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Sell it to me on how we make the Playoffs

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by AstrosRockets1818, Aug 9, 2019.

  1. solid

    solid Contributing Member

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    The Texans didn't FIX the offensive line; end of story. As a result, they won't make the playoffs. That is how stupid the organization is.
     
  2. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    Yet somehow we still get sht on in playoffs. Regardless if the other teams has an easier diviso, we will get sht on by superior teams in playoffs
     
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  3. Rudyc281

    Rudyc281 Member

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    And WHEN we make the playoffs then what will you say?....

    Let me guess you will say it doesn’t matter won a weak division first round exit blah blah blah right?
     
  4. Rudyc281

    Rudyc281 Member

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    If we are healthy in playoffs and that’s a big IF....we will be tough to deal with.
     
  5. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    our shtty oline doesn't inspire confidence + the lack of discipline. Weren't we up there in da number of offsides
     
  6. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Contributing Member

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    Can someone give any kind of rationalization whatsoever with what we are doing with all that cap space? Does it roll over to next year? If so, what about all that cap space from LAST year, which was supposed to roll over to this year? Does cap roll over two years in a row, or is this organization just being a cheapskate and is the Texans fanbase the most gullible one out there?
     
  7. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    Idk y u care about so much about barely limping into playoffs, just for our team oline to get exposed. Last season we made it in with a weak schedule and didnt even scored a point but hey we made it in! With barely any oline improvement do u think we have a chance of winning it all this year?
    Cause i dont.
     
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  8. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

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    It's not a "use it or lose it" thing in the NFL, so yes I guess it does technically roll over. My guess is (and who knows with this organization) that they are preserving it to help re-sign the following guys or pay for replacements, all of whom expire after this year: L.Miller, Mercilus, Clowney, Roby, N.Martin, Reader, Scarlett, Cole. Then Will Fuller is up in 2021.

    Also factor in that NFL players get wildly overpaid in free agency. Go back and look at the offensive lineman for the last couple of years versus their production/grades. This lack of spending seems mostly driven by Gaine, so maybe it'll change now that he's out, but it seems he took a hard stance on not paying a premium in free agency.
     
  9. solid

    solid Contributing Member

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    I will say that they finally fixed the offensive line.
     
  10. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Contributing Member

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    So we had 10M in cap space from 2017 we didn't use. It rolled over as 18.9M in 2018 that we have brought into this year. And currently we have 36.9M in open cap space?? If we continue to roll it over, does that mean we could just have one year where we have 100+M in cap space? I'm still not sure I understand this thing.

    https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/cap/2018/
    https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/cap/
     
  11. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost not wrong
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    The only "automatic" losses we have on our schedule are the Pats, Chiefs, Chargers, and Saints. Five if you count at Indy.

    Every other game is close enough to either favored or a toss-up.

    Never underestimate how bad our opponents can be, especially our division.

    That being said, we look destined for another washout 7 or 8 win season.
     
  12. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

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    No, I'm probably not the best at explaining it but here's what it boils down to...

    Salary Cap minus total player salaries (for any given season) = cap space

    So when we say they have cap space, it simply means they haven't reached the salary cap yet. So that $36m they have now, yes it will be available for them to spend this season and next and so on, but it's not like they get to add that on to what they can spend. It's a fluid figure, not something that locks in on a said date and carries over. The salary cap is the same for all teams and you can't go over it in the NFL. Basically they are just being conservative for what I guess is to maintain the ability to re-sign their own players (like Clowney and Fuller and later Watson).

    If they go and blow most or all of that $36 mil now on multi year contracts with lots of guaranteed money, it will severely limit their ability to re-sign their own guys later without making drastic cuts. We saw this a few years ago when they had to let good players walk like Brandon Brooks, Ben Jones, Eric Winston, etc.

    But IMO and without examining the numbers, they could easily spend half of that $36 mil and still be in good shape, but I'm just not sure there was anyone worth it in free agency. I would trade for Trent Williams in a heartbeat though.
     
  13. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    The starters on offense (outside of the linemen) are really good. Top 10 QB, top 3 WR, pretty good RB tandem, good young TEs, etc.
    Once Clowney gets back that DL is top notch. ILBs are solid.
    I think they finally get NE this year.
    I also think they can handle the Falcons.
    Chargers are suspect.
    The Colts are dealing with an injured starting QB. They're toast if he can't go.
    Jags have a non-Eagle Foles, can't trust him. Plus they have injuries to their OL. Should be a sweep by the Texans.
     
