ESPN Power Rankings: I'm weird like that.

[Hervoyel]

I know they mean nothing and I don't go there looking for some elusive measure of respect. I go there to read the blurbs beside each team. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're insightful (not as often as funny) and I enjoy tracking our imaginary progress.

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo. We've played the Chiefs and will be playing the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Raiders, Falcons, and Browns this season.

That's 6 teams that ESPN thinks suck worse than we do. I know you win some that you're supposed to lose and you lose some that you're supposed to win but in my opinion that's pretty much 6 wins waiting to happen right there.

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8. We don't even have to be a very good team to reach .500 this year. Throw in a split with Tennessee (though of course I want the sweep) and win here over the Saints (Who I personally feel are grossly overrated following an emotional season where everything went right for them) and we win 10 games.

It's not that hard to imagine anymore. If Kubiak and company can get these guys ready to play every week then it's not just possible in my opinion, it's likely.

[YoungTexanFan]

I don't want to start projecting the end of the season. We aren't realisticly ready for the playoffs. We need probally one more good offseason of talent upgrade to be ready. I'll be very pleased with an 8-8 record.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8.

LOL. Good one. I'm agreeing with the posts so far, in that I would be quite happy to see us go 8-8 this year and lose the title of "losers". The Texans future is looking up. The next game is going to be rough, and don't be suprised if we start the season 1-2.

But this is our year to break out of the cellar and become a team the rest of the league will have to prepare for when we are on their schedule.

[Double Barrel]

Watch out, Herv. You might get the red tongue from drinking too much of that koolaide!

I still think 9-7 is reasonable expectations, regardless of what anyone says. After last week - and I know "it's just one game" - I think this coaching staff has us headed in the right direction. We are definitely an 'any given Sunday' team right now, and that's .500 ball right there alone, IMO. It's not much of a stretch to hope/expect one more win than that.

[markn]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo.

The thing I noticed was that of all the teams 1-0, we're ranked last!

[amazingandre]

Originally Posted by Thorn

LOL. Good one. I'm agreeing with the posts so far, in that I would be quite happy to see us go 8-8 this year and lose the title of "losers". The Texans future is looking up. The next game is going to be rough, and don't be suprised if we start the season 1-2.

But this is our year to break out of the cellar and become a team the rest of the league will have to prepare for when we are on their schedule.

o quite on the contrare....dont be surprised to see us go 7-0....very homerish but quite frankly possible.....i see a more likely 6-1....possibly 5-2 losing the colts and jags or panthers game......we have an easier schedule than last year and our team has made big time improvements....i think we can be a wild card team but dont expect us to do much in playoffs...too young and inexperienced will be my reasoning.....plus we will lose to pats either way if we make is lol

[Texan Asylum]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I know they mean nothing and I don't go there looking for some elusive measure of respect. I go there to read the blurbs beside each team. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're insightful (not as often as funny) and I enjoy tracking our imaginary progress.

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo. We've played the Chiefs and will be playing the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Raiders, Falcons, and Browns this season.

That's 6 teams that ESPN thinks suck worse than we do. I know you win some that you're supposed to lose and you lose some that you're supposed to win but in my opinion that's pretty much 6 wins waiting to happen right there.

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8. We don't even have to be a very good team to reach .500 this year. Throw in a split with Tennessee (though of course I want the sweep) and win here over the Saints (Who I personally feel are grossly overrated following an emotional season where everything went right for them) and we win 10 games.

It's not that hard to imagine anymore. If Kubiak and company can get these guys ready to play every week then it's not just possible in my opinion, it's likely.

Good points Herv, and they do give one as sense of sureness about our aspirations as a team...and thank you as well for legitimizing what I've been saying since last year. I don't think the Saints will be much above the average level this year.

I hope you don't mind me waving your banner over my post, but I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[Second Honeymoon]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I know they mean nothing and I don't go there looking for some elusive measure of respect. I go there to read the blurbs beside each team. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're insightful (not as often as funny) and I enjoy tracking our imaginary progress.

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo. We've played the Chiefs and will be playing the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Raiders, Falcons, and Browns this season.

That's 6 teams that ESPN thinks suck worse than we do. I know you win some that you're supposed to lose and you lose some that you're supposed to win but in my opinion that's pretty much 6 wins waiting to happen right there.

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8. We don't even have to be a very good team to reach .500 this year. Throw in a split with Tennessee (though of course I want the sweep) and win here over the Saints (Who I personally feel are grossly overrated following an emotional season where everything went right for them) and we win 10 games.

It's not that hard to imagine anymore. If Kubiak and company can get these guys ready to play every week then it's not just possible in my opinion, it's likely.

