After back-to-back 8-8 seasons, the Houston Texans finally broke through with the first winning campaign in franchise history. they finished the 2009 season at 9-7, coming up just shy of a playoff berth. Winning the division and making the playoffs will be the goal this year, but that will be no easy task in a league that has superstars Peyton Manning and Chris Johnson, arguably the two best players at their respective positions in the entire NFL.
Offense: If the Texans are going to win the AFC South, they cannot afford an injury to quarterback Matt Schaub. after back-to-back seasons dealing with nagging injuries, Schaub played all 16 games in 2009, and the result was a huge year. he helped the Texans boast the NFL’s No. 1 ranked passing offense while leading the league with 4,770 passing yards.
Despite getting a lot of attention from opposing secondaries, star wide receiver Andre Johnson managed 101 receptions for 1,596 yards and nine touchdowns. With Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels expected to make a full recovery from last season’s knee injury, the Texans will be tough to stop through the air again in 2010.
I can’t see the Texans making the playoffs if they only get 92.2 yards per game out of their running attack again this year. after rushing for 1,282 yards in his rookie season, Steve Slaton suffered the mother of all sophomore slumps. he managed only 437 rushing yards and fumbled the ball seven times. The Texans have invested in rookie running back Ben Tate to help Slaton out, but head coach Gary Kubiak feels Tate still has a long way to go. This means that Arian Foster, who ended the season with a 119-yard performance against new England, could be getting a lot mo re carries.
Defense: in addition to improving the running game, Houston must get better in pass coverage in order to keep moving up the food chain. but progress in the defensive backfield could come slowly because of the amount of inexperience.
Last season, the Texans ranked No. 18 in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 217.9 yards per game. It’s hard to think this number will drop significantly after losing long-time starter Dunta Robinson. The Texans drafted Alabama’s Kareem Jackson to help fill the void. Houston will also be asking a lot of second-year guys Glover Quin and Brice McCain.
With so many young players across the back, the Texans must mount a formidable pass rush. Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams recorded nine sacks last year, but no one else on the roster managed more than four-and-a-half. Someone must step up to give Williams some help while he faces constant double teams. last season’s pricey free agent acquisition, Antonio Smith, must do better than the four-and-a-half sacks he recorded in 2009.
Outside linebacker Brian Cushing, who took home 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, is a guy that can aid the pass rush because of his athleticism. he had four sacks last season, but he will miss the first four games of this season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.
While Cushing is out, Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans will have to hold down the fort.
Prediction: 3rd AFC South – The Colts are still the cream of the crop in this division, which means Houston and Tennessee will be battling it out for second place and an AFC Wild Card slot. Either team has the potential to grab it, but I give Tennessee the slight edge. The Titans underachieved last season in my book. they are a lot more like the team that finished 8-2 than the one that started 0-6.
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