Texans in the Playoffs
Baltimore is sure of a blowout, Texans D has something to say
BALTIMORE — Bill Cowher said it so matter of factly, which will surely only bother the Houston Texans even more. After seeing the myth of Tim Tebow go up in a hail of Tom Brady touchdown passes, maybe Cowher wanted to perpetuate another one.
"Baltimore has the best defense left in the tournament," Cowher said in analyzing the Ravens chances in the playoffs on CBS.
Ah, Bill. Baltimore has the second-best defense left in the playoffs — behind the one of the team it's playing Sunday at noon.
Houston's defensive players think their unit has been completely forgotten and dismissed in favor of the old standby. It's all about the Ravens' defense, rankings be damned.
The Texans are actually ranked No. 2 in total defense. Baltimore finished No. 3. The No. 1-rated defense Pittsburgh was bounced out of the first round by Tebow. The No. 4 rated defense is San Francisco, which gave up 32 points and still won on Saturday.
How easy it is to forget. Which has been the Texans' point all week and essentially their drive heading into Sunday's game. Houston's defensive players think their unit has been completely forgotten and dismissed in favor of the old standby. It's all about the Ravens' defense, rankings be damned.
All about Baltimore's window to make the Super Bowl. Now, even Cowher — The Jaw, the former coach of those defensive power Pittsburgh Steelers, a guy who should know better, someone who should pay Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips some respect — is doing it.
Arriving in Jimmy McNulty's town certainly has only added fuel to the fire. While the Texans bus was met by a good number of Houston fans, Baltimore is dominated by the sense that the Texans are about as imposing of a road block as a one-inch foam cone.
As soon as Cowher finished dissing Houston, local CBS anchor Adam May picked up on it. "When we win (Sunday), and it's when we win not if . . . " May said opening the newscast. He closed it with "We'll be back on the air after the win (Sunday)."
May's hardly alone in his thinking. Several Texans fans walking around Baltimore in their team garb told CultureMap that locals have greeted them with prediction after prediction of 20-point-plus Baltimore romps.
Maybe, Cowher's already mentally checked the Texans out of the playoffs too.