I would say the Ravens were almost just as unproven, along with looking old/slow/past their prime last season. They got hot/healthy at the right time. The Texans aren't the favorites going into next year.... but their situation is far from bleak.
Ok so again we finished with a 12-4 record, but that record was mostly based of the beginning of the season as we stumbled at the end of the season. So we crashed at the end of the season getting whooped by NE twice in the last 5 weeks, we have lost most of our 'supposed' top priority free agents AND have yet to sign one KEY free agent. But we are in good shape because other teams have also lost players
The Ravens are probably similar to the Texans in that it took them a good while before they were finally able to get over the hump. I'm just impatient, I guess. At any given point a team can get hot, so as long as the Texans make the playoffs, they'll always have a chance. I'm not saying they won't. But when you look at this team and the holes it has to fill to beat a team like NE and now Denver, we haven't done anything so far with free agency. Going heavy through the draft is fine, but to win now, you have to get experienced players. Getting someone like Ed Reed gives you a leader, someone who knows what it takes to beat top tier teams.
Agreed. Reed is a very good safety that will make other players better, Woodson is a mediocre safety that will expose other players in our secondary.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>RT @<a href="https://twitter.com/lwebb21">lwebb21</a>: Download the @<a href="https://twitter.com/royal_farms">royal_farms</a> app on your phone & get great deals like I do. Getting fantastic offers. Free stuff, too! <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23RoFoigotit">#RoFoigotit</a></p>— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwentyER/status/313720656959242240">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/badass6929">badass6929</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/lwebb21">lwebb21</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/royal_farms">royal_farms</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/ravens">ravens</a> don't think it will</p>— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwentyER/status/313721651550380032">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/yonathanmelamed">yonathanmelamed</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/badass6929">badass6929</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/lwebb21">lwebb21</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/royal_farms">royal_farms</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/ravens">ravens</a> it mean what I said</p>— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwentyER/status/313725814871060480">March 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Go through the contenders: who's signing KEY free agents? The teams making the most noise are mediocre, and there's a looooooooong history of free agency being a total waste of money. Ask Redskin fans. I've said repeatedly that the Texans absolutely need to upgrade/stabalize positions. But they haven't lost any significant, irreplaceable parts. They need Schaub to play better when it counts; they need Cushing to get healthy. If they do nothing else, those two developments, neither of which are remarkably far-fetched, will ensure the Texans are contenders. They have one of the best RBs in football; and one of the best WRs, LTs, ILBs, CBs, too. And they have *the* best defensive player in football. They've won 24 games the past two years, including two playoffs games - and that was with their QB, RB and WR all missing significant time. We were a bad team team for 9 years; we've been good for all of 2. Please, please, please don't jump to entitled this quickly.
I just saw Ed Reed drop a case of Saint Arnold's Divine Reserve 13 on my doorstep, though he mysteriously resembled my sister-in-law. Maybe he needs a Snickers to get his mind right and sign with the Texans.
I actually think the team last year would have found a way to beat Denver.... just like Baltimore did. All teams have holes. Even the most "flawless" (San Fran, New England) got beat by flawed teams, not just in the playoffs but also in the regular season. Its all about how the team is playing as a unit, especially in the playoffs. While the Texans had gaping holes last year going into the playoffs, the team was just not playing all that well with the players they had (and will continue to have). These were the same players playing BETTER earlier in the season, with the same holes in the lineup. The line wasn't blocking as well anymore, very little pressure on the QB, Schaub was starting to throw scared, TE's were dropping passes, Arian looked tired. Yes, the Texans don't have enough talent to overcome sloppy/uninspired/dumb gameplans. I don't think any team does (well, maybe the 49ers do)... thus it again comes down to how this team is playing as a unit, overall, at the time of the playoffs.
Pancakes: Texans no closer to landing Reed Although general manager Rick Smith and agent David Dunn have talked about free agent free safety Ed Reed since they arrived at the league meetings, they don’t appear to be closer to getting a deal done. Obviously, Reed wants more than the Texans are offering, but they’re limited by the salary cap. They place a value on players, and it’s difficult to get them to budge.
I'm fine with the Texans not wanting to overpay. But what is frustrating is that they seemingly have no plan B,C or D.
I was rolling with my boys at the DisneyWorld out in Katy and I saw Ed Reed wearing mouse ears with Toro.
