Texans guilty of fan abuse

October 5, 5:49 PMHouston Texans ExaminerAlan Burge

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I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.  Again, what did we do to deserve this?

For real. 

And how do you come back from something like this?   What do the coaches tell the players on Monday that will make them respond in any other way but 'yeah right.'  

Is player 'buy in' being doused by Gatorade buckets full of dissension as we speak?

I think this is the point where December 28 starts to take on a whole new meaning for many of the players.  Hopes and dreams for a meaningful Week 17 season ending game at Reliant just turned into Googling Orbitz for plane reservations to wherever home is  - because for all practical purposes the Texans season ended Sunday at Reliant.

What other team can say their season is finished on the day of their home opener?  We are special aren't we?

Maybe a better question is what will motivate fans to go out to the stadium next Sunday, and the week after that, and the week after that?   If they aren't getting blown out, the Texans continually find ways to self destruct, and then lament in post-game pressers about the one that got away or the play they didn't make.  

I'm tired of it.  We're tired of it. 

Maybe its time to replace the "Through these doors..." sign in the weight room with one reading "Woe is us."

I'm thinking about re-evaluating how I root for this team.  I think it's time for me to pull over and dump a load of emotion on the side of the road because carrying it with me every week does no good.  I think it would be healthier if I cared less. 

I started coming to that conclusion as I sat in my seat fuming while contemplating instant replays of Reggie Wayne - and thinking about the Ike recovery public service announcement on the big screen about how 'it's only a game.'

During the walk to the truck after the game, my wife kinda halfway jokingly suggested that we start rooting for the Texans opponents.  Hmmm.  Reverse psychology anyone?  This team and its fans certainly needs a shrink. 

The Texans impersonated a football team for 56 minutes on Sunday (also guilty as charged) only to implode as only the Texans can.  It was a gift wrapped season reviving victory for Tony Dungy's boys.  Disgusting.  Frustrating. Disheartening.  Maddening.  Whatever.

Sage Rosenfels, or  'Rosenfeld' as his number one fan in front of me kept calling him, looked good while leading the team back from a 10 point deficit to a commanding 27-10 lead midway through the 4th quarter.   Texans fans were giddy.

I almost let myself get sucked in to the notion that the Texans might pull this off after Steve Slaton's second touchdown at the 8 minute mark of the 4th but as a long time Houston NFL fan, I wasn't able to go there.  

That 'almost' was helped out by Richard Smith's defense which after a couple of solid quarters, returned to its old 'bend and bend some more' form on the ensuing drive, allowing Peyton Manning to drive 81 yards for a quick score to draw within 10.  I knew at that point that we were in deep doo.

What confused me at that point is how the sheeple started their mindless procession out out of the stadium.  Were they confident that the Texans 10 point lead would hold up over the last 4 minutes?  Were they convinced it wouldn't hold up?  Or did they want to get some more Dippin Dots and Cotton Candy for the kids before they went out to 'beat traffic?'

I'll take the latter.

Then Sage must have remembered that he played for the Texans and the rest is history.  His 'Rosencopter' maneuver was rooted in good intentions but it was a Steve Young effort with a David Carr result - not smart - just like the other two turnovers he committed in the last three minutes to seal the deal on another one of our franchise's patented losses. 

I guess that will silence the 'Rosenfeld' fans for another week, or until Schaub has another bad game, whichever comes first.

The Gary Brackett fumble return for a touchdown is right up there with the top bizarro gut-busting plays we've seen at Reliant along with the Steve McNair TD pass to Drew Bennett and Vince's overtime run.

One of these days I'd like to get on NFL RePlay for the right reasons.

And so goes another season...