Blake Cashman Reflects on Houston Texans' 2023 Season, Super Bowl Aspirations
The Baltimore Ravens dominated the second half of the AFC Divisional Round to end the Houston Texans’ magical season. Even Baltimore, as dominant as they looked all season, couldn’t string together enough wins to make a Super Bowl appearance. The Ravens fell to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, 17-10.
Their loss is a brief reminder that even in the years when teams are best positioned to win the whole thing, it can come crumbling down in a matter of plays. Receiver Zay Flowers’ taunting penalty preceded his crucial fumble. Quarterback Lamar Jackson lost a fumble and threw a bad interception with his season hanging in the balance.
This was Baltimore’s year – until it wasn’t. Houston, meanwhile, was playing with house money. Linebacker Blake Cashman spoke after the Divisional Round loss about the state of the franchise. It’s easy to consider development linear and claim the Texans are on the cusp of something special. His comments revealed just that.
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“This team’s in great hands and it’s headed in the right direction,” Cashman said. “Everybody should be super proud of this team and also very excited for the future. I believe this is a team that’s going to control the division for years to come. It shouldn’t surprise anyone when you see the Houston Texans in the Super Bowl very soon.”
However, as the playoffs continued to showcase, whether it be from the Dallas Cowboys losing their first game in a potential Super Bowl run or the Buffalo Bills falling to Patrick Mahomes at his most vulnerable, winning it all is so incredibly elusive.
This isn’t to say that the Houston faithful shouldn’t be excited, or that rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud won’t eventually lead them to the promised land. But the teams that seem destined to return actually do so less frequently than optimistic fans would like to believe.
Yes, it turned out better than anticipated for Stroud and the young Texans team. But there’s no guarantee things stay this good.
Of course, one reason for that is the dozens of transactions that each team makes. Roster turnover is inevitable, and Houston has no shortage of free agents – including Cashman.
“No year, no team is the same as the following year,” Cashman said. “You go through this journey together, you feel such strong relationships. A lot of these guys you consider your brother for life and it’s never going to be the same.
“It’s a feeling that kind of makes you sick to your gut because you know you’re never going to have this back, but that also makes it so great, so special. Those moments you shared together with your coaches and your teammates as well.”
As confident as this season may have fans as the offseason approaches, there’s no telling whether Cashman – or Houston’s recent success – will return. Allow that perspective to help appreciate this season, regardless of how it ended.
