State of the Union: Texans at the bye, 3-5 record

[Keith]

Originally Posted by barrett

Is Mercilous coming alive just in time to get overpaid? Or has he turned the corner?

Mercilus signed a 4-year extension in May, $10.8M guaranteed, $5.25M signing bonus. Roster bonus of $250k in 2016 and $500k the next three years after. So he's under contract thru 2019.

Base salaries through the extension:
2016 - $4.5M (guaranteed salary in 2016)
2017 - $4.5M
2018 - $4.75M
2019 - $5.75M

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Mercilus signed a 4-year extension in May, $10.8M guaranteed, $5.25M signing bonus. Roster bonus of $250k in 2016 and $500k the next three years after. So he's under contract thru 2019.

Base salaries through the extension:
2016 - $4.5M (guaranteed salary in 2016)
2017 - $4.5M
2018 - $4.75M
2019 - $5.75M

So that answers that question. For some reason I thought he was in the final year. Thanks for clearing it up Keith.

That lends me to think he is finally figuring it out. Bad OL, Bad QB aside, he looked a bit like a Robert Mathis type (pure speed rusher, great value against the pass when the team is leading).

[WMH]

Definitely agree with you Arky on the D. If there is a major disappointment for me, that's where it lies. Figured the O would be mediocre at best, but the lack of production of the D is truly puzzling. It's not like RAC forgot schemes between last season and this one.

Since we're just as likely to win one we're supposed to lose as we are win one that we're not, truly a guess as to whether or not we can find 4-5 more wins for a home game in January.

Hopefully, they can at least make it entertaining for us.

[Keith]

Ted Ginn and family tried to screw it up for the Texans late with a worse-than-Nate-Washington drop, but the Panthers pulled it off in overtime to beat the Colts. As such, both the Texans and Colts are 3-5 with the Colts facing the Broncos next week while the Texans have a bye. So, entirely possible the Texans have the division lead in six more days.

The Bengals game against the Cardinals the week after facing Houston has just been flexed to Sunday Night. This means the Bengals have primetime games on either side of their match with the Texans (Thurs vs Cleveland, Sunday vs Houston, Sunday Night @ Arizona). The Bengals have laid some duds during night games, so maybe their game with the Texans becomes something of a trap game for them. Here's hoping, at least.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by Keith

Ted Ginn and family tried to screw it up for the Texans late with a worse-than-Nate-Washington drop, but the Panthers pulled it off in overtime to beat the Colts. As such, both the Texans and Colts are 3-5 with the Colts facing the Broncos next week while the Texans have a bye. So, entirely possible the Texans have the division lead in six more days.

The Bengals game against the Cardinals the week after facing Houston has just been flexed to Sunday Night. This means the Bengals have primetime games on either side of their match with the Texans (Thurs vs Cleveland, Sunday vs Houston, Sunday Night @ Arizona). The Bengals have laid some duds during night games, so maybe their game with the Texans becomes something of a trap game for them. Here's hoping, at least.

Oy, that drop was awful. I had "interests" in the outcome but the big one was mainly that the Colts lose. As I watched the Panther defense fritter away the 17 pt. lead, I was thinking, "Don't they know? Don't they know about Luck + 4th qtr comebacks = smiling Colt faces in the end?"

But the Panthers hung on so maybe the worm has turned.....

Welcome to the new season. The AFC South is now officially wide open.... Opportunity is a-knockin'.... will the Texans answer the door?

[Joshua]

As I understand the draft rules, all of the non-playoff teams are slotted in front of the playoff teams regardless of record. So if the Texans win the division and make the playoffs, the absolute best pick we can get in the upcoming draft is No. 21. Making the playoffs despite an awful record could really drop us in the draft. Quite frankly, I'd rather have the high draft pick.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Joshua

As I understand the draft rules, all of the non-playoff teams are slotted in front of the playoff teams regardless of record. So if the Texans win the division and make the playoffs, the absolute best pick we can get in the upcoming draft is No. 21. Making the playoffs despite an awful record could really drop us in the draft. Quite frankly, I'd rather have the high draft pick.

Totally disagree. You play the game for a shot at the prize, not a draft pick. While I am in no way saying this is even remotely close to a Superbowl team, having a January game should mean way more than draft slot.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Arky

Oy, that drop was awful. I had "interests" in the outcome but the big one was mainly that the Colts lose. As I watched the Panther defense fritter away the 17 pt. lead, I was thinking, "Don't they know? Don't they know about Luck + 4th qtr comebacks = smiling Colt faces in the end?"

But the Panthers hung on so maybe the worm has turned.....

Welcome to the new season. The AFC South is now officially wide open.... Opportunity is a-knockin'.... will the Texans answer the door?

And it's not just the AFC South that's comparatively bad as I believe only 5 teams in the AFC are > .500, so much for parity in the NFL. It just goes to further demonstrate the extreme importance of a QB. Without one a team is pretty much out of it.
I've seen a couple stories suggesting the Texans should make a bid for the Bears QB Cutler before the trade deadline. He's got a great arm but of course he's also a real head-case.

[barrett]

Losing to the Texans will now get you fired.