The Texans in the media's eyes...

OK, a few things have been bothering me lately, so here I go...why is a lot of the media so high on everyone else in our division, especially the Jags lately? What did they do in the offseason or draft that I missed? IMO we have a much better overall team and had a much better draft, and I am saying that from a football perspective, not just a Texans fan perspectuve. And I am so tired of a lot of the media being so down and skeptic about Carr now. People are saying that he hasn't learned things yet that he should have or he hasn't put up the numbers like he should, but do people realize that he came in here his rookie season and spent his whole rookie season on his back and running for his life, and last year he missed some time due to injury. I also read in an article somewhere that the Jags will be the team to watch this year, and they will not be a "sleeper" team because of their finish last year, and we will be at the bottom of the division...I just cannot figure it out...we split the series last year with the Jags, we beat one of the teams that were in the Super Bowl and took the other Super Bowl team into overtime, as well as leading Tennessee and Indy until the last minutes of the game. How could you have a better finish than that for a 2nd year team that was injury plagued for the whole season? How is that any worse than the Jags season? I guess overall the thing that gets to me is we are not getting the respect we deserve around the league and a lot of people are bad mouthing us while teams IMO that are worse than ours are getting talked about so much and so much praise, but I guess we will see this year who is worthy of all of the praise...

Oh, and by the way, did anyone see Channel 13 news last night? On their sports portion of the show they did a piece on the Texans training camp and how things are going and they showed Todd Wade and Gary Walker get into it really good. It took about 5 players and a couple of coaches, including Capers, to break it up. I thought those 2 were fixing to shed the pads and throw down!

The Jags beat the tar out of us in Jax and we barely escaped with a win over them here. Leftwich will be improved this year (hopefully Carr will be also). We're in a tough division...finishing anything but last in the division will be a steep hill to climb. Despite all the rosy predictions on this board, 2004 is not likely to be a winning season much less a playoff season. Hopefully we can contend for a playoff spot in 2005.

I think the Texans can certainly compete for a playoff berth this year but I do believe next year is the more realistic goal.

This is a very tough division. And you never know about injuries. I think they will be 7-9 or 8-8.

Injuries are the key this year, last year I like to say that we were a 8-8 team that finished 5-11. All the close games that we lost last year was because our defense was destroyed with injuries and could not stop the opposition in the 4th quarter. I see us closing in on the rest of the division and playing a easier scheldule in my opinion if we stay healthy on both sides of the ball there is a good chance we can make a push for a wild card playoff berth

Carr Bomb said:

Injuries are the key this year, last year I like to say that we were a 8-8 team that finished 5-11. All the close games that we lost last year was because our defense was destroyed with injuries and could not stop the opposition in the 4th quarter. I see us closing in on the rest of the division and playing a easier scheldule in my opinion if we stay healthy on both sides of the ball there is a good chance we can make a push for a wild card playoff berth

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Ditto. I seriously see us being a better team than the first two seasons. We have a decent offense and a decent defense. A lot of our success also hinges on what happens with our opponents. Football is a game where any and everything can change from one week to the next. For that matter one season to the next.

5-11 expansion teams just are not going to make people in Boston, New York, Chicago, or LA fall all over themselves rushing to praise us. One of the many reasons expansion teams do not compete too well in the first couple of seasons is depth. The NFL is a seriously brutal league and you just have to have good starters as well as quality reserves.

Only this year were we able to "round out" our starting unit by adding Todd Wade, R Smith, Jason Babin, & Dunta Robinson. We finally have no journeyman starters at one of our 22 starting positions. It took two full years just to do this. It will be one more year before we are as deep as you need to be for a solid playoff run.

There WILL be injuries. All teams deal with that, but that is why you need good depth. 22 starters and a solid NFL quality reserve for each position takes a bit of time. Teams don't get "respect" just because you desire it. As long as we beat a few quality teams this year and play .500 ball we will get it. We will have people all over the country giving us props just as we have see them give the Jags and the Colts and the Titans.

I have no problem with us not getting any respect, it will make it that much funner when we shock the league. You say if were a .500 ball club then we will get it and im fine with that, but that is also the reason why i dont understand why Jacksonville gets so much respect considering they were also a 5-11 team. Also good quality depth is great but I really dont think it would of saved us last year considering the Amount of injuries we had last year. That kind of IR list would have ruined any team's season in the NFL

Carr Bomb said:

i dont understand why Jacksonville gets so much respect considering they were also a 5-11 team.

