You've been hearing it. I've been hearing it. A lot of people are saying something like "the Texans are playing with 'house money.'"
Obviously, this is a gambling reference about winning a bunch of cash then spending that at the casino.
Wait, did you really need me to explain that?
Anyway, it's a semi-understandable take. The Texans have done more than most people could have possibly expected.
Most.
I remember some of the veterans saying months ago that this was no rebuild. And think about the programs that some of the draft picks hail from. They are not used to losing and not interested in taking baby steps to get to where they want to go.
J.J. Watt, in his weekly visit to the Pat McAfee show, pointed out that opportunities like this don't come around very often. "On one hand, while you think you're playing with house money and whatever happens at this point…yeah. But on the other hand, the opportunities in this league are so hard and so difficult and sometimes so rare to come by that once you have that in front of you and once you realize how special it is, this IS a chance to go out there and get something done."
Getting something done this week would be sending the Texans to their first AFC Championship game. They've had four previous shots. One of them was their first time, in the 2011 season. DeMeco Ryans played in the Divisional Round game. He's the head coach in the latest.
Watt certainly acknowledged that the future is so bright for the Texans but went on to say "There's also that part of you that says 'Let's catch
lightning in a bottle. Let's do something special, unbelievable, right now, right here."
We'll all find out what happens, together on Saturday afternoon.
The game is live on ABC-13 and ESPN. That radio call is on Sports Radio 610, 100.3 FM, the Audacy App, the Texans App and certainly on your home listening device.
