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Week 6 Sunday 16th October 2005 |
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'Who the hell are the Houston Texans?' a lapsed NFL fan asked me recently and seeing as it's the first time the Seahawks have met them it's probably a good place to start.
At the start of my NFL career in the early 1980's the Houston Oilers were the biggest joke team around. They didn't turn their fortunes around until 1987 when the beat the Seahawks 23-20 in overtime in a wild card play off game. They followed this up by going not very deep into the play offs for the next 6 seasons but something was up.
With their lease at the Houston Astrodome due to expire in 1998 owner Bud Adams announced that he was moving the franchise to Nashville Tennessee and that is indeed what he did. For 2 seasons between 1997-1998 they played as the Tennessee Oilers and then became the Tennessee Titans from there on in leaving Houston without a team.
Salvation for the city came in the shape of Bob McNair's failed bid to bring an Ice Hockey team to Houston after which he turned his attentions to getting an NFL franchise back. With the NFL favouring an expansion team in the Los Angeles area things didn't look bright but due to the inability of the LA team to come up with a feasible financial plan Houston won it's franchise back.
Now what to call the team? The five choices were the Apollos, Bobcats, Stallions, Texans and Wildcatters. Missed opportunity there methinks!
Starting out in 2002 the team have yet to post a winning season although they did achieve the distinction of becoming the first expansion team in 41 years to win their opening fixture, putting one over the Dallas Cowboys 19-10.
From the very start they have put their faith in the number 1 pick of the 2002 draft, QB David Carr and he remains the focus of the Texans. Last season was hyped by some to be his break out season and there were signs of improvement but a 7-9 record was neither good nor bad but their were signs that Carr was finally getting it.
Unfortunately for the Texans he has started the 2005 season going backwards. That is statistically speaking and literally normally ending up on his back still holding on to the ball. With 27 sacks from 4 games and an earlier unenviable record someone has calculated that he has lost half a mile in sack yardage in his relatively short NFL career.
On the injury front WR's Andre Johnson and rookie Jerome Mathis are listed as questionable and it would be a boost for the Seahawks if they can't play as Johnson is a real danger man selected 3rd in the 2003 draft. Mathis is a worry bearing in mind what the Rams did to us on the opening kick off last Sunday as he is a former college sprint champion and I wouldn't like to see him being given any space on returns.
As for the Seahawks both starters Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram are out which didn't prove to be a problem last week but Andre Dyson and Floyd Womack are doubtful and not expected to play.
Kelly Herndon will start for Dyson with Jordan Babineaux in on the nickel formation. Sean Locklear will continue at RT for Womack and a very good job he has been making of it too.
Statistically it's Seattle's No 1 ranked offence against the worst ranked defense so don't expect anyone to be tipping the Texans to win this one let alone me. I expect them to be vulnerable against the run and with Shaun Alexander needing 195 yards to break the Seahawks all time rushing record I expect the Texans defense to be sick of the sight of him come the end of the game
The game is to be nationally televised on Sunday Night Football in the US with a 1:30am Monday kick off time in the UK. What, so you think we wont be in the chat room for this one? Wrong!
Radio
Commentary available via Field Pass: http://www.nfl.com/fieldpass
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In fact stay tuned to the message board in case we can pick up a live TV feed.
Andrew Robinson (HawksHead)
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