The Houston Texans vs The Divisional Round
Oh Texans.
The Texans have such a weird playoff history. They have existed since 2002. They first made the playoffs in 2011, winning the division. They would beat the Cincinnati Bengals and earn their first playoff win and first divisional round game. They would lose to the Baltimore Ravens. This season set a precedent: the Texans are division winners, and they lose in the divisional round.
Since that time, the Texans have reached the playoffs 8 more times. They have only gone 1-and-done twice. Every other year they have made it to the divisional round. The most peculiar part of this run of games was until 2025, this season, they had never been a wildcard team. They won the division and got a home game, or bust. So until this year it was safe to wonder if maybe the Texans only chance of going all the way was to earn the number 1 seed so they wouldn’t have to leave Houston and go lose somewhere else.
But this year they did it. They secured a wildcard berth for the first time in team history and went into Pittsburgh and won their first ever away playoff game. This team started 0-3 and was doing this. The defense was playing lights out. Maybe this year was different. NOPE!
The defense did their best against New England and produced a winnable performance…if the offense wasn’t putrid. CJ Stroud got picked 4 times in the first half and each one was more embarrassing than the last. To give out some excuses first: the weather was shit, the offensive line was injured, and Nico Collins was out. Those are reasonable reasons for struggle. The offense didn’t struggle. Stroud was embarrassing. So embarrassing that the goodwill from his rookie year has officially dried up completely. Stroud no longer has the grace of excuses. He’s approaching bust territory. He handled the Patriots’ pressure horribly. I found an interesting scouting report on reddit about Stroud pre-draft. Look at the negatives about how he handles pressure. Sure feels like all of that came true against New England, doesn’t it?
Stroud settled down a bit in the second half but it wasn’t enough. The Patriots could tee off on him without much risk. A competent or courageous QB wins this game for Houston. The talk went from him getting a massive extension to fans wondering if they should even pick up his 5th year option, considering how expensive that defense might get. The Ohio State QB curse remains intact for now.
He also fumbled 5 times in the two playoff games, as well as the 5 picks. Real bad stuff. His INT numbers might have been even worse if the weather was different, the Patriots looked like they were jumping every route but that ball was slippery.
The Texans are now stuck in a tough place because they aren’t likely to have a better option at QB next year. A competent QB and this Houston team was a contender. Instead, well…they get a truck crash comic.
…that’s 12… just 20 more to go.
It’s almost like building a DeAgostini/Eaglemoss model, but free, but way longer.
CJ Shroud’s role model is Kerry Collins, the version who performed in a snuff film known as SB XXXV.
I love the truck running over Old Man Rogers in the first panel.
Yeah, that was a nice touch.
Idk when people are gonna stop crowning QBs who have great rookie seasons. Sometimes they keep the momentum going yeah but I feel like there are enough instances of that not happening to where people can at least just say ok he had a great rookie season but let’s wait and see not put them in the top 4 or 5 going into year 2.
Not to mention the idiots who jumps to conclusion by throwing bust label when any player wasn’t an instant star in a rookie season.
Never.
Everything is hyperbole now. Every great throw Is “the greatest throw ever”. Every hot young player is “doing things we’ve never seen before.” This is just an extension of that. You can’t sell a player who had a “good rookie year and looks promising,” so you have to say “he’s proven himself as the next GOAT,” because that’s how you get people to watch.
Mahomes was being called the “Baby GOAT” after his first super bowl and people were asking whether he’ll be better than Brady. It’s now 6 years later and he’s had one hell of a run, but he’s still 57k yards, 400 TDs, 18 playoff victories, and 4 super bowls away from Brady. If Mahomes never plays again, he’s a first ballot hall of famer, and he’s still an entire first ballot hall of fame career shy of what Brady accomplished. Let’s pump the brakes.
People have no chill anymore.
You can say that again, plus with continuing rules changes to further help the offense with more yet to come, you know where things will go.
Still better than the NBA.
On the bright side… the Texans earn their first truck crash comic! Expectations! Definite progress, I’d say.
Stroud’s meltdown was strange as he did well taking care of the ball during the regular season in a regularly struggling offense, including in a number of close and important games. Indeed, the lights are brighter in the playoffs, but still, this did seem to about come out of nowhere.
It feels like people are having too much of knee-jerk reaction to this game. This game represents 1/3rd of all interceptions Stroud threw this year! He went into this game having only thrown 9 this season (8 in the regular season)! His average passer rating through the season was 93, about on par with Patrick Mahomes the last three years! Give Stroud a proper offensive again line and a better run game and he’ll get significantly better again.
:O
A Friday with a CarCrashComic is a good Friday. 😀
And I wasn’t able to watch much of the game, but when I saw the score, it looks like the fans weren’t either.
The remaining combo of teams is peculiar but not what I’d hoped. It’s almost a certainty (in my opinion) that the Patriots roll over the Broncos, due to Bonix having died but who knows? Is Stiddy going to have a new nickname ala Big Dick Nick?
And I’m equally interested in the Rams (and my gut says if they win, Stafford retires), or the Seahawks (crushing all Vikings fans’ realities) but mostly am glad we won’t see the Chiefs or Eagles in the big one this year.
Maybe it’ll be the Broncos vs Seahawks, and it’ll be the battle of the Big Ham vs the 5th Ghostbuster?
Not related to the comic, But just heard the Bills interviewed Rivers for Head Coach.
Imagine if that’s how Buffalo snaps their “curse” and Rivers stop being Ringless
Truth to be told, that would make for a good story.
Even better if they lose to revitalized Giants in the SB somehow.
In all seriousness, I actually hope Rivers gets a job in any capacity within an organization so he can get a shot for a ring.
I feel that Stroud’s issues could be overcome if Ryans was able to assemble an offensive personal team w/ their GM to work on his weaknesses, but considering how fast the NFL moves (and how people are quick to pull the trigger without looking), he might be discarded before that happens.
Tis a shame; if the offense could just be “fine” they’d probably win this year.
I wonder if you can use that template for the 1990 49ers.
So McCarthy is hired by the Steelers.
Come to think of it, is it possible to use that template on the 1934 Bears?
Ohh ohhh, do the Broncos next! We just choked in the AFC Championship!