Three Cheers for Herv!!!
HIP HIP HOORAY
HIP HIP HOORAY
HIP HIP HOORAY

[Leahmic223]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I know they mean nothing and I don't go there looking for some elusive measure of respect. I go there to read the blurbs beside each team. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're insightful (not as often as funny) and I enjoy tracking our imaginary progress.

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo. We've played the Chiefs and will be playing the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Raiders, Falcons, and Browns this season.

That's 6 teams that ESPN thinks suck worse than we do. I know you win some that you're supposed to lose and you lose some that you're supposed to win but in my opinion that's pretty much 6 wins waiting to happen right there.

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8. We don't even have to be a very good team to reach .500 this year. Throw in a split with Tennessee (though of course I want the sweep) and win here over the Saints (Who I personally feel are grossly overrated following an emotional season where everything went right for them) and we win 10 games.

It's not that hard to imagine anymore. If Kubiak and company can get these guys ready to play every week then it's not just possible in my opinion, it's likely.

I still have us as 10-6, and I still think 10-6. Now if we go to Carolina and get embarrased then maybe i'll change it, but I don't see us getting blown out against Carolina.

[Runner]

You read the wrong power rankings. Fox Sports moved us from preseason 25th to 17th* after the first game.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings


*This proves they are an unbiased news source.

[GuerillaBlack]

I was listening to Fox Sports on the radio earlier today, and someone on there predicted us to go at least .500. It was one of those commercials where they promote a show, or something (wasn't the actual show). He said with out schedule, we can easily finish second in the AFC South and earn a wildcard spot.

[TexansLucky13]

If we can beat the Panthers and then the Colts at home, we may take division this year. With this schedule, it is plausible. Hear me out.

This prediction relies on Indy losing to us at least once, and finishing no better than 12-4. I personally think that the Indy defense is living on borrowed time, and that it is quite possible that they lose more than 5 games, since they have to play the Pats and the Chargers.

As soon as the Titans play someone who can stop the run, they are crushed. The Jags..... well.... they are the Jags. I doubt we will lose to those kitty cats this year.

Mark this down as the first time that I have ever seriously posted about us being able to take the AFC South. Call it homerism, koolaide overdose or whatever you want. But deep down, we all know that this team is capable of it....

[Leahmic223]

Originally Posted by TexansLucky13

If we can beat the Panthers and then the Colts at home, we may take division this year. With this schedule, it is plausible. Hear me out.

This prediction relies on Indy losing to us at least once, and finishing no better than 12-4. I personally think that the Indy defense is living on borrowed time, and that it is quite possible that they lose more than 5 games, since they have to play the Pats and the Chargers.

As soon as the Titans play someone who can stop the run, they are crushed. The Jags..... well.... they are the Jags. I doubt we will lose to those kitty cats this year.

Mark this down as the first time that I have ever seriously posted about us being able to take the AFC South. Call it homerism, koolaide overdose or whatever you want. But deep down, we all know that this team is capable of it....

If we beat the Panthers AND the Colts man...the sky is the limit after that.

While the Titans beat the Jags, both teams didn't show much. From what I hear from the Jag fans, it seems like they were so afraid of stopping VY that they forgot about the RB...the Jags have more than enough talent to stop the run, I don't know what went wrong I think it's the coach.

I mean Mike Peterson, and probably the best DT duo in the NFL... For some reason no one was ever in the middle to stop the run...

[powerfuldragon]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I know they mean nothing and I don't go there looking for some elusive measure of respect. I go there to read the blurbs beside each team. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're insightful (not as often as funny) and I enjoy tracking our imaginary progress.

Today we're 25th, up from 29th and I could not help but notice something. Below us we're going to play every single team except Buffalo. We've played the Chiefs and will be playing the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Raiders, Falcons, and Browns this season.

That's 6 teams that ESPN thinks suck worse than we do. I know you win some that you're supposed to lose and you lose some that you're supposed to win but in my opinion that's pretty much 6 wins waiting to happen right there.

Then I throw in the yearly sweep of our personal punching bags in Jacksonville and I can't see the slightest reason why we don't find ourselves at least at 8-8. We don't even have to be a very good team to reach .500 this year. Throw in a split with Tennessee (though of course I want the sweep) and win here over the Saints (Who I personally feel are grossly overrated following an emotional season where everything went right for them) and we win 10 games.

It's not that hard to imagine anymore. If Kubiak and company can get these guys ready to play every week then it's not just possible in my opinion, it's likely.

your logic is sound, but because of our past record, i hesitate to make a prediction of a winning season.

