WK1 Colts@CHI, Pats@TEN, Jags@MIN, Fins@HOU WK2 Vikes@IND, Texans@JAX, Titans@SD WK3 Lions@TEN, Jags@IND, Texans@DEN WK4 Titans@HOU, Bengals@JAX (Colts Bye) WK5 Pack@IND, Titans@MIN, Bears@JAX, Texans@NYJ** WK6 Steelers@TEN*, Colts@NYJ, Pack@HOU (Jags Bye) WK7 Titans@BUF, Browns@IND, Ravens@HOU, Jags@OAK WK8 Jags@GB, Colts@TEN (Hou Bye) WK9 Bears@TEN, Fins@IND, Lions@JAX, Bills@HOU WK10 Colts@JAX*, Titans@MIA, Texans@CHI WK11 Colts@NE, Jags@HOU (Titans Bye) WK12 Texans@DET*, Bills@IND, Titans@JAX WK13 Jags@BUF, Colts@DET, Texans@TEN WK14 Jets@JAX, Titans@IND, Texans@NE** WK15 Jags@MIA, Colts@HOU, Jets@TEN WK16 Titans@GB, Colts@KC, Pats@JAX, Vikes@HOU WK17 Jags@TEN, Texans@IND *Thursday Night **Monday Night All Teams play AFC-East and NFC-North Houston flex games: @DEN, Ravens Indianapolis flex games: @KC, Browns Jacksonville flex games: @OAK, Bengals Tennessee flex games: @SD, Steelers
...and if we presume to make this a two team race: WK1 Pats@TEN, Fins@HOU WK2 Texans@JAX, Titans@SD WK3 Lions@TEN, Texans@DEN WK4 Titans@HOU WK5 Titans@MIN, Texans@NYJ** WK6 Steelers@TEN*, Pack@HOU WK7 Titans@BUF, Ravens@HOU WK8 Colts@TEN (Hou Bye) WK9 Bears@TEN, Bills@HOU WK10 Titans@MIA, Texans@CHI WK11 Jags@HOU (Titans Bye) WK12 Texans@DET*, Titans@JAX WK13 Texans@TEN WK14 Titans@IND, Texans@NE** WK15 Colts@HOU, Jets@TEN WK16 Titans@GB, Vikes@HOU WK17 Jags@TEN, Texans@IND *Thursday Night **Monday Night All Teams play AFC-East and NFC-North Houston flex games: @DEN, Ravens Tennessee flex games: @SD, Steelers Titans have a relatively late bye with 4 of their 6 divisional games following. Titans AFC-E/NFC-N games are the reverse home vs away as Hou. They have Pack on the road, Pats at home, etc. It would be fair to say that the Titans do not have a significantly easier schedule than the Texans. Titans have a short week to prepare for Steelers, Texans have a short week to prepare for Lions. Texans also have short weeks to prepare for Packers and Colts (December). Kenny Britt expected to miss 1-2 games due to suspension. Order of tiebreakers: Head to head Divisional game win percentage Common game win percentage (AFC-E and NFC-N games) Conference Games (the two flex games) Strength of victory Strength of schedule http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures
nice summary. Pats gotta take care of business and start the season off 0-1 TEN (and 1-0 HOU of course) clearly at a minimum we need to take care of business at home against TEN Weeks 5-7 heading into our bye will be key. Need to stay afloat and at least tied with TEN as we go through a tougher stretch than them.
The Titans were on the Texans' heels well into the season last year. Any level of underachiement by this team will make it a race. This is the NFL afterall.
