Even though you knew it was coming, it's still hard to believe. David Carr is out, thus truly ending the first era of Texans history. Five years in and we have a new coach, GM and starting quarterback.
Carr's exit along with Domanick Williams (Davis) signified a new start and an example that plans on paper are often very different when fleshed out to reality. There was a time not too long ago when we hoped Carr, Andre Johnson and the former Domanick Davis would perform as triplets similar to Aikman, Irvin and Smith.
People ask me all the time about what went wrong with Carr. I can't explain it. The stretch of fine playmaking he displayed when the Texans won four out of five in 2004 was never matched. He seemed to regress and leave plays on the field. He never recaptured the magic of that 3,500 yard season. Even after struggling in '05, there was still enough hope there to pull the trigger on three more years, but it turned out to be the wrong move.
Carr's toughness was never questioned. His leadership skills were often questioned. The fact that he didn't always stay at Reliant Stadium late or go out with the guys after practice became a major complaint for the fans. I never bought much into that one. Of course, you would like to think of your QB as a ring leader for the team to rally around on and off the field. But none of that would have mattered if Carr were producing big plays on a regular basis.
He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice. Once as a senior at Fresno State. The other as a rookie in the '02 preseason.
You can now officially add Carr to the list of things that did not go right for a franchise that seemed to be hitting all the correct notes when building itself following it's birth in 1999. Yes, much of Texans history is a sad tale of disappointments. Yes, it's been the rockiest five-year start for an expansion team in the post-merger era. But the fight is far from over. This coaching and managerial staff is on the ball. And regardless of your thoughts on "Draft Decision '06," the team is getting better and should have its best season this year, barring uninvited appearances by Father Time and the injury bug. **
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