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  14. SuraGotMadHops

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    Colts win the division, but this is how I see it going down:

    Saints - L
    Jags - W
    Chargers - L
    Panthers - W
    Falcons - W
    Chiefs - L
    Colts - L
    Raiders - W
    Jags - W
    Ravens - W
    Colts - L
    Patriots - L
    Broncos - W
    Titans - W
    Bucs - W
    Titans - W

    That's 10-6, enough to get a Wild Card spot. I predict they get swept by the Colts, but they sweep everyone else in the division. They don't beat any elite teams (Pats, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints), but they will have to beat some solid teams (Falcons, Ravens). The Texans playoff hopes are going to heavily depend on how they finish the last 4 games of the season, I feel a big let down in that regard though. I can see them being in the hunt going into Week 16 then pooping the bed against the Bucs or Titans. They can make it, they just gotta perform and BOB can't give away games with dumbass clock management.
     
  15. Chilly_Pete

    Chilly_Pete Contributing Member

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    Outlook is not so good.
     
    #55 Chilly_Pete, Aug 12, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2019
  16. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    You go 4-2 in the division, which I think is viable. You beat every team at least once; one team twice. They've won at least 4 division games every year of BoB's tenure, minus the disastrous '17 season - though, it should be noted: they were 1-0 that year when Watson started.

    You go 3-1 against the NFC South, which, based on '18, I think is also viable. No one, outside of the Saints, won more than 7 games in that division last year.

    You go 2-2 against the AFC West. Again, based on '18, that's viable as I think the Texans are clearly better than Denver and Oakland.

    You go 1-1 vs. the Patriots and Ravens, which, again, I think is viable.

    That's 10-6.

    Anything can happen, and all - but if you put a gun to my head and made me predict wins/losses, these would the choices I'd feel strongest about:

    Wins: Jags & Titans (1 each); Broncos, Raiders, Falcons & Panthers (both home)
    Losses: Chiefs, Patriots, Saints.

    That's 6-3. You just need to find at least 4 more wins among your remaining 7.

    And, honestly... I feel fairly confident they can beat the Colts once & the Jags or Titans twice; I think DW4 > Lamar Jackson; I'll never believe they can beat the Patriots but... they've lost their last two - in Foxboro - by a combined 10 so it wouldn't shock me if they got them at home (I'll NEVER count out the Pats - but, boy, they sure look depleted on paper) and the Chargers will never, ever scare me, which might not be a rational take - but I just don't think they're ever *that* good.

    It's a hard schedule but here's another way to look at it:
    - they have the better QB is 8 of their games (Jags + Titans, Raiders, Ravens, Broncos, Bucs)
    - they have at least an equal QB in another three games (Panthers, Falcons, Chargers)
    - I will take my chances with DW4 v Brees, Mahomes, Luck and Brady

    ===

    If they can stay healthy, they have a ton of talent that can likely overcome bad coaching. Not many teams can throw Watson, Hopkins, Fuller, Coutee, Johnson (+ whatever Miller and the TEs might offer) at you. Their offense can be downright scary. I know the OL is a problem - but they have the skill players to potentially neutralize it. And if it's just mediocre (or better)... it could be a legitimately great unit.

    Those are undoubtedly big IFs- but... they're also not terribly unrealistic.
     
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  17. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    I agree - except I don't think the Chargers are an automatic loss.

    If you look at the schedule, I think finding 10-11 wins is easier than finding 10-11 losses. I'd be more shocked if they,,, lost to the Raiders, for example, than I would be if they beat the Chiefs. I don't think they *will* beat the Chiefs - but I suspect Mahomes will regress a little bit, their defense isn't very good... Again, it's easier to chart a win there than a loss to Oakland. And, yeah - I'm dumb for even thinking it but I like their chances v the Patriots - at home, later in the season (I think...).

    DW4 is the great equalizer. He keeps this team in games.
     
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  18. Nook

    Nook Member

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    This.

    Barely limping into the playoffs isn't much of an accomplishment, especially when you lose immediately in the playoffs.

    The Texans has never been Super Bowl contenders in the history of the franchise.
     
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  19. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    Hmmm debatable the one with schaub b4 he went down was a good one.
     
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  20. DonkeyMagic

    DonkeyMagic Contributing Member
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    yeah, 2011 (before Schaub's injury) and 2012 the texans were in the mix.
     

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