7
Jan
2012
J.J. Watt makes incredible game-changing pick six to help Texans beat Bengals (VIDEO)
(Photo: Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images via Guardian.co.uk)
The first game on today’s playoff slate was probably (let’s be honest) the least-compelling match-up of the weekend, with the Houston Texans making their first-ever playoff appearance against the Bengals in Houston.
The game was tied up with time winding down in the first half when Texans stud rookie DE J.J. Watt came up with this incredible game-changing interception of Andy Dalton‘s pass, which Watt snared out of the air at the line of scrimmage and returned 29 yards for the score:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
23
Dec
2011
All Dan Orlovsky Does is Win … half the time, this month (PIC)
While all the league is busy fawning over Tim Tebow in Denver, there’s another, less-heralded quarterback who’s quietly having a huge impact on his franchise this year:
(Via reddit.com/r/nfl)
Colts QB Dan Orlovsky led his team to their second straight win last night with a 19-16 victory over Houston, also giving Indy their second win for the entire season.
Orlovsky, who played with the Texans for the last two seasons, lost his first nine starts in the NFL in ugly fashion, but seems to have finally found his groove over these past two weeks. With his impressive game-winning two-minute drill last night, Orlovsky now has consecutive wins over division rival Titans and Texans, making him 2-2 for the month of December since taking the reigns from Curtis Painter in Week 14, and improving the Colts to 2-13 on the year.
And while winning is normally considered a good thing in sports, for Colts fans, Orlovsky ironically may be ruining their Christmas. These two wins hurt Indy’s chances at winning the “Suck for Luck” campaign, and getting the #1 overall draft pick for Stanford QB Andrew Luck … which is basically all Colts fans had been hoping for after such a miserable season.
Poor Orlovsky … the guy can’t win even when he’s winning.
UPDATE: The NFL has just confirmed that if the Colts do lose next week at Jacksonville, they will still be guaranteed the first pick in the draft. So, if they’re really that serious about picking Luck, and with the way he’s playing of late, Indy might want to consider benching Orlovsky next Sunday.
(Pic via Reddit.com/r/nfl)
10
Nov
2011
Brian Cushing Mic’d Up vs Browns is scary (VIDEO)
Cushing MAAAAAD!!! (Photo: Imgur.com)
Texans LB Brian Cushing has a reputation as a bit of a loose cannon on the field, and this mic’d up segment from NFL Films’ Sound FX gives us a bit more insight as to exactly why he’s earned that rep. Watch as Cushing offers to step in at QB, admires his guns on the big screen, does pushups on the sideline to keep warm, says he “likes his odds” going 11-on-1 against the Browns offense, and discusses poetry with Arian Foster.
But the wildest moment comes when Cushing removes his helmet during an altercations with a Browns lineman, then delivers a headbutt, splitting Cushing’s forehead wide open (see banner pic). Afterwards, Cushing had to say “I’ll just keep my helmet on from now on”. Probably a smart move, Brian.
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
10
Oct
2011
Watch Hue Jackson’s emotional locker room speech to the Raiders (VIDEO)
(Photo via blacksportsonline.com)
Yesterday, the Oakland Raiders took the field against Houston just one day after the death of their longtime owner, Al Davis. And after his club pulled out a 25-20 victory on a final-play endzone interception by Michael Huff, head coach Hue Jackson fell to his knees and wept, overcome by the emotion of the day. But when he addressed his team in the locker room afterwards, it was even more clear how much Davis meant to Jackson, his team, and the entire Raiders organization.
We’ve certainly had our share of fun at Davis’ expense in recent years, but you can’t deny the impact the man had on the game of football, and people who played and coached under him.
WATCH JACKSON’S POSTGAME SPEECH AFTER THE JUMP
28
Aug
2011
When fantasy becomes foolishness
Nerdlings celebrating another man's success.
The outpouring of concern over Arian Foster‘s tweaked left hamstring – mostly from jittery fantasy football disciples whose drafts unfold this week — raises yet another question about where our heads are at.
After Foster re-aggravated the hamstring Saturday night in the Texans’ 30-7 win over the 49ers, he made efforts to assure his Twitter followers that he’d be ready for the Colts on Sept. 11.
“4 those sincerely concerned, I’m doing ok & plan 2 B back by opening day. 4 those worried abt your fantasy team, u ppl are sick,” he wrote Sunday.
Speaking for fantasy players everywhere, ESPN’s Colin Cowherd tweeted back: “Hey Arian Foster— ‘We really do care about you as a human too. Um,now about that hammy? –signed, everybody.”
Replied Foster: “Did you want to be a critic as a child? Or did your dreams die with your humility?”
Not that the players are pure — or must be treated delicately — but Foster’s irritation is justified.
At its best, fantasy football is a not-to-be-taken-too-seriously outshoot of the game we’ve grown up with and adore. At its worst, it is a parasitic worm draining the fun out of the sport.
“I hope @ArianFoster realizes that fantasy football is the only reason 90% of chicks and 30% of guys even know who he is,” one follower tweeted after Foster’s updates.
Uh-huh.
Fans might not want to hear that fantasy doesn’t matter to the players they draft and follow with religious fervor during the season, but things might be different if not for the overly serious tone fantasy has adopted of late. For many, it’s eclipsed the sport itself. You’ll find more and more clowns roaming around town who don’t care for the game — just the raw, lifeless numbers produced.
For Foster — the player — it’s about getting back on the field and building on last season’s from-the-wilderness outburst, which included 1,616 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.
