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Can the Texans go undefeated?

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Air Langhi, Sep 24, 2012.

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Air Langhi Contributing Member

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http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8417884/nfl-houston-texans-go-undefeated

If I were to submit my Power Rankings right now, the Houston Texans would sit on top. I am sure many Atlanta Falcons' fans will dispute my claim after the Falcons took down the San Diego Chargers on the road. And the Arizona Cardinals were also extremely impressive Sunday, but I still have questions concerning their offensive line and quarterback situation.

Until Arizona answers those questions to my liking it's going to remain outside the conversation when I'm talking about the best teams in the NFL. By contrast, Houston looks to have the AFC South all but wrapped up -- after just three weeks.

The Texans' recipe is pretty simple. Along with Arizona, Seattle, Philadelphia and San Francisco, Houston has one of the five elite defenses in football, although this wasn't the Eagles' finest performance in Week 3. The Texans' defense is really without weakness. Because they are so dominant on this side of the ball, Houston can be a run-first operation on offense. And no team in the NFL is as good at running the rock as the Texans, with their zone blocking scheme and great pair of running backs.

Everything on offense stems from that running game, as Matt Schaub is great at selling play-action and is very efficient with the passing game. Andre Johnson remains an elite wide receiver and some young wideouts like Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin are coming on to contribute. Houston also has a deep and versatile group of tight ends/fullbacks that they use extremely well to go along with one of the top offensive lines in the league.

Houston is good. Very good, in fact. But how good can they be by the end of the season? Can they win the Super Bowl? For sure. I mentioned that their division cannot keep up with the Texans, but how about the rest of their schedule? Can they go undefeated?

#1 Air Langhi, Sep 24, 2012

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Stupid question, no.

#2 rolyat93, Sep 24, 2012
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Statistically improbable.

#3 liljojo, Sep 24, 2012
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.....

MourningWood said: ↑

"Can the Houston Texans go undefeated?"

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8417884/nfl-houston-texans-go-undefeated

If I were to submit my Power Rankings right now, the Houston Texans would sit on top. I am sure many Atlanta Falcons' fans will dispute my claim after the Falcons took down the San Diego Chargers on the road. And the Arizona Cardinals were also extremely impressive Sunday, but I still have questions concerning their offensive line and quarterback situation.

Until Arizona answers those questions to my liking it's going to remain outside the conversation when I'm talking about the best teams in the NFL. By contrast, Houston looks to have the AFC South all but wrapped up -- after just three weeks.

The Texans' recipe is pretty simple. Along with Arizona, Seattle, Philadelphia and San Francisco, Houston has one of the five elite defenses in football, although this wasn't the Eagles' finest performance in Week 3. The Texans' defense is really without weakness. Because they are so dominant on this side of the ball, Houston can be a run-first operation on offense. And no team in the NFL is as good at running the rock as the Texans, with their zone blocking scheme and great pair of running backs.

Everything on offense stems from that running game, as Matt Schaub is great at selling play-action and is very efficient with the passing game. Andre Johnson remains an elite wide receiver and some young wideouts like Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin are coming on to contribute. Houston also has a deep and versatile group of tight ends/fullbacks that they use extremely well to go along with one of the top offensive lines in the league.

Houston is good. Very good, in fact. But how good can they be by the end of the season? Can they win the Super Bowl? For sure. I mentioned that their division cannot keep up with the Texans, but how about the rest of their schedule? Can they go undefeated?

Obviously, it is very early to discuss such a thing, but let's just say the Texans get past Week 6 and 7 when they play host to Green Bay and Baltimore … then the undefeated talk will be going full force. They visit Chicago in Week 10 and New England in Week 14. Any team can lose any given week in the NFL, and those are the four difficult games on Houston's schedule. Compared to some of the daunting schedules faced by the NFL's other top teams, that challenge isn't too terrible. But going undefeated takes more than a relatively easy schedule. It demands perfection.

Do I think Houston is a legitimate threat to win out? No. I really do not.

What could derail Houston? More so than most teams, injuries worry me with this squad. Of course any key player can be injured in any game, but Schaub, Johnson and Owen Daniels have a pretty extensive injury history -- and they are no longer spring chickens. It would be very difficult for the Texans to get by without any of those three.

