Ok. "Big gulp huh......................................................? Well ok." Here for you bud. No, but the playoffs are a long shot. We shouldn't have shot ourselves in the foot. I hope they win out because I still believe Kubiak is the right guy for this job. At least a one year extension.
I don't necessarily think this entire town is being very optimistic about the current playoff situation and possible scenario. Do we control our own fates anymore right now? No. But I think people are starting to lose sight of what makes the NFL (and hell sports in general) such incredible leagues and that is because anything can happen and anybody can win. We all have seen teams win and stay in their seats at the stadium in hopes that somehow some way things will all fall into place. And whether you guys want to make fun of me or not I think it is very valid to think this can be a very likely scenario this year. Breaking it all down the current standings and remaining schedules look like this: Overall / Conference Record / Remaining Schedule 5 - Denver: 8-5 / (6-4) / vs. Oak, @ Phi, vs. KC 6 - Jacksonville: 7-6 / (6-3) / vs. Ind, @ NE, @ Cle x- Baltimore: 7-6 / (6-4) / vs. Chi, @ Pit, @ Oak x- Miami: 7-6 / (5-4) / @ Ten, vs. Hou, vs. Pit x- N.Y Jets 7-6 / (5-5) / vs. Atl , @ Ind , vs. Cin x- Pittsburgh 6-7 / (4-6) /vs. GB, vs. Bal, @ Mia x- Tennessee 6-7 / (3-7) / vs. Mia, vs. SD, @ Sea x- Houston 6-7 / (4-6) / @ Stl, @ Mia, vs. NE *- Now something I am not mentioning that is also very important is a game between San Diego and Cincinnati this week. This game is vital because both of these teams play some of the teams that are ahead of us and we need both of these teams to play as many meaningful games as they possibly can. What we need is for Cincinnati to pull off the W because that will leave the 2nd seed and 1st round bye in the balance until the final weeks. If San Diego wins they all but clinch the 2nd seed and 1st round bye. Aside from that if you really break this thing down there are some very possible scenarios: #1) Miami wins every game but loses to us giving us the Wild Card spot via the tie breaker, N.Y Jets go 2-1, Baltimore Ravens go 1-2, and Jacksonville goes 1-2. We win this scenario because Miami swept the N.Y Jets in their division so the Jets automatically get eliminated. #2) We straight up end in a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers and no other team at 9-7. If this happens we win the tie breaker because of the common games played (minimum of four). Because of their losses to Oakland and Cincinnati. While we split with Tennessee and potentially in this scenario beat Miami. #3) Denver loses out while we win out and either of the 2 scenarios above happen alongside this. #4) All other potential wild card teams just end up 8-8 while we go 9-7. Now I know a lot of this sounds a little far fetched but in all honesty assuming something out of the norm happens I CAN see Jacksonville going 1-2. I can see Miami winning 2 of 3 (the loss being to us. Also quick tid bit we have never lost to Miami in our franchise's existence). I can see the NY Jets either finishing 1-2 or 2-1. More likely for them to go 1-2 if Indy tries to go for undefeated season and Cincy is playing for a 2nd seed and playoff bye. The one team I must admit that can and very likely will ruin this whole thing is Baltimore because yes officially they have the weakest path to get there and Denver because it doesn't take much now for them to clinch. All this being said what I don't understand is by the last week of the season it is VERY likely that we ATLEAST be sitting at the edge of our seats throughout the entire New England game scoreboard watching or EVEN waiting it out after the game to see other scores like Tennessee @ Seattle or Baltimore @ Oakland or Kansas City @ Denver. This possibility in and of itself if it were to come true would be an absolute dream come true for me after seeing where this franchise use to be and where it finally potentially looks to be now and in my opinion should be reason enough to at the very least allow our coach Gary Kubiak to be able to complete his contract and see what we can do with 1 more year under his regime (the next year being a make or break year). BUT and I yes I dare say the unlikely BUT what if our Texans do somehow someway make it as the final seed in the NFL playoffs. Do they not remind you of any team recently? Arizona maybe? Defense showing flashes, running game non existent in the regular season but has the potential of showing up in the playoffs, BIG TIME STAR WR to help carry us there. Aside from that think about the matchups. It is very possible that the #6 Wild Card team will be playing the Cincinnati Bengals. If we were to win that which I believe is very do-able (since the match up is good for us) being the lowest seed we would play the AFC's highest seed the Indianapolis Colts. We have played the Colts very tough this year and it is very difficult to beat the same team 3 times in the same season. And of course if we were to somehow win that we would be playing in the AFC championship against some really good team that would be ridiculously tough to beat but hey at least we could be there with a shot to potentially make the SUPERBOWL right? Look I'm not asking for everybody to just all of a sudden glow with optimism here but honestly isn't this what sports is all about? The UNDERDOGS, the UNLIKELY SCENARIOS, the MOMENTUM. I don't know about the rest of you guys but I will choose to be an optimistic fan until the clock of each and every single game hits 0:00 and our team is completely eliminated. And even then I will say well we can win the Super bowl next year. And no matter what I'm not jumping off the bandwagon of MY TEAM. That's what makes fanhood so fun for me. What do you all say?
