10 thoughts - Texans game

[Gandhi]

1 - Anyone else felt the irony in Gannon wearing a shirt that said “inspire change”? He certainly does a great job inspiring me to want a change within his team.

2 - The special teams are embarrassing. Like Amos Jones-bad.

3 - Considering who played on the offensive line, they actually did an admirable job.

4 - I acknowledge my insanity, but I am truly a little happy every time Brissett runs onto the field - simply because he is not Murray.

5 - I would argue that Tyrann Mathieu is Keim’s best draft pick, but McBride sure is a close second (with Budda Baker coming in at #3). Superstar.

6 - If Gannon gets fired, and Ossenfort gets to lead the search for a replacement, I could easily see him hire his old Patriots-buddy, Josh McDaniels.

I brought up McDaniels’ name after the 2023-season and was a bit ridiculed by some posters who thought McDaniels was a has-been. However, since then he has coordinated the highly successful Patriots-offense, so I guess he was not that finished anyway. And sure, McDaniels has three catastrophic head coaching-gigs behind him (including his embarrassing Colts-disaster), but in a league with a huge demand for offensive geniuses, yet only a small pool of offensive HC-candidates this offseason, it seems likely that McDaniels are coaching his way to another chance. Especially if the insiders are right that many owners favor ex-HC’s in this upcoming hiring process.

By the way, before I get attacked again I should mention that I do not want them to hire McDaniels. I could just see it happening. And hey, he has already orchestrated an impressive transition from Jacoby Brissett to a rookie once.

7 - Why doesn't Michael Wilson have a contract extension yet?

8 - It actually excites me a little that they activated Christian Jones during the week. I would like to see him get some reps at OT. It was also nice that Hayden Connor got a few snaps. Give him some more and see what he can do.

9 - Most passing yards given up by the Texans all season. That is something.

10 - During this round, Tennessee’s strength of schedule increased above the Cardinals’. That is important because - if it stays that way - then the Titans would now draft after the Cards, if they win one more game than Cards.

Las Vegas’ SOS is not that far behind, by the way, and since they have played the AFC South, with three good teams, and obviously AFC West, with two good teams, their SOS probably doesn’t go down.

If the Cardinals lose out, there is hope for a top three-pick. According to The Athletic, they have a 57% chance of a top five-pick, while ESPN gives them a 39.5% chance of a top five-pick.

 

[Dback Jon]

#9 - not impressive at all since the majority of the yards came in garbage time.

 

[Cardinal88]

10 - During this round, Tennessee’s strength of schedule increased above the Cardinals’. That is important because - if it stays that way - then the Titans would now draft after the Cards, if they win one more game than Cards.

Las Vegas’ SOS is not that far behind, by the way, and since they have played the AFC South, with three good teams, and obviously AFC West, with two good teams, their SOS probably doesn’t go down.

Tennessee has Kansas City, New Orleans and Jacksonville - maybe one more win
NY Jets have New Orleans, New England and Buffalo - zero wins
Cleveland has Buffalo, Pittsburg and Cincinnati- maybe Bengals if Burrows doesn't play
NY Giants has Minnnesota, Las Vegas and Dallas - I can see Giants beeting the Raiders but NY's SOS is worse that ours
Las Vegas is a dumster fire with Houston, Giants and Chiefs left - I can't see them winning any games even with Mahomes out.

My guess is we finish about where we are at #6 because it's the Bidwill luck!

 

[Rivercard]

My guess is we finish about where we are at #6 because it's the Bidwill luck!

I can see us winning a meaningless game or two and dropping to 10th or so. We've got inconsistent Atlanta next week, then an uninterested Cincy team who just got annihilated 24-0, and finally the LA Rams in a game where they may be resting their starters.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

9 - Most passing yards given up by the Texans all season. That is something.

We were only the fourth team to get to 20 points or more on their defense all year long.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

2 - The special teams are embarrassing. Like Amos Jones-bad.

Appropriately numbered. #2.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I can see us winning a meaningless game or two and dropping to 10th or so. We've got inconsistent Atlanta next week, then an uninterested Cincy team who just got annihilated 24-0, and finally the LA Rams in a game where they may be resting their starters.

