Week 2 vs. Raiders REVIEW: Houston, We Appear to Have a Football Team!!!

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE65 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Week 2 vs. Raiders...' From 'Bulls On Parade Talk'

The Houston Texans are 2-0 to start the 2014 season once again.  But what makes it different this time aside from the new coaching staff, new quarterback, new offense, new defense?  The biggest difference is that the Houston Texans are playing as Bill O'Brien likes to say "complimentary football."

The offense remains consistent starting with the offensive line creating running lanes for the ball carriers as well as protecting the quarterback, the quarterback is making the proper checks and reads at the line of scrimmage, and the defense is creating pressure and turnovers.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has not been sacked once since the start of the regular season.  Arian Foster continues to prove that he is still one of the best running backs in the NFL today even after having back surgery.  Andre Johnson, despite showing early frustrations during the offseason, continues to show that he can still play at a very high level in his 13th year (all with the Houston Texans).

The defense continues to show that they excel in two things: applying pressure up front and creating turnovers.  The Texans were +4 in turnover ratio against the Oakland Raiders.  Every play, the defense shows hustle and continuous activity thus resulting in big plays that feed into the concept of "complimentary football."

The defense forces a turnover which results in the offense getting an extra possession.  This allows the offense to take more time off the clock as well as getting an opportunity to add more points to their current score.  And while the offense takes time off the clock, the defense gets rest on the bench thus keeping them fresh throughout the game.

As long as the Texans keep playing in this fashion, maintaining this type of energy as well as staying healthy, I can definitely see the Texans making some noise down the stretch.

Week 2 Preview + Prediction vs Oakland Raiders

The Houston Texans are coming off their first win of the season.  It wasn't perfect in the end but a win is a win.  Also, the Texans proved that they are able to execute in close game situations.  They made enough plays to take the lead and hold on to it on all three phases of football: offense, defense and special teams.

Now they go on the road to play the Oakland Raiders in the Black Hole.  They present a very different yet interesting match-up.  First off, their starting quarterback is the young rookie out of Fresno State, Derek Carr.  He was 10 years old when his older brother, David Carr, got drafted #1 overall by the Houston Texans in 2002.  Andre Johnson has developed quite a bond with the entire Carr family since he arrived on the scene the year after David got drafted.  You can bet we'll see Andre and Derek catching up at some point.  It wouldn't surprise me if, during the game, the media talked about Derek's childhood since he spent most of it in Houston.

So aside from that story line, what else will you be looking out for during the game against Oakland?

The truth about Gary Kubiak's offensive system??!!

Former Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub recently spoke to Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area New Group about how much control he will have in the Oakland Raiders' offense.  These quotes from Matt Schaub have gotten several people, especially in Houston, talking about how Gary Kubiak's offensive system was really like especially for the quarterback.

It’s exciting. It’s just like going to a new place and getting a fresh start. To come to an offense where the coach is looking to give you more freedom, and looking to give you more control of things. I had that in some aspects in Houston, but there are things I’m being asked to do here that I didn’t have control of in Houston. I would have loved to, but we just weren’t in control of it. To now be in that position, and being the quarterback, that’s such a great place to be because you can get everyone on the same page.

From what I've understood about the offensive system Gary Kubiak ran during his time in Houston, the quarterback wasn't given much control at the line of scrimmage.  Based from what I've read and heard, the quarterback was given 2 offensive plays by the play-caller (Gary Kubiak in this case) to call in the huddle.  While at the line of scrimmage, the quarterback couldn't call an audible or adjust the protection based from what the defense was presenting.

Under Greg Olsen in Oakland, Matt Schaub will apparently have more control over the offense in games than he had in Houston.  For the most part, Matt Schaub has been productive during his time in Houston aside from the 2013 debacle that occurred in Houston.  Time will tell if he can turn things around in Oakland.

But as far as the offense that Bill O'Brien runs, the quarterback has loads of responsibilities during the games.  How do you feel about the new offense that'll start getting installed soon?

Matt Schaub traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 6th round pick

The inevitable move in free agency that almost every Houston Texan fan has been waiting for has come to pass.  Matt Schaub and his expensive contract has been traded to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a 6th round pick.  This leaves Case Keenum and T.J. Yates along with newly signed free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick on the current roster.  Whether or not you like Matt Schaub or not, you have to at least recognize what he has done for the city of Houston during his time here.  Since the Texans acquired Matt Schaub from the Atlanta Falcons, the Houston Texans' offense started improving.  Matt Schaub led the league in passing during two of his seasons as the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans.  Now 2013 wasn't Matt Schaub's best year by any stretch of the imagination.  However, the fault can't be placed solely on the quarterback, and not because there were 3 different starting quarterbacks, but because everyone on the roster in some way was at fault.  The offensive line wasn't protecting well or creating running lanes for the running backs and injuries once again plagued the team forcing younger and inexperienced players to see action prematurely including Case Keenum and Dennis Johnson.  

Just because a player has one bad year or one bad game, it doesn't make them a bad player or a bad person.  Everyone has bad moments in their lives at some point.  It's what makes us human.  Do I like Matt Schaub?  I sure do.  Now do I feel that getting rid of him was a good move?  I do as a matter fact.  But it's probably for different reasons that some of you might think.  His contract would cost us cap space for the next two seasons and the fans have completely turned against him after last season.  Just ask the guy that went to his house and threatened his family.  The same can be said about Randy Bullock after missing several field goals during the Sunday Night game against Indianapolis which was Case Keenum's first start as well as the night which Gary Kubiak had that mini-stroke.

Overall, the season didn't turn out as planned for the Houston Texans.  But, I'd still like to take this time to thank Matt Schaub for everything he and his family have given to the city of Houston.  He is nothing short of a class act and I'm sure he will be successful no matter where he goes.