Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Always hate this narrative as a Bears fan. McMahon was terrible in 1986 and even when he came back in subsequent seasons he was terrible in the playoffs.

McMahon had a bad shoulder even before the Charles Martin incident:

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/09/spor ... weeks.html

SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 10:10 pm

ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 9:48 pm

SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 1:02 pm

How was the running game next to Carr?

They had a rookie running back the first year 2002, so rookies at all skill positions on the offense is wild to start an expansion team. Then they had no veteran QB to mentor Carr either to go along with that, any type of veteran presence on that offense would have benefit him a lot. Of course they were banking on Boselli being that guy and this is where it all went bad from day 1. The Saints are able to trade Roaf to KC and he anchors one of the best o-lines in football those years 2002 to 2005.

Houston had a rookie I forget his name but he came into the blockbuster I worked at that fall, something Allen. He was pedestrian as it gets in 2002. In 2003 though along came Dominick Davis, who was really awesome forgotten player. Davis was excellent in the tail end of 2003, 2004, and the first half or so of 2005 before he got injured and was out of football all together, so having Roaf on his o-line most likely would have extended his career. Something was up with Roaf's 2001 injury that had the NFL pull him and make him ineligible for that 2002 Texans Expansion Draft. They take Boselli who was toast and never even plays a down. Cruel twist of irony from the football gods that cursed this team to a decade of losing football to start out.

Roaf definitely would have helped. So would Boselli had he come back from injury.

Also that first running back was James Allen who ran for 521 yards on 3.3 yards per carry, and led the team in yards from scrimmage with 821.

Looking at the offense of the 2002 Texans, I see a rookie quarterback in Carr, a rookie running back in Allen, rookies at fullback, left tackle and right guard, and two of the three receivers were also rookies.

In fact only four starters out of 11 on the offense of the 2002 Texans had played in the NFL for multiple seasons before 2002:

Wide receiver Corey Bradford, left guard DeMingo Graham, center Steve McKinney, and right tackle Ryan Young.

By contrast on defense, only one starter hadn’t started for multiple seasons (defensive end Jerry DeLoach), and nine of the starters had been around for at least four seasons prior, including pro bowlers Gary Walker and Aaron Glenn.

Yes, it was crazy, with a college football team basically on offense they took on the NFL in 2002. Junior Seau feasted on them when SD played them, as did Brian Dawkins when they played Philly. Carr set the record for times sacked but no other quarterback took a snap for Houston all year, I forget who the backup even was(Ken Dorsey?), I sometimes wonder if there was even another quarterback even on that roster. I know there had to be some older veterans out there they could have brought in as a coach/mentor similar to what the Colts did with Mark Rypien in the early 2000's for Manning or TJ Yates did with CJ Stroud his rookie season. Carr taking a beating behind that line as a rookie but never missing a snap deserves more credit for how tough the kid was.

One miss in the expansion draft that I feel is obvious looking back with 20/20 hindsight, they should have picked up Jeff Blake the former Bengals QB that was available. They passed on him and he ended up taking the Texans down and having a great game when he came in as a backup for somebody(I forget what team) that season. That would have been a good addition with some veteran experience to that roster, maybe let Carr sit for bulk of that season and learn while Blake takes the beating behind that line.

Then it brings up the question, just how good was that Texans defense from 2002-2004? It's similar to the 1992 Seahawks that went 2-14 with Dan Mcqwire averaging 8 points per game on offense while Cortez Kennedy won DPOY and that defense looked like a top 5 in the NFL in 92, but the story of how good they were just doesn't get told in the stat lines for the 92 Seahawks. Same applies to the Texans of 2002-2003-2004. That defense was a blast to watch the first 3 years, but you wouldn't be able to tell looking back now because there is only so much they can have to show for it when the offense can't make a first down.

The 2002 team with an offense of rookies still somehow beat Dallas team that had Larry Allen and Emmitt in their first game ever, they beat playoff teams in Giants and Steelers, went on the road and beat Jacksonville all with an offense that could barely make a single first down(especially in that Pittsburgh game, rewatched it recently and I felt like they somehow won without gaining a single yard of offense). Jamie Sharper I feel like in 2002 should have been considered for DPOY he had similar season as 1992 Cortez Kennedy, led the NFL in tackles, was all over the field for that Texans defense that had to carry a team with no offense.

Then in 2003 they beat NFC Champs Carolina, take New England 14:30 into overtime and almost beat them. The 2003 Texans had a ton of heart and played tough even though they led the NFL in injuries with 19 players on IR by the end of the year. 2004 the defense was really good too, it all fell apart in 2005 when we lost Aaron Glenn and Sharper that team was toast. As a fan of the Texans that watched every game I feel like Jamie Sharper deserves way more credit for those years here in Houston, led the NFL in tackles during that 3 year stretch and had so many great plays and moments that have been forgotten.