[Second Honeymoon]

These power rankings are a total joke. So we are the worst team to win last Sunday?!?!? So there are 9 teams better than us who lost in Week 1 including the likes of the Giants, Jets, Cardinals, and Jaguars?!?!? What the hell is this guy smoking? Is it for sale over-the-counter?

This guy just sucks, plain and simple. The Jets were an embarassment to the league Sunday and the Giants defense got carved up for 5 TDs. The Cardinals looked decent but how can you have us behind them. I also thought it was a nice touch to have Chiefs at #31 cause after all they were bad enough to lose to the Texans. ANd as for the Jags...any moron knows that Texans > Jags any day of the week. dude needs to grab another slice of east coast homer pie.

I give up on Power Rankings from this loser. For crying out loud, he has the Ravens at #7 and they are just horrible on offense and beaten up and old on defense. So the Steelers move from 13 to 9 for beating the worst team in NFL, Browns but we can only move up the same amount of slots down in the bottom of the Rankings? Screw this guy.

He is an obvious east coast bias loser yankee who knows next to nothing about football or life for that matter.

[gtexan02]

CHIEFS (30) - Win
@ Panthers (12)
COLTS (2)
Falcons (31)
DOLPHINS (27)
@ Jaguars (16)
TITANS (14)
@ Chargers (3)
@ Raiders (29)
BYE
SAINTS (11)
@ Browns (32)
Titans (14)
BUCCANEERS (28)
BRONCOS (10)
@ Colts (2)
JAGUARS (16)

Texans = 25

Not a bad schedule overall. We play either horrible teams or great teams, but our "average" ranking is still 17.3. Right in the middle of fair

[gtexan02]

Originally Posted by Second Honeymoon

These power rankings are a total joke. So we are the worst team to win last Sunday?!?!? So there are 9 teams better than us who lost in Week 1 including the likes of the Giants, Jets, Cardinals, and Jaguars?!?!? What the hell is this guy smoking? Is it for sale over-the-counter?

This guy just sucks, plain and simple. The Jets were an embarassment to the league Sunday and the Giants defense got carved up for 5 TDs. The Cardinals looked decent but how can you have us behind them. I also thought it was a nice touch to have Chiefs at #31 cause after all they were bad enough to lose to the Texans. ANd as for the Jags...any moron knows that Texans > Jags any day of the week. dude needs to grab another slice of east coast homer pie.

I give up on Power Rankings from this loser. For crying out loud, he has the Ravens at #7 and they are just horrible on offense and beaten up and old on defense. So the Steelers move from 13 to 9 for beating the worst team in NFL, Browns but we can only move up the same amount of slots down in the bottom of the Rankings? Screw this guy.

He is an obvious east coast bias loser yankee who knows next to nothing about football or life for that matter.

We beat the jags twice last year, but I wouldn't argue that we were the better team. Some teams just match up well.

And the power rankings are not based on 1 game. They are based on opinions garnered from lat year, the preseason, the offseason, and week 1.

If I was doing the power rankings, I'd have us somewhere between 18 and 22. I don't think 25 is that bad.

We were a 6-10 team last year. Get over yourself if you think we all of a sudden should be a top 10. It takes a while to gain respect in the NFL

Knows nothing about football or life? Sheesh, calm down

[eriadoc]

I picked 11-5 prior to the season, and that was in large part based on the schedule. I don't necessarily think we'll be as good as 11-5, but I do think we'll end up with that record (OK, maybe 10-6). One thing is for sure - I will be sorely disappointed with 8-8. In the same way that 6-10 was somewhat encouraging last year, because we could have easily won 8 games, I will be very disappointed with 8-8 this year, because we are playing teams we should beat, without even being any better than last year, really. Factor in some improvement, and there you have it. If we go 8-8, we will have shown little to no improvement, IMO.

[gtexan02]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/powerranking

So the Texans are now at #11:

"Wow, the Texans got good in a hurry, didn't they? But with a 2-0 start, they'll have a stern test this week against the defending champs. To make things tougher, star wide receiver Andre Johnson is doubtful due to a sprained knee."

Based on the "we should win games against people below us" theory, our predicted record is now:

12-4!!

(2 losses to Colts, 1 to Denver, 1 to SD)

[Hervoyel]

Yes but the "beating teams beneath us" theory was really more about the bottom third of the rankings. We were sitting around 25 and out of the 7 teams below that we were going to face almost all of them.

Always keep in mind that you're going to win some that you should have lost and lose some that you should have won. I think we're still looking like a 10-6 team (give or take a win)

________________________

Also on that "Texans got good in a hurry" comment somebody needs to tell him that it didn't seem like a hurry to those of us who waited 6 years for this.