Texas Longhorns 42 Colorado 17
Vince Young prevents the Horns (6-0) from having a post-OU letdown as the Horns cruise over what probably is the best Big 12 North team. The win sets up what will certainly be one of the most entertaining games of the Big 12 season next Saturday in Austin as the Horns host 10th-ranked Texas Tech, which is also 6-0. My sense is that Horns’ Defensive Coordinator Gene Chizik is licking his chops at the opportunity to unleash the Horns’ defensive unit against Tech’s idiosyncratic pass-happy offense, but this one should be fun.
So, who do you think the Texans should take as the first pick in the 2006 NFL Draft? At this point, it’s inconceivable to me that the Texans could win a game this season absent the other team simply laying down and letting them do so. And then the Texans might trip and screw it up, anyway. The team simply does not have enough NFL-quality players, and Head Coach Dom Capers has clearly lost the team — the Texans gave up 320 rushing yards in an NFL game, had 13 penalties for 95 yards, and the offensive line couldn’t even line up without a penalty during the first quarter! Accordingly, Texans owner Bob McNair is facing the unsettling prospect of cleaning house in his football operation — from General Manager Charlie Casserly on down — less than four years after the franchise played its first game. Ugh.
What a strange game. The Cowboys (4-2) committed four turnovers, missed two field-goal attempts and allowed a tying touchdown with 19 seconds left in regulation. Nevertheless, the Pokes won the toss in overtime, and calmly drove down the field for a 45-yard Jose Cortez field goal for the victory.
“I feel pretty fortunate,” Cowboys coach Bill Parcells remarked after the game, in the understatement of the NFL season so far. Much to my surprise, the resilient Pokes are remaining in playoff contention, although they face a tough game next Sunday against the high-powered Seahawks at Seattle.
Texas Aggies 62 Oklahoma State 23
Ags QB Reggie McNeal and freshman RB Jovorskie Lane ran roughshod (almost 300 yards between them) in leading the Ags (4-2) over an inept Oklahoma State team. After three weeks of uninspiring performances, the performance against even a weak opponent was a relief for Aggie faithful, but the calm may be short-lived. The Ags travel to play a hungry Kansas State team next week.
In a game that was closer than the final score indicates, the Coogs (3-3) gift-wrapped this one for Memphis as they lost two fumbles in the end zone and missed a 21-yard field goal, all in the second half. The Coogs travel to take on SEC opponent Mississippi State next weekend.
After rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic by reassigning his defensive coordintor, embattled Rice head coach Ken Hatfield saw his Owls endure their fifth straight defeat. A rugged Navy team visits Rice Stadium next Saturday, so things don’t get any easier anytime soon for the overmatched Owls.
Watching the Seahawks putting the wood to the Texans last night reminded me of something we used to say about the pre-Campbell era Oilers – “They’re the best professional football team in South Central Houston!”
Why does Dom Capers still have a head coaching job? It is quite obvious that Bob McNair is trying to get the 1st Pick of the 2006 Draft but Capers has never been able to develop any discipline for this young team. From the day they beat the Cowboys, I thought their talent was only going to carry them average and never better. Well, they got to average (7-9) last year and has deteriorated accordingly because the coaching staff does not know how to spell discipline, much less teach it.
Sorry Dom, but young teams and young children need what you do understand, DISCIPLINE AND DIRECTION.
Its too bad so many of my friends and I have wasted over 20K the past seasons on season tickets. Thanks for nothing Mr. Capers and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Bill: It’s been a team effort. Casserly’s talent acquisition has been awful as well. McNair probably needs to blow the whole thing up and start over, which is really unfortunate.
Tom: The Cowboys also forced four turnovers from the Giants, and had a whopping 40 minutes in possession time — all with Julius Jones and Dat Nguyen out (two of the better players). It was a strange game, to say the least.
You know it’s over for Capers when the defense quits on him. That effort was simply pathetic.
Also, if McNair continues to keep Casserly here in any kind of role running the draft, he simply has to force the man to draft line talent high – I mean first and second round picks next year, no matter what. I don’t care if we get the number one pick or not – trade down and get some line help. Mike Holovak, the excellent scout/talent evaluator/draft guru for the Oilers, built through the line first, then filled out skill positions with promising lower round picks. I saw a stat a couple of years ago showing something like 80% of All Pro and Pro Bowl O-lineman were drafted in the first round – as opposed to less than 40% for other positions. It’s one of the few close to sure things in the draft.
Of course, Holovak was routinely outdrafting Casserly in those days, but we won’t mention that here.
As a Bengals fan since the late 80’s, I feel your pain.
Alternatively, you have the Astros.