Why not playoffs this year?

[bayshorebevo]

Plenty of teams have stunk for years and then made the playoffs the next year. I for one am sick and tired of every year being called a rebuilding year. I don't know anything about Schaub, but if he has a good attitude and a live arm, maybe he'll get this team to think they can win. I have heard all the excuses why we can't win, no o-line, etc. How did the other teams do it? By winning of course. We are the same team that beat the Super Bowl champs last year and we also won a game with negative passing yards. The hurry up and wait to win is really getting old.

[BigWig]

Heres an easy answer to your thread title, strength of schedule. Take a look at our opponents this year ( mind you it looks easier than last year) and factor in who is in our division, and that the AFC is tough all around and you come up with the answer to your thread.

[Texan_Bill]

I would be more optimistic and more in agreement with you if we were in the Nancy Football Conference (NFC).. The AFC is a lot tougher!!

[Texans_Chick]

DeMeco and Dunta believe it could be a playoff year.

David Carr even told the Charlotte paper that it could be a playoff year for the Texan.

Jerome Solomon went totally optimistic and said 9 wins.

Kubiak's assessment is probably more accurate:

link

With the team they currently have, and the sort of depth the Texans have going, they would need an abundance of luck, key guys to stay healthy, an identity on offense and defense and a lot of the no-name guys to play outstanding.

[infantrycak]

Every year folks expect too much stability in the NFL, anticipating most teams will stay at or within a couple of games of what they did last year. Fact is, only 12 teams last year had results for 2006 within 2 games of their 2005 records and 5 of those were playoff teams fine tuning upper level records. 20 teams changed their records by 3 or more games and 13 teams records changed by 4 or more games (8 of those were positive changes). That's over a third of the league having drastic change and a quarter of it having drastic positive change. Not predicting the Texans to make the playoffs but a three game improvement is not a wild swing in the NFL and in looking at the schedule, a bunch of those teams aren't going to be who we thought they were either.

[Texan_Bill]

Thanks for the link TC..

I found Kubiak's comments to be somewhat JVG(ish) and the players' (DeMeco and Dunta) to be exactly what we should expect from our players. I do like the way that Kubiak is already protecting Schaub from the scrutiny that would come if he remotely struggles: "Our supporting cast isn't good enough right now, and we're not going to put everything on [quarterback] Matt [Schaub]."

[HoustonFrog]

I definitely think there will be a marked improvement but, despite the percentages, I didn't like the look of September and October on the schedule. I can see an 8-8 season with a chance for 9-7 but that probably wouldn't get it done for the AFC. I'm looking for this to be the year people start noticing us and next year to be the one where we have real playoff expectations.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Every year folks expect too much stability in the NFL, anticipating most teams will stay at or within a couple of games of what they did last year. Fact is, only 12 teams last year had results for 2006 within 2 games of their 2005 records and 5 of those were playoff teams fine tuning upper level records. 20 teams changed their records by 3 or more games and 13 teams records changed by 4 or more games (8 of those were positive changes). That's over a third of the league having drastic change and a quarter of it having drastic positive change. Not predicting the Texans to make the playoffs but a three game improvement is not a wild swing in the NFL and in looking at the schedule, a bunch of those teams aren't going to be who we thought they were either.

excellent post and spot on.

[Dallas_Texan]

Originally Posted by bayshorebevo

Plenty of teams have stunk for years and then made the playoffs the next year. I for one am sick and tired of every year being called a rebuilding year. I don't know anything about Schaub, but if he has a good attitude and a live arm, maybe he'll get this team to think they can win. I have heard all the excuses why we can't win, no o-line, etc. How did the other teams do it? By winning of course. We are the same team that beat the Super Bowl champs last year and we also won a game with negative passing yards. The hurry up and wait to win is really getting old.

I hate to say it, but this year is, and so is next year! Kubes said that 2009 is his playoff run. So that will finally be the put up or shut up year.

[Hervoyel]

I see ten wins on that schedule and I'm sticking to it. If Matt Schaub is just a non-shell-shocked and competent QB then it's entirely possible. With both Green and Dayne on this team we will have a running game from day one instead of needing to find one. Also I think we'll see a much improved defense this year. Barring injuries (which can sink the best teams if they have enough of them) I think we compete for a playoff spot. Whether or not we can actually get into the playoffs is in my opinion not that big a deal in 2007. I think it would be a major step up just to be in the hunt for a playoff spot late in the year.

After the 5 years we've just been through I'm grateful for anything that keeps me from being more interested in draft position than wins and losses over the last quarter of the season. I'm sick of people (including myself) having nothing more to talk about in November and December than the draft.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Dallas_Texan

I hate to say it, but this year is, and so is next year! Kubes said that 2009 is his playoff run. So that will finally be the put up or shut up year.

