Dec 8, 2013
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Texans were a popular pick going into the 2013 season as a Superbowl contender based on their performance last year accumulating the most wins (12) in a season in franchise history. The two-time defending AFC South Division champions were a balanced team with a Top 10 offense and defense that was sure to threaten the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos this year. But after winning the first two games of the season, things quickly went sour and the team has lost 11 straight games marred by injuries, a porous defense and sputtering offense. So how do the Texans right the ship?
Friday morning it was apparent things would change immediately after Head Coach Gary Kubiak was fired. Texans’ owner Bob McNair didn’t wait for the end of the season to begin preparing for the next season. The debacle that was and still is this season has cost Kubiak his head coaching job and will likely cost quarterback Matt Schaub his starting job as well. Schaub was ‘Mr. Pick 6’ at one point throwing an interception returned for a touchdown in four consecutive games, an NFL record.
This year Schaub has been the face of the Texans futility. A smaller percentage of Texans’ fans were labeled ‘barbaric’ by linebacker Brian Cushing according to profootballtalk.com when it seemed as though Schaub’s ankle injury was cheered by spectators. As the quarterback of a football team, most often you receive the bulk of the blame when the team struggles. You also become the target of angst from fans who would rather not pay to watch you lose football games.
I’m sure the Texans realize they’re three weeks from claiming the #1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft barring an unexpected string of wins. They’ve probably considered the probability of a hometown hero saving their franchise. And I’m not referring to Case Keenum, but drafting Johnny Manziel as the #1 pick, if he declares eligibility.
“Johnny Football” as Manziel is often called, has arguably been the most electrifying college player in the past two years. The first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy and put Texas A&M on the college football radar. Manziel hasn’t made his decision or aspirations public but I’m sure he’s aware of his draft stock and his potential placement in the upcoming draft if he were to forego his remaining years at College Station.
Manziel would immediately garner support from Texans fans and inevitably take over a team that is one year removed from a substantial playoff run. He would join standout wide receiver Andre Johnson, a young talented receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a reliable every-down runningback Arian Foster and a solid defense led by J.J Watt that is ranked second in passing yards allowed per game.
From the perspective of the Texans’ organization Manziel’s style of quarterbacking fits within the mold of new-age mobile quarterbacks that are currently flourishing, the likes of Russell Wilson, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick. Manziel is a dual threat that has to be accounted for on the field as he’s able to make plays with his legs. A revamped offense featuring a dual-threat quarterback gives a dimension to the Texans’ offense they don’t have with Schaub or Keenum. It also provides a fan favorite that will keep ticket sales on the rise as many tuned into Texas A&M games just to watch Manziel play.
Despite Manziel not being the first quarterback on Mel Kiper’s Big Board, I highly doubt owner Bob McNair will overlook what Manziel could bring to his franchise from a business perspective as well as a sports perspective in terms of winning. I reserve the notion to blame this disappointing season solely on Schaub’s quarterbacking but as a team stocked with a solid defense and effective running game, how could you pass on “Johnny Football” as the missing link to your Superbowl journey?
