Chron:Texans' climb has a number of rungs to go

[Wolf]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5405712.html

Good riddance to the Texans' hopes of their first winning season. Good riddance to the prospect of ringing out 2007 with a 9-7 record and four-game winning streak. The last thing the Texans need — aside from a second Charley Casserly era — is a false sense of security in where they are on the NFL food chain. If emphatic victories over Tampa Bay and Denver the previous two games presented the temptation to overestimate the Texans' progress, then Peyton Manning sure helped set matters straight.

A victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season finale Sunday would get the Texans to 8-8 for the first time. All that stands in the Texans' way is a playoff-bound team that is mostly trying to avoid injury. It's a game the Texans should win, all things considered. As life-affirming as a non-losing season might be, Texans fans need not make too much of it.

On defense, the Texans have issues that the blossoming of Mario Williams and the Pro Bowl performance of DeMeco Ryans can't hide. They're 23rd in takeaways (24), 24th in sacks (29), 27th in yards per carry allowed (4.4) and 30th in opponents' pass-efficiency (91.5). What this says is that opponents can move the ball and score points without putting themselves — or the football — in harm's way.

"We've got a long way to go," Kubiak said. "There's not a finger on one thing; it's just about us continuing to grow as a group."

I think the defense will get it together as they continue to play together. Okoye and Mario will continue to progress and hopefully Travis Johnson will get his head screwed on straight. My biggest defensive concern is Dunta. Will he be the same player after such a bad injury? Honestly, after all the adversity we have had to overcome this season I'm not going to hang my head with a 7-9 record...but I most definitely prefer 8-8.

[Texan_Bill]

Meh!!! He stated the obvious.

We ALL know that this team has a long way to go. We ALL know that the Texans have only beaten one team with a winning record, but how about pointing to some of the positives from this season:
a) Rick Smith with essentially one off-season and Kubiak in his second season have managed to turn-over about 75% of the roster from the C&C Factory. Rick Smith has done a terrific job finding guys off the street to plug in and be productive. I think Rick Smith will shine again, this off-season and with him as GM, the future looks bright.

b) Defensively, there have been struggles. But with a core of really young players (DeMeco, Mario and Amobi) the future looks bright with some tweaking at OLB and DB's.

c) Special Teams, have played pretty well this season. From Kris Brown to Andre Davis. I still think Jacoby Jones will be something special returning punts.

d) Two seasons ago, pre-Kubiak, this team was 2-14...... 2-14 period.

[Second Honeymoon]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

Meh!!! He stated the obvious.

We ALL know that this team has a long way to go. We ALL know that the Texans have only beaten one team with a winning record, but how about pointing to some of the positives from this season:
a) Rick Smith with essentially one off-season and Kubiak in his second season have managed to turn-over about 75% of the roster from the C&C Factory. Rick Smith has done a terrific job finding guys off the street to plug in and be productive. I think Rick Smith will shine again, this off-season and with him as GM, the future looks bright.

b) Defensively, there have been struggles. But with a core of really young players (DeMeco, Mario and Amobi) the future looks bright with some tweaking at OLB and DB's.

c) Special Teams, have played pretty well this season. From Kris Brown to Andre Davis. I still think Jacoby Jones will be something special returning punts.

d) Two seasons ago, pre-Kubiak, this team was 2-14...... 2-14 period.

i agree with a, b, and c, but I have a problem with d. we are 2 years removed from 2-14 and we can't let that lowest of low somehow be a built in excuse for Kubes. He needs to get some better assistants in here and he needs to get a DC that already has a pair hanging. Smith has been woefully lacking in the 'sack' department. He has made the offense go from a total embarassment to at least playing like a professional football team. Most of that was getting rid of Mr.Mittens but I think Kubiak has helped in that regard as well. Not all bad from Kubes but he gets next year to turn this around or its unemployment line time.

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by Second Honeymoon

i agree with a, b, and c, but I have a problem with d. we are 2 years removed from 2-14 and we can't let that lowest of low somehow be a built in excuse for Kubes. He needs to get some better assistants in here and he needs to get a DC that already has a pair hanging. Smith has been woefully lacking in the 'sack' department. He has made the offense go from a total embarassment to at least playing like a professional football team. Most of that was getting rid of Mr.Mittens but I think Kubiak has helped in that regard as well. Not all bad from Kubes but he gets next year to turn this around or its unemployment line time.

That's pretty punny!!! But I hear you about some of the assistant and especially Richard Smith.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

d) Two seasons ago, pre-Kubiak, this team was 2-14...... 2-14 period.

And three seasons ago they were 7-9 exclamation point!



I thought it was fair article.

[headsplint]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

Meh!!! He stated the obvious.

My thoughts exactly. Go Chronicle for enlightening us.