Texans 2004 Evaluation

Obviously there were some high spots (Tennessee and Jags sweeps, KC, Chicago and Oakland wins), some reasons for encouragement (tough losses to GB and Minny) and some real, real downers (Denver, Indy and NYJ as well as Cleveland). Overall, "The Team" improved two games over last year so you have to say that "The Team" is getting better. But that Cleveland game was a real teller. I was on a high after those two road wins in Chicago and Jax. I came to Reliant Stadium on Sunday ready to whoop it up for an 8-8 season which would show we were really on the rise. But what I got instead was a rude awakening and a sober reality check. Our weaknesses were exposed by another weak team -- and if you don't think the rest of the league was taking notes, then you're kidding yourselves. This team still has some major, major obstacles to overcome. During the first year, the defense was overall a lot stronger than this year's team -- which is regression rather than improvement. The secondary has improved, but the DL can't stop the run and puts almost no pressure on the opposing QB. As for the offense, the running game has improved immensely over Shane Mack from year one. And David Carr/Andre Johnson have boosted the passing game in the past two years. But the pass protection went from absolutely horrible the first year to a slight improvement the second year back to horrible this year. Another regression. And gone are the heady days when Kris Brown was Mr. Reliable. Another regression, though slight. After watching the Browns debacle, I will never predict another win for "The Team." After all, if you can't beat a team that has nine straight losses with nothing to play for and you have them in your own house going for the first non-losing season in franchise history, then who CAN you beat with a certainty?

[fresno8]

Good post, we're making progress, but have lost consistency. Next year we have to improve our consistency and keep making progress or else we'll be 7-9 or 8-8. I think improved play on both lines will help stabilize the team and have us be consistent every week. With good line play we can run the offense and defense we want. I hope we make good personel upgrades on both lines and that our lineman work out hard and come back w/ a chip on their shoulder for '05, they should, they were bad. Things will get going this year.

Originally Posted by fresno8

Good post, we're making progress, but have lost consistency. Next year we have to improve our consistency and keep making progress or else we'll be 7-9 or 8-8. I think improved play on both lines will help stabilize the team and have us be consistent every week. With good line play we can run the offense and defense we want. I hope we make good personel upgrades on both lines and that our lineman work out hard and come back w/ a chip on their shoulder for '05, they should, they were bad. Things will get going this year.

If we finish 8-8, I'd be happy. That would at least show some more improvement. I think a winning record is still not quite within our grasp. Too much has to be done before we reach that pinnacle. Maybe in 2006.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

If we finish 8-8, I'd be happy.

Uh-uh. Nope. I say 9 wins or bust. 10 is too much to ask for, but would make me real happy. The season after next, I expect post-season play. No excuses.

[TexansForLife]

Im happy that we were 4-2 in the division, that is def. a sign of improvement

[TexansTrueFan]

yeah we had a 4-2 division record, and they do say we play in the toughest division in the NFL ! That is a big sign of improvment from 1-5 the 2 previous years !

[hou059]

I hardly think that an 8-8 record shows we are on the rise. Yes, it would look good but three wins in a row and two of those wins against sub-par teams doesn't say allot to me. The way they played from behind against K.C. and Minnesota told me all I needed to know. Those games told me that The Texans are on the rise. Sending Andre Johnson to the Pro-Bowl says we are on the rise and playing two rookies on defense one of who is respected and though so highly of by other teams tells me that we are on the rise. We have allot of fight in us and we have the talent to do great things but putting it all together will come with time. Being 8-8 doesn't mean we are winners but does it mean we aren't losers? I mean we still finished thrid in our division and missed the play-offs. I don't agree with people's statements about having an 8-8 record. I think we finished strong, we had a meltdown in week 17 but overall we played well and surprised a few people along the way. Plus we still got a really high draft pick for next year, so it's looking good and honestly, unless we were going to the playoffs I wouldn't trade our 7-9 season for an 8-8 or 9-7 record.