Big Dogzz, that is a GREAT post. Unfortunately, the whole scenario depends on us winning out. And that’s NEVER going to happen. I’m thinking we go 2-1. We beat the Rams (since it’s meaningless). Then either we: 1) beat Miami and, in typical Texans fashion, lose a heartbreaker against NE killing our playoff hopes or 2) lose to Miami then pound NE (since that game will be meaningless).
Nice post, bigdogzz. Unfortunately I think what keeps most of us from getting our hopes up is that we likely won't beat Miami AND New England with the playoffs on the line. Miami is a very solid football team and we'll be in for a dogfight, and New England, despite their deficiencies this year, absolutely knows how to win better than us in big games and in crunch time. It could probably be argued that we are the worst of the playoff contenders at finishing games and coming through in the clutch. Let's hope they prove us wrong- it'd be a huge sign that we've turned a corner. I still don't think we deserve it after losing to Jacksonville. We'd be front runners if we had won that game.
LOL, I don't think you'll get much argument there... :grin: Sorry, man. I guess you could say I'm just hedging my emotions.
Thanks, Peyton. We needed you to win this game. Jags now are 7-7, hopefully will be 7-8 after playing the Pats next week. 5 - Denver: 8-5 / (6-4) / vs. Oak, @ Phi, vs. KC 6 - Baltimore: 7-6 / (6-4) / vs. Chi, @ Pit, @ Oak x- Miami: 7-6 / (5-4) / @ Ten, vs. Hou, vs. Pit x- N.Y Jets 7-6 / (5-5) / vs. Atl , @ Ind , vs. Cin x- Jacksonville: 7-7 / (6-4) / @ NE, @ Cle x- Pittsburgh 6-7 / (4-6) /vs. GB, vs. Bal, @ Mia x- Tennessee 6-7 / (3-7) / vs. Mia, vs. SD, @ Sea x- Houston 6-7 / (4-6) / @ Stl, @ Mia, vs. NE Let's go Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Green Bay, and, of course, Houston!
I hate cheering for the Colts. It's so unnatural. At least they are not the Cowboys, Titans or Steelers. I refuse to cheer for those three teams. Btw, Jim Caldwell now has 14 wins. It took Gary Kubiak two full seasons to get 14 wins.
Amazing...the Texans have a legit chance now. They will beat St Louis and then sets up the "BIGGEST GAME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY" VS Miami. I can see both NY and Miami losing but unless Cutler shows up the Ravens probably beat the bears. The Ravens do play Pittsburgh in 2 weeks so its not to easy for them either. Question is, what happens if there is a 4 or 5 way tie at 9-7???
Any of us could be the head coach for the colts and still get 14 wins. Madmax via headset: peyton, we're going to run a half back option for mike hart. Peyton:WTF? Madmax via headset: Yes.The element of surprise. They won't see it coming. Hart hasn't played the entire game. Peyton: I bet you $20 dollars we're not running that play. Coach, the headset is breaking up. I know madmax would never call a halfback pass from inside the 10, but I just had to give an example.
If the Texans end up 9-7 how big a difference does it make for Kubiak [in your mind] If that is the Playoffs or not Basically. . . . If they are 9-7 but lose on TieBreakers versus 9-7 and going to the playoffs In both cases they 9-7 Does it make a major difference in how u would view Kubiak? Rocket River
WOW! Way to denigrate the coach! Starting your coaching career undefeated is heck of feat. No one can take it away from him as much as many try. Heck . . . Most folx could not name their coach because he never gets any credit for anything with that team. They rarely seem to show him during telecast. BTW - Peyton is very Good. Rocket River
