You possibly can additionally level out that a tidal wave of a comeback by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs was as predictable as Andy Reid wanting confused throughout a surprising playoff deficit — and we are going to.
However right here’s the indisputable fact: Nothing in need of a Tremendous Bowl look subsequent season for O’Brien and the Texans — if he retains his job — will wash away the stench of Sunday’s epic 51-31 loss to the Chiefs in an AFC Divisional playoff sport.
Wherever he goes, even amongst pals when he makes his annual summer season pilgrimage to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, folks will all the time see 24-Zero and 51-7 completely stamped on O’Brien’s brow. In actual fact, they need to simply incorporate it into the Texans’ brand. If the Texans make it to a Tremendous Bowl, then it’s all cleaned.
Yeah, good luck with that. The Texans have by no means superior past the divisional spherical (Sunday makes them Zero-Four there), even with some fairly darn good groups.
O’Brien’s repute isn’t going to get previous this, undoubtedly not in Houston the place most followers are already sick of his groups that all the time appear to allow them to down in the long run. And it might delay his probabilities at a second job, each time which will come.
It’s too dangerous. I believe O’Brien is an efficient coach, particularly in immediately’s sport the place not many future Corridor of Fame head coaches are roaming the sidelines past Invoice Belichick, Andy Reid and Pete Carroll. Would you like O’Brien or Mike Tomlin? Say what you need, however O’Brien has delivered division championships and playoff berths in 4 of his final 5 seasons. Sure, I do know it’s the AFC South. Nonetheless …
Plus, he has helped flip the tide in personnel since wresting energy away from former GM Rick Smith heading into the 2018 offseason. And after successful with journeymen quarterbacks, O’Brien, the Patriots’ former offensive coordinator, lastly has a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson who has improved and has his coach’s again.
“There’s little doubt,” Watson stated after the sport when requested if O’Brien is the precise coach for the Texans. “I imply, you might need doubt, however there’s little doubt. I imply, I really like that man. I’m going to play arduous for that man. … He’s acquired my coronary heart. He’s going to get all of my 110 % each time I step on that subject. So y’all can say no matter, however [I’ll] all the time be rooting for that man and going to play arduous for him.”
And, if you happen to wished to, Sunday’s gorgeous end result might be considerably (I stated considerably) defined away — aside from one inexplicable resolution that rivals something John Harbaugh did on Saturday night time.
Sure, the Texans took a 24-Zero lead and wound up blowing it. Nevertheless it’s not just like the Texans jumped out resulting from some sensible game-planning by O’Brien. The Chiefs had been clearly rusty after the bye week (should be an AFC factor), with a blown protection for a landing, a blocked punt for a landing and a fumbled kickoff that led to a landing.
The Chiefs had tousled, and also you knew they weren’t taking place like that at house. Plus, this was the identical Kansas Metropolis crew that final season trailed the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Patriots — who’re approach higher than these Texans — 24-9 at halftime within the common season … and put up 31 factors within the second half of 43-40 loss; and trailed 17-7 at house within the AFC Championship Recreation in opposition to the Patriots after three quarters and scored 24 factors within the fourth quarter within the 37-31 additional time loss.
About that boneheaded mistake…
After correctly pushing the result in 24-Zero with a subject purpose as a substitute of going for it on 4th-and-1 from the Kansas Metropolis 13-yard line with two-and-a-half quarters left, O’Brien ruined every little thing to that time when he ordered a pretend punt that failed on 4th-and-Four from Houston’s personal 31-yard line main 24-7.
4 performs later, the Chiefs made it 24-14 and O’Brien was on his solution to changing into the coach of the primary NFL crew to have a 24-Zero lead and path at halftime. Kansas Metropolis outscored Houston 44-7 after the pretend punt.
“We felt like we needed to attempt to manufacture some factors, manufacture some yards,” O’Brien stated. “It simply didn’t work out. It was one thing we determined to do, however the play didn’t work.”
O’Brien shouldn’t have poked the bear. He simply ought to have punted, performed protection and brought his probabilities. He gave the Chiefs a present that acquired Arrowhead Stadium rocking.
However O’Brien wasn’t flawed to know the sport was removed from over at 24-Zero. He simply selected the flawed time to throw a curveball.
Nobody will need to hear that, actually not in Houston and never in every other NFL outpost the place their crew was most likely watching the sport on trip. All anybody will need to discuss is how dangerous a coach O’Brien is, and the way he ought to be fired.
That’s probably not honest, however that’s what he has to reside with for the remainder of his teaching profession after 24-Zero and 51-7.
Greg A. Bedard covers the NFL for the Overview-Journal. He might be reached at gbedard@reviewjournal.com. Comply with @GregABedard on Twitter.
