Would 8-8 still make you happy?

[The Pencil Neck]

People are saying we should beat that team or we should beat this team... that's WRONG at this point. You've got to leave your preconceptions behind.

Are we a better team than we were last year? Yes, much.

But there are some tough teams on our schedule. And I'm not talking about the Chargers and Saints. Those teams are probably going to end up being our easiest games of the season. The Browns, Titans, Jags, Raiders, and Buccaneers aren't going to be pushovers like some people think. The Browns are probably looking at an 8-8 season. The Titans and Jags are looking at better than 8-8 (unless we're able to sweep them.) The Buccaneers are probably going to win their division and I wouldn't be surprised if the Raiders are in the hunt for their division, too.

We're going to have to fight tooth and nail just to win the game coming up against the Dolphins. They're 0-4 and they're HONGRY.

We are a good enough team at this point that we can beat anyone. But, despite the wins against the Chiefs and Panthers, we aren't good enough to beat ANYONE without coming in focused and ready to play. We've got to take every single game and every single team seriously.

We've started 2-2 2 other times. Once we finished 5-11 and another time we finished 7-9. I'll be happy with an 8-8 because at least we'll have our first non-losing season. But I think we're capable of much more than that. But we have weaknesses and our coaches have to game plan to protect those weaknesses.

[Pearl Trade]

8-8 and is progress for the team and thats what we need

[Mr. White]

I've been sticking with 8-8 since last year's season ended. I'm staying with it now.

We've still got holes at some key positions. Playoff teams usually have depth on their roster and we still don't. I think we'll probably be in the playoff picture until mid-December.

There's been a lot of improvement. We're still in games in the 4th quarter. I'm just enjoying the ride this year.

[Historyhorn]

8-8 is about where I expected us to be this year. Our 2-0 start got me thinking bigger, but our injuries have brought that crashing back down to reality.

If we finish even for the year, then that is progress. We can put another good draft in the hopper and shore up our secondary and add depth. We'll come back next year ready for a playoff run. I think that run would be a year ahead of schedule.

Go Texans

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

People are saying we should beat that team or we should beat this team... that's WRONG at this point. You've got to leave your preconceptions behind.

When I say they should beat the Browns, Titans, Raiders, Dolphins, and similar, it's not because of some preconceived notion that those teams suck. It's because for this team to claim to be better, they have to beat that caliber of .500-dwelling teams. If we lose to the Colts, Pats, and similar teams, that's acceptable at this point. We're just outmanned. We have the personnel to stand toe-to-toe with those middle-tier teams and win. And if we don't, it's a failure.

Last season, we were two to three plays away from being 8-8, and we played tougher teams than we play this year. We were a Jameel Cook fumble away from beating a better Giants team than this year's version. We were a fumble away from beating the Tacks (pick one - Carr's or Cook's). We let the Redskins game slip through our grasp, making Brunell look like Joe Montana (or Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Joey Harrington, pick one). We beat the Raiders despite poor play. They're better, but so are we. We beat the Browns. They're better, but so are we.

If we came that close last year, and we're claiming to be better this year, then we have to win those kinds of games. Those are games we are supposed to win - not because they suck, but because we are supposed to outplay them. I have no disrespect for those teams - it's just that this season will be no better than the last if we finish 8-8, and it has everything to do with this team, not those teams.

[TexansSB07]

8-8 to me says Average, this team is NOT average. We won 2 in a row to start season, and 2 losses we do have. We were in the game until 4th quarter, so 8--8 to me sounds like the quitter mentality we used to have about Houston

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

When I say they should beat the Browns, Titans, Raiders, Dolphins, and similar, it's not because of some preconceived notion that those teams suck. It's because for this team to claim to be better, they have to beat that caliber of .500-dwelling teams.

You're contradicting yourself a little bit. You're saying you don't have a preconceived notion that these teams suck and then turn around and assume that they're .500 dwelling teams.

The Browns, Titans, Raiders, and Jags could all conceivably finish with 9-10 wins this year. These guys (including us) could be the Jets/Chiefs from last year. We are good enough that we should beat them... but that's no guarantee.

[HuttoKarl]

8-8 is better than 7-9 or 6-10.

I'll take 8-8. Sure wouldn't mind 9-7 though.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

You're contradicting yourself a little bit. You're saying you don't have a preconceived notion that these teams suck and then turn around and assume that they're .500 dwelling teams.

The Browns, Titans, Raiders, and Jags could all conceivably finish with 9-10 wins this year. These guys (including us) could be the Jets/Chiefs from last year. We are good enough that we should beat them... but that's no guarantee.

I don't have a preconceived notion that they suck. I have a preconceived notion that they are .500 dwellers. If that = "suck" for you, then our team is aspiring to suck.

[Hardcore Texan]

Originally Posted by Yankee_In_TX

I stick by my 8-8 call. Got a little excited after week 2, though.

Ditto, exactly what I guessed orginally, how I felt after week 2, and now I am back down to earth and still feel like we can get there.

[Double Barrel]

Yes, 8-8 is still progress in the right direction!

We are still suffering from the Capers/Casserly debacle, with $30 million in dead cap space this season alone. Winning teams have depth, which is usually built through the later rounds of the drafts. Unfortunately, our first four years left us with very little, save for a handful of players.

2-2 doesn't bother me too much because I figured we might be a .500 team. A little luck going our way could result in 9-7, but I don't see it getting better than that this year.

[HJam72]

I won't be happy with 8-8, but I can live with it. To actually make me happy, they must win more than they lose, meaning 9-7 or better.

We're in our 6th season, and I'm tired of watching a losing team. Every year we talk about just making progress, but never having a winning season is NOT progress.

By the way, last Sunday was inexcusable. They're going to have to win the next 3 in a row just to make up for that lame excuse for a football game--and yes I know who those games will be against. That's the only reason it makes up for throwing away an easy one.

[junior]

7-9 is still improvement over last year so will you be happy with that.

we were 6-6 vs. the afc last year, finished 4-4 in the second half last year, 3-2 in the last 5, and 6-7 after the 0-3 start so for me 8-8 is just par for the course.

thats the way i look at it.

[HJam72]

7-9 is only a one game improvement over last year. That's not good enough. The only way a one game improvement would be good enough is if we were banging on the playoffs door.

I seriously doubt that Kubiak would feel even remotely happy with 7-9 this year, and he shouldn't.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Marcus

I'm thinking maybe I'm seeing a lot more where Kubes and Smith are coming from when they say we're still a couple of drafts away from being a good football team. We just don't have the depth to absorb the injuries.

If I were on this team, there's no way I'd be thinking I'd be satisfied at 8-8 when it's all said & done. There's no way, that I'd predict this team to be 8-8, this early in the season.

I'm going out there thiniking we'll win every game, and end up 14-2.

I'll agree we aren't a great team, but there's no reason we can't be better than 8-8. We aren't the only team with problems, injuries or whatever.

[Runner]

Compare this roster to the 2004 team that went 7-9. Then compare the coaching staffs.

Does that change anyone's opinion about being statisfied with 8-8 with this team? Does it change anyone's opinion of the 2004 team?