2007 Outlook:

Houston ended the year on a measly 6-10 record. Although they had a bit of a flair at year's end by winning two in a row against the Colts and texans. The folks in Houston are excited about this year's team. The Texans dropped David Carr and traded a pair of 2nd round picks in '07 and '08 for Atlanta back-up Matt Schaub. Schaub did see some playing time in Atlanta over his 3-year stint as back-up gathering a career 69.2 rating. It's a well-known fact that the Texans front line is leakier than a baby's bladder which could cause problems for Schaub who has been sacked 12 times in his career. If Schaub can maintain the stubborn pocket pressure he will face and make good down-field decisions, his value could rise. The Texans also grabbed starter Ahman Green from Green Bay to solidify the backfield. 2006 starter Ron Dayne will be the back-up/short yardage back. The wide receivers once again look solid this year, with Johnson the clear starter; on the other side, veteran Keenan McCardell joins the team and will provide a solid presence opposite Johnson. The defensive front looks great with the addition of 1st round pick Amobi Okoye, however the secondary is porous.

2007 Draft Review:

Houston, for the 3rd year in a row, has once again drafted a defensive lineman. Amobi carries a stout frame at 6' 2" and will be a sparkplug in the middle for a defense in need of some run support. The Texans did manage to get a good quality pick in a tackle and once again the front seven look to be top notch. In the 2nd round Houston drafted 6'3" Jacoby Jones, WR from Lane. Jones is loaded with talent and he seems to be proving himself in training camps. With the remaining picks Houston adds more depth at defense with a corner, safety, and more relief for the front seven. Overall the Texans had just another average year missing out on some quality talent. Houston could have done better if they found help on the front line to protect newcomer Schaub. Draft Grade: C-

Key Acquisition:

Matt Schaub stole the spotlight from Ahman Green this year in acquisitions. Schaub will replace Carr at quarterback this season in what will be a solid addition. Carr and the Texans both, needed a fresh start. Despite the fact that Carr was a first round pick, the talented Schaub is not a drop off in skill level. Schaub played well in Atlanta, throwing a total of 6 TD's and 6 INT's in two career starts. Schaub has the potential of becoming a deadly threat/sleeper if he can manage to stray from incoming traffic.

Key Departure:

David Carr is no longer a Texan. The former first round pick was shipped to Carolina to support the aging Jake Delhomme. In Carr's 5 seasons with the Texans, he failed to live up to the investment given him. He only surpassed 3000 yards one time in his career and his highest TD output was 16. Not exactly what Houston had in mind with the number one overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft. This is not a bashing party on Carr. In fact, the Texans never gave him a chance to win. By putting one of the worst offensive lines in front of Carr, he was successfully sacked more than any other NFL QB over the past 5 seasons. We hope for the best for Carr as he has looked solid in Panthers training camp so far.

Offensive Preview:

With Schaub at the helm, Houston hopes things change. The Texans didn't do enough in the off-season to improve one of the worst NFL offensive lines so Schaub will have his work cut out for him. Green should provide a significant upgrade over the platoon system from last year. Look for Green to be a 1000 yard rusher this season. On the outside, Johnson is one of the best receivers in the business and has been complemented with the consistently underrated Keenan McCardell. If Daniels can create some space across the middle pulling the safeties off of Johnson and Keenan, this could be a relatively exciting offense to watch. Only time will tell though as they have a lot of meshing to do as an offensive unit.

Defensive/Special Teams Preview:

The Texans defense will likely be one of the worst units in the NFL. Williams and Okoye should provide some excitement up front with DeMeco Ryans popping in and out all over the field making plays. The secondary is another story. The loss of Earl Williams is huge. He leaves a host of unproven players who will be supporting the decent front seven of the Texans. Dunta Robinson is the only player on the outside who has had marginal success in the league and he is by no means a shut down corner. Houston will have to rely on putting pressure up front to allow their young, inexperienced secondary an opportunity to make some plays. There special teams are not bad as they have a great kick returner in Wynn, who averaged over 21 yards per return in 2006. Kicker Kris Brown didn't have a stellar year connecting on only 19 of 25 attempts. Brown has been consistently kicking an average of 76.3% over the last 10 years so we would advise you to stay away from him.

Season Prediction:

The Texans are getting better, but they have a long ways to go. Schaub, Green, and Johnson will get their stats, but statistics do not amount to W's. Until the Texans make a serious effort to improve their secondary and offensive line, they will enjoy the cellar known as the AFC South. At least the talent is there on the rest of the field to build around for the future.

Projected Finish

5 Wins, 11 Losses (3rd AFC South)

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