Is anybody hyped to see the Houston Texans this August on HBO’s “Hard Knocks?” Well, here are seven better choices within the NFL.
By Kevin Flynn
Boy, does the NFL love to market the heck out of J.J. Watt, or what?
If you’re not living in Texas and you don’t play fantasy football, I wonder if the casual NFL fan could name three other Texans? Or how about their head coach?
This is the team the NFL needs to step up and be a perennial force in the AFC South in order for some good television while battling the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have Quarterback Andrew Luck, the reason that Peyton Manning was cut. They have a Cancer-surviving, motivating, wonderful head coach in Chuck Pagano; and oh by the way, they were the team the New England Patriots had to beat in the AFC Championship en route to the Super Bowl.
You remember that game, right? It was a 45-7 thrashing the Colts took, but it had a lot of talk about the balls used in that game afterwards. In any event, this isn’t about the Colts, it’s about the Texans.
Hard Knocks is a way to introduce you to Bill O’Brien, second-year head coach of the Texans. It’ll be a way to let you know that their running back, Arian Foster, was an undrafted free agent who has become an All-Pro.
The show could let you know that former Patriot Defensive Tackle, Vince Wolfork is doing okay. Oh, and the show will also give us a sneak peak on last year’s number one overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney. That he’s still a physical freak and poised to make the Texans defense a force to be reckoned with.
There’s a quarterback controversy storyline here as well, as former Browns QB Brian Hoyer was brought in to compete with former Patriots backup QB Ryan Mallett.
Riveting stuff, I know.
HBO will do a good job with this version as it always does, but there were better teams to choose from.
Here are seven better choices for HBO’s Hard Knocks in 2015:
1. Seattle Seahawks
What team would be better to film behind the scenes than one that came up a yard short from back to back championships?
How about the Seattle Seahawks with characters such as Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Russell Wilson and the biggest media loving human on the planet, “Beast Mode” himself, Marshawn Lynch?
Just think how many episodes could be dedicated to asking coach Pete Carroll if he still thinks throwing the ball rather than handing it off to Lynch was the right decision. Then ask Sherman, who is just the smartest, most entertaining defensive player in the league. Yes, more entertaining than J.J. Watt.
2. Dallas Cowboys
Right off the bat, the Dallas Cowboys losing running back Demarco Murray is a huge story. They brought in the often injured “Run DMC,” Darren McFadden.
The team has Dez Bryant, Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Rolando McClain, the best offensive line in football, and the guy that writes the checks, Jerry Jones. Linebacker Sean Lee is coming off a big injury that opened the door for McClain to have a tremendous comeback season.
But most importantly, Dez would have a lot to say about the “non-catch” against the Packers in the playoffs.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
No team has endured such a changeover in talent during the offseason as much as the Philadelphia Eagles did.
They were the benefactors of signing DeMarco Murray, but it only starts there. They also traded superstar back Shady McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso. Alonso played at the University of Oregon with head coach Chip Kelly, and as we all know, he’s not the only one.
Philly fans have been dying to know what the hell Coach Kelly is thinking. This is especially the case after cries of racism from former players hit the public. As a Giants fan, my love for the Eagles is less than stellar, but I’d watch intently if it was Chip’s squad, and so would millions of Tim Tebow maniacs.
4. Buffalo Bills
Speaking of Shady McCoy, he’s traveled north to Buffalo this offseason, as did Rex Ryan.
First off, the head coach is “must see TV” and with a quarterback controversy in play, a top 10 defense from a year ago, a superstar running back in the fold, the unorthodox exit of last year’s head coach, Doug Marrone, the potential sale and move of the team looming, and the bubbly personality of Sammy Watkins, the Buffalo Bills would have been a much better choice than the Texans.
5. Cleveland Browns
Let’s be honest, the Cleveland Browns are a lightning rod for controversy.
Coach Mike Pettine endured Hard Knocks once before as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets. They have Quarterback issues, new players and they can never seem to right the ship. Like “the Bachelor,” the Browns are a mess and it would be fun to watch….especially with the Johnny Manziel saga.
Oh, and you absolutely have to see the new hue of orange and the uniforms. What a major difference it will do for this team!
6. The St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams candidacy for this spit is an obvious one because they are on the verge of breaking out.
Coach Jeff Fisher continues to be one of the best in the league, preaching his tough, in your face brand of defense. They also have a new QB in Nick Foles, a big time defense and the rookie running back with a truck load of talent in rookie Todd Gurley. While Gurley got injured in college playing for the University of Georgia, every scout and expert thinks his ceiling is extremely high.
The defense has some big time players primed for a breakout with the right introduction. Again, another team that may be moving to California, the Rams, would be great television.
7. The New York Giants
New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is the ultimate survivor. He’s been almost out of a job twice and rallied to win Super Bowls.
Eli Manning is the only quarterback on the teams previously mention with a Super Bowl ring, which is resume enough. Then, there’s Offensive Rookie of the Year and superstar in the making, Odell Beckham Jr. The freak athlete made the cover of Madden and the True Blue fans will be worrying about the curse during the hot month of August.
The Defense has had problems in the backfield and focus will be heavy on staying healthy. Rookie safety Landon Collins might help all that. The Offensive Line needs vast improvements and this could be a pivotal year for the G-Men.
Although it’s a pipe-dream (as ownership would never allow such a thing to happen), and it may be a personal favorite to see, the Giants do present some interesting storylines for Hard Knocks come August.