Patrick Haughton of Battle Red Bloggers was kind enough to answer 5 of my refreshingly not-obnoxious questions. Let’s see what he has to say...
1. Davis Mills has been somewhat quietly been playing better than most of the other (much higher drafted) QBs from his draft class (obviously excluding inevitable HOFer Justin Fields). Do Texans fans feel like he’s their franchise guy or more of a better-than-expected placeholder?
Depending on who you ask, Davis Mills is a nobody who is destined to hold a clipboard on any other decently run team or he is the second coming of Matt Schaub and that should show just how low a bar most of us Texans fans have for a quarterback. Speaking for myself, he might be playing better than QBs drafted ahead of him, that does not, by any means, make him good at quarterbacking. Just last Sunday against the Broncos, his throws were off, the lack of touch he showed on critical passes, he played like the football equivalent of one an unfolding lawn chair is what I’m saying. He’s a stand-in, a literal placeholder until the Texans can find yet another franchise quarterback.
2. Lovie Smith was the best Bears coach since Ditka, and he left (got fired) after a winning season so it’s easy for Bears fans to look back wistfully on his time here. How did fans feel after the (relatively abrupt hire) and how are they feeling about him now?
The immediate reaction to his hire was somehow both an incredible disappointment and an incredible relief. Because, I don’t know how much you Bears fans paid attention to our little coaching saga, we were looking at some pretty okay names for head coach beforehand. After considering briefly such coaching legends as Hines Ward and the extremely trustworthy Josh McDaniels, the final four coaches were announced and Lovie Smith’s name was not one of them. So when he was hired, compared to, say, Brian Flores, he’s a disappointment. But then Brian Flores sued the NFL for racial discrimination in hiring practices. And as that news broke out, the Houston Texans were on the cusp of hiring Josh McCown, who has, to this day, zero NFL or college coaching experience. This is maybe a week after literally interviewing Flores for the job. So then the Texans change their plans, say “thanks but no thanks (for now)” to McCown and settle on Lovie Smith for the head coach, pretending he was their guy the whole time. Compared to having Texans HC Josh McCown, Lovie Smith is a welcome relief.
As of right now, most Texans fans, in my estimation, are fine, if underwhelmed, by having him as head coach. It’s not like this team is going to be competitive this year and he’s had head coaching experience in the past, which is more than we can say for most of our coaches.
3. Is it hard to root for a team with an uninspired name? Are you tired of hearing comments like, “Cool name. What state are they from?” Do you ever find yourself jealous of teams named after gloriously powerful and beautiful animals and will it be hard to face up against the best mascot in professional sports?
I’m not sure uninspired name smack talk is the greatest of ideas considering “Bears” can be found in probably one out of every three high schools in America, but we can give it a whirl if you’d like. But since the Bears even have their own marching band in the most medium-wealthy-school-in-east-Texas-looking stadium in the NFL, maybe the generic high school nickname is more fitting than even I expected.
But sure, I guess I should be jealous my team isn’t distinct like...Bears.
Also, I think you underestimate just how powerful an animal a Texan can be, especially when we’re stubborn.
4. Bears top receiver, Darnell Mooney, has caught two passes so far this season, both screens. Do you think Texans 3rd overall pick Derek Stingley Jr. has the chops to keep him in check? Are there other rookies or young Texans Bears fans should keep an eye out for in this game?
Oh, yeah, totally.
As for other Texans, keep an eye on Dameon Pierce. We’re all aflutter over him since he’s probably the best running back we’ve had since Arian Foster.
5. Draft Kings currently has the over / under set for Sundays game at 40. The Bears and the Texans are currently tied at 14.5 uninspired points per game this season, which would add up to 29. Do you think this week is an opportunity for these offenses to get things moving, or should I go ahead and bet my dog’s college fund on the under?
Well, it’ll be an opportunity for one of these offenses (yours) to get things moving. If the Bears can hold the Texans offense in the first three quarters, they’ll probably win as the Texans offense essentially falls off a cliff at the end of the game. So if you’re going to bet your dog’s college fund, bet on the over and watch the Bears points roll in. Also, when you double your dog’s college fund, might I recommend he attend the University of Hound-ston? Hah! I kill me sometimes!
Patrick has some good dog puns, but seems to fail to understand that Bears is a ubiquitous name because it’s the best and so any team or school with the opportunity to claim it for their league would be foolish not to. His answers also spell encouraging news for the Bears defense.
And if you also have a dog whose college fund needs doubling, our friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook have you covered for this game and all the week’s NFL action.
