Is 2-4 ok with you?

painekiller · #1 09-19-2011, 02:51 PM

When the schedule came out I nearly panicked, Colts, miami, Saints, Steelers, oakland, Ravens to start the year. I saw a chance that we start out at 2-4, if we played like last year. (the caps would be the possible loses).

Well we have started out 2-0 a nice start, but what do the next games mean?

In the scheme of things, losing the next handful of games really means nothing. If we lose to the Saints, Steelers, Ravens and yes even an improved Raiders team, we are not in grave danger of missing the playoffs.

We have now guaranteed a split with the Colts, the jags are bad, really bad, and Tennessee should be a push over, ask the Ravens they may not agree. Our schedule after the Ravens is one where the Texans should be favored in almost all the remaining games.

10-6 and winning the division means playoffs, so does it matter where the loses come from? NO it does not matter if the loses come in weeks 3 - 6 or if they stay scattered throughout the season.

I am hoping for the best but I am telling myself that a 4 game losing streak is not a big deal if we take care of the division like we should.

BTW 9-7 might be good enough to win the division, this is the first time in our existence that our division is weak.

cadams · #2 09-19-2011, 03:41 PM

i think 9-7 could win the division. and while i agree that in terms of season records that it doesn't matter where the losses come, i would not be ok with a 4 game losing streak. if they have a 4 game losing streak i think they will have a hard time winning the division. good teams don't lose 4 games in a row.

3-3 would be tolerable, 4-2 would be great. 2-4 would be unacceptable.

barrett · #3 09-19-2011, 03:45 PM

This team cannot go 2-4. They have to fragile a psyche to come out of that hole even in a bad division. Too much bad history. 3-3 would have fans buying billboards to fire kubiak. 4-2 or our well earned PTSD of the last few years puts coach and team in jeopardy.

WMH · #4 09-19-2011, 04:07 PM

No, no it is not.

Don't really have anything else to add either.

Nconroe · #5 09-19-2011, 05:07 PM

I think if we end up in playoffs by end of year it will be ok for most fans,

but lots of complaints and it is not ok in the middle if we go 0-4 over next four games.

I don't think we will go 0-4 but certainly don't expect 4-0 either.

I expect some good , exciting games in which Texans will become more competitive, have a better chance to win, than ever in the past, over these next four games.

Arky · #6 09-19-2011, 06:42 PM

The Texans with a record of 2-4 after the first 6 games really would not be acceptable with me as a fan. If they do go 2-4 in their first 6 games, that means they lost 4 in a row (duh) against "the good teams". I might not like losing 4 in a row, but they play the games and I have no control over that, so ultimately, I would have to accept it (or I could just bitch about it till the cows come home but that really doesn't accomplish anything). I think most of us know what happens to Texan messageboards when they have even one loss so 4 losses in a row would make them unbearable (ledge jumping and knee jerking in massive quantities).

I don't think they are gonna lose 4 in a row.

I see the two away games - Saints and Ravens - as the toughest. This upcoming Saints game may be the toughest of the four....I think we have a *very* good chance with the two home games - Steelers and Raiders.

At the start of the season, in the prediction thread, I said if they could be 4-4 (or better) after the first 8 games, they have a shot. "A shot" meaning, I think they can take 6 or 7 of the last 8 which would give them 10+ wins and that should mean playoffs.

Many factors will change the course of the season....there's games-you-didn't expect-them-to-lose. Got to keep that number as low as possible.... And, of course, injury can change the course of the season...

BTW, Saints are currently 4 point favorites over the Texans this Sunday.....

HPF Bob · #7 09-19-2011, 07:15 PM

Wins and losses aren't as important to me as staying healthy in this upcoming stretch. If we emerge at 3-3, I'm not great with that but I can accept it as long as we come out with a healthy Schaub, a healthy AJ, a healthy Foster and (becoming important) a healthy JJo.

These are some of the most physical (some say dirty) teams in the NFL and we need to be able to get through it with our key pieces intact. We also can't suffer a rash of injuries at any one position, whether it is OL, DL, LB, DB, etc.

painekiller · #8 09-20-2011, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Wins and losses aren't as important to me as staying healthy in this upcoming stretch. If we emerge at 3-3, I'm not great with that but I can accept it as long as we come out with a healthy Schaub, a healthy AJ, a healthy Foster and (becoming important) a healthy JJo.

These are some of the most physical (some say dirty) teams in the NFL and we need to be able to get through it with our key pieces intact. We also can't suffer a rash of injuries at any one position, whether it is OL, DL, LB, DB, etc.

I think this was well said.

popanot · #9 09-20-2011, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Wins and losses aren't as important to me as staying healthy in this upcoming stretch. If we emerge at 3-3, I'm not great with that but I can accept it as long as we come out with a healthy Schaub, a healthy AJ, a healthy Foster and (becoming important) a healthy JJo.

These are some of the most physical (some say dirty) teams in the NFL and we need to be able to get through it with our key pieces intact. We also can't suffer a rash of injuries at any one position, whether it is OL, DL, LB, DB, etc.

Good point, but I hope the team doesn't go at it with this mindset. Playing to stay healthy sometimes means playing timid and worrying about things other than executing your assingment and game plan.

No, I won't be satisfied with 2-4. This team doesn't have the luxury to assume they'll make the playoffs based on an easy late season schedule. I've watched them lose too many gimme games over the years. In addition, they need to learn how to beat the tough teams because those are the teams they're going to have to get through if they ever want to win a championship.

painekiller · #10 09-20-2011, 11:57 AM

I don't think we are going to be 2-4, I wanted to pose the question what if it happened.

We can beat any one of those teams, but a huge key is staying healthy. And I agree with papanot, they cannot play not to be hurt.

