Brandt's Team Rankings

[TheCD]

I didn't see this posted, so sorry if this is a repeat...

Gil Brandt from NFL.com ranked us 31 just ahead of the Jets.

31. Houston
The team has a new coach in Gary Kubiak, who will be very solid, a great owner and a new defensive scheme (from 4-3 to 3-4). Quarterback David Carr played better in 2005 -- 14 TDs and 11 INTs while completing 60.5 percent of his passes. Look for the team to run the ball and play-action pass. The defense ranked 31st last season and could not stop the run. The offense ranked 30th overall. The team's rookie kick returner (Jerome Mathis) was selected to the Pro Bowl. Houston plays in a division that has two very good teams (Jacksonville and Indianapolis). This team has some good young players and did a great job in the last draft. Rookies Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans could be very good.

Here's the rest of the division:

Indianapolis: 2
Jacksonville: 11
Tennessee: 27


http://nfl.com/news/story/9532593


Don't know how reliable this is considering he got our defensive changes backwards.

[AFD1717]

Pre-season rankings are just last year's final standings adjusted slightly based on whichever teams the author happens to like.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by TheCD

I didn't see this posted, so sorry if this is a repeat...

Gil Brandt from NFL.com ranked us 31 just ahead of the Jets.



Here's the rest of the division:

Indianapolis: 2
Jacksonville: 11
Tennessee: 27


http://nfl.com/news/story/9532593


Don't know how reliable this is considering he got our defensive changes backwards.

Did he use a dart board??????

[TheCD]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Did he use a dart board??????

Well, obviously, the Colts make since. I think I would have gone with the Patriots #1 rather than Carolina though (but they are my 2nd favorite team though...so my opinion could be slightly skewed). Jacksonville seems a little high to me, but they made the playoffs last year so I'm ok with that.

Tennesee is what bothers me. They have very little idea what QB will be starting for them next year (though it will likely go to Billy Volek if they have any sense in them) and the loss of McNair has to have caused some bad blood between the players and management. I just don't know how well they'll be WILLING to play next year considering that the Front Office has made it apparent that they don't want to pay their longstanding veterans regardless of what they have put on the line for the sake of the team.

[srstex]

Ever since old Byron hit the NFL, every writer at ESPN & NFL.com has said this man is special. He is not THAT good. He made the playoffs, wish I could say we did too, but they have had problems beating us over our short history and to be ranked 11 is an insult to the rest of the league. They are no better than 16, and that is being nice.

[HomeBred_Texan]

He got the defense wrong though, we are going to the 4-3 from the 3-4

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by srstex

Ever since old Byron hit the NFL, every writer at ESPN & NFL.com has said this man is special. He is not THAT good. He made the playoffs, wish I could say we did too, but they have had problems beating us over our short history and to be ranked 11 is an insult to the rest of the league. They are no better than 16, and that is being nice.

He is not that bad either. I think he can be a good QB. Not an elite one like people projected, but he's an above-average QB, IMO. I don't see why being ranked #11 is an insult. They went 12-4 last year and I think are being underrated this year. I think the Jags have a chance to win the division, especially since the Colts lost Edgerrin James.

[TexanFan881]

No mention of Eric Moulds anywhere? No mention of the coaching staff besides Kubiak?

Maybe he doesn't remember all we did during the offseason so far and that's why we're ranked so far down A team that is this horrible that goes through this big of an upswing through the offseason does not see that little improvement.

[BigDTexansFan]

Originally Posted by TheCD

I didn't see this posted, so sorry if this is a repeat...

Gil Brandt from NFL.com ranked us 31 just ahead of the Jets.



Here's the rest of the division:

Indianapolis: 2
Jacksonville: 11
Tennessee: 27


http://nfl.com/news/story/9532593


Don't know how reliable this is considering he got our defensive changes backwards.

Gil Brandt is like 90 years of age and still living off glory of drafting players when they were yours for life. I think he would tank in free agency that and A-L-Z-H-E-I-M-E-R-S

[BlueThunder]

I hope these coaches ain't planning on bring us a 31st ranked team into the season that was a good one there...

[Hulk75]

Didnt the ESPN NFL Live guys rank us 22 today as a team?

I thought that is what I heard.

