Gridiron Grillin' -- Better to Lose a Close Game or Just Lose?

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades -- a cliché that's certainly true when it comes to NFL standings. Take the case of the hapless Houston Texans, who provided the most unusual loss of the week in football. The team led the Indianapolis Colts by 10 late in the fourth quarter before Texan QB Sage Rosenfels managed to turn the ball over three times in the last three and a half minutes. The game ended with a stunning four-point defeat for the Texans.

In life, close calls can be a good thing. Most guys would prefer a long, flirtatious conversation with a woman that loses steam after she mentions her boyfriend, rather than being told right off the bat to get lost. But does this same principle apply to football fandom? Is the glimmer of hope from a close loss worth the painful kick in the crotch once you realize your team is no good after all? Maybe it's better to be completely hopeless and focused on who is going to be the next bust of a first round draft pick.

Weigh in above to let us know how you view defeat, and check out the links below to get more of your sports fix.

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