[SportsRadio610] Pancakes: Texans Closer To A Title Than Rockets

I would be totally surprised if we went 8-8.

You gotta figure we'll go 5-1 against our very weak division. Only way we do worse than that is if we have everything wrapped up by the last titans game like a couple of years ago.

I just can't see us going 3-7 against the rest of the league.

 

I'm not gonna argue because it makes me feel like I'm rooting against my team

I just wouldn't be surprised..given how one Cushing injury made our defense look so pedestrian down the stretch against J-Ville of all teams, I just wouldn't be surprised if we finished 8-8. I don't THINK that's gonna happen...but it wouldn't shock me in the slightest.

 

I will be mouth-on-the-floor shocked if they win fewer than 9 games. (Again, assuming relatively good health.)

The NFL can drop a 180 better than any league on the planet - but they have nine games against teams that won seven or fewer games last year, including eight against teams that earned a top 11 draft pick. As for the decidely more difficult remaining seven games (all 2011 playoff teams), four are in Reliant.

No way they go 8-8; there's no way. You, and everyone else, should absolutely be surprised. Like, clutching your heart, "Holy S! You scared me!" after we all jump out from behind the couch as you fall to the floor and have a heart attack surprised.

 

Texans Season does finish before the Rockets Season . .. .

Rocket River

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2013/07/rockets-have-best-odds-to-bring-a-title-to-houston/

The Rockets now have the best odds of bringing a title to Houston this year.

With the addition of Dwight Howard, the Rockets are 9-1 odds to win next year’s NBA title, according to sports betting site bodog.

Reigning champion Miami is a 2-1 favorite to win the title. Oklahoma City is the top favorite in the Western Conference, with 13-2 odds of winning the title.

Oklahoma City eliminated the Rockets from this past season’s playoffs.

The Texans, meanwhile, are 18-1 odds to win next year’s Super Bowl.

The San Francisco 49ers, who lost to the Ravens in last year’s Super Bowl, are 6-1 favorites to win the big game this time around.

The Texans are tied for the seventh-best odds with the Saints.

The Broncos (13-2), Seahawks (8-1), Patriots (9-1), Packers (12-1) and Falcons (14-1) follow the 49ers.

And, in case you are wondering, the Astros are 3,000-1 odds to win this year’s World Series.

 

No room for disagreement here, huh? I have to see it you way, right?

 

Disagree away! But I can't wrap my head around a compelling reason why a very good football team would inexplicably fall to 8-8 after winning 10 and 12 games the past two years. (Can we all just understand that "relative health" is implied so I don't have to qualify each time?) Wanna help me out? Is this a "Because it's Houston!" thing?

 

Relative health is a relative term. Did they stay relatively healthy last season? IF they did, we're in trouble..because Jacksonville looked like the Greatest Show on Turf against us. I keep hearing how we should expect great things on defense now that Cushing is back...I'd say we stayed relatively healthy last season..but his injury seemed to transform the defense. Swearinger better be as advertised as a rookie...otherwise, I'm concerned, because I really don't think Reed is going to be there early on.

It's also the NFL...we see teams we perceive as being really good fall to around .500 frequently...and teams we didn't expect to be so good (like the Colts last season) roll off wins we never imagined. That happens frequently.

I think our offense relies heavily on 3 guys who I can't say, "another year makes them better" anymore for. If Schaub, and only Schaub, goes down, we're in trouble. Just too dependent on him relative to Yates. As much as I love Yates because he wears my old number, I don't trust him.

I don't THINK they're going 8-8. But I don't see that as crazy. Their Vegas over/under number is 10. This isn't some juggernaut team where winning 8 games means they're 4 games under their number. It's a league packed with parity.

I'm sure you'll have all sorts of reasons to disagree...and you're not wrong. I'm not suggesting you're wrong. I'm just saying I personally won't be shocked if they finish 8-8. I'd predict right at 10 wins. But I don't think it's a stretch to say that a team I THINK will win 10 games could conceivably only win 8.

 

I will not rest, MadMax, until you will be shocked when they finish 8-8.

 

Barring major injuries to our core players, there's no way in hell we finish anywhere near 8-8. I have us at 12-13.

 

A 25 game schedule sounds SWEET!! ( i know what you meant!!)

you need to be all over the over/under @vegas then. 10 is a huge value if you really see 12-13.

 

Honestly, that sounds high.

Of those bets, I'd take the Falcons. People seem to forget they barely lost the NFC championship game.

 

If I were in Vegas, I'd jump on 12-1 Packers.

It's an upside-down world when the Seahawks are 8-1

 

Sure; but what we don't see, generally, are consistently good teams fall off a cliff for no discernible reason. We see one-year anomalies (like the Texans in ’10, for instance) – but good teams that have a strong core nucleus and retain key personnel and draft relatively well… they generally stay good for the life of their nucleus. For instance, it wouldn’t shock me if the Patriots went 8-8 this year; they lost three vital offensive components and that offense has carried a fairly average-to-mediocre defense. They’ll probably win 10 games – but that team, on paper, has some pretty sizeable obstacles.

But the Texans? Other than injuries, which are a concern for every team, I just can’t fathom that they won’t win at least 9 games IRH. (And I’d put money on it being closer to 11.) 8-8 would floor me.

As for IRH (“if relatively healthy”) – it’s my opinion that good teams can successfully absorb nagging injuries (where several stars miss a game or two) and even a (singular) major one. Case in point: the Texans reeling off three straight wins and eventually a playoff victory without Schaub.

Unfortunately, the Texans had an unprecedented stretch of six consecutive games against playoff teams last year – and when you can’t mix in Jacksonville or Tennessee here and there, major injuries are harder to cover-up because the good teams are going to expose you.

So they went 6-1 in their first seven games without Cushing (their one loss to Rodgers); 1-3 (2-4 with playoffs) down the stretch as the competition got markedly better (Brady twice; Luck twice; Adrian Peterson….).

 

Texans have a better shot because it's the NFL. You don't have to be the best in the NFL to win it all, just get hot at the right time.. (Giants and Ravens)

I'm not saying that isn't true in the NBA.. it happens.. like Dallas a few years ago. But in general, the team with the best superstar usually wins (Heat last 2 years and Lakers a few years ago)

That said, the Rockets have a MUCH larger window

 

I'd take that too, but I think their odds are about the same as the Falcons. I'd take both ahead of the Seahawks.

 

People with a vested interest in the Texans (McClain, 610) think the Texans will have more success? Color me shocked.

IMO, the Texans are already on the way down. The window only remains open because of the calamities that have befallen other AFC teams (Baltimore losing everyone, Patriots losing Hernandez and Welker), but it will close very soon. I don't think the Texans are good enough to do it this year (mostly because of Denver), and then the window is closed. Thus, the Rockets are closer as they have the potential to win this year (unlike the Texans, I feel) and in the future.

 

how is their window closing after this year?

 

Age. Impending contract extensions and cuts. It's about to get tricky... I could see a ballsy GM blowing it up next year and rebuilding around Watt and the defense. The window wont be shut, not for certain, but it'll be an offseason with a lot of questions.

 

The only way I see the Texans backsliding is if Matt Schaub finally drives off the cliff. If he is sub-par this year and the Texans miss the playoffs, he will be cut, and the rebuild will begin. It may take a couple of seasons to get a new QB totally up to speed. Odds are against that, however. And no matter what, the cornerstones of the franchise are not going anywhere.