[Texans86]

I love how New Orleans is ranked at number 24. Given, the article did state that all injuries would be fine, and all rookies signed in these rankings, but they aren't guaranteed that Dree Brees will be his old self, nor that Bush will be signed. They have as many if not more questions than we do. At least we look good on paper, New Orleans has Bush, Brees, maybe Deuce, and Joe Horn. No mention of how the heart of their line left in Free Agency. I love how Bush takes the second worst team (record wise) and makes them instantly that much better. Brandt even says that they might be the surprise team this year. "Everyone in this room is now dumber for listening to you. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul." - Billy Madison

[TexanFan881]

Originally Posted by Hulk75

Didnt the ESPN NFL Live guys rank us 22 today as a team?

I thought that is what I heard.

24th. Still better than some rankings
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sports...ory?id=2502031

[threetoedpete]

We're switching defenses, another o-line shuffle, and a murderous opening five
games. Nothing is for certain, but need to take the season with a grain of salt. It's one thing if you got one moss back saying it will be rough. It's another when
there's a chorus of them. Just read Athalon mag and we have no one ranked higher than fifteenth over all at any position. No one. The good news is we got no wheres else to go but up. We're under everbody'e radar but Miami. You can bet Sabin will have those guys ready. They have not forgotten the upset.

[Corrosion]

Im surprised the Texans arent dead last , remember that they did have the #1 overall draft pick and the leagues worst record last season .... were next to last in defense and as Brandt said couldnt stop the run , The offense was the third worst in the league ..... those numbers add up to a bad team .

Toss in the fact that the offensive and defensive schemes are going thru massive changes , a new head coach , new coordinators on both sides and even a new GM ... Possibly new starters at every position on the O-Line . I completely agree with them being listed in the 31 spot looking at all that .... and if not for the total ineptitude of the Jets the Texans would be dead last .

Until they prove otherwise they are one of the worst teams in the NFL.


BUT.....


I expect this team to come together FAST and make huge improvements over last season . It wouldnt be out of the realm of possibility for them to win nine (9) or more games this year and push for a play-off spot.

Pre-season will give us a better idea of how the team wil perform come the regular season , but in no way do I expect this team to be as poor as it was last season and may quite possibly be the surprise of the NFL this year .

[SF49erFaithful]

His rankings are one of the better ones i have seen, but there were a few big things that caught my eye. I dont see GB or NO improving as much as he thinks, and don't see Dallas doing that good. Also, i think Philidelphia should be placed much higher than 20....IMO i think Tennessee deserves the #32 spot and will be picking with the first overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft....

[Hardcore Texan]

We will be better than the Titans this year. I think we will sweep them, this guy is way off on some of this stuff.

Dallas is ranked too high

And we should definitely be ahead Green Bay, Minnesota, N.O., Buffalo, Oak, Tenn, Clevland, S.F, & Detroit IMO.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Hardcore Texan

We will be better than the Titans this year. I think we will sweep them, this guy is way off on some of this stuff.

Dallas is ranked too high

And we should definitely be ahead Green Bay, Minnesota, N.O., Buffalo, Oak, Tenn, Clevland, S.F, & Detroit IMO.

The Texans may well be better than these teams you listed but they still finished last season 2-14 .... Until they prove they are better .... they belong right where they are in the rankings .

As for Dallas , I think they will have a solid year .... as much as I HATE to say it.

[Second Honeymoon]

In today's NFL, you can go from the outhouse to the penthouse real quick. By just winning half your games you are still in the playoff hunt towards the end of the year. All they need is to get hot and start believing in themselves and next thing you know we are watching meaningful games in week 15-17. I definitely think Jacksonville regressed this offseason, Tennesse got younger and are looking to future, and Indianapolis probably had the worst offseason of the usual suspect NFL contenders. I don't see Indianapolis running away with the division this year, I think teams are gonna start locking them down.

I think we have the same chance at having a 10 win season than we do repeating last years performance of 2 wins. Personally I think we will be 6-10 but that is only cause I think we have big issues at QB (starter and backup) and our secondary is shaky at best.

[disaacks3]

Originally Posted by threetoedpete

We're switching defenses, another o-line shuffle, and a murderous opening five
games. Nothing is for certain, but need to take the season with a grain of salt. It's one thing if you got one moss back saying it will be rough. It's another when
there's a chorus of them. Just read Athalon mag and we have no one ranked higher than fifteenth over all at any position. No one. The good news is we got no wheres else to go but up. We're under everbody'e radar but Miami. You can bet Sabin will have those guys ready. They have not forgotten the upset.

Hmm....that sounds like good bulletin board fodder for motivation if you ask me. I'd certainly be pretty p.o.'d if I was AJ, Dunta, Mathis, DD, etc.

I don't expect the Texans to be "World Beaters" yet, but I do expect a surprise or two this year.