In the interest of saving time, let's fast-forward to Feb. 3, 2008. The New England Patriots will beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLII. Sorry to ruin the intrigue. The Patriots will get there by design, the Bears will return by default. League bylaws insist on only one AFC team per Super Bowl, so someone will have to represent the NFC, and the Bears know the way. Alas, Dallas and Houston will not make it there, but the Cowboys will win a playoff game. Relying on the two most relevant factors, New England and Chicago have either a great or competent quarterback and a great defense. The Patriots have the most reliable quarterback in the league in Tom Brady. Assuming Rex Grossman doesn't get sidetracked by New Year's Eve plans or his own madly fluctuating quarterback ratings, the Bears quarterback will not hold them back this season, and if he does, there are much worse backup quarterbacks than Brian Griese. Are you listening, David Carr? Quarterback is just too critical a position in the league today. Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl with a team like Baltimore, but it helped that the Ravens' defense gave up only 152 total yards, had four sacks and forced four turnovers. Chicago has that kind of defense. You want to follow a road map to Phoenix, first circle the 15 NFL teams with quarterbacks who are superstars, well-established and/or have been there before. And you can pretty much eliminate the other 17 teams. That would exclude the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans from Super Bowl consideration. Tony Romo is still too young, and Matt Schaub is simply too inexperienced. Here's betting Romo will be spectacular at times but also inconsistent and occasionally too cavalier with the ball. And the preseason hasn't determined whether Schaub, with two career starts but action in 38 games in three years, will be the second coming of Rob Johnson — a disaster in Buffalo — or the next Philip Rivers. Romo has started only 11 games, including an ill-fated one in the playoffs. Romo has the clear advantage of having a much superior and bigger offensive line and better weapons at running back, tight end and wide receiver. Schaub is just trying to stay in one piece behind Houston's patchwork offensive line, which nevertheless should be better than last year's, but he does have the security of a six-year, $48 million contract. Romo has the motivation of playing for a lucrative contract. Schaub is without benefit of a proven No. 2 receiver opposite Andre Johnson — Kevin Walter has one touchdown in four seasons, and electrifying wideout/punt returner Jacoby Jones remains a rookie — and doesn't know if Ahman Green's 30-year-old body will hold up over an entire season. There are other reasons the Cowboys and Texans won't be representing their conferences in the Super Bowl. I was leaning toward making Dallas a dark-horse contender for that game until No. 1 cornerback Terence Newman showed up with plantar fasciitis — an ailment that should bother him all season — and the recovery of defensive end Greg Ellis and No. 2 wideout Terry Glenn from their injuries has been painfully slow. That's not to say Dallas can't get there, but its journey just got more treacherous. Still, Wade Phillips' attacking defense and the vast array of offensive playmakers should earn Dallas a 10-6 record and the NFC East crown. The Cowboys at least have a shot at a deep playoff run, especially if Newman heals. Houston is a candidate for an 8-8 year, at best, which would represent an upgrade over last year's 6-10 season. A rough December schedule with two games against the Broncos and Colts shape up as a faltering finish and a final 7-9 record. Schaub may have not the arm — or the time in the pocket — to throw deep downfield. And he figures to have too little help in his line and the defensive front to suggest the Texans can do anything more than contend for a winning record. Of the first 41 Super Bowls, the game's MVP was a quarterback in 21 of them. In the 50 seasons that the Associated Press has picked a league MVP, a quarterback has been chosen outright or shared the choice 32 times. Romo did make the Pro Bowl, becoming the first Cowboys quarterback to do so since Troy Aikman. He's a quarterback on the rise. Schaub just hopes to remain upright. kbohls@statesman.com http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/archive/2007_nfl_preview/0905nfl_bohls.html
another misinformed reporter who thinks david carr didn't exceed because of the offensive line. why would he mention that schaub will not have time to throw the ball downfield and will spend a lot of time on his back? i agree with his assessment that the patriots will win the super bowl, but i am not convince that chicago will be in it. at best, i think the texans will finish with a 9-7 record, but objectively i think they will finish 8-8. still not bad, and will start to gain respect through the league.
Never ever ever read Kirk Bohls. You guys think Ortiz and Justice are bad? This schmuck makes them look like freaking Pulitzer Prize winners. No one flip flops more than Bohls. Sometimes, within the same editorial.
who is this guy? The article's tone is biased negatively toward the Texans. That's fine if we are underdogs or looked over; it will make the beating incurred by some teams that much funnier.
the texans have to prove it in the season, that's fine. I am a huge fan of Green, since he was a cornhusker and I hate nebraska. that dude just runs down hill. anyone remember that monday night game when he leveled the drunk guy who ran on the field?
I think Austin generally dislikes the Texans because they passed on VY. Time to get over it. And that's coming from a VY fan.
yeah, or something very similar. i changed my mind. i knew i probably would. i was certainly pissed at the time.
what about passing on Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart or D'Brickshaw? its not all about VY, the Texans games last year were a snorefest (except for the one vs VY). Lets not forget that: 1. Texans are an expansion team, always hard to get new fans regardless of how big Houston is 2. Everybody else in the state is a Cowboys fan (they aren't going to root for the Texans) 3. College Football > NFL in Austin. 4. No marketable players for the Texans. VY is a superstar, hate him or love him, no one cares about Mario Williams outside the Texan faithful. Drafting Bush or Leinart instantly gets the Texans a marketable player, oh well.
NFL coverage in the Statesman is 99.9% cowboy related, .005% general NFL, and, if there is room, a sentence or 2 about the Texans.
And the Texans don't care whether anyone outside of Houston likes them. Most of tinmans points are correct. Austin likes college over the NFL
So no one cares about Mario Williams but Texans fans, yet D'Brickashaw Ferguson would bring in the ratings? A mediocre offensive tackle who was manhandled head to head by Williams a season ago? Really?
Good points but if the Texans don't care if anyone outside of Houston likes them, then all of the crying here about the Texans getting no respect while the Cowboys get a free pass around the state despite not having won a playoff game in 10 years needs to stop.
