I'm partying like crazy! Even drank a little champagne. If the Texans win at Kansas City on Sunday afternoon I'm going to drink the entire bottle and jump for joy! I've been waiting 18 years for the Houston Texans to reach an AFC Championship game. It's time to seize this moment! I don't want to discuss anything too much or jinx anything. I wanted to remain mostly quiet leading up to the wild-card game.

I've seen too much losing football in my lifetime to know that these opportunities don't come around often. Deshaun Watson is Michael Jordan just like Dabo always said. J.J. Watt is the most dominating force and inspirational player I've ever seen. Most guys would've retired after he broke his leg in 2017. That was after his season ending back injury. He came back like a force only to suffer a torn pectoral muscle. And he still came back in record time to play in the playoffs. Unbelievable heart and effort!

You can't write a script for stuff like this. Pure magic. When the Texans were down 16-0 nobody panicked. They could've quit and let everything fall apart but they didn't. They found a way to turn things around and win. Hopefully Will Fuller will return for the divisional round at Kansas City. His game-changing speed could be huge. I felt like that speed threat was missing against the Bills, especially noticeable in the first half, but thankfully Deshaun Watson made some sensational plays with his legs and scrambling ability. And mind you he was being sacked a lot (7 times). Such toughness he showed to get up and make those big plays.

TL:DR version - If the Houston Texans win at Kansas City on Sunday those 18 years I invested into them will be worth it!
All I really wanted was an AFC Championship game appearance. Reaching a Super Bowl would feel like a total dream to me.

If I keep my mouth shut the Texans will win the Super Bowl. The Rockets will win the NBA Finals. I'm just going to enjoy it all!

This post was edited by Madmartigan on Jan 5 2020 12:23am

I don't think anyone is beating Baltimore this year

You may be right. The Ravens are a juggernaut led by a Super Bowl winning head coach and a dynamic soon-to-be MVP quarterback. They spanked us 41-7 at their place during the regular season. That's the one team I actually felt afraid of. But they've got to shake off a little layoff. One bad game is all it takes to lose in the NFL Playoffs. And the Titans have basically been playing playoff football (must-win games) for about a month now. Beating the Chiefs at KC is a tough task in itself. It's the Sunday afternoon game so we'll be able to watch the Ravens vs. Titans game beforehand on Saturday night.

The Houston Texans have their best quarterback in franchise history. For some reason I don't feel like anything is impossible like I did with Carr, Banks, Ragone, Rosenfels, Schaub, Leinart, a washed up Garcia and Delhomme, Osweiler, Fitzpatrick, Hoyer, Keenum, Yates, Mallett, Savage, insert whatever name of the mediocre quarterbacks they've had over the past 18 years. Schaub was actually 'statistically good' for two seasons before Albert Haynesworth crushed his foot on a dirty goal line play.

But the point being you always have a chance to win in the playoffs with a sensational franchise quarterback that can elevate his overall game and play like Michael Jordan, err, I mean magic. In Deshaun Watson all great things are possible. Let's be honest, the Texans would've lost yesterday if any other quarterback were playing that game. To be sacked seven times and facing that type of talented defense with a relentless pass rush. If J.J. Watt doesn't give the team any momentum off that huge sack inside the red zone (making it 16-0 and not 20-0) the entire team may have lost hope and not recovered. Any other Texans playoff team in the past would've lost that game without question.

Texans, Ravens and Chiefs all have a young franchise quarterback. They'll be the heavyweights of the AFC for a long time.
Enjoy the Watson and Mahomes matchup on Sunday afternoon. Everything feels possible to me right now. It just does.

You can think about a million things that can go wrong, but sometimes all it takes is one or two things that can go right!

A few of my random thoughts on this Monday morning. I can't sleep as I anticipate the Texans at Chiefs divisional round.

I don't know why I'm feeling so confident the Texans are going to beat the Chiefs on Sunday.
I'm feeling this strange inner confidence that I usually don't feel with the Houston Texans.
The Texans are huge underdogs and +9.5 on the early spread. That's a lot of disrespect!

J.J. Watt is going to have a huge game and sack Mahomes a couple times.
I still don't think the Chiefs secondary has anybody that can cover Hopkins.