Originally Posted by hou059

I hardly think that an 8-8 record shows we are on the rise. Yes, it would look good but three wins in a row and two of those wins against sub-par teams doesn't say allot to me. The way they played from behind against K.C. and Minnesota told me all I needed to know. Those games told me that The Texans are on the rise. Sending Andre Johnson to the Pro-Bowl says we are on the rise and playing two rookies on defense one of who is respected and though so highly of by other teams tells me that we are on the rise. We have allot of fight in us and we have the talent to do great things but putting it all together will come with time. Being 8-8 doesn't mean we are winners but does it mean we aren't losers? I mean we still finished thrid in our division and missed the play-offs. I don't agree with people's statements about having an 8-8 record. I think we finished strong, we had a meltdown in week 17 but overall we played well and surprised a few people along the way. Plus we still got a really high draft pick for next year, so it's looking good and honestly, unless we were going to the playoffs I wouldn't trade our 7-9 season for an 8-8 or 9-7 record.

An 8-8 record would have been a definite milestone since, bottom line, you judge a team by its wins and losses and 8-8 is a non-losing season -- a successful season for a team in just its third year. Last year "The Team" had a lot of close games as well but they only won five. Sending Andre Johnson to the Pro Bowl is more of an individual reward that deals with only one facet of the game. How you can say we "finished strong" when the offense was so putrid in those last three games is beyond me. We did NOT "finish strong" and we had a lot of bad games in there (Denver, Indy, the Jets and the Browns) that were routs -- something we didn't have much of last year. And believe me, a #13 draft pick IS NOT a "really high draft pick." The 8-8 season is a HUGE difference compared to 7-9. It would have shown that we were no longer a losing franchise. Now we will need at least another year to hit that pinnacle. Yes, there was some improvement in 2004 but the fact that we couldn't finish it out and get to 8-8 drops the accomplishment down a notch or two. In the NFL, one game can mean an awful lot in judging the team. And you can also make an argument that making the playoffs is not that big an accomplishment either. After all, who cares if you make the playoffs and get bumped in the first game? Baby steps, baby steps. An 8-8 season would have been a giant step. But 7-9 is a baby step.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

Obviously there were some high spots (Tennessee and Jags sweeps, KC, Chicago and Oakland wins), some reasons for encouragement (tough losses to GB and Minny) and some real, real downers (Denver, Indy and NYJ as well as Cleveland). Overall, "The Team" improved two games over last year so you have to say that "The Team" is getting better. But that Cleveland game was a real teller. I was on a high after those two road wins in Chicago and Jax. I came to Reliant Stadium on Sunday ready to whoop it up for an 8-8 season which would show we were really on the rise. But what I got instead was a rude awakening and a sober reality check. Our weaknesses were exposed by another weak team -- and if you don't think the rest of the league was taking notes, then you're kidding yourselves. This team still has some major, major obstacles to overcome. During the first year, the defense was overall a lot stronger than this year's team -- which is regression rather than improvement. The secondary has improved, but the DL can't stop the run and puts almost no pressure on the opposing QB. As for the offense, the running game has improved immensely over Shane Mack from year one. And David Carr/Andre Johnson have boosted the passing game in the past two years. But the pass protection went from absolutely horrible the first year to a slight improvement the second year back to horrible this year. Another regression. And gone are the heady days when Kris Brown was Mr. Reliable. Another regression, though slight. After watching the Browns debacle, I will never predict another win for "The Team." After all, if you can't beat a team that has nine straight losses with nothing to play for and you have them in your own house going for the first non-losing season in franchise history, then who CAN you beat with a certainty?

good post.
The browns did have something to play for. word that I have read is that the team really likes their interim head coach and wants him to be the coach next year .. not sure if that is going to happen.

To me, this team is a teenager. we want to be treated as an adult, but aren't ready.
\

Originally Posted by Wolf

good post.
The browns did have something to play for. word that I have read is that the team really likes their interim head coach and wants him to be the coach next year .. not sure if that is going to happen.

