They Played To Win the Games

Any speculation that losing football teams might emulate the NBA and tank a game at the end of the season to improve their draft status was ended this weekend, as Green Bay, San Francisco, and the New York Jets all won and lost their shot at the #1 pick. The Niners reward for their overtime victory over the Texans was dropping from #1 in the NFL draft to #7. The top 5 picks for the upcoming draft will be:

1. Houston
2. New Orleans
3. Tennessee
4. New York Jets
5. Green Bay

When they weren't busy stroking each other's nuts, Joe Theisman, Paul Maguire, and Mike Patrick briefly discussed the draft; and for the first time in my life, I agreed with something Paul Maguire said. While Reggie Bush is a spectacular player, drafting him won't do much to change the Texans. They just have way too many holes to fill- starting with the offensive line- that Bush alone won't make the impact they need. If another team (Packers?) is willing to make an offer of multiple draft picks, and some viable players for the #1 pick, then Houston needs to listen, even if it means losing a "once in a generation" player. The player that most people compare Reggie Bush to is Gale Sayers. In the five years that Sayers led his team in rushing, the Bears were a combined 29-38-3. Barry Sanders was the most exciting runningback of my lifetime, but his ability alone wasn't enough to take Detroit to a Super Bowl. A dynamic runningback alone isn't enough to transform a team into a Super Bowl contender.

If the goal is to sell season tickets, then the Texans should draft Reggie Bush. If the goal is to win a Super Bowl, then Houston needs to look to trade down from the pick.