Q&A With Editor Antonio Furgiuele
"The following is a Q&A with fansided’s Indianapolis Colts website, Naptownsfinest.com, J.M. Nicholas. This week the Indianapolis Colts travel to Houston to take on the Texans in the week 15 matchup. We will have a Q&A as well for their week 17 matchup as well."
The Texans have an amazing 11-2 record, but the have looked a little less impressive in recent weeks. What would you attribute that to?
The Texans have had to over come injuries to important players this season, especially at the linebacker position. Brian Cushing is a dominant player and he was lost for the season early. Brooks Reed has had to deal with a groin injury as well as Johnathan Joesph missing time. However, every team is playing hurt at one position or another, so the Texans need to manage with what they have and game plan around their strengths.
Why do you think the Texans aren’t getting more respect around the league, even though they have the best record in the AFC?
The Texans are not getting much notoriety because of their pedigree. They are the youngest team in the NFL after all. They have also only been to the playoffs once, which was last year. The Atlanta Falcons are also getting this type of treatment but for the reason that they cannot perform once in the playoffs. As we can see now, the Texans are a dominant force in the AFC, and after being on the side lines for so long, they are poised to be a perennial playoff contender. That is if they can continue to draft as well as they have in the future.
How does the fan base, media, and team seem to feel about the current state of the Texans?
I feel like the fanbase, media and team are disappointed after last weeks blowout defeat, but it will be short lived as the team has already clinched a wildcard spot and can clinch a first round bye in the next week or so. I feel that the Texans got an early dose of what the playoffs are like, which will be an early advantage to how much harder they will need to prepare in the coming weeks. The fans have nothing to worry about, that is unless the Texans lose again this week.
Should the Texans be concerned that they didn’t close out the AFC South sooner, and have let the Colts kind of sneak in the back door?
The Texans should be a bit concerned as momentum can carry a team like the Colts. The Texans are incapable of being a factor in the Colts record, outside of playing them twice a year; which they still have to do. The Texans have done everything they could at this point with an 11-2 record, it’s unbelievable how far Andrew Luck has carried them.
With a few power players getting older, do you think that the window is already closing for the Texans to dominate the AFC South for at least one or two more years?
While I do believe the window is closing for some power players, the Texans are a rare team that is one or two pieces away from staying atop the AFC South. I believe in building through the draft and getting the best available player no matter the position, and the Texans are a team that could use depth at every position but a few. Andre Johnson should be the biggest concern as he’s 31 years old. He’s been a beast in the league, but this is a young mans game, and Schaub will need more than him and Owen Daniels to catch some balls
A special thanks to J.M. Nicholas, looking forward to this week as well as week 17.
– Antonio Furgiuele