Houston Texans: Previewing the Texans Road to the Playoffs

So the bye week is over and now comes the part of the season the Texans have struggled with for years November and December. It is Texans-esque to blow these last games of the season by very small margins, but this year our schedule is a lot easier. Two or three years ago with a back up QB playing, our three remaining division games would make our playoffs hopes dim. We have a new team now in 2011 with the best defense and run game, a solid offensive line, and we have the best WR in the league back to play for us. So now it is time to analyze the Texans six remaings games.

Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a team with a rookie QB and a shotty offensive line that will be no match for our pass rush. RB Maurice Jones-Drew is their best player on offense and he has accumulated 941 rushing yards this season, but last outing against the Texans though we were able to hold him to 63 yards.Their defense is decent, but we were able to rush for over 150 yards against them. So if we are able to take this game early and run the ball to kill the clock, look for the Texans to get an easy win.

Atlanta Falcons

This will be the toughest team the Texans face for the remainder of the year, they have a good running game in RB Michael Turner and QB Matt Ryan has quiet the receiving core. The main cause for the Texans on this game is having our offensive line block against the 2nd best run defense in the NFL. This game Leinart might have to get in on the action, and who knows former Texan CB Dunta Robinson than the guy who lined up against him every day in practice, Andre Johnson?

Cincinnati Bengals

No one is a bigger believer in the Red Rifle than me, I witnessed first hand what QB Andy Dalton did in the Rose Bowl last year, but he is still no match for our defense. With a heavy pass rush and a disciplined pass coverage we can make Andy leave the  pocket and force him to make decisions under pressure. After playing the second best defense RB Arian Foster and RB Ben Tate  have to face off against the Bengals 3rd ranked rush defense  and 11ith ranked pass offense. Even though we took their best played CB Johnathan Joseph this off-season, the Cincinnati defense has looked very balanced. Leinart will need to show some intuition and won’t have to do much to win this game, but it won’t be an easy win.

Carolina Panthers

QB Cam Newton is turning into an offensive machine, but Carolina is lacking on the other side of the ball. With the 30th worse rush defense in the NFL, look for Tate and Foster to rack up the yards, and allow Leinart to manage his way to an easy victory. If our defensive lineman are disciplined and make sure Newton can’t run the ball at will, we should be able to stop the Panthers offense.

Indianapolis Colts

Not only is this our only primetime game of the year, but it would be the first year, in franchise history, the Texans defeat the Colts in both division games in the same year. They are a bottom 10 defense and offense if we were to lose to them, I might go jump off of 610.

Tennesse Titans

The final battle for the AFC South, to win the division title, and be crowned into NFL history as the first Texan team to make the playoffs. With QB Matt Hassleback hurt I do not see this team progressing well. RB Chris Jonhson has not performed up to speed and last time the Texans faced the Titans we won 41-7 and each of our running backs ran for 100 yards.

In Conclusion

Those last two division games in the past used to scare me, but now they seem like walks in the park. I am worried about playing Cincinnati and Atlanta, but you know what 2 losses out of our last six games puts the Texans at 11-5, and I would say Texans nation would be okay with that, and planning a trip to the playoffs as well.