Agreed. it's not even close. I'm not answering from a "which team is better" standpoint. Both teams are about equal overall, and I think Watt's star power would trump Luck (IND) even though QB typically trumps all. Watt is huge. Hope he returns to form next season.
All you gotta do is remove the worst QB in the NFL from the Texans, and they can compete. On the other side, Luck is very overrated.
If i were just new into football and was from Houston, Id be a Texans fan. I'd trade quarterbacks though.
Luck had so much promise when he first got drafted but it's a huge void he had to fill with Manning gone. Interesting how that went about because we were unlucky (or lucky) which ever you choose to look at it not to draft Andrew Luck. If he could cut down his risky passes sure but outside of him there's really no one special that can win games for them. As a team the Texans have put in the work to compile a great team. If Clowney continues to stay healthy and improves (with Merciless+Cushings), we'll have fun times when Watt comes back healthy. We still need something different on offense. It sucks for Brock because he may only have another season to figure it out before fans start to give up on him completely. We'll see how it goes, it may not just be Brock but also could be O'Brien too.
I can tell you Colts fans are getting more and more revisionist with each and every Luck interception. If they ended up being patient with Manning post injury (as he proved to still have 2 elite/MVP level years left), and they then trade the #1 overall pick for probably the biggest return in NFL draft history (just look at what the Redskins gave up for RG3...), the Colts probably end up STACKED for this next decade (even after Manning ended up regressing). However, what they end up doing is ditching Manning... drafting Luck.... trading a first round pick for Trent Richardson (haha)... continuing to waste first round picks on WR's with bad hands... and now they're in cap hell with no depth whatsoever.
It would be easier to build around Luck than Smith, and Mcnair every finding a franchise quarterback.They have had about 15 years to find one.After Manning left Indy how long did it take them to draft Luck? Houston could draft a quarterback every year and not find their franchise quarterback.
How many true franchise QB's have been drafted (especially high in the first round) in the NFL in between the Manning and Luck drafts?
Are you saying this as a joke? Because there have been a LOT. Vick, Mcnabb, Couch (but lets not count those because the Texans didn't exist yet) Palmer, Eli Manning, Rivers, Alex Smith, Matt Stafford, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Sam Bradford (all top 7 picks or so) Rodgers, Cutler, Flacco (first rounders) The worst part, lets say all these were picked before our draft spot (that is not the case, but just for fun) here is who we managed to pick up in that timeline: Ragone 5th rd Henson 4th rd Symons last rd Brink last rd Yates 5th rd Savage 4th rd This is why I was excited we actually made a move for Brock, and also why I am disappointed but not surprised. We have NEVER been able to scout a QB.
I should have prefaced my definition for "true franchise QB" to be somebody that is truly an elite/can't miss/HOF guy. Some also consider a franchise QB to be one who is just a starter without question... which means Matt Schaub would have fit that definition. Out of all those guys, you have only one for sure HOF bound QB (Rodgers). Two likely, but still questionable guys in Rivers/Newton. Eli is not a lock by any means. Ryan, Smith and Stafford are still TBD. Palmer, Cutler, Flacco, Bradford are all just guys... and its no surprise that 3 of them have switched teams multiple times. My point is that its not "that" easy to just conjure up a true franchise-difference making QB. The Colts possibly getting there right after Peyton was more a result of "luck"/good fortune than anything else.
Fair point on the definition, I think I am somewhere in between. For instance, I think Flacco, Palmer, Ryan, Stafford are franchise QBs, but I would not say Bortles is. IMO they need to be a starter but also not make you question getting a new one next draft. And I understand it's not easy, but the fact that we havent even gotten the "fringe" franchise QB other than 3 years of a guy we traded for scares me. I mean of all the QBs we have drafted, only 2 have started a regular season game for us I think.
But you pretty much exemplified my point when you express your dis-taste for Bortles... as he represents one of the few opportunities the Texans have had in their franchise existence to draft a QB high. You also had David Carr... whom the Texans failed just as much as he failed the Texans. Then you also had the Vince Young year (when they drafted Mario), where there would have also been a predictable flameout. Its still a crap-shoot... with the exception that with Brock, its really only a 2 year deal that they can then get out of and move on if he doesn't work out. With a guy like Carr, Bortles, or any other top pick du-jour, its a 4-5 year commitment. The Jags will probably end up going through another coach/GM prior to them being in a position to yet again draft another QB high. And for all of the other guys you mentioned above, only Flacco has delivered his team a SB (which is probably the only reason why he's being paid as much as he is... to essentially be a game manager that has happened to have some isolated great playoff performances).
That SB year for Flacco was also on the back of Lewis and that defense. I'm on your side, I like that we built up the rest of the team. The QB being the problem is a lot more visible to the fans and analysts, but look at the colts. They found their QB and are no closer to a SB than we are. I would actually say we are closer because I think if you give us Rodgers/Brady we would be headed there.
In draft or trade or finding a Franchise quarterback in China the Texans have had 15 years to find one and with Smith and Mcnair it will be 15 more years.
You do realize that "finding a QB" is means not an ultimate end. Their goal is to wk football games. They should be judged on that. Yes a "franchise QB" helps but it is not the measure of success.
How many teams have won the Super Bowl without really good quarterbacks?Name a team that won the Superbowl with a qb like Brock Osweiler. Dallas will likely play in Houston in February while Mcnair will try to sign someone like Tony Romo.
How many teams have won the super bowl without really good quarterbacks? Denver Baltimore Tampa Bay Indianapolis Washington Raiders
By the above definition, Schaub was their franchise QB from 2007-2013. They spent their first ever draft pick trying to secure that position, drafting the consensus #1 overall college prospect. They just attempted to shore up the position by outbidding the incumbent SB champions for their free agent. I would not confuse lack of success with a lack of effort.
