Where are we headed?

[Ibar_Harry]

To read the Chronicle you would think the Texans are the pitts. However, if you step back and think about it, I think we will have a very good season for the following reasons:

1) Wand has successfully transitioned to the LT spot and looks reasonably good.

2) DD is now healthy and I think its evident that he is no fluke.

3) Hollings is going to make a great change of pace guy.

4) AJ is quietly doing his thing, but his yards after the reception are more than impressive.

5) Armstrong is the X factor as no one knows about him. Look for some very impressive critical catches. He will become the clutch go to guy.

6) The O-line has successfully negoitiated the transition to the new blocking scheme which will better utilize DD's many talents. This will create a lot of pressure on a number of teams and will open up the passing game.

7) We have a very good kicking game and our return game with JJ will be excellent. In many games we gain field position through the use of the kicking game. In our 1st season we gained on a lot of teams by kicking and holding the other team. We picked up yardage when their kicker underperformed ours.

8) A possible surprise receiver could be Starling if he makes the squad.

9) The biggest question mark is the defense. However, it looks like the key cogs are now reasonably healthy, and if we can return to our 1st year form, will be a force to reckon with.

10) The coaching staff changes are going to become evident as the season progresses and I'm very happy with what I see.

11) Last, but not least, I think Carr is looking very composed and is ready for a great year. He has people he can confidently throw to. I look for an outstanding year from him. I think he will have a lot more touch this year and will have more time to see the field and will react better with the additional time.


Conclusion: I see no reason whey we can't make the playoffs at this point in time. From there anything can happen.

[Ibar_Harry]

Yes, I'm also saying JJ has made the club. In Dom's scheme of things, its just as important to catch the ball and gain the new ground you have and not give up any. JJ doesn't drop the ball. That is a big plus to Capers.

[gwallaia]

Good points IBAR. Until I see Wand and Pitts working the left side of the offensive line successfully, I think this could be a weak link for us.

[WWJD]

Definitely improved but I think not good enough for the playoffs in a very tough division. And that's fine. It was a 5 year plan for the playoffs if I remember right.

Carr should be terrific but they are just like most clubs...a definite dropoff at the #2 guy. I'm just not a Banks fan.

Hollings fumbles too much. I think that's a dropoff when DD leaves the game.

I don't care for Wong at all. Average at best.

If they expose Robinson too much it could cost them. He's good but he can be worked over.

And I HATE that contact rule!

[Nawzer]

I think we forget the fact that Tampa Bay is one of the best defenses in league. They are one of the top 4 or 5 teams defensively today. We didn't play our best game yesterday but I think we showed flashes of good things to come. It's almost unreal to judge the starters based on a few plays and I think Richard Justice of the Chronicle was a bit too harsh. Yes we have holes and we still don't quality depth like the good teams do, but we're still only in our 3rd year of existence. Overall, I'm looking forward to an exciting season and let's not ruin it because the media gives us no respect. We know what our team can do and that's more than enough for me.

[Meloy]

I am nervous about a defense that could not stop the run. I still like what I see. Armstrong should be starting over Gafney and eventually may replace Bradford. He and Starling make me go WOW. Everybody have a great but safe holiday weekend.

[Hervoyel]

I still say we're looking at anywhere from a 7-9 season to a 10-6 depending on how those handful of breaks go this year.

In the preseason I saw a lot of good things and some bad ones. I'm not putting too much stock in either one.

The best thing I saw in the preseason was during the Bucs game in the 4th quarter when the clock reached "0:00". This preseason seemed long to me. I'm ready for some football that matters now.

The worst thing I saw this preseason was Tony Banks play at QB. Holy Friggin Bejeebus that was terrible. If I had to base his roster spot on nothing but what I saw in those four preseason games I'd be trying to find me another "Veteran backup" ASAP because the one we have don't work.

I know he can do better than that but I don't think a single player looked worse this year in preseason than Banks.

[WWJD]

I don't care for Banks either. He's a fumble waiting to happen.

[TexanBacker93]

I think both first teams showed some very good signs. The first team offense showed some tremendous possibilities. I think they will be a surprise to a lot of defenses this year.

