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Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

FanHouse’s 2010 NFL Season Preview features division-by-division predictions based on our tried and true “Heat Index” formula. Each team is graded on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) in five key categories: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching and Intangibles. The higher the score, the better we think the team will be this season. Coming Sept. 6: NFC South

Make the playoffs. It’s the standard goal of any NFL franchise — once you’re in the tournament, anything can happen — but for the Houston Texans it would be a monumental milestone. The Texans, who joined the league as an expansion club in 2002, have yet to experience postseason play, but entering Coach Gary Kubiak’s fifth season they’re inching in the right direction. The 9-7 record of 2009 was the first winning mark in the club’s eight-year history, though achieving it took four straight victories to end the season (three against losing teams, the last against a New England squad that had clinched its division). Baby steps, baby. Now it’s time for one big giant step into January, but it will likely take a winning record in the AFC West. Whoops! The Texans have never done that either, finishing 1-5 vs division foes in ‘09.

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Offense: Moving the ball for the Texans isn’t the problem; doing it with balance is. Quarterback Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson have become as dangerous a combination as there is in the league. In his first completely healthy season, Schaub completed 68 percent of his passes for 4,770 yards, 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Johnson, meanwhile, has blossomed into one of the game’s most explosive wideouts. In ‘09, he caught 101 passes for a league-high 1,569 yards and nine TDs. Kevin Walters isn’t nearly as explosive on the other side, but he’s reliable when healthy, and tight end Owen Daniel, coming off a season-ending knee injury, is another rising star. Daniel had 40 catches and five TDs through eight games when he got hurt. Given their passing game, imagine if the Texans could run the ball. Last season, Houston finished 30th in rushing offense (92.2 yards per game), with Steve Slaton leading all ball carriers with a measly 437 yards. Rookie second-round pick Ben Tate could have made a difference, but the former Auburn star was lost for the season during training camp with an ankle injury. New offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, who replaced Kyle Shannon (now with his father in Washington), has to keep the passing game lethal and jumpstart Slaton and the running game to keep defenses on their toes. Heat Index: 7

 

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Filed under: Colts, AFC South, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

FanHouse’s 2010 NFL Season Preview features division-by-division predictions based on our tried and true “Heat Index” formula. Each team is graded on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) in five key categories: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching and Intangibles. The higher the score, the better we think the team will be this season. Coming Sept. 6: NFC South.

If you believe Peyton Manning, the only thing standing between the Indianapolis Colts and their third trip to the Super Bowl in five seasons is …

The umpire.

At least that’s the way it seemed during the preseason, when the Colts stumbled their way to an 0-4 record, allowing an average of 40 points a game. They never do well in pretend games anyway — remember that they started 14-0 last season, then sat Manning after cameo appearances in the last two games and lost them both. In fact, their 31-17 loss to New Orleans for the NFL title was the only REAL defeat they suffered all season.

Back to that umpire thing.

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Filed under: Jaguars, AFC South, FanHouse Previews, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

FanHouse’s 2010 NFL Season Preview features division-by-division predictions based on our tried and true “Heat Index” formula. Each team is graded on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) in five key categories: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching and Intangibles. The higher the score, the better we think the team will be this season. Coming Sept. 6: NFC South.

Things were looking surprisingly good in Jacksonville through Week 12 of the 2009 season. The Jaguars stood at 7-5 and were poised to make the playoffs with a strong finish. Unfortunately, they lost their last four games and blew the opportunity. Not that anybody was paying much attention. All but one of Jacksonville’s home games were blacked out locally and their average home attendance was a mere 49,652. It’s hard to imagine what, if anything, can save the Jaguars from having to leave mid-market Jacksonville in the coming years. The question is whether the few fans they do have there will have anything fun to watch before that happens.

Offense — The Jaguars do exactly one thing very well — run the ball with Maurice Jones-Drew. With Fred Taylor having left for New England, the offense became Jones-Drew’s entirely last year, and he quite literally took the ball and ran with it. He rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns and continued to build on his reputation as one of the top running backs in the NFL. Jacksonville’s offensive line woes didn’t seem to bother him, and neither did the inconsistent and inefficient passing game run by QB David Garrard. The Jaguars are at their very best when they can get Jones-Drew the ball and watch him work his magic. Unfortunately, no team can live on rushing alone.

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Filed under: Titans, AFC South, FanHouse Previews, NFL Analysis

FanHouse’s 2010 NFL Season Preview features division-by-division predictions based on our tried and true “Heat Index” formula. Each team is graded on a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) in five key categories: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Coaching and Intangibles. The higher the score, the better we think the team will be this season. Coming Sept. 4: NFC South.

Last year was two seasons in one for the Tennessee Titans, who started out 0-6 and looked buried after a snowy 59-0 loss in New England in that sixth game. But after that game, they elevated Vince Young to the starting quarterback position and took off. Chris Johnson became a 2,000-yard running back. Young’s spry legs and strong arm rejuvenated the offense. The Titans won 8 of their final 10 games and actually made a run at the playoffs in spite of their miserable start. So as long as they can figure out how to win a game or two in September, everything should be fine. Right?