For those who draft him, anything less will be a disappointment.
14
Mar
2011
TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 11-20
2015 just called to tell us that J.J. Watt is the steal of this draft. (Source: Madison.com)
For picks 1-5, go here.
For picks 6-10, go here.
11. Houston Texans — J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin: We get so many of these projections wrong. The “sure lock” winds up a flaming bust, and players we’re ignoring today — guys who won’t even be drafted — will light up the league. I believe we’ll look back on this 2011 NFL Draft five years from now and call J.J. Watt a top 5 pick. I loved his presence, intensity and motor at the combine. Wade Phillips‘ 3-4 defense is the perfect landing spot for Watt, and a good environment for this hard-working, self-made player. He worked himself onto Wisconsin’s roster, paying his own way at the start of his tenure — delivering Pizza Hut to save up dough. He’s no prima donna. He’s a coachable workhorse who did the requisite work at Wisconsin to make the switch from tight end to defensive lineman. Watt is the steal of this draft at No. 11. Sometime these midround picks are where you find the real gems — where less pressure is placed on the incoming player, as well. Houston and Watt are an excellent match.
12. Minnesota Vikings — Julio Jones, WR, Alabama: The Vikings have been vocal about finding a quarterback in this draft. I see a potential trade up — or down — to get their guy. There was a time when it appeared Minnesota at No. 12 could snag Auburn’s Cam Newton, but the hype machine’s in full swing and I project him to go no less than No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers. He’s the type of passer that’s going to require time to develop, coming from a spread, and Leslie Frazier would love the challenge. There are other possibilities at quarterback for the Vikings — and all of them are better than Brett Favre right now, who’s back on his farm tilling soil. It’s time for a new start in Minnesota. In this mock, with no trades — and Jake Locker a reach — I project the Vikings to jump on Jones, who had an excellent combine and would be a good-value selection here. Sidney Rice could bolt via free agency, so Jones addresses a potential need as well. We all saw what happened to Percy Harvin when Rice was out of the offense — they need a No. 1 guy in there to give the passing game a shot.
Picks 13-20 after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
13
Jan
2011
Gary Kubiak infographic will make you wonder how he still has a job (PIC)
With all the NFL coaching changes taking place this month, the retention of HC Gary Kubiak by the Texans seems to have flown under the radar a bit. The January 3rd announcement means that Kubiak will be coming back for his sixth season in Houston, after finishing 6-10 in 2010. And it’s a move that has left plenty of people scratching their heads as to why owner Bob McNair keep giving this guy another chance at the helm.
Let’s face it, the Texans haven’t improved even one bit during Kubiak’s tenure. For all the talent they have, Kubiak has only led his club to ONE winning season and ZERO playoff appearances. Having consistently been the fashionable pick as the next NFL franchise to break through to the upper-echelon of teams, Kubiak’s Texans always seem to fall short of expectations. But don’t take it from us. As usual, the interweb went WAY further than we ever could have imagined in breaking down Kubiak’s ineptitude while in Houston.
So sit back, relax and enjoy this handy dandy infographic here (unless you’re a Texans fan, that is), which shows just how miserable the Kubiak era has been thus far (click image to enlarge):
(Image via Reddit/r/nfl
30
Dec
2010
VIDEO: Tim Tebow mic’d up vs Texans might actually make you like the guy
(Photo: Getty Images via Zimbio.com)
Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow might be one of the most divisive players to come into the NFL in a long while. But whether you love or hate the God-loving, Heisman-winning boy wonder, you can’t help but be curious as to whether he’ll succeed as a quarterback at the professional level. So when Tebow suited up for his first home NFL start last Sunday against the Texans, the whole world was watching … and when Tebow delivered an impressive 2nd half comeback victory, he instantly silenced a lot of his doubters.
But maybe you’re still on the fence about Tebow. Maybe you went to Tennessee or something, or simply don’t like the guy for whatever reason. And if that’s the case, you might want to watch this. Tebow was mic’d up by the NFL Films crew for Sunday’s game, providing never-before-seen insight into the way he plays the game. Just watch the way Tebow’s leadership skills kick in during the fourth quarter:
A few of our favorite moments:
26
Dec
2010
And so it begins … Tim Tebow rallies Broncos past Texans (VIDEO)
(Photo: DenverPost.com)
The Tim Tebow hype machine came to a head today in Denver, where the rookie QB finally got a chance to start under center in front of a home crowd against the Texans. And the Broncos’ first round draft pick didn’t disappoint, leading his team to a 24-23 comeback victory over Houston to get his first career NFL win.
Tebow displayed his signature leadership skills along with his less-heralded throwing arm in finishing with 308 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT passing and bringing the Broncos back from a 17-point halftime deficit. Tebow unleashed a beautiful 50-yard bomb to Jabar Gafney and also added 27 yards rushing, none bigger than this impressive 6-yard touchdown run to give Denver the lead with just over three minutes to go:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
13
Dec
2010
VIDEO: Josh Wilson picks off Matt Schaub to salvage win for Ravens
Great, great photo (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
Crazy game tonight in Houston, as the Texans battled back from a 21-point deficit in the 3rd quarter to tie the Ravens and send it to overtime.
Matt Schaub had a huge night for Houston, finishing with 393 yards and 3 TDs in mounting the comeback, but his luck ran out on the second possession of OT. That’s when Schaub attempted an ill-advised pass (while backing up in his own end zone), which Josh Wilson gleefully picked off and returned 12 yards for the game-winning score:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
