2008 Houston Texans

Injuries decimated the Houston roster in 2007, which makes their 8-8 finish more impressive than it may seem. We expect major improvement in the Texans running game, due to newcomers Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton. Houston will need rookie Duane Brown to be an instant starter to protect the quarterback. On defense, the Texans have a young, hungry, and improving nucleus, cemented by a very solid D-line. Mario Williams is a monster, and Amobi Okoye showed flashes of greatness in his rookie season. Although the Texans may not yet be a Super Bowl contender, they may have what it takes to contend for an NFL playoff spot in a very tough division. Fans fill Reliant Stadium no matter how their team is doing, so don’t wait to get your tickets to watch the Houston Texans in action in 2008!

Some Houston Texans history: The Houston Oilers were entrenched as an NFL franchise, playing their games in the Houston Astrodome, until ownership decided in 1997 that Tennessee was a more suitable venue for football. The NFL accepted Houston's proposal for an expansion team after a competing bid from Los Angeles, California, fell apart in 1999. The Texans are owned by businessman Robert McNair, and the general manager is Charley Casserly. The franchise selected its team name in September 2000. In early 2001 Houston hired Dom Capers, former defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as its first head coach. Capers was also the first head coach of the Carolina Panthers, who joined the NFL in 1995.

In 2002, while Houston knew that its offense would be young with six rookies starting there, it also built a veteran defense to carry the bulk of the load. The offense finished near the bottom of the league in nearly every offensive statistical category, but the defense remained among the better teams in the league. The running game had no playmakers and never let the offense get on track, whereas the defense kept the team competitive in most games.