Texans Ranked 20th - ESPN Power Rankings

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Wow, you don't think to highly of this team do you?

OK the Redskins and Bucs where in the playoffs last season, but are they really solid teams?

If the Texans had been placed any division but the one it's in and maybe the NFC East, they would have been a playoff contender.

Our OL is average. 20 sacks is not a bad number. And the lack of a true NFL RB hurt the run game numbers.

And ranking our defense is impossible with a league high 17 players on IR last season.
Watch out for this Texans team.

I think this is the best talent we have had on the roster. This is a team that can compete and look like it belongs in the NFL. That has not been my opinion up to this point.

Unfortunately, this team in not in the NFC Central, so that will have to be taken into consideration. We have to split with the Jags AND the Colts in order to be taken seriously.

The Redskins and Bucs were in the playoffs last season, we never have. Experience counts for something. They had injuries to Carnell Williams and Jason Campbell and were still able to make things happen with Earnest Graham and Todd Collins. After Sean Taylor was murdered, the Skins could have packed it in, but they didn't.

The 20 sacks was a huge improvement, but it came at the expense of stretching the field. Take a look at our average yards per completion and attempt. The short passing game still wasn't enough to keep Schaub healthy for the entire season. Now, we have a Rookie LT and a new coach to fix things. I just don't know how much we can realistically expect this year in terms of OL improvement.

While we have a plethora of RBs on the roster, I'm not convinced that we have a "true" RB that is going to demand the respect of defenses. The potential is there IF everyone stays healthy and we cut down on fumbles. Better run blocking should help, but again, there aren't any guarantees because we have not proven anything yet.

Injuries are a part of the game. Who really knows when Dunta will return and how well he'll be able to play when/if he comes back. If we can keep DeMarcus Faggins on the bench or possibly the Dime, then the secondary will be better. I'm just not sold on Reeves, yet.

The Texans are definitely a team to watch. On paper, we have made upgrades that will hopefully equate to more wins on the field. This team has the potential to be a top 10 team in the league (that would have us drafting #22), but until it actually wins more games than it loses, we can't squawk too loudly about being underestimated by the media.

[Froback]

Originally Posted by Roy P

The Texans are definitely a team to watch. On paper, we have made upgrades that will hopefully equate to more wins on the field. This team has the potential to be a top 10 team in the league (that would have us drafting #22), but until it actually wins more games than it loses, we can't squawk too loudly about being underestimated by the media.

This think this was really well put, especially the part I bolded.
I agree, 7-9 given the schedule is not out of the question. Even if they go 7-9, they probably will still be better (at least in theory) than about half the teams that go 8-8 or better. That is just part of being in the AFC and specifically in the AFC south. It is (right now) the toughest division in football.

I don't think there is anyone here who doesn't think this team still has needs. As far as I am concerned, as long as they are improving, but still not "there", I don't mind having a less the reality record. It provides a better draft position, which should mean a better shot at continuing to improve where they want to.

Does this mean I don't want them to go 10-6 or better, heck no. But I do have to prepare for the reality of what and where they are. I love the direction they are headed. They are doing everything I would be doing if I were, GM. So it is hard for me to complain. Sure I can nit-pick, but the overall results speak for themselves, IMO.