We really need the rams to lose this week against the Seahawks so they’re forced to win week 18.

 

[slanidrac16]

All you have to do is look at the pct. Of plays some of our key players are getting.
We are in 2026 training camp mode.

 

[kerouac9]

7 - Why doesn't Michael Wilson have a contract extension yet?

He can’t be extended until the new league year.

 

[Stout]

I can't wait for the "We're excited for Adams and Jones to start at OG and OT for us this season" Monti media clips, and the predictable homers getting angry when that is criticized.

 

[DVontel]

We really need the rams to lose this week against the Seahawks so they’re forced to win week 18.

Forced? Do you actually think we can beat the Rams’ backups? I don’t.

 

[pemory09]

I can see us winning a meaningless game or two and dropping to 10th or so. We've got inconsistent Atlanta next week, then an uninterested Cincy team who just got annihilated 24-0, and finally the LA Rams in a game where they may be resting their starters.

This scares me because it makes a 6-win season possible and might give MB hope for next year (with the current regime intact).

 

[Krangodnzr]

@Gandhi love reading your takes, but McDaniels is a bridge too far. I just don't think anyone is dumb enough to ever give him another HC shot. Both times he was highly criticized for how bad the culture was on the teams he coached. Players absolutely hated him and openly cheered when he was fired.

 

[JosiahLee]

I’ll probably get killed for this one, but I so disagree with #4.

Brissett is a loser, and that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. He’s 1-8 and will very likely be 1-11 in a couple more weeks.

I’m not impressed with garbage time stats and 4th quarter collapses and an inability to be clutch when the game matters.

I will really get flamed for this take but I’ve held to it when it happened in week 5 - The reason Brissett looked drastically different than K1 is bc Petzing was on the hot seat after the Titans game, already down to his 3rd string RB, and he changed the offense to air it out - which fans had been clamoring for him to do for quite some time. We were stuck in a boring run-first offense for 2 plus years (what was the famous stat, through his first couple seasons as OC there was only 1 game where a WR went for 100 yds in a game?)

In JB’s first start against the Colts he had 44 attempts! He’s had a game this year with 57 attempts! K1 played four games this year and his highest attempts in a game was 35 and his lowest being 25.

JB has averaged 43 attempts per game while K1 averaged 30 through 4 games…that’s a huge discrepancy. I know K1 haters will say that’s bc of more first downs…there is some truth in that, but we’ll NEVER know how K1 would have responded to the change in offense by Petzing. And honestly the staff has done him dirty by not even giving him that opportunity.

This isn’t a “Kyler is the greatest” post or “we’d be winning all these games if K1 was playing”. But it is a post to defend K1 and for us to realize the problem with this team first and foremost is the staff. I said it earlier this year but starting JB was the worst thing JG could have ever done bc it proves a change in QB doesn’t change the outcome of these games.

 

[Goodyear Card]

Kyler has had 7 years to prove he can be a NFL QB. He has failed. He caused one HC and GM to be fired and may cause a second HC and GM to be fired. If he goes to another team, it could be a third.

 

[JosiahLee]

Kyler has had 7 years to prove he can be a NFL QB. He has failed. He caused one HC and GM to be fired and may cause a second HC and GM to be fired. If he goes to another team, it could be a third.

Fair take. We’re all about to find out soon enough, the divorce seems imminent.

 

[Arizona_Steve]

2 - Special teams baffles me. If I'm right we've had the same special teams coach for the last couple of coaching regimes and if I recall rightly it used to be a strength of the team. Why are we no longer good in that department?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Forced? Do you actually think we can beat the Rams’ backups? I don’t.

Don’t want anything left to the slightest bit of chance. If this team can find a way to make the situation worse, they historically usually do (see the final games of the 1997 and 2003 seasons where our absolutely terrible teams won the final game knocking themselves out of the first overall pick in the draft, both of which were the Manning drafts.)

 

[Goodyear Card]

2 - Special teams baffles me. If I'm right we've had the same special teams coach for the last couple of coaching regimes and if I recall rightly it used to be a strength of the team. Why are we no longer good in that department?