Our second and third teams will struggle as we still try to find depth. I think our first teams can hold their own against most teams in the NFL as we saw in all the preseason games. Even the Steelers game showed some glimpses and it was just a flat performance beyond that. While other teams are just tweaking their rosters with a few rookies and new players the Texans are still trying to put together their reserves. With more roster spots possibly open I think they don't have as much continuity.


I think the Texans have 7-9 wins in them. A couple of bounces the right way and they finish 9-7, a couple the other way and 7-9. Anything in that area will be a successful season to me. I don't expect playoffs, but it isn't impossible. They have a tough division and the teams will beat up on each other.

[jhawktx]

To get anything more than 7 wins everything will have to fall into place...no major injuries, rookies play great, etc.

[TheTim5125]

I'll tell you where we're heading... straight to the top

[Scooter]

i wont be worried one bit as to where we're headed provided we've got three things ...

payne, walker, smith.

we've never seen all 3 on the field at the same time. payne, walker, & deloach did good with posey being our top rusher, but i dont that'll even be close with babin rushing & wong back to the right side. i believe that when we get all three lined up, it's going to put unholy fear into qb's & rb's real fast.

[WWJD]

Walker seems to be injury prone. I am not sure he can play 16 games. Age I guess. Wear and tear.

[TexanAggie]

I dont know why anyone would listen what the Chronicle has to say, Those guys are always putting the Texans down, How in the world can a newspaper put down the home team, what a joke. I guess they can do that when there is only one houston paper............................ ML


I think hollings will do fine. the D will be able to stop the run, but sometimes they showed against tampa that they couldnt stop them on 3rd down, but it is all pre-season and I will see after a few real games, when everyones heads should be screwed on tight and ready to play...

Every pre-season game the started O showed that this year will be a electric yr for them and will be fun to watch. Carr is going to have several wr's/Te's that he will be able to look for. It will be nice to see the O not be soo 1dimension and able to move the ball on the ground and through the air. Also, not rely on one reciever to get the job done.......


IT wont be a playoff yr but, I do believe it will be a team that will upset some great teams..............

[Ibar_Harry]

ESPN Summary of Texans update last on 09/02/2004 I thought you might like to read this as it relates to the coaching change and how the Texans feel about the new blocking scheme. I have a feeling its much more impressive than most realize. Davis will be a big player in the new scheme. I thought they very much under rated our kicking & defensive game. We will see when the season starts. We are not showing a lot in preseason and that's why I said what I did. When you look at the various pieces they look awfully good. However, we never showed more than one or two of the pieces together at any one time in the preseason. Babin and Robinson will be much more affective with Payne and Walker in the game. They will make the rookies look very impressive.

[RunninRaven]

My only real concerns for this team come from the passing game, on both sides of the ball. I don't worry about Carr or the receivers, but there hasn't been a real consistent pocket for David to operate out of. I want to see fewer mistakes on pass blocking.

On the other side of the ball, we seem highly susceptible to big pass plays. We also have difficulty on the 3rd and short pass plays as well. When it is 3rd and 2 or 3rd and 3, I just pray they try to run the ball because our defense is stellar on short yardage run defense...quite the opposite. A big part of this stems from pressure on the QB, which will go up if our line stays healthy. But even so, Robinson could easily get picked on and I don't have a lot of confidence in our safeties, for some reason. I just hope things come together once the season starts.

[El Tejano]

I think the games we win will no longer be called upsets. That is where I think we are headed at this time. Playoffs are possible but I think this year we will beat teams and when we do, we will beat them something good.

[Dubya]

Originally Posted by Ibar_Harry

To read the Chronicle you would think the Texans are the pitts.

The Chronicle can go to... Yankee Land. Those jerks picked the Jags to have a better record than the Texans! And man, they couldn't stop kissing Byron Leftwich's butt. What a bunch of losers. Morons. I won't read the Chronicle again until every last man of them is gone. (I know, I know, I'll be waiting a good while).

[Demon]

I LOVE the Texans. We simply need to win to prove that we belong. Until this occurs, we can't impress. I hope for 8-8 or 9-7. This would turn some heads.

[HJam72]

9-7 would turn a whole lot of heads this year.