To me, this team is a teenager. we want to be treated as an adult, but aren't ready.
\

I don't think anybody -- including the Browns players -- really believe that guy is going to be coach next year. He took over the team when Butch Davis left and the team proceeded to just quit -- which is even more alarming when you take into account that a team that was just mailing it in came in and beat us thoroughly. I do agree with you, though, about your teenager/adult analogy.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

which is even more alarming when you take into account that a team that was just mailing it in came in and beat us thoroughly. I do agree with you, though, about your teenager/adult analogy.

Maybe that had "mailing it in" as you would characterize it had something to do with their 3rd string QB playing the 4 games immediately prior to our game with them as opposed to their former starter--hmmm.

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Maybe that had "mailing it in" as you would characterize it had something to do with their 3rd string QB playing the 4 games immediately prior to our game with them as opposed to their former starter--hmmm.

Seeing that he threw two picks and had only one TDP while throwing for less than 250 yards, I don't believe you could say he was a huge upgrade in quality that propelled Cleveland to their success. That and the fact that he had nothing to do with those six sacks.

[hou059]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

An 8-8 record would have been a definite milestone since, bottom line, you judge a team by its wins and losses and 8-8 is a non-losing season -- a successful season for a team in just its third year. Last year "The Team" had a lot of close games as well but they only won five. Sending Andre Johnson to the Pro Bowl is more of an individual reward that deals with only one facet of the game. How you can say we "finished strong" when the offense was so putrid in those last three games is beyond me. We did NOT "finish strong" and we had a lot of bad games in there (Denver, Indy, the Jets and the Browns) that were routs -- something we didn't have much of last year. And believe me, a #13 draft pick IS NOT a "really high draft pick." The 8-8 season is a HUGE difference compared to 7-9. It would have shown that we were no longer a losing franchise. Now we will need at least another year to hit that pinnacle. Yes, there was some improvement in 2004 but the fact that we couldn't finish it out and get to 8-8 drops the accomplishment down a notch or two. In the NFL, one game can mean an awful lot in judging the team. And you can also make an argument that making the playoffs is not that big an accomplishment either. After all, who cares if you make the playoffs and get bumped in the first game? Baby steps, baby steps. An 8-8 season would have been a giant step. But 7-9 is a baby step.

A milestone? 8-8 is hardly that. Who cares what people say about the Texans...you think that matters. 7-9 is an improvement from 5-11 plain and simple and look at how the Texans played this season. Swept the Jags, swept the Titans. Played the best offense in the NFC down to the wire. That says alot to me. You want to argue that The Texans didn't finish strong? As if people are going to look at the Texans and think "Hmmmm, they finished 8-8, they got my respect!" Do you respect the Vikings or the Rams? I know I don't! one game is not going to make people respect this team nor does it mean that we have arrived. how much does it matter that the Texans are 7-9, that means we are losers? In who's eyes? You act as if this sets the organization back a year...give me a break. You're telling me that there wasn't much improvement this season, your basing that on the fact the Texans didn't finish 8-8? Stop looking at the record and look at the big picture. Carr played the whole season and gained so much experience. Our defense turned it up towards the end of the season and imo made giant strides. The team won back to back games more than once this season. That's going to make for a great 2005 season. 7-9 doesn't make this team losers...losing every game, quitting on a game and playing like bush-leaguers makes a team losers. Under-achieving makes a team losers. In my eyes the Texans are winners and proved it to me this season. I guess I am just too big of a fan with all my Rah-Rah, huh? Had the Texans won that last game and ended the season 8-8 does not erase the blow-out wins you spoke of Or erase the putrid offense you mentioned? it sure doesn't, it doesn't do anything for the team other than look good on paper and give people some sort of false hope. Like finishing 8-8 means we are going to the Super Bowl next season or winning our division next season. Vikings and St. Louis finsih 8-8, talk about underachivers!