Right now, due to injures we have too many players on the field who should not be wearing a NFL uniform.

 

[phillycard]

I’ll probably get killed for this one, but I so disagree with #4.

Brissett is a loser, and that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. He’s 1-8 and will very likely be 1-11 in a couple more weeks.

I’m not impressed with garbage time stats and 4th quarter collapses and an inability to be clutch when the game matters.

I will really get flamed for this take but I’ve held to it when it happened in week 5 - The reason Brissett looked drastically different than K1 is bc Petzing was on the hot seat after the Titans game, already down to his 3rd string RB, and he changed the offense to air it out - which fans had been clamoring for him to do for quite some time. We were stuck in a boring run-first offense for 2 plus years (what was the famous stat, through his first couple seasons as OC there was only 1 game where a WR went for 100 yds in a game?)

In JB’s first start against the Colts he had 44 attempts! He’s had a game this year with 57 attempts! K1 played four games this year and his highest attempts in a game was 35 and his lowest being 25.

JB has averaged 43 attempts per game while K1 averaged 30 through 4 games…that’s a huge discrepancy. I know K1 haters will say that’s bc of more first downs…there is some truth in that, but we’ll NEVER know how K1 would have responded to the change in offense by Petzing. And honestly the staff has done him dirty by not even giving him that opportunity.

This isn’t a “Kyler is the greatest” post or “we’d be winning all these games if K1 was playing”. But it is a post to defend K1 and for us to realize the problem with this team first and foremost is the staff. I said it earlier this year but starting JB was the worst thing JG could have ever done bc it proves a change in QB doesn’t change the outcome of these games.

JL. I don't entirely disagree. JB is garbage, but he's done what was largely expected of him and that's perform with a level of competency in case KYLER went down. Instead of went down, K1 went OUT, and it was then put on JB to carry this team. Something we know he wasn't prepared to do. I've cursed at the screen multiple times due to his play, but I'm not about to absolve the head coach (and staff) and GM in what has been a season long failure none of us expected in our worse dreams. Jacoby is a huge part of why we are azz, but just like winning, this is a team effort. At the least, this man has given us some hope of a chance (up until last week at least) of competing on Sundays, he's resurrected M. Wilson's career and helped put Trey firmly among the top 3 offensive weapons in the league. I'm prepared to see him comeback next year in which I already expect absolutely nothing but a build towards 2027. We're right back at square 1 with this org, and that's not on Jacoby Brissett. Fun times for Cardinals fans for sure.

 

[Stout]

I’ll probably get killed for this one, but I so disagree with #4.

Brissett is a loser, and that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. He’s 1-8 and will very likely be 1-11 in a couple more weeks.

I’m not impressed with garbage time stats and 4th quarter collapses and an inability to be clutch when the game matters.

I will really get flamed for this take but I’ve held to it when it happened in week 5 - The reason Brissett looked drastically different than K1 is bc Petzing was on the hot seat after the Titans game, already down to his 3rd string RB, and he changed the offense to air it out - which fans had been clamoring for him to do for quite some time. We were stuck in a boring run-first offense for 2 plus years (what was the famous stat, through his first couple seasons as OC there was only 1 game where a WR went for 100 yds in a game?)

In JB’s first start against the Colts he had 44 attempts! He’s had a game this year with 57 attempts! K1 played four games this year and his highest attempts in a game was 35 and his lowest being 25.

JB has averaged 43 attempts per game while K1 averaged 30 through 4 games…that’s a huge discrepancy. I know K1 haters will say that’s bc of more first downs…there is some truth in that, but we’ll NEVER know how K1 would have responded to the change in offense by Petzing. And honestly the staff has done him dirty by not even giving him that opportunity.

This isn’t a “Kyler is the greatest” post or “we’d be winning all these games if K1 was playing”. But it is a post to defend K1 and for us to realize the problem with this team first and foremost is the staff. I said it earlier this year but starting JB was the worst thing JG could have ever done bc it proves a change in QB doesn’t change the outcome of these games.

