The Texans are doing exactly what they should be doing. I have repeatedly said that we really won’t know who this team is until they play another playoff-caliber team. I still feel that way – but the fact that they are beating and often dominating inferior teams is a hell of a good sign.
For the third straight game, the Houston defense allowed under 175 total yards of offense. Sure, they played three teams who aren’t very good at offense in the Titans, Jaguars, and Browns – but these are NFL offenses, and the Texans defense is becoming consistently dominant. Rookie linebacker Brooks Reed notched two sacks, giving him four in the last three games in place of Mario Williams. Brian Cushing continues to play at an incredibly high level. He was all over the field and once again looked as vicious and aggressive as he did in his rookie season. If Cushing doesn’t end up an All-Pro this year (assuming he continues to play like he is now) it will be because voters assume he’s “doing something he shouldn’t be doing” if you know what I mean.
On offense, Arian Foster and Ben Tate did it again. They each went over 100 yards rushing for the second time this season, leading Houston to a franchise record 261 rushing yards. So much for the Browns being solid on defense. Not today. Matt Schaub didn’t do much in the air, but it’s because he didn’t have to. The scary thing is that the Texans are chomping up all these rushing yards without the threat of Andre Johnson as a receiver. It’s hard to imagine the Texans running game actually getting better, but when Johnson returns (after the bye week as it was always going to be) – that is certainly a possibility.
The Texans have it all right there in front of them. Next up they have a tough road game in Tampa Bay, and then finally the bye week. When you look at the Texans’ remaining schedule, there isn’t a single game they cannot win. They won’t be heavy underdogs in any of the rest of their games, and there isn’t a single one that you look at and think “this is probably a loss.” Let’s be honest – if the Texans don’t win the AFC South, it will be a MONUMENTAL failure at this point, both because of the weakness of the division, and the way the Texans are playing.
It’s impossible not to be excited as a Texans fan right now. The team is 6-3, and this is the best time to be a Houston pro football fan since the last time the Oilers were decent back in… well, it was a long time ago.
Nov 6, 2011 at 19:29:27
I think this three-game stretch has been huge as far as developing a winning philosophy in this town. It hasn’t happened yet (you know you are fighting off the urge to wonder just how we’ll manage to close 2-5) but this streak is a big deal.
TEN, JAX, and CLE are all condensers for being “that mediocre team that guts out 9-7 and somehow sneaks into the playoffs while Roger Goodell screams ‘parity!’ at the top of his lungs.” this isn’t Indy or Miami here. And we have dominated all 3.
Oh yeah, and we did it without our 2 best players (sorry foster, no shame in 3rd place). Not only that, but we’ve managed to only slightly overuse Foster, and that plus strong play from redshirt freshman Ben Tate gives confidence that we can still expect good running offense when we make it to the playoffs.
These are the kinds of things that winning teams do; remember PIT going 4-2 without Big Ben? Remember an injury-ravaged GB win the Super Bowl? Remember when Peyton went down and the Colts responded by…wait a second.
Speaking of, bold prediction: MIA plays themselves out of #1 and the Colts take luck; correct me if I’m wrong, but no one who doesn’t suck as a human being wants to see Peyton go back out there and get himself paralyzed. And that’s coming from one of the many Texans fans who have patiently waited for the day when Peyton got out of the way of my team.
Nov 6, 2011 at 20:43:37
That is a perfect picture for the website, Cushing’s bloody face. True Texans warrior right there
Nov 7, 2011 at 02:23:06
“For the third straight game, the Houston defense allowed under 175 total yards of offense.”
DOES NOT COMPUTE.
I’ll be a concern troll and say that perhaps we’re leaning on Arian Foster a bit too much. After the lightened work load against CLE (thanks to Tate), he’s on pace for 307 rushing attempts, which isn’t too bad over a 16 game schedule, but if you add in the almost sure-thing playoff game (I’ve seen the Texans’ odds at getting a playoff game listed around 95%, and of winning the division around 92%), that’s another game on his legs.
Now, of course, the later in the season the Texans play, the better! The point isn’t to avoid games, it’s to win a Super Bowl.
This is why bringing Andre back healthy is so important. It will help alleviate the load that Arian Foster is receiving. Thankfully we also have Ben Tate.
I’m also going to go out on a limb here and said we’re not paying Arian Foster enough, and we’re probably not paying Wade Phillips enough. Why don’t we have a Wade Phillips Day, or a Son of Bum Children’s Hospital yet?
Kubiak and Phillips is just a sick combination.
Nov 7, 2011 at 02:30:11
I’d also note that Matt Schaub has two Smart Decision (c) rushing TDs since the Oakland debacle. I don’t think Schaub should have run it in during that final play vs. OAK, but I’m wondering if he didn’t watch that play over 10 times and now has a better understanding of when to run and when to stay in there.
Or maybe I’m making shit up.
Nov 7, 2011 at 03:42:00
Eh, one last thing. Those Arian Foster numbers assume that he was playing in the games he missed; that is, they don’t take into consideration that he missed a few games due to his hamstring injury. So he’s actually on pace for more carries than it may seem.
Nov 7, 2011 at 21:10:09
Great pic for the site! Just the wrong angle. Try this one. https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/297315_10150348027221533_628961532_8537694_693704014_n.jpg