[infantrycak]

Yeah, having a QB in that completes 67.8% of his passes vs. 49% of his passes made zero difference in the game--sure. Didn't say the only difference--said "something to do with it."

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Yeah, having a QB in that completes 67.8% of his passes vs. 49% of his passes made zero difference in the game--sure. Didn't say the only difference--said "something to do with it."

We're talking about the game vs. the Texans. He wasn't so great in that game, throwing only one TDP and offering up 2 INTs while throwing for less than 250 yards. And remember, 43 of his passing yards came on a play early in the game where our defensive guy blew the coverage and let the ball go right through his arms. The CB's poor play in that situation made the difference -- not Holcomb's stellar play. I hardly think he had all that much to do with the Texans collapse. True, he wasn't completely inept like Luke McCown. But Holcomb was mediocre at best.

Originally Posted by hou059

A milestone? 8-8 is hardly that. Who cares what people say about the Texans...you think that matters. 7-9 is an improvement from 5-11 plain and simple and look at how the Texans played this season. Swept the Jags, swept the Titans. Played the best offense in the NFC down to the wire. That says alot to me. You want to argue that The Texans didn't finish strong? As if people are going to look at the Texans and think "Hmmmm, they finished 8-8, they got my respect!" Do you respect the Vikings or the Rams? I know I don't! one game is not going to make people respect this team nor does it mean that we have arrived. how much does it matter that the Texans are 7-9, that means we are losers? In who's eyes? You act as if this sets the organization back a year...give me a break. You're telling me that there wasn't much improvement this season, your basing that on the fact the Texans didn't finish 8-8? Stop looking at the record and look at the big picture. Carr played the whole season and gained so much experience. Our defense turned it up towards the end of the season and imo made giant strides. The team won back to back games more than once this season. That's going to make for a great 2005 season. 7-9 doesn't make this team losers...losing every game, quitting on a game and playing like bush-leaguers makes a team losers. Under-achieving makes a team losers. In my eyes the Texans are winners and proved it to me this season. I guess I am just too big of a fan with all my Rah-Rah, huh? Had the Texans won that last game and ended the season 8-8 does not erase the blow-out wins you spoke of Or erase the putrid offense you mentioned? it sure doesn't, it doesn't do anything for the team other than look good on paper and give people some sort of false hope. Like finishing 8-8 means we are going to the Super Bowl next season or winning our division next season. Vikings and St. Louis finsih 8-8, talk about underachivers!

You are making some bad comparisons here. First of all, 8-8 for the Vikes or the Rams is a bad season for them. 8-8 would have been stellar and, yes, would have been a milestone for a third-year franchise. An 8-8 season indeed WOULD have given us more respect than 7-9 -- especially when a loss to one of the worst teams in the league at home prevented us from reaching that milestone. 7-9 indeed is an improvement, but it's still a losing season. 8-8 isn't -- hence it's a huge difference from 7-9. It would have been the next step to success. If we would have won that game, we would have won three in a row, accomplished a huge goal and would have given us a legitimate reason to look forward to a winning season next year. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and now we need to drop down a notch in our expectation level and hope that next year we can achieve what was within our grasp this year. And even though we did two games better than we did last year, we were thoroughly trounced and dominated by Denver, Indy, and the NYJ -- not to mention the embarrassment last week. We were never trounced this many times last year, so that's a regression. Yes, you do sound like a cheerleader to me. You gonna try out next year? Maybe these would be a good move for you to use for the judges

[STEEL BLUE TEXANS]

