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Every year since the NFL went to their new 8-division format in 2002, one team who finished last in their division the year prior, has turned around and won the division the following season. Of course, that leaves 8 candidates this upcoming season, one of them being the Houston Texans, coming off an abysmal 2-14 campaign in 2013.
And you figure with a new Head Coach (Bill O’Brien, with the Texans sending Gary Kubiak packing), a new QB (Ryan Fitzpatrick), a shiny new DL via the #1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft (Jadeveon Clowney) and just simple odds bouncing their way (the Texans were 2-10 in one score games along with losing their final 14 games), they would have at least a puncher’s chance in a division with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans (who aren’t world beaters themselves) of challenging the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South.
Whoa, Texans fans. Sorry to burst your bubble, but here’s why the only way you’ll win the AFC South is in Madden 15:
#1: Tell me, exactly what Ryan Fitzpatrick has done in his NFL career? This is the best the Texans could come up with in the Offseason? They had a world beater on the Defensive-line already in J.J. Watt, one of the 5 best NFL players hands down. They could have taken Johnny Manziel, brought in another veteran QB, and created a buzz around the team that’s been sorely lacking. Instead they take Clowney, and color me unimpressed. You’ve likely seen the YouTube video or endless SportsCenter clip of him blowing up that Michigan RB probably a hundred times. Now you’ll see him getting blown up by NFL linemen.
This is literally the San Diego Chargers drafting Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning. When either Manziel leads the Browns or (worst still) Blake Bortles leads the Jaguars to the playoffs, I hope O’Brien and his staff has their bags packed because the blowback from the fan base will be well justified. They had a CLEAR, acute need at QB and passed. (And no, Tom Savage isn’t the answer, I watched him at Pitt, not even close to good enough to succeed in the NFL).
#2: Arian Foster isn’t exactly healthy. He hasn’t been practicing and hamstring injuries have a way of lasting off and on through a whole season. He’s expected to miss his 2nd straight preseason game. When healthy, he’s a top 10 back, no question. But now there is no Ben Tate to spell him, the Andre Brown experiment failed (and he was cut), and for goodness sakes they just pulled Ronnie Brown off the scrap heap! It’s not like Adrian Peterson is walking through that door.
#3: You have a VERY unhappy Andre Johnson, who is the anti-Terrell Owens in his time with the Texans, always professional, playing through injuries and pain, really the only WR option the Texans have had, and he simply wants to win. This has devolved into him wanting a trade and O’Brien telling him to basically “shut up and color”. It’s an ugly distraction and not at all Johnson’s fault. Dan Marino was one of the best to every play the QB position, and never got to the Super Bowl. Same with Steve Largent of the Seahawks. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
#4: While the Defensive-line appears to be set (if you assume Clowney has a major impact, which is quite an expectation), there are major problems/question marks at linebacker and the secondary. The Texans finished at or near the bottom in major defensive categories last year and outside of Clowney really haven’t changed a whole lot.
For most of their franchise history have been a deficient defensive unit (the major exception being 2011, with the arrival of Wade Phillips they were near the top in most categories and made their first postseason appearance), which is why they’ve only made the playoffs twice in 12 years and never advanced past the first round.
Last year while they only gave up 5000 yards, they allowed 26.8 points per game, T-24th in the NFL. This is why Total Yards allowed is a pointless statistic in saying who is the #1 Defense and Points Allowed/gm is a much better measure, with the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs allowed fewer than 20 PPG in 2013. All 6 teams made the playoffs).
This figures to only get worse with the NFL’s new enforcement of illegal contact and holding by Defensive Backs in the 2014 season. If the Defensive-line does not get home to the QB, the secondary will take on a Ghost Rider like appearance!
#5: The Indianapolis Colts simply have a better football team from 1-53. And Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck > Ryan Fitzpatrick.
It would be pretty foolish to say the Texans will win less than 2 games this season. So you can pencil them in for 5-6 wins. But playoffs? PLAYOFFS?
Joe Cummings is a Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on twitter or Facebook.