Kubiak will be fired by then....I think you are misunderstanding something...something is getting lost in the translation.

I think we have a great shot at 9 wins this year. I think we were a .500 team last year with good quarterbacking. Hell, David Carr only threw one non garbage time TD in the last TEN GAMES of the season. He only outproduced me by only one TD.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I see ten wins on that schedule and I'm sticking to it. If Matt Schaub is just a non-shell-shocked and competent QB then it's entirely possible. With both Green and Dayne on this team we will have a running game from day one instead of needing to find one. Also I think we'll see a much improved defense this year. Barring injuries (which can sink the best teams if they have enough of them) I think we compete for a playoff spot. Whether or not we can actually get into the playoffs is in my opinion not that big a deal in 2007. I think it would be a major step up just to be in the hunt for a playoff spot late in the year.

After the 5 years we've just been through I'm grateful for anything that keeps me from being more interested in draft position than wins and losses over the last quarter of the season. I'm sick of people (including myself) having nothing more to talk about in November and December than the draft.

We don't know what kind of QB that Schaub will be.

We don't know what our offensive line can do with a change at QB.

We don't know how much is left in the tank with Green and Dayne. Dayne for pete's sake injured himself warming up for the last game of the season.

We don't know if there is any wide receiver combo that can make defenses pay for stacking up on Andre Johnson.

We don't know if the coaching staff can overcome their all over the place game calling, and what Sherman in the booth means.

We don't know what will come of the Bush/Smith defense and whether they can become more consistent. (in a good way).

We don't know if the special teams will get it back on track. Kubiak likes ST guys to play in other parts of the team--Marciano likes a few designated guys that know their stuff. The special teams was more of an adventure last year than in some previous years. It is not looking like there will be a change at the kicker/punter position at least now.

We don't know what a Rick Smith draft will look like.

That being said, sometimes having a lot of questions is better than going into the season knowing what to expect and not liking it one bit.

There is absolutely no Texans season record that could surprise me next year--either really bad or really good. I have no freaking idea, but I can't wait for the season to start.

[vtech9]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Kubiak will be fired by then....I think you are misunderstanding something...something is getting lost in the translation.

I think we have a great shot at 9 wins this year. I think we were a .500 team last year with good quarterbacking. Hell, David Carr only threw one non garbage time TD in the last TEN GAMES of the season. He only outproduced me by only one TD.

that's exactly how I see it. If Matt can just be a good game manager and not make too many mistakes, I think we will have a great shot at the playoffs this year.

[mootini]

Hey, Anything can happen in the NFL. If the Texans get hot, Yes, it can happen next season. More likely, with a new QB in a new system and a building OL and Defensive 2ndary...the Texans goals are going to be close to 500. It's the next step for your team. AFC is a crazy division to play in, especially the AFC South.

[OrangeLotPole8]

I figure we will be 5-11 to 7-9, not in the playoff hunt this year, but in 2008 I think we can make a run.

Either way, nothing can mess up tailgating at Reliant Stadium! Its like a day of vacation 10 times a year.

[ATXtexanfan]

i'd be happy with another 6-10 finish. brutal schedule and we still have holes on offense and defense.

[281]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Kubiak will be fired by then....

ouch.

[red_dirt]

tough division + tough schedule + new qb + bad o-line = no playoffs for 2007, maybe longer.

[hollywood_texan]

The Schuab deal signals clearly that the Texans are expecting to push for a playoff spot. Probably won't make it due to the division and conference, but they at least plan to be in the hunt to the last weekend.

The Texans could 6-10 to 8-8 without Schuab or despite Carr in 2007.

Kubiak/Smith are expecting big things next year or they wouldn't have given up so much for Schuab.

[TexanExile]

Yep, there's no telling....BUT, cak's awesome 2006 history lesson included the following statement: "13 teams records changed by 4 or more games (8 of those were positive changes)"

That is downright startling. That's saying that a quarter of the league improved their records by winning at least 4 more games than they did the previous year. Could that happen here? Maybe not a 4-game improvement, but I could see 2-3 over last year. We all know what frequently happens to Super Bowl winners, and while I'm not prepared to predict a sweep against the Colts, I do think the playing field will be more level this year in those 2 games. I also think the Titans games will go QUITE differently with a Texans offense led by a QB who helps rather than hinders.

I think 8 or 9 wins is very possible and would be an outstanding sign of progress for this young team. (It'd also be fun to be above .500 for once.) The way the AFC is, though, playoff seeds are rough, and there will be a lot of competition for the wild card slots. A winning season, even w/o playoffs, would be cool with me....especially if a couple of division rivals' playoff hopes get crushed along the way.