So far, Hou 2-0 Colts 1-1 Jax, Ten winless Long season left. Texans took care of business, but getting those division wins is always critical (first tiebreaker). Titans drop their first of two flex games with Steelers looming as the second. Their run game has looked dismal, and there are signs of friction between Johnson and the coachng staff. Colts haven't been shabby. Luck is definitely a franchise QB in the making. I predicted Jacksonville would have a 2-win season, and they look the part so far. Week 3: Critical Hou @ DEN DET @ TEN JAX @ IND divisional matchup Week 4: TEN @ HOU divisional matchup JAX @ CIN GB @ IND Houston remaining Away: Denver, NYJ, Chicago, Detroit, Tennessee, New England, Indianapolis Home: Titans, Packers, Ravens, Bills, Jaguars, Colts, Vikings Titans remaining Away: Houston, Minnesota, Buffalo, Miami, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Green Bay Home: Lions, Steelers, Colts, Bears, Texans, Jets, Jaguars
Difference is... the Titans don't even look to be the same team as last year. Assuming they lose to the Lions, they'll be 0-3 going into week 4 in the match up against the Texans at Reliant. I know a few years ago they started 0-5 or 0-6 or w/e and then had that rally with VY, but that's not going to happen again. Safe to say that even if we win 8 or 9 games, we should comfortably have this division the way things are looking. If anything, the Colts look like the 2nd best eam in the AFC South going into week 3. Still a lot of football to be played though.
Also: Hou has allowed the fewest points (entire league) in the first two weeks (17) Hou has the highest points differential in the NFL (+40) #10 in total yards gained #6 in rushing yards gained tied #9 in total points scored tied #4 in first downs gained tied #8 in 3rd down conversion percentage #1 in fewest yards allowed #1 in fewest passing yards allowed #8 in fewest rushing yards allowed #1 in fewest first downs allowed #1 in lowest 3rd down conversion percentage Have not allowed a fourth down in 3 attempts (best in NFL) #2 in fewest passing yards per attempt allowed tied #8 in INT tied #6 in sacks tied #4 in most negative yardage on sacks tied #2 in fewest passing TDs allowed tied #2 in opposing QBR allowed Have not allowed a single run of 20 yards or more Have not allowed a single rushing TD #2 in Give/Take Differential (+5) Matt Schaub #13 in QBR and #8 in completion percentage. Also one of six starting QBs to not have an INT yet. Arian Foster #7 in rushing yardage and tied #1 in rushing TDs Ben Tate #31 in rushing yardage and #13 in ypc JJ Watt tied #2 in sacks JJ Watt tied #3 in pass deflections, only non-DB in the top 10 And finally: ESPN Power Rankings, Week 2 #2 Houston Texans #26 Tennessee Titans #27 Indianapolis Colts #31 Jacksonville Jaguars http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/3
the flaming thumbtacks will be 0-4 after week 4. jax is weak and already we have a road win against them. colts look decent but barely beat a mediocre vikings team at home with a last minute field goal. Texans will have to lose the division because none of those teams are capable of winning it out right if you know what I mean. Bottom line, Texans division to lose.
"Can the Houston Texans go undefeated?" http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8417884/nfl-houston-texans-go-undefeated
Those articles are a jinx, and should never, ever be published unless a team is already 10-0, if not 12-0. I'm sticking to my guns with a win prediction of 12, +1/-2 HOU 3-0, 1-0 div, 1-0 flex JAX 1-0, 1-1 div TEN 1-2, 0-0 div, 0-1 flex IND 1-2, 0-1 div Next week: WK4 Titans@HOU, Bengals@JAX (Colts Bye) Bengals *should* be too much for Jaguars, even at home. Titans showed their passing game can make up for Chris Johnson's slump, so we can't come out expecting a division win just by showing up. One game at a time. No injuries allowed. We're now in the toughest 5-game stretch of the season. @DEN, Titans, @Jets, Packers, Ravens Get to the bye at 5-2 or better, and we will be sitting pretty. **Update: Revis is gone for the season, improving our chances at NYJ. Still will not be an easy game, but I'm optimistic our defense will give Tebow-Sanchez a thrashing.
This is a weird thread. The other three teams in division are playing inexperienced QBs and are not threats. If the Texans don't win the division it will either be humiliating or a ton of injuries.
