IlliniJen
Hall of Fame
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6940766/grantland-mega-nfl-preview-part-iv
Grantland has been running it's 4-part NFL preview...the first two parts are the teams that will struggle this year or are on the way down. Part three is improving teams. And part 4...teams that will compete for the SB trophy. And the Texans are in that list of 8 teams!
Grantland has been running it's 4-part NFL preview...the first two parts are the teams that will struggle this year or are on the way down. Part three is improving teams. And part 4...teams that will compete for the SB trophy. And the Texans are in that list of 8 teams!
Yes, the Texans. Don't believe us? Just like you check your pockets for your wallet, keys, and phone before you hop out the front door every morning, we've gotta go through the basic statistical indicators that suggest a team will improve upon its previous record. For the 6-10 Texans, they all fit. Houston was outscored by just 37 points, so its Pythagorean expectation was for a team that should have won 7.1 games. The Texans were a relatively unlucky team, as they were able to maintain only a 3-5 record in games decided by a touchdown or less. And that's not a sign of frequently-confused coach Gary Kubiak, as the Texans were 15-15 in these games under Kubiak before last season. The Texans struggled to stay healthy, as star middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans missed the final 10 games of the season with a torn Achilles, and the team's two best players then-defensive end Mario Williams and wide receiver Andre Johnson each missed three games. They also lost tackle Duane Brown and linebacker Brian Cushing to four-game suspensions. Including the suspensions, the Houston starters were unavailable for a combined 38 games last season. That number should fall in 2011.