9-7 or bust next season

[hou059]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

You are making some bad comparisons here. First of all, 8-8 for the Vikes or the Rams is a bad season for them. 8-8 would have been stellar and, yes, would have been a milestone for a third-year franchise. An 8-8 season indeed WOULD have given us more respect than 7-9 -- especially when a loss to one of the worst teams in the league at home prevented us from reaching that milestone. 7-9 indeed is an improvement, but it's still a losing season. 8-8 isn't -- hence it's a huge difference from 7-9. It would have been the next step to success. If we would have won that game, we would have won three in a row, accomplished a huge goal and would have given us a legitimate reason to look forward to a winning season next year. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and now we need to drop down a notch in our expectation level and hope that next year we can achieve what was within our grasp this year. And even though we did two games better than we did last year, we were thoroughly trounced and dominated by Denver, Indy, and the NYJ -- not to mention the embarrassment last week. We were never trounced this many times last year, so that's a regression. Yes, you do sound like a cheerleader to me. You gonna try out next year? Maybe these would be a good move for you to use for the judges

Yeah I am going to try out. I got my outfit picked out and everything. You still trying out or are you backing out of it like last season? I hardly think we aim next season for what should have happened this season. 8-8 next season is just dumb man. Next year expectations are still high. I really understand what you are saying but don't act as if being 8-8 changes alot of things. This team really improved this season, try looking harder and not just at the record. Say the Texans were to win 10 straight and drop their final six, on paper 10-6 looks great but but how would you rank their season. There is a lot more to the Texans than their sub-par record indicates. Oh, I tried those moves last year at tryouts and they didn't work.

Originally Posted by hou059

Yeah I am going to try out. I got my outfit picked out and everything. You still trying out or are you backing out of it like last season? I hardly think we aim next season for what should have happened this season. 8-8 next season is just dumb man. Next year expectations are still high. I really understand what you are saying but don't act as if being 8-8 changes alot of things. This team really improved this season, try looking harder and not just at the record. Say the Texans were to win 10 straight and drop their final six, on paper 10-6 looks great but but how would you rank their season. There is a lot more to the Texans than their sub-par record indicates. Oh, I tried those moves last year at tryouts and they didn't work.

If you are shooting higher than 8-8 next year when so many weaknesses were revealed to us by one of the worst teams in the league last Sunday, then you are shooting way, way too high. 8-8 for a third-year franchise is fantastic. 7-9 is so-so. Still a losing season. The team improved, but they didn't REALLY improve if they got blown out more than they did last year and regressed in sacks allowed. If the Texans won 10 straight and then lost their last six, then obviously they would be headed in the wrong direction -- doncha think? This year, the Texans were riding somewhat high with two road wins -- even though their offense was struggling in both games. They shut out a playoff contender on the road and were riding high. But then they were brought back to earth and a rather scary reality last week at home by a very, very poor team that was just mailing it in. BTW, I'm sorry those other moves didn't get you on the squad last year. Try this one next time around. I know it's a longer routine, but it might work. I've seen the Texans cheerleaders do this exact routine.

[hou059]

Originally Posted by trijcomm

If you are shooting higher than 8-8 next year when so many weaknesses were revealed to us by one of the worst teams in the league last Sunday, then you are shooting way, way too high. 8-8 for a third-year franchise is fantastic. 7-9 is so-so. Still a losing season. The team improved, but they didn't REALLY improve if they got blown out more than they did last year and regressed in sacks allowed. If the Texans won 10 straight and then lost their last six, then obviously they would be headed in the wrong direction -- doncha think? This year, the Texans were riding somewhat high with two road wins -- even though their offense was struggling in both games. They shut out a playoff contender on the road and were riding high. But then they were brought back to earth and a rather scary reality last week at home by a very, very poor team that was just mailing it in. BTW, I'm sorry those other moves didn't get you on the squad last year. Try this one next time around. I know it's a longer routine, but it might work. I've seen the Texans cheerleaders do this exact routine.

I just don't see it the way you do. How is 8-8 in the fourth year, progress? that would definetly be a regression. doncha think? Why are you focusing on how many times they were blown out? They scored more points a game than they did last year and the defense gave up fewer points this season than last year. Your saying they improved but didn't really improve. Dude it's one or the other. The Browns didn't expose anything. It was established we had problems with our O-Line and Pass Rush Defense. They just took advantage of them. Stop focusing on certain stats and look at the whole pic man.