I'm a little jealous the honey badger has been so good with the Chiefs though.
He wasn't nearly as good with the Texans last year and was exposed in the playoffs.
The dude flat out couldn't cover a good tight end or speedy wide receiver over the middle.

When the Texans had won at Kansas City during the regular season Hopkins and Fuller dropped three total Touchdown passes in the end zone. Deshaun Watson played really well in that game (he was the best player on the field), especially with his legs, but those dropped TD passes cost him a sexy box score and a fantasy player's dream. It was a very strange game that the Texans won 31-24 but they left 17 points on the table. We picked up a field goal on one of those drives. Hopefully Will Fuller will be back from his groin injury. All indications is that he'll be good to go.

Patrick Mahomes played hurt in that game otherwise we'd have needed those extra 17 points (48 points total).
I'm totally expecting an offensive shootout. Like the Rams vs. Vikings in the 2000 playoffs. Rams won, 49-37.

Somebody needs to tell me I'm crazy and that the Chiefs are going to spank us at Arrowhead. Sunday can't arrive soon enough!

TL:DR version: Why not the Houston Texans? Deshaun Watson is special and a winner. He's got champion written all over his DNA.

Oops! I need to stop posting without any sleep. My math was a little off yesterday morning.

The Texans left as many as 18 points on the table (not 17) during their 31-24 win at Kansas City during the regular season. It was just so rare to see DeAndre Hopkins dropping a wide open Touchdown pass. Will Fuller dropped two Touchdown passes but he's had hand issues before. Deshaun Watson was on fire and the best player on the field that day, and that was one of the few games he was sacked 0 times this season. The other one being when the Texans scored 53 points and spanked the Falcons.

It's all a moot point anyway. The Chiefs weren't a healthy team during that regular-season game against the Texans, and also Patrick Mahomes was limping around and not as mobile as the elite version of himself. I expect the Chiefs to bring their A-game on Sunday afternoon. The good news is Will Fuller will return and I'm still feeling 100 % confident in the Texans being able to go into Arrowhead Stadium and putting up a strong fight.

All I'm saying is not many people are giving the Texans a chance to win at KC in the divisional round and I think it's very possible. I'm trying my best not to feel too hyped up and excited. It's barely Tuesday morning. Sunday is still forever away it feels like. Part of me just wants to end nearly two full decades of frustration watching this franchise. I'd love to see the Houston Texans reach their first ever AFC Championship game.

I've been dreaming about the Houston Texans making their first AFC Championship game for 18 long years. All it takes is one good game on Sunday to make that a reality. Do that and the Super Bowl is one win away. Just win and everything can come true. Seize this fun opportunity!

It's 2020. A new year, a new decade, a new era of Houston Texans football! In Deshaun all great things are possible!

I look forward to many many years and a new budding rivalry with you guys. This should be a fun one. We’re both healthy now. Y’all beat a Chiefs team that was not firing on all cylinders the defense hadn’t come into its own yet and Mahomes / half the team was hurt. We’ll bring a game it should be a fun one and the weather should be in the 40s so not terrible for January in KC!! I expect a very close game. Something like 28-24 or something like that.

Good luck on Sunday my man! But not too much luck

The AFC could go on an epic run of Super Bowl wins with Watson, Mahomes and Jackson at the helm.
All three are elite young quarterbacks. Like when Manning, Brady and Roethlisberger were all young.

I've never seen an era of football when the young superstar quarterbacks had such elite athleticism. Being a great pocket passer is still important but it's not everything these days. You've got to escape the pass rush and extend passing plays. If Deshaun Watson stood in the pocket all game long he'd be sacked a lot because our offensive line, while much improved over last year, is still not where it needs to be. That stingy Bills defense sacked him seven times but he still made the sensational plays in the second half to win the game.

That seems to be Deshaun Watson's only weakness right now. When he steps back to pass in the pocket he's got to have a quick release and trigger. A lot of times he'll look to avoid the pass rush and save every play. On certain plays it's best to just get rid of the ball. He can easily run outside of the pocket and just throw it out of bounds. Save those precious yards and don't take the sack. Especially in the first half when field position sets a tone for the game. If it's winning time in the second half and fourth quarter you already know Deshaun is going to transform into Michael Jordan and Superman. He wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line.

