Before the season, if someone gave you 12-4, you would've been ecstatic right?

[AndyWin]

Funny how things work out...
Looking at the schedule BEFORE the season, I thought potential losses @Broncos, possibly @Jets, Packers, Ravens, @Bears, @Patriots... so if someone gave me 12-4 before the season, I'd be ECSTATIC.

Well, fast-forward to now... would we be better off at 10-6 (record based on above thoughts) going into the playoffs winning our last 3 games by blowouts with all cylinders firing?

Dolphins
@Jags
@Broncos
Titans
@Jets
Packers
Ravens
Bills
@Bears
Jags
@Lions
@Titans
@Patriots
Colts
Vikings
@Colts

[Lucky]

The Texans would have been better off winning one of their last two games and securing home field and a bye. If you told me before the season that the team would blow that opportunity, I would not have been ecstatic.

[Surreal McCoy]

I had them at 9-7 yet still winning the division. 12-4 is the best record any Houston pro football team has ever achieved.

[rmartin65]

Yep. But if you had told me the Texans would look this bad over the last couple games, I would have the same feeling- disappointment.

[HoustonFrog]

I told people here in Chicago that asked about the Texans...they assume I cheer for Cowboys and Texans the same...that if they got home field with the fans I didn't see them losing in the playoffs. I told one of the guys I talk sports with a lot that if they have to go to Denver, NE, Baltimore, etc that they would have issues. That is why 12-4 doesn't feel like 12-4 because you don't run the show now.

[GuerillaBlack]

If you would have told me this team would collapse like they did, then now. Being 11-1 and ending 12-4 is nothing to be excited about.

[TexanSam]

Originally Posted by AndyWin

Well, fast-forward to now... would we be better off at 10-6 (record based on above thoughts) going into the playoffs winning our last 3 games by blowouts with all cylinders firing?

Yes.

[Grams]

12-4 Looks fantastic - on paper.

But seeing how this team has played since the bye - and the way they lost the last 2 games and HFA - not so much.

[HTown2ATX]

The bottom line is this team consistently shat their panties down the stretch and look like maggot infested dog $hit laying in the hot sun for 5 days.

I don't give a God damn about 12-4 and "The best record the Texans have had" as many people will try to say (not calling anyone out, just general statement) to put a feel good spin on things.

I trust the eyes in my effing skull and they tell me right now this team blows donkey balls right now.....PERIOD.

Of course I still love the team and will drunkenly fool myself into being excited about our game next week and waste money at the bar to see it all happen but damn, right now, top to bottom, this sucks. It's hard to cover this pile of $hit up with roses right now.

Reality sux.

[Goatcheese]

I'm happy with the way the regular season as a whole went, but it's tough not to be disappointed in how it ended.

Three chances at the end of the season to clinch the #1 seed and they laid three eggs.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Grams

12-4 Looks fantastic - on paper.

But seeing how this team has played since the bye - and the way they lost the last 2 games and HFA - not so much.

This is the biggest thing. It's not that we're 12-4, or that we lost the last two games of the season. But we just haven't looked right since the bye.

Most of us tried to make excuses for that, and for the most part, they were legit. But the bye week was what? 9 weeks ago? And there really is no excuse for us to be having the issues we're having now. We've had time to adjust to whatever injuries we've sustained, for however the league has evolved... but we can't get the ball into the end zone.

Would we be better off at 10-6? No. Then we wouldn't even have a home play-off game.

But here's the thing. When we were winning, but playing poorly we could see the way things were trending downward. I wonder if we would be able to see any upward trends despite our losses. I think the defense showed some flashes against Minnesota. I think the offense showed some flashes against Indy. I don't know if there are any trends developing, but I don't think a loss to Cincinnati is guaranteed. If we can win that game, taking another step forward on both sides of the ball, things may be looking up.

I don't believe Gary, Matt, Wade, or this defense is in over their heads. I'd have loved to have homefield, I'd have loved to host the AFC Championship game. But I think playing through may be better for the team that has been playing the way we have.

[Rey]

I wouldve asked how did we play to get that record...

If you wouldve told me ever detail of the season since play 1 of game 1, the only reason I wouldve watched is for Jj watt.

[Surreal McCoy]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

I don't believe Gary, Matt, Wade, or this defense is in over their heads.

Wade is deserving of some stick for having them in Man/Cover 1 on the 3rd & 23. It is the exact same play they scored with in Houston just before half time. Otherwise your post is spot on.

[Playoffs]

I long for the days of 7-9 teams and not having to be all anxious about the playoffs.

[eriadoc]

Ever heard the phrase "the devil is in the details"? Yep.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

Ever heard the phrase "the devil is in the details"? Yep.

Exactly. Just showing someone a record doesn't tell you what you need to know about the quality of the team. Sure someone is always going to whip out that "Great teams find a way to win" rubbish but if you strung together a bunch of fluke wins mixed in with a little refball and some sub-par opponents you could get 10-12 wins in a season and still be a bad team just waiting to burn in the postseason.

[Thorn]

Playoffs are where you show who you are. Last year I thought we did a damn good job considering the circumstances.

This year hasn't played out yet. Personally, I think after we beat the Bengals we'll be out the next game. But those games haven't been played yet.

I picked the Texans to win 10, maybe 11 games, so telling me before the season started we'd be 12-4, I would have been puzzled as to where the 12 wins were coming from. But, the Texans took us on a nice trip that looks to be running out of gas quickly. We just have to wait and see if they find a filling station.

I wouldn't bet on it though.

[ajohnson80]

Anyways you put it going from 11-1 and a lock for the #1 seed to 12-4 and the #3 seed is a choke job. Every fan is right to be pissed.

We will see if they can redeem themselves in the playoffs, but at this point it is a huge disappointment to the fan base.

[Ranger Tom]

With the history this franchise has, I would have asked, "What's the catch?"

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by Thorn

Playoffs are where you show who you are. Last year I thought we did a damn good job considering the circumstances.

This year hasn't played out yet. Personally, I think after we beat the Bengals we'll be out the next game. But those games haven't been played yet.

I picked the Texans to win 10, maybe 11 games, so telling me before the season started we'd be 12-4, I would have been puzzled as to where the 12 wins were coming from. But, the Texans took us on a nice trip that looks to be running out of gas quickly. We just have to wait and see if they find a filling station.

I wouldn't bet on it though.

Rep for this because it's true.

Teams are judged in the playoffs. If we go out and lose to Cincy then the story will be "How the wheel fell off."

If they smash Cincy then the story will be "Are the Texans back?"

Then if they go on to lose again to the Pats the story will be "What do the Texans have to do to get past the Patriots and elite QBs?"

If they beat the Pats the story will be about how they turned it on at the right time.

The fact is we will be judged by what we do in January now. If you told me we'd be 12-4 in the regular season I would say they had a great regular season. No Matter what they did.

I mean the Texans have the 4th Best Record in the NFL. No one is excusing the recent losses but at the same time you have to look at the good the team has done as well. They had a great season, we are all disappointed because they missed a great opportunity...but the real goal for the team is still out there to grab.