Normally, a 19-13 win over the 6th seed in the AFC playoffs would have a team scrambling to find the answers to what went wrong. However, these are the 2012-2013 Houston Texans that we're talking about so coming out on the up side of the ugliest playoff game in recent memory is considered a positive. For the fans (who are increasingly booing) and the New England Patriots however the Texans aren't someone to be feared, but just another insignificant something to step over on their journey to the Super Bowl.
If you're a Houston Texans fan(atic) then you're absolutely certain this is the game in which the Texans turn the corner and return to the form that had them at 11-1, and not a signal that we're seeing the same team that lost 3 out of 4 down the stretch to fall from the 1 seed to the 3 seed thus losing the much needed bye week.
If, as am I, you're an interested, although not particularly vested, observer, you see that there are still several problems that need to be answered.
1. Quarterback: It's becoming increasingly clear that Matt Schaub is an average quarterback instead of the good but not great signal caller that he's been identified as by Houston media. It's pretty clear that the Texans have the defensive talent to make a deep run into the playoffs, but they'll never go very far with Schaub calling the signals.
2. O-line: Yes, I realize that the line did a good job in this game but the Texans right now are a one-handed rushing team, running only to the left and almost never to the right. Against fringe playoff teams like the Bengals this is OK, against teams like New England and Denver this is going to be a glaring issue.
3. Kubiak: The Bengals are a team the Texans should have routed. That they didn't is testimony to some bad head coaching and play-calling by the Head Coach. To me, Kubiak is a good to great OC, but a below average head coach. This will be exposed next week as Belicheck and Co. out-coach him again.
None of this means that the Texans can't win next week in New England, but it does mean that they have several deficiencies heading into the game that place them at a disadvantage before the game even starts. The fact is there's a bigger talent gap between New England and the Texans than there is between say...the Colts and the Texans. Too many in the media have a habit of overestimating the talent the Texans do have on the roster. It's not a conversation that Houston's cheer-leading media handle well.
For now however, all is well and there will be a lot of talk about how a "win is a win" and that all Texans fans need to look forward to New England. For me, it's early but I'm guessing that the 49ers will be matched up with the Packers in an offensive shoot-out. Gulp.