Offense – Nobody runs the ball like the Titans, and the main reason for that is Johnson. Only the Jets had more rushing yards but, and New York needed 100 more carries to amass just 150 more yards than the Titans did on 5.2 yards per carry. Johnson is back and still motivated after failing to get the contract extension he sought, and having Young behind center from Week 1 should help Johnson in his quest to break the league’s single-season rushing record. The questions here is whether Young has matured enough as a person and a passer — and whether he has enough options at receiver — to become a playoff-caliber quarterback. Heat Index: 7

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More AFC South Previews: Colts | Texans | Jaguars
Complete 2010 NFL Season Preview

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Filed under: Jets, AFC East

This has now gone way beyond just a convenient story angle for the HBO reality series “Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The New York Jets.”

Apparently, Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis is planning to dig in for the long haul and possibly set things up to where he never puts on the green and white jersey of the New York Jets again. The two sides are still far apart in their negotiations for a new contract for Revis, who has made it clear that anything less than making him the highest paid cornerback ahead of Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomougha will not suffice.

 

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The Dallas Cowboys on Friday traded Patrick Crayton to the San Diego Chargers, Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reported.

As soon as Dallas drafted Dez Bryant in the first round in April, fellow receiver Crayton figured his days with the Cowboys were numbered. Miles Austin, a revelation in 2009, wasn’t going anywhere. Bryant was the shiny new toy. Roy Williams had the big name. Sam Hurd plays on kick coverage teams. And despite Crayton’s career-best year returning punts in 2009, the Cowboys want Bryant and fourth-rounder Akwasi Owusu-Ansah to fill that role even though both have missed major time with injuries since being drafted.

All Crayton does is catch the ball (37 catches, 622 yards, five touchdowns while starting just four games last year, compared to Williams’ totals of 38, 596 and seven while starting 13 games) and return punts better than anyone other than Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson and New England’s Wes Welker. Crayton’s 12.1-yard average ranked third in the NFL in 2009 while his two touchdowns tied Jackson for the league lead.

After two years as the fourth receiver and one at No. 3, Crayton became a starter in 2007. He caught as many touchdowns (11) as quarterback Tony Romo’s favorite target, tight end Jason Witten, but the Cowboys still traded for Williams in October 2008 and soon gave him Crayton’s job.

Now, with Bryant seemingly recovered from his sprained ankle — and Hurd having led Dallas with 12 catches for 175 yards in preseason to Crayton’s lone 10-yard catch and absence from Thursday night’s finale against Miami — Crayton’s “human insurance policy” self-description and spring prediction that he wouldn’t be a Cowboy this fall seems to have been fulfilled.

Agent Fred Lyles wanted the Cowboys to make the move Friday to give his client an extra day to find a new team.

“It seems he doesn’t figure in their plans,” Lyles told The Dallas Morning News. “We don’t see the use in prolonging it.”

 

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Filed under: Chargers, Jets

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — He has the hands of an elite wide receiver, the feet of a basketball player.

So why is Antonio Gates, the great tight end for the San Diego Chargers, vowing to open his mouth more this year?

“I’m trying to become somewhat of a leader,” Gates told FanHouse.

If words were needed in recent years, Gates left the talking to others. Teammates had only to watch him prepare and perform to know Gates, named to six Pro Bowls in his seven NFL seasons.

“He’s been one of those guys who shows people by example, which is fine by us,” said outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, a teammate for the last six years.

But Gates has resolved to speak up this year, even if it makes him feel awkward.

“I’m getting out of my comfort zone,” Gates said. “I’m helping other guys. When you want to win, sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone. That was a path I headed to this offseason.”

Why is Gates more apt to speak up now?

San Diego’s mistake-filled loss to the New York Jets last January is a big part of it.

“What it does is motivate you to never want to come back to that feeling,” he said. “Words really can’t explain how it motivates you.”

 

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Filed under: Rams, NFL Video, NFL Analysis

The last decade started incredibly for the St. Louis Rams, who won a Super Bowl with their high-flying offense led by Kurt Warner and the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

The next decade is beginning with a complete rebuild. After a one win season in 2009, the Rams have what they are hoping is their next Super Bowl quarterback in Sam Bradford. FanHouse TV’s Thomas George reports on new beginnings in St.Louis.

Click to watch.

 

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Filed under: Bills, AFC East, NFL Training Camp

After watching his top two running backs succumb to injury in the preseason opener, Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey wanted to avoid a repeat at any cost last night at Ford Field in Detroit so he kept rookie running back sensation C.J. Spiller out of the game entirely.

Once his starting offense built a 10-0 lead on the Lions he pulled them from the game as well, and Detroit did pretty much the same as both teams placed a priority on entering the regular season as healthy as possible. Considering the tough road that lies ahead for the Bills in a competitive AFC East, the strategy made plenty of sense, according to Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News.

Starting quarterback Trent Edwards successfully led the first-team offense on a 13-play, 65-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 47-yard field goal by Rian Lindell, and fortunately for him and the rest of the starters, cornerback Drayton Florence had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown on Detroit’s third play, so that comfortable lead made it easier for Gailey to pull the plug.

 

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Filed under: Chiefs, AFC West

Jackie Battle gave the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff a fresh reminder that he’s still around.

Buried on the depth chart behind Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles and rookie sensation Dexter McCluster, Battle nevertheless emerged as the Chiefs‘ leading rusher of the preseason.

 

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