pretty bad."

Carr essentially holds the clippers as he prepares to lead the Texans into a pivotal third season during which he hopes consecutive wins will become the norm rather than a hurdle that could threaten to run the family barber out of business.

Despite the fact the neophyte Texans have won just nine of their 32 games and have failed to string together back-to-back victories in two years, Carr believes now is the time for the franchise to turn the corner, and he accepts that his continued development will be a key factor.

"The whole team needs to be there," Carr, 24, said. "I definitely want to get to that level. I'm tired of being average. I've been playing football my whole life, and I've never been average or below average. It's time to step up, and there's really no better year than this one. I look forward to having a better season.

"If I told you the goals I have for myself and the team, you'd probably laugh at me. I put so much pressure on myself. This is the year. If we stay healthy, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be in the playoffs. People sometimes are scared to say playoffs, but why not? I'm only playing to win the NFL championship. Everyone who plays the game wants to win the Super Bowl, and we shouldn't be any different."

The Texans spent the offseason upgrading a defense that ranked next to last in the NFL. A young offense, led by Carr, should improve with another year of experience, not to mention the additions of right tackle Todd Wade, veteran tight end Mark Bruener and second-year tight end Bennie Joppru, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve.

Improving by one win from the first to second year is something on which to build, and the 2003 record could have been better if the Texans had done a better job of finishing off opponents. The Texans lost three games by a total of nine points and had fourth-quarter leads each time.

Carr had his share of fourth-quarter woes, throwing eight of his 13 interceptions and completing passes at a lower rate (51.8 percent) than in any other period.

He believes it's time for him and his teammates to develop a killer instinct and put last season's shortcomings behind them.

"It's not like we don't have enough talent," Carr said. "We just have to execute, especially in the fourth quarter. I think that's where another year of experience is going to pay off for us."

After taking every snap during his rookie season, in which he endured an NFL-record 76 sacks, Carr missed four games because of injuries in 2003 and played in parts of two others. Nevertheless, offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said Carr improved in his sophomore year, and Palmer expects improvement this season.

"I think it's a tremendous year for him," he said. "He has to continue to show the growth that he did last year. He's knocking on the door. He hasn't gotten through the door, but he's knocking on it."

Carr accepts the inherent result of playing quarterback -- too much blame when the team loses and too much credit when it wins -- but tight end Billy Miller suggested Carr will only be as good as the players around him.

"Dave has always known the offense and known what he was supposed to do," Miller said. "When we were younger, we would drop some balls and not run the right routes, and one out of three times he was getting sacked. We all know that Dave is talented and can do it, but he needs help.

"This isn't Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. He needs some guys to catch, block and do some other things for him, and it's important that he has that now. I've always felt Dave would be one of those guys that we'll talk about for a long time."

As for the haircut, Miller said: "He's got that Smallville Clark Kent look going. All he needs is the `S' on his chest."

As far as Carr and the Texans are concerned, anything would be better than `L's' hung in succession.