This team has so far shown a different attitude. They seem more mature. 2-0 is not exciting them, and they know they have unfinished business. Ryans has them looking at going 1-0 each week. That appears to have them focused on the game in front of them.

One of the other points of the original post is to point out the fact that season can be a success and not beat a team that went to last years playoffs.

Lastly, the defense is currently ranked #1, a position I do not see them maintaining, but they have improved vastly. I see this team as a playoff team, and like Chuck, I want them not to satisfied with getting to the playoff, I want them to go deep into the playoffs.

I think they can, and the next 4 weeks will show us if we truly have a team that is capable of doing that.

NBT · #11 09-20-2011, 03:50 PM

NO, 2-4 would not be alright. We have a better defense than that. Schaub and the offense can't have another bad quarter, like the 3rd. against Miami, where we had only 25 yards total! Good luck with injuries, such as the one right now to Foster. We need to keep playing smart against these "gangster" type teams. So far defense has carried us when the offense is sputtering somewhat, and the offense has sustained drives in the waning moments to preserve the margin. I said 10-6 way, way back there, and I still say that, or more, if we can escape 'ol Murphy.

barrett · #12 09-20-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBT

NO, 2-4 would not be alright. We have a better defense than that. Schaub and the offense can't have another bad quarter, like the 3rd. against Miami, where we had only 25 yards total! Good luck with injuries, such as the one right now to Foster. We need to keep playing smart against these "gangster" type teams. So far defense has carried us when the offense is sputtering somewhat, and the offense has sustained drives in the waning moments to preserve the margin. I said 10-6 way, way back there, and I still say that, or more, if we can escape 'ol Murphy.

The offense has not sputtered. We have 58 points in two games even though we have not trailed this season or been forced to air it out. And the defense certainly hasn't carried the offense. Like you pointed out, the 3rd quarter was our worst for the offense, but the defense certainly didn't carry us in that quarter. That was our worst defensive quarter of the season. They struggled to get Miami off the field (they ran 24 plays), and we gave up our only TD of the season in that quarter.

The next time the defense carries the offense will be the first. We are still FAR better on offense than on defense.

NBT · #13 09-21-2011, 07:01 PM

Barret me lad, the sputtiering offense was in regard to the 3rd quarter against the 'Phins, when we only had 25 yard offense total.

jcp · #14 09-21-2011, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBT

Barret me lad, the sputtiering offense was in regard to the 3rd quarter against the 'Phins, when we only had 25 yard offense total.

I think his point was the offense might have had more yards if the defense could have gotten off the field...24 plays is a lot of time

That said...the offense didn't look good the little time they dis get...the whole game was a painful grind but in the past we always seemed to lose those grinders

painekiller · #15 10-05-2011, 10:08 AM

So 3-1 at the quarter pole of the season. Ahead of my worse case scenario, not as good as 4-0.

We have been here before, so I am not jumping up and down yet.

Oakland will be a tough game but they are beatable if the RBs can get healthy. Hopefully Ward can be ready to go along with Foster this week. I look for Tate to miss a few with the groin, and Chris O is not ready for prime time. If Foster has someone to spell him then we should win this one at home.

I predict that we are 1-0 this week.

NBT · #16 10-05-2011, 01:07 PM

We are very lucky this year to have 3 viable RBs so that one goes down, we still have the other 2 to tote the pig. Now if it only proves to be the same with the WRs?

Nconroe · #17 10-10-2011, 10:58 AM

well, now 3-3 looks like a real possibility with Baltimore up and injuries.

After Baltimore, everyone has atleast two losses just like we do, so, here's to hoping one game at a time gets us there.

Game against Titans in two weeks looking like a another big game to seee where we are at.

REGULAR SEASON

Day Date Opponent Time (CT) TV
Sunday 9/11 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Noon CBS
Sunday 9/18 at Miami Dolphins 3:15 p.m. CBS
Sunday 9/25 at New Orleans Saints Noon CBS
Sunday 10/2 PITTSBURGH STEELERS Noon CBS
Sunday 10/9 OAKLAND RAIDERS Noon CBS
Sunday 10/16 at Baltimore Ravens 3:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday 10/23 at Tennessee Titans Noon CBS
Sunday 10/30 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Noon CBS
Sunday 11/6 CLEVELAND BROWNS Noon CBS
Sunday 11/13 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Noon CBS
Sunday 11/20 BYE WEEK
Sunday 11/27 at Jacksonville Jaguars Noon CBS
Sunday 12/4 ATLANTA FALCONS Noon FOX
Sunday 12/11 at Cincinnati Bengals Noon CBS
Sunday 12/18 CAROLINA PANTHERS Noon FOX
Thursday 12/22 at Indianapolis Colts 7:20 p.m. NFLN
Sunday 1/1 TENNESSEE TITANS Noon CBS

nunusguy · #18 10-10-2011, 01:09 PM

We're still the most talented team in the division and should have an excellent chance of winning the AFC South if we get AJ back in good shape
for the game in Nashville. And we don't have any more serious injurys to key players. But losing AJ for the season (remember, there's still uncertainty about his return to normal form) could very well be a show-stopper ?

painekiller · #19 10-17-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunusguy

We're still the most talented team in the division and should have an excellent chance of winning the AFC South if we get AJ back in good shape
for the game in Nashville. And we don't have any more serious injurys to key players. But losing AJ for the season (remember, there's still uncertainty about his return to normal form) could very well be a show-stopper ?

We are 3-3 now, which is better than my worse case scenario, I think we are still the team to beat in the division. Plus our schedule finally gets more Texans friendly.

The Titans on the road is not a gimme, but it's winnable.

I am concerned about the offense and Schaub's lack of accuracy, but his TD to Jones was a perfect pass. Also I am still looking for that 4 quarter win.

IMO we are still in solid shape to make the playoffs.