In a move so obvious I actually predicted it back in March, NFL Films has tabbed the Houston Texans as its featured team for the HBO Hard Knocks documentary series.
The Texans were one of a slew of teams up eligible to be drafted by NFL Films for the series along with the Cleveland Browns, the St. Louis Rams, the Miami Dolphins, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Washington Redskins, the Minnesota Vikings, the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
To automatically be up for it, a team can’t have a new head coach and/or made the playoffs in the last two seasons. Teams that don’t meet those criteria can still volunteer to be featured and it appears the Buffalo Bills did just that and were in the running down to the wire along with the Washington Redskins. The Browns, though they could have been forced to do it, requested to have their team removed from consideration because of multiple off-the-field issues that don’t need the public scrutiny, including quarterback Johnny Manziel’s return from rehab. NFL Films complied with that request.
Now with 100% more WATT…
The @HoustonTexans are headed to @HBO's Hard Knocks! pic.twitter.com/XgRQGOKKFl
— NFL (@NFL) May 27, 2015
With the distraction it could be, it makes you wonder why the Redskins made it so far in the process with their potential issues at quarterback and head coach. Luckily for them, the Texans got the nod and saved us six weeks of slow-motion Robert Griffin III completions into the dirt.
“We are thrilled to partner with HBO and NFL Films to give fans unprecedented access to our team and organization,” Texans owner Bob McNair said in a statement. “The ‘Hard Knocks’ documentaries do a tremendous job of displaying how an NFL team prepares for the upcoming season. We look forward to showcasing the Houston Texans to a worldwide audience.”
It’s a smart move for the Texans, who are just mediocre quarterback play away from respectability and boast one of the game’s most marketable stars with defensive end J.J. Watt. It’s likely that Watt’s appearance in a single episode of last season’s Hard Knocks with the Atlanta Falcons helped seal the deal as he stole the show in a joint scrimmage.
Watt is coming off a career year with 78 tackles, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 10 passes defended and one defensive touchdown. He also made news posting a photo of the horrendous thigh bruise he suffered at the beginning of last season.
This is the first time the Texans have been on Hard Knocks. The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals have been on it twice. The Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins have all been featured once.
Zimmer delivers ultimatum to Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer made it clear Wednesday that the team has no plans to trade or release star running back Adrian Peterson.
“Adrian really has two choices: He can either play for us or he cannot play,” Zimmer said at his weekly press conference. “He’s not going to play for anybody else. That’s just the way it’s going to be.”
Peterson has made it equally clear he felt the team let him down during the investigation and his subsequent suspension over child abuse after photos surfaced of the wounds he inflicted on his son with a switch.
Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is giving Adrian Peterson two options.Vikings coach g… http://t.co/hyo1uC0JHs pic.twitter.com/DQ2IKjQytg
— NFL (@NFLsportsgroup) May 27, 2015
The Vikings’ best chance to move Peterson was during the draft and since nothing came to pass over those three days, the former All-Pro remains with the team. He can either play for them in 2015 or sit out the year. Zimmer told reporters at the presser that he hadn’t spoken to Peterson since he and Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman met with him in March.
“I don’t know when he’s coming,” Zimmer said. “We’ll just leave it at that.”
Other News
Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte has said he will report to OTAs on time and not hold out in spite of his lack of a long-term deal. Forte will make $8.2 million this season in the final year of his contract.
New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles told reporters that the team’s quarterback position is open for competition between Geno Smith, free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Simms and rookie Bryce Petty. He did say that he expects Smith to win the job.
