2011 Houston Texans Team Preview | NFL Predictions
The Houston Texans had a laundry list of expectations heading into the 2010 campaign; however, people in the Space City were heavily disappointed.
2011 Houston Texans Team Preview/Predictions
2010 Record: 6-10
ATS Record: 6-10
The Texans finished with six wins, their smallest win total since 2006, Gary Kubiak’s first year as head coach.
However, one of the few bright spots of the season was running back Arian Foster. The undrafted free agent ran for 180 yards in the final game of the season against division rival Jacksonville to win the NFL rushing title. Foster finished with 1,616 yards rushing, the highest single-season total for an undrafted player. He also had 604 receiving yards to become the sixth player in league history to reach 1,500 yards rushing and 600 yards receiving in the same year.
Sadly for Foster and his Texans, his numbers never translated to victories, mostly because Houston’s defense was so bad.
Shortly after the season ended, it got really ugly in Houston. Some outraged fans began to bombard local sports radio talk shows. They were calling for Kubiak to be fired. It didn’t work, though, and Kubiak is back for another season as the head man. The locals are hoping this year will be better. It has to be if Kubiak wants to stick around in H-Town.
Houston made no secret that fixing its defense was the top priority in the offseason, so the Texans decided to hire former Dallas Cowboy head coach Wade Phillips. Houston is going to convert to Phillips’ 3-4 defense, which is really more of a 5-2.
The next move for Houston was to select J.J. Watt from Wisconsin with its first pick in the NFL draft. Watt is a perfect fit for the Phillips defense. Shaun Cody will more than likely be the nose tackle, and Antonio Smith should be the other defensive end. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
At the linebacker position, the two inside guys will be DeMeco Ryans and former defensive player of the year Brian Cushing. Connor Barwin will the right outside linebacker unless Brooks Reed can win the starting job. The biggest debate in Houston is the transition of Mario Williams to left outside linebacker.
If Super Mario is going to make this transition, he needs to cut his weight; he currently weighs 295 pounds.
While Houston’s secondary is among the worst in football there is good news for Texans fans, and that is found in the fact that Phillips’ scheme does not require a strong secondary. Still, the team needs to get more from 2010 first round pick Kareem Jackson.
Bernard Pollard is simply not a starting-caliber performer, and Troy Nolan will more than likely be the strong safety for the Texans this season. Glover Quinn will likely make the move from corner to free safety, and second-round pick Brandon Harris will take over opposite of Jackson.
Luckily for Houston, it plays in a very winnable division, but it doesn’t have enough defense to overtake the Indianapolis Colts.
2011 Texans Futures
Super Bowl Odds: +2550
Conference Odds: +1250
AFC South Odds: +180
2011-2012 NFL Regular Season Wins: Over 9.5
2011 Texans Predictions:
Place they’ll finish in AFC South: 2nd
Place they’ll finish in AFC Conference: 7th
Over/Under Wins Prediction: OVER
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