Texans at the halfway mark

[barrett]

I would not pick Atlanta against us. Like Tampa (and us) they have been very inconsistent. Matt Ryan is not having a very good year, and their defense has been very vulnerable through the air.

I think we have 8 very winnable games. I would even call us a favorite in all of them providing AJ is full strength after the bye. Unfortunately, almost any of them could be lost as well.

Not to mention any of these games could look completely different a few weeks from now. If we played Oakland today with no QB we roll, next month with AJ we roll whoever they play at QB. So much of it depends on timing. Jacksonville could be fired up for a interim coach by then or could have quit on Del Rio.

With all that said, I will predict double digit wins and a victory this week. I may pick a victory every week after this, but cannot say yet.

[HPF Bob]

If the season ended today, we would be the third seed and hosting a first-round game against the Patriots, who I think would pick them apart.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

If the season ended today, we would be the third seed and hosting a first-round game against the Patriots, who I think would pick them apart.

The Patriots would pick us apart. But they also have no defense. So I would honestly expect us to keep it close. Of course I have little doubt what would happen in a close game between Bellachik/Brady and Kubiak/Schaub.

That is why we need the #2 seed. Our win over Pittsburgh and our remaining schedule make it a realistic goal.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by barrett

The Patriots would pick us apart. But they also have no defense. So I would honestly expect us to keep it close. Of course I have little doubt what would happen in a close game between Bellachik/Brady and Kubiak/Schaub.

That is why we need the #2 seed. Our win over Pittsburgh and our remaining schedule make it a realistic goal.

This is all well and good, and well thought out I might add. But right now all I am worried about is the next game against Cleveland. They are a better version of Jacksonville and that makes me real nervous.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by painekiller

This is all well and good, and well thought out I might add. But right now all I am worried about is the next game against Cleveland. They are a better version of Jacksonville and that makes me real nervous.

while i am in no way saying that cleveland can't beat the texans, i don't know that i agree with this. they are pretty much the same team, maybe cle is SLIGHTLY better.. cleveland is averaging 15.3 ppg, jax is averaging 12.3 ppg. (jax is dead last, cle is tied for 28th with miami). on defense cle is givign up 20.0 ppg and jax is giving up 20.4.


both teams have good defenses, with not good offenses. so while cleveland could win, they shouldn't, and are basically the same team the texans just played

[NBT]

Originally Posted by painekiller

This is all well and good, and well thought out I might add. But right now all I am worried about is the next game against Cleveland. They are a better version of Jacksonville and that makes me real nervous.

Only thing is we don't play the Browns twice a year, so they are not quite as familiar with our tendencies the way the Jags are. I would say if we go at the Browns the way we did the Jags, and get ahead early, the defense will play stout again. We just need for everyone to hang on to the ball better than they did against the Jags. Two fumbles, two TDs. Otherwise we shut 'em out.

[dadmg]

I'm quite impressed with how we've performed to this point in the year. Our early schedule had a really rough patch that had me worried from the moment it was announced in the preseason and we battled through most of it without Andre and a good portion without Mario and are now sitting at 5-3 with a much easier schedule the rest of the way. I'm still quite saddened that we won't have Mario for the playoff run (both for him missing his first shot at the playoffs and for the damper it puts on our chances) but, given the super-short off-season, I wasn't sure if playing this well was going to be possible for us.

This also is an ideal thread to point out that, for the first time in my memory of visiting the site, the Texans are now in the top 5 in Football Outsiders main stat, DVOA a stat that adjusts for strength of opponent. Before this year, we'd usually peak somewhere around 11 or 12 and end up around 14-18 by year's end. This week we move up from 8-5, with the 7th ranked offense, 11th ranked defense and 8th ranked special teams. We've ranked much higher in their offensive ratings before, but not even during Capers best years with Glenn/Sharper/Walker/Payne did our D rank above 15.

[JW295]

Overall, Houston has played well in the first half of the season. I also think they're much better than New England. Just check out the power rankings...