4th quarter. 4th and 10 on the Redskins 34 yard line. Down 27 - 20. This play is the ball game. My heart was in my mouth, hoping this play wouldn't come up short like so many others had in years past. Schaub lines up in the shot gun, Johnson as the X receiver to his left. Ball snaps, and I'm trying my best not to close my eyes or turn away. Within 3 seconds (an eternity in football time), the pocket breaks down and Schaub is flushed. My mind is slowly resigning itself to defeat, guarding itself against the pain of a comeback that was almost good enough. But the play isn't over, Schaub clumsily moves around in the pocket, going through his reads, trying to find someone 10 yards deep and open so the Texans can live to make another play.
Johnson runs a go route with Reed Doughty covering him over the top in single coverage. I don't know how Matt recognizes Johnson's position, but just as he's about to be pummeled, launches the ball in our wide out's general direction. Let's make sure we see what this throw for what it really is: a prayer which in 99% of cases goes unanswered. Fortunately, we have a god-gifted receiver on our team. I see the position and height advantage that Johnson has over Doughty and my eyes light up. 2 seconds later, Johnson out jumps Doughty to the ball, makes the catch on a bad ankle, and comes down with the ball clean and basically says, "You can't stop me. You can't even hope to contain me." I jump up and yell unprintable things at the TV because of my happiness. We're back in this game, and I'm pretty sure we're going to win it. A few minutes, and another host of nerve wracking moments later, we do. 30 - 27. Ball game. 2 - 0 with the 0-2 Cowboys coming to Reliant next weekend.
In many ways, this game is more than just one game: aside from being just one win, it's a win that changes the identity of our team just a little bit. The painful memories of the loss in Arizona, the disastrous Kris Brown field goals at the end of games, become a little less relevant in the minds of players and of fans. The team gains a little more confidence. 17 points deficits aren't hopeless. Rather, they become rallying points. It would be a tough decision for me to give a game ball to someone because this truly was a collective effort. Every flaw in our secondary was exposed by a hall of fame QB, Kubiak made some boneheaded calls, and both our defense and offense didn't really show up until after halftime. But the team covered for each other. They scrapped, they failed, but they got up again and focused on the next play.
I hope that Kubiak and Bush figure out a way to protect the secondary because teams will have a field day against us. I understand that this is a baptism by fire, but in such a result oriented league, there is little room for tolerating mistakes.
Nonetheless, I am truly proud of the way the Texans played today. But this guarantees them nothing. Only that they've taken one more step toward becoming great.
I started writing this blog today for two reasons: (1) I want to offer a different perspective of the game. This won't be a recap, or a source for lots of videos and other cool stuff (although I'll sprinkle some in as we go along). Rather, this blog will try to document the journey this team takes this season, through the ups and the downs, and all the way (hopefully) to a super bowl victory on our intra-state rivals home turf.
Please comment with your thoughts on the game and see you next week
Arnav
** Disclaimer: all photos, videos and other forms of multimedia are copyrighted by the NFL and it's affiliates and are not used in this blog for profit **