With Deshaun at QB there's always a chance to win. The Matt Schaub and David Carr days are mercifully over!

This could be Andy Reid's greatest chance to win a Super Bowl if the Texans don't spoil the party on Sunday. The Patriots aren't in the way anymore. Father time has finally caught up to Tom Brady. I'd love to see an AFC South showdown in the AFC Championship game. The Texans would be hosting the Titans in that scenario. I'd love to see how loud NRG Stadium can be with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, but I know a Chiefs vs. Ravens matchup would also be a battle of heavyweights.

Coaching matters. The Chiefs and Ravens have two of the best in the AFC. So they have the edge there.
O'Brien and Vrabel worked together a few years ago. Both are part of the Bill Belichick coaching tree.

Bottom line: Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt inspire a great amount of energy and confidence on both sides of the ball.
They've got to do it again at Kansas City. If they can the Texans may reach their first AFC Championship game.
The entire team feeds off of #4 and #99. Football is a team game but two players can light a fire and set the tone.

I want more of this passion injected into my veins. I'm feeling energized right now! It's only Tuesday.
If I can just settle down and stay calm until Sunday. Unbelievable! Sunday seems like a month away.

Deshaun Watson is definitely NOT Michael jordan. To make that comparison is a slap in the face to the great. Now watson is good, but hes not the undisputed goat.

The Michael Jordan comparisons are just due to his clutch genes mostly. Being a champion since college.
To be fair it would be the equivalent of comparing him to a young Michael Jordan during his third year in the NBA.
You can tell when a pro athlete is truly special and has that winning DNA. I think analytics ruin what the eyes can see.

He can elevate his play in the biggest games. 6-0 vs. top 5 defenses. 7-2 during prime time games. Could very well be 8-1 if not for that heartbreaker back in Week 1 at New Orleans on Monday Night Football. Drew Brees made a Hall of Fame caliber pass at the end to set up a miracle field goal. He'd have even more career game-winning drives if not for the Texans defense coughing up a last-second lead at Foxborough and at Seattle back in 2017. He was already out-shining Super Bowl winning quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Russell Wilson on the road with a weaker team as a rookie.

He had the Texans in position to beat a Super Bowl MVP like Nick Foles and the defending Super Bowl champs last year at Philly. But once again our defense blew it in the final few seconds. Jadeveon Clowney (I'm glad he's gone!) made a boneheaded personal foul 15-yard penalty that aided the Eagles come-from-behind win. I like Clowney but he plays dirty and just doesn't think in critical times. Deshaun has been robbed of at least four game-winning drives against four Super Bowl winning quarterbacks so far in his young career.

I can pinpoint exact moments when Deshaun was facing impossible odds and still found a way to put the Texans in position to win.

And mind you, Deshaun Watson has had an awful offensive line in 2017 and 2018. It's now decent at best in 2019.
Deshaun rarely makes excuses. 11-5 and 10-6 the past two seasons despite playing a very difficult schedule.

What Deshaun has done is truly remarkable. He was sacked 62 times last year and 44 times this year. 7 more times in the wild-card game alone. He's taking a beating and here he is in the divisional round with a chance to prove the doubters wrong. This would be like Michael Jordan before he learned what it took to win a championship. He still shined in the playoffs, but lost, with a weaker team compared to what the bad-boy Pistons had during their back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. I was in elementary school at the time but I remember how Jordan couldn't win until he got the help he needed.

Truth be told Deshaun Watson doesn't really need a lot more help. He's very close. Keep building the O-Line is all that's stopping Deshaun Watson from winning a Super Bowl. Well, that and Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. The competition is fierce just like it was for Michael Jordan during his younger days. You have to remember that Jordan didn't win his first championship until his sixth year in the NBA. It takes time in some cases.

Lord have mercy on the rest of the NFL if the Houston Texans ever put together a solid five-man offensive line. They only have two good ones.

This post was edited by Madmartigan on Jan 7 2020 01:24pm