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They have a top 10 defense and we don't. They also have elite skill guys in Fred Taylor (one of the great backs of the NFL) and Greg Jones at running back. They have borderline Hall of Famer Jimmy Smith and first rd pick Reggie Williams as WR's and Leftwich is a total stud at QB.

Right now, most people around the league would take their defense over our 32nd rated defense, and their offensive skill guys over our guys. That's pretty much why we don't get the same 5-11 hype as they get.

The divison will fall out as follows next year.
Colts
Texans
Jags
Titans
The titans have lost key players on their defense and replaced them with draft picks. Look for a two to three year decline. The Jags will be a little better nect but I expect them to have a losing season. The Colts will make a run at the Superbow and the Texns will make a run at the wild card.

I will never count out the Titans. No matter what adversity is presented to them, they are always there to cause havoc. Some of you may be a little biased in your evaluations because of the whole leaving town thing, but this team still is pretty good with McNair back there.

geofb said:

The Jags beat the tar out of us in Jax and we barely escaped with a win over them here. Leftwich will be improved this year (hopefully Carr will be also).

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Yes the jags beat the tar out of the texans, with dave ragone as QB. And yes, we barely escaped with a win over jax, while the patriots barely escaped with a win over houston. Does that mean that the patriots dont deserve the W? A win is a win, wheather its by 3 points, or 23 points.

geofb said:

We're in a tough division...finishing anything but last in the division will be a steep hill to climb. Despite all the rosy predictions on this board, 2004 is not likely to be a winning season much less a playoff season. Hopefully we can contend for a playoff spot in 2005.

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I wouldnt be so quick to write us off until next season. Who looked at the panthers division and saw them coming out on top of the Falcons, Buccaneers, and Saints? Nobody. So before you X out Houston, wait to see them in action.

__V__ said:

They have a top 10 defense and we don't. They also have elite skill guys in Fred Taylor (one of the great backs of the NFL) and Greg Jones at running back. They have borderline Hall of Famer Jimmy Smith and first rd pick Reggie Williams as WR's and Leftwich is a total stud at QB.

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The Jags have all of these elements. Yet, they had the same record versus essentially the same schedule as the injury riddled Texans. Go figure.

Really, who cares what some talking head has to say about the Texans. The only reason to listen to these guys is that they may have some info that you'd like to know. Their opinions are no better than yours. And if you follow the Texans closely, you probably know a heck of a lot more about the team than they do.

The fact is, the Texans, the Jags, the rest of the division, & the rest of the league all start out 0-0. So far, the Texans have been better than the sum of their total parts. Entering year 3, the parts are much improved. If the Texans play to their previous history of overachieving, very good things can happen.

I am hoping we have better "success" against the jags with our OL versus their DL

done88 said:

The divison will fall out as follows next year.
Colts
Texans
Jags
Titans

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It's too bad betting isn't allowed on this board. Surely you wouldn't be willing to bet good money that the Texans will finish second in our division would you? Our division is strong.

__V__ said:

They have a top 10 defense and we don't. They also have elite skill guys in Fred Taylor (one of the great backs of the NFL) and Greg Jones at running back. They have borderline Hall of Famer Jimmy Smith and first rd pick Reggie Williams as WR's and Leftwich is a total stud at QB.

Right now, most people around the league would take their defense over our 32nd rated defense, and their offensive skill guys over our guys. That's pretty much why we don't get the same 5-11 hype as they get.

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And what does that say for them? They had a top 10 D, Jimmy Smith, Taylor, and Leftwitch there last year, and we still beat them in the first game and would have probably beat them the 2nd had we not had Ragone and Hollings starting(both rookies). The best 2/3 of our line missing,and a partially injured Glenn trying to hold K. Johnson.


And in defense of our defense(lol), we could have been at least top 15 this year had we not been absolutely torn to shreads by injury.

Not to down the Jags though. They did get R.Williams and G.Jones in the draft to go along with their offensive weapons wereas we got Babin and Dunta to go along with our defensive talent. Im not saying we should blow them out the next time we see them but I think we have a better team, and it will be a dogfight, we both have good young talent.

It says they started a rookie QB and had a dynamite D. This just in, but the Texans are not the only team in the NFL to have injuries.

__V__ said:

It says they started a rookie QB and had a dynamite D. This just in, but the Texans are not the only team in the NFL to have injuries.

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Really, I thought the Texans were the only team with ijuries, but seriously what team do you know that had to start their 4th string CB in the last game of the season before he got hurt and we put in our 5th string CB to hold Reggie Wayne. No team in the NFL was as torn by injury as the Houston Texans.

Like I don't know. I'm not a Jag fan btw....just trying to relay why outsiders tend to like the Jags.

