Legal Commentary

2009 Weekly local football review

By Tom Kirkendall

(Doug Benc/Getty Images photo; previous weekly reviews for this season are here).

Texans 27 Dolphins 20

The Texans (8-7) continue to have a remote chance of gaining an AFC playoff spot with their 27-20 victory over the Dolphins (7-8), but the way in which they won reflected why many folks are skeptical that Gary Kubiak has what it takes as a head coach to propel the club to success in the playoffs.

The Texans need to win next Sunday against the Patriots (10-5) at Reliant Stadium (a distinct possibility because the Patriots locked up the AFC East title on Sunday) and for two of the three other 8-7 teams — the Ravens, Jets or Broncos — have to lose for the Texans to achieve an AFC wild card playoff spot.

Nevertheless, the Texans playoff chances are not all that great. The Jets play the Bengals (10-5), who have clinched the AFC North, so that looks like a probable win for the Jets. The Ravens go on the road to play the Raiders (5-10), so who knows what will happen there. But the Broncos host the Chiefs (3-12), so that's not looking good from the Texans standpoint. I don't see two losses for the 8-7 teams coming out of those three games

After playing their best half of football all season, the Texans led 27-3 at the half. The first half was so lopsided that, at one point, the Texans had outgained the Dolphins 310-46 in total offense and 15-2 in first downs. A field goal immediately before the half was all that kept the Dolphins from being skunked.

But if the rest of the game was easy, this wouldn't be the Texans.

As has inexplicably occurred on multiple occasions during Kubiak's tenure as head coach, the opposition made routine adjustments at halftime and the Texans appeared to make none. The result? Not surprisingly, the Dolphins dominated the second half and probably would have at least tied the Texans in the fourth quarter but for a leg whip penalty that negated a long TD pass play.

Now, who knows what really is going on with the Texans? Perhaps Kubiak and his staff make adjustments and the players don't execute them.

But whatever the reason, anyone could tell that something was wrong with the Texans during the third quarter of this game. They looked as unprepared to play that quarter as the Dolphins looked during the first two.

And that should worry Bob McNair about continuing to hitch the Texans' future to Kubiak and his staff.

Oh well, a win is a win, right? The Texans did finally show the semblance of a rushing attack (126 yards) with previous practice squad RB Arian Foster and backup Ryan Moats showing the quickness at the point of attack that has been missing the entire season for the Texans.

Although their playoff hopes are slim, a win over the Patriots would give the Texans a winning record for the first time in the franchise's eight seasons.

In the Texans' mostly woebegone world, that's decided progress.

Full post as published by Houston's Clear Thinkers on December 28, 2009 (boomark / email).