(SportsRadio 610) - The Texans just squandered the No. 1 overall pick. Let's get into these observations.
1. Losing this game was the only ideal result. Even the silly hardos, who originally acted like they were above embracing losing being best for the future, were down for the better cause.
2. However, Lovie Smith deserved to try to get this win in likely his final game as an NFL head coach.
3. No other team was going to hire Lovie Smith as a defensive coordinator in 2021 or head coach in 2022. He, like David Culley, was a beneficiary of the chaos, but Smith failed to capitalize on the opportunity for a number of reasons. The job is more appealing and the days of hiring guys nobody else would hire need to end NOW.
4. There’s a lot of hope with the fan base right now, but also a lot of valid trust issues.
5. This was the most nervous I’ve been for a game in a long, long time. I don’t EVER want to have to root for a loss again.
6. It was only fitting that Brandin Cooks, the guy who couldn’t give a damn about this franchise, who Nick Caserio failed to trade, set the tone in what would be the worst win in franchise history. The perfect ending to one of the most shameful, unprofessional, bizarre displays in franchise history. Jack Easterby is smiling somewhere.
7. How Brandin Cooks wasn’t traded at the deadline is bad. But the fact he was allowed to make the fuss he did, take basically a leave of absence, tweet the stuff he did and then come back and play when losing was in the best interest of things, is just weird.
8. The Colts have been just as bad as the Texans, but the stadium and atmosphere resembles an NFL scene. This has to get Cal McNair’s attention as much as anything.
9. Cooks didn’t want to get traded because of team struggles. He wanted to get traded because Jack Easterby left. He had no issue with losing before Jack left and knew this was a rebuild. Don’t expect Jay Feely to know that, but that’s what it is.
10. The Texans blitz linebackers less than anyone in the league, but Lovie Smith dialed ‘em up Sunday. A lot of fake hustle in Indy.
11. Sam Ehlinger returning the favor after the Texans red zone turnover was blooper type stuff.
12. Then he had an even worse turnover in the Indy red zone. This was a cruel viewing experience in the first half of this game.
13. They took away Brandin Cooks’ captain status, let him have off time to pout, but had him on the field to play when losing was the best thing for the team, T-E-A-M. Winning TD vs Titans and playing his best game Sunday. Make it make sense, please.
14. Caserio likes to talk a lot about Silicon Valley. Would Apple or Google have handled the Brandin Cooks situation the same way Nick Caserio did? Sorry, I’m kidding to keep from crying.
15. I don’t care how great of a player Jeff Saturday was. If I were a Colts fan I’d think less of him now than I did a couple months ago. He’s embarrassing himself.
16. Saturday should’ve kicked the field goal on Indy’s first offensive drive of the second half. I said it before he decided to do it and called him an idiot after he did it.
17. Christian Harris is going to be a part of this team for a long time and a really good player. He picked up two penalties on the Colts’ touchdown drive that cut the lead to three. I know it’s not true, but I’m going to pretend he was down for the cause and wanted to do whatever it took to get his college teammate Bryce Young in town.
18. Then Davis Mills punched Texans fans in the stomach with a touchdown pass to Jordan Akins.
19. Then Mills went Mills and threw a HUGE Pick Six that cut the lead back down to three at the end of the third quarter.
20. Then Mills threw another interception and all joy broke out around town. I had never loved Mills as much as I did on the last two drives of that third quarter.
21. The Colts taking the lead in the fourth was the most pure, tangible joy I’ve had because of this team in a long, long time. I don’t like it, but it’s where I am.
22. Cooks should’ve never stepped on the field again for this team. That 4th and 12 conversion was a direct consequence of Caserio’s mishandling of the situation.
23. That misplay on 4th and 20 by the Colts safety that led to the TD with 50 seconds left was comic relief around every city outside of Chicago and pain in Houston.
24. This whole display was the most embarrassing thing I have seen in a while. This organization appears to be screwed and at this point firing Caserio shouldn’t be off the table.