My other big concern with Houston's bid to go undefeated is its ability to mount a late comeback. If Houston finds itself in a shootout type of game (against Green Bay or New England perhaps) or down on the scoreboard by a few touchdowns, can it win that type of game? Schaub is a good quarterback, but no one should confuse him with Aaron Rodgers and this offense isn't built to air it out down after down.

Much like San Francisco over these past two seasons, I think Houston has to play its particular style of game to be at its best. As we saw late in Sunday's game, the Texans can go into a shell at times in terms of play-calling. They are exceptional at controlling games and are great at doing so early in games. But in a throw-fest against another heavyweight, I fear Schaub would come up short. Of course, as Peyton Manning found out most of the day Sunday, throwing against J.J. Watt (who I believe is in the early mix for defensive player of the year) and a strong Texan pass-rush into a deep secondary with great coverage safeties and the second-best corner in football (Johnathan Joseph) is no easy feat for any quarterback.

Houston has the makeup to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But when you look at the other great teams that have threatened to finish the season with an unblemished record, there are just a few too many question marks for me to believe they can pull it off.
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#4 J.R., Sep 24, 2012
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even the best teams throw up stinkers. they ain't going undefeated.

#5 macalu, Sep 24, 2012
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that's a clown question, bro.

#6 BrieflySpeaking, Sep 24, 2012
REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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Like a virgin on prom night. Jump the gun much?

#7 REEKO_HTOWN, Sep 24, 2012

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if they don't lose a game they might .

#8 conquistador#11, Sep 24, 2012
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posted before. but to answer your question who cares. as long as we get to the playoffs that's all we should want.

#9 BigBird, Sep 24, 2012
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All that matters is that they go undefeated in the PLAYOFFS!!

#10 plcmts17, Sep 24, 2012
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Of course they can, but it is unlikely.

#11 swilkins, Sep 24, 2012
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No...

#12 ItsMyFault, Sep 24, 2012
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There is only one answer that makes sense.
The question asks "CAN" the Texans go undefeated, not WILL they go undefeated, or even "are they likely to" go undefeated. However improbable you deem it, unless you can say for certain that it is not possible, then you must acknowledge that it CAN happen.

So, yes.

Poorly worded question, IMO.

#13 zaam, Sep 24, 2012

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Can? Sure. Will? Very unlikely.

Week 6 against Green Bay is probably a tossup.
Likewise with the game against Baltimore.

The Sunday night game against the Chicago Bears (in CHI) later in the season is a probable loss.
Likewise with the game at New England.

And it's probable that the Texans will have one stinker and lose a game against a team that's far inferior. I.E. a "trap" game. The Thanksgiving Day game @ Detroit, and the late season games @ Tennessee and @ Indianapolis are possible candidates. The 49ers laid their egg yesterday against the Vikings. It happens.

With that said, I feel highly confident that the Texans could finish 13-3 or 12-4 and have the best regular season record in the NFL.

#14 Cold Hard, Sep 24, 2012
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ItsMyFault said: ↑

No...
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I remember you predicting 8-8 for them this year. Have the first 3 weeks changed your perceptions of the team at all, or was this what you were expecting thus far? Not calling you out or anything....I'm genuinely curious.

#15 Fyreball, Sep 24, 2012
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I think the Vegas line was over/under 10 games, don't remember the pay out though

#16 jocar, Sep 24, 2012
Air Langhi Contributing Member

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That was the title of the article. I don't think they are going undefeated.

#17 Air Langhi, Sep 24, 2012
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I don't care if they win every game...I just want them to win the last game.

#18 Wooderson, Sep 24, 2012

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Probably not I'm gonna say 13-3

#19 ynelilvs99, Sep 24, 2012
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I'm as big a homer for Houston teams as you'll ever find (yes, even the Astros). I love the Texans as much as anyone else, but there's no way they are going undefeated.

If the Texans go undefeated this season, I'll put $100 in the tipjar.

#20 BetterThanI, Sep 24, 2012

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