This is specifically the Kyler criticism over the past few seasons. Stans screaming that all stats matter when posters talk about garbage time stats. Kyler is also an epic choke artist. You can't call him *********** because he chokes on the big one.

 

[DVontel]

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[Dback Jon]

JL. I don't entirely disagree. JB is garbage, but he's done what was largely expected of him and that's perform with a level of competency in case KYLER went down. Instead of went down, K1 went OUT, and it was then put on JB to carry this team. Something we know he wasn't prepared to do. I've cursed at the screen multiple times due to his play, but I'm not about to absolve the head coach (and staff) and GM in what has been a season long failure none of us expected in our worse dreams. Jacoby is a huge part of why we are azz, but just like winning, this is a team effort. At the least, this man has given us some hope of a chance (up until last week at least) of competing on Sundays, he's resurrected M. Wilson's career and helped put Trey firmly among the top 3 offensive weapons in the league. I'm prepared to see him comeback next year in which I already expect absolutely nothing but a build towards 2027. We're right back at square 1 with this org, and that's not on Jacoby Brissett. Fun times for Cardinals fans for sure.

Trey was already firmly there.

And to JL's point - for Wilson, how much was desperation from Putzing after realizing his run-first offense, which cost the Cardinals games, needed to change REGARDLESS of the QB situation?


Not sure how you can say Brissett has given us hope of a chance for a win - Cardinals could (and should if not for bone-headed non-Kyler players) all the games Kyler started. We've been blown out in the majority of JB's games, and even in the close JB games, never felt like we would win any of them, not to mention the 4 blowout losses.

JB is the perfect tanking QB - almost guaranteed loss.

 

[AustrianCardFan]

I’ll probably get killed for this one, but I so disagree with #4.

Brissett is a loser, and that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. He’s 1-8 and will very likely be 1-11 in a couple more weeks.

I’m not impressed with garbage time stats and 4th quarter collapses and an inability to be clutch when the game matters.

I will really get flamed for this take but I’ve held to it when it happened in week 5 - The reason Brissett looked drastically different than K1 is bc Petzing was on the hot seat after the Titans game, already down to his 3rd string RB, and he changed the offense to air it out - which fans had been clamoring for him to do for quite some time. We were stuck in a boring run-first offense for 2 plus years (what was the famous stat, through his first couple seasons as OC there was only 1 game where a WR went for 100 yds in a game?)

In JB’s first start against the Colts he had 44 attempts! He’s had a game this year with 57 attempts! K1 played four games this year and his highest attempts in a game was 35 and his lowest being 25.

JB has averaged 43 attempts per game while K1 averaged 30 through 4 games…that’s a huge discrepancy. I know K1 haters will say that’s bc of more first downs…there is some truth in that, but we’ll NEVER know how K1 would have responded to the change in offense by Petzing. And honestly the staff has done him dirty by not even giving him that opportunity.

This isn’t a “Kyler is the greatest” post or “we’d be winning all these games if K1 was playing”. But it is a post to defend K1 and for us to realize the problem with this team first and foremost is the staff. I said it earlier this year but starting JB was the worst thing JG could have ever done bc it proves a change in QB doesn’t change the outcome of these games.

To call him a loser is...something. I am really baffled when it comes to the expectations that some people have for Backup-QBs. Even if you consider most of his stats as garbage time stats, how many teams in the league get blown out regularly and their QB doesn't even come close to this stats? And that is with their starting QB playing.

By the way, out of the 9 games he started, 4 were blowouts, 4 one posession losses and 1 win, but sure, all "garbage stats". The whole front office and coaching staff is a disaster, our Oline is terrible, we are starting with RB #5 and consequently have no run game at all but sure, let's call the Backup QB a loser. On top of that, the guy never complains, never blames anyone else and seams to be a great team guy and leader.

Do people on here not realise how many teams would kill for a Backup like him at the moment? I mean just look at the Colts...

 

[JohnnyCakes]

I can see us winning a meaningless game or two and dropping to 10th or so. We've got inconsistent Atlanta next week, then an uninterested Cincy team who just got annihilated 24-0, and finally the LA Rams in a game where they may be resting their starters.

the Rams 3rd stringers would annihilate the cardinals.