I see where all of you guys are coming from, but I just can't see how some people can think the Jags will have a better season than us.We were a 2nd year team last year riddled with injuries and took some of the best teams in the NFL to overtime or the last minutes of the game. Also IMO we have had a better offseason as far as free agent pickups and draft than all of the teams in the AFC South. I guess we will just have to show the non-believers and doubters in the media in the upcoming season.

texan279 said:

Also IMO we have had a better offseason as far as free agent pickups and draft than all of the teams in the AFC South. I guess we will just have to show the non-believers and doubters in the media in the upcoming season.

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Your opinion is shared by Phil Barber of the Sporting News:

Houston Texans. Sometimes a little good health can make you look like a genius. Just ask Texans general manager Charley Casserly, who has presided over a wildly successful offseason in Houston. Much of the optimism has to do with the comebacks of nose tackle Seth Payne (knee) and left defensive end Gary Walker (foot). A pair of able free agents, right offensive tackle Todd Wade (Dolphins) and right defensive end Robaire Smith (Titans), will further bolster the lines. Grade: A

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Gave the Texans one of only 2 full-on A's (Lions got the other). There, does everyone feel better now?

I sure feel better. Respect is wonderful.

__V__ said:

It says they started a rookie QB and had a dynamite D. This just in, but the Texans are not the only team in the NFL to have injuries.

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The Patriots started more different players than any other team last year. It just goes to show that all you need is quality players for your system and solid depth. They don't have many big name guys...in fact I'd say they have none. The great teams can overcome injuries and win...give the Texans a few years to get some depth behind them.

The Texans are looking strong and the only way to prove it is on the field. Hopefully our players will look at the glass half full instead of half empty like many of the "fans" posting on the Texans Message Board.

2002 - Texans had a good defense and no offensive help.

2003 - Texans started out strong with a win at Miami. After that the injuries started, and as a second year expansion team we had no depth. Even then our players played with a lot of heart.

2004 - Texans had a great offseason filling needs in free agency and the draft providing additional skill and depth to the exisiting talent.

Looking forward to proving the doubters wrong, as are the players I am sure.

Should be a good year!

I see a good year ahead for the Texans. I hope they go at least 9-7. A wild card would be good, but the objective should be improving as a team overall and trying to limit injuries.

Those guys just show how ignorant they are....there's more to it than just looking at a team and saying these guys will make it, these guys won't. It wasn't expected that Tampa would have a bad year including the ridiculous season Oakland had. Absolutely no one saw Carolina making a Super Bowl appearance and no matter how many wins the Patriots won....most had them as defeated in most games even the Super Bowl.

The media not having respect for the Texans is just fine by me as because of that they can play concentrated...not having to meet the fans and media's expectations. When you're high profile like that I think it adds to the pressure when going out there and performing. The Jags are being praised so much that I think it'll hurt them. The Texans will make a surprise hit and beat the Jags both games, beating the Titans at least one (hope it's here at home), and one against the Colts (hoping here at home as well).

Really all the Texans need to do is go out there and play just as hard as they did last year. Sure they lost 11 but 8 of those 11 were lost with dignity....those guys were in there playing their tails off. They now have a better staff, off the field and on, and I think it was just what they needed.

Next year is a sure playoff shot! I see us coming away with 7-8 wins easily!
I see Jags at 7-9, Titans 8-8, Houston 9-7, Colts 10-6.

The Texans are going to be better than anyone can imagine. On paper, I suppose, it looks as if we will be 7-9 or whatever. I believe 9-7 or 10-6 can be done. Look at the close games last year with all the injuries. Texans - we can and will demand respect!

The bottom line to all of this is winning brings respect. If we take care of our business and not worry about what has beens or never wuzes are saying we will start winning and soon the respect will come along with bandwagon fans that we won't want around here.

True E.T. but the Jags are getting respect for having the same record as the Texans last season. Why are they getting so much respect? I don't really care....after all, the Texans only need Houston fans, I say. It is nice though to see the Texans have a nice respectful segment on ESPN's Sports Center, about how awesome the team is doing.....ah well. In do time....in do time!

The Jaguars had a great defense last year that has gotten better with the addition of Smith at LB and Grant at FS. Thier record reflected having a rookie QB, but they were better than that. Their offensive line is great, they have a amzing set of RB's and their WR corp, which was their weakness last year, has been shored up.

This is the first year the writers have giving the Jags respect in the last 4 years.

I think really it is just a bunch of people who want to take a shot at making a prediction for a team so they can look good and get a better analyst job.