Instead of getting caught up in all the hoopla surrounding the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, I thought I'd throw out a bit of a change up this weekend.
My inspiration for this is two-fold.
The first credit is given to Adam Wexler of SportsRadio610, who inspired this offering after I listened to him and Matt Jackson converse while driving home after the last public training camp session last week.
The second credit is given to all the Cowboys fans calling in to Houston radio stations for the last few days, most of whom were unable to utter a coherent sentence or pose an opinion requiring a vocabulary beyond the words 'Texans Suck' and 'Five Super Bowls.'
Needless to say, after listening to a week of Cowboys fan callers on Houston sports talk radio, most of my desire to write about the game went out the door, so let's go a different direction and try to preserve what few brain cells we have left.
This week we're going to talk about our record-breaking season.
That's right. A pure 'homer take' for a change.
The Texans have given us reason to believe they will be better than the 6-10 team of 2006 and along with that should come the setting of a few new individual and team records.
Here are several that I think might be broken or seriously challenged this year:
First let's talk about individual records.
- Matt Schaub should be able to break David Carr's record of 16 TD passes in a season (2004)
- I'm also expecting Matt to break Tony Banks' record for highest passer rating of 84.3 (minimum 30 attempts) set in 2003.
- As far as rushing yards, if Ahman Green stays healthy, Domanick (Davis) Williams' record of 1,188 is certainly within reach.
- With the emphasis on the running game this year, will a Texans RB finally get three TDs in a game? It's never been done.
- Andre Johnson's record for most receiving TD's in a season (6) set in 2004 will hopefully fall before December.
- Can Jacoby Jones break Owen Daniels' record for most TD receptions by a rookie (5) set last year?
- How about Jacoby breaking Andre Johnson's record for highest receiving average by a rookie set in 2003 (14.7 yards per reception – minimum 32 receptions). If Jacoby gets 32 receptions for 480 yards, he breaks it.
- Chad Stanley's 41.6-yard punting average and his longest punt of 62 yards could be broken if Matt Turk makes the team.
- If Jacoby continues to show what he has in the preseason, he could eclipse the record for most punt return yards in a game (92) set by Avion Black in 2002.
- With all the criticism Mario Williams has received the past few weeks, no one will give him a chance to break Jeff Posey's sack record of 8.0 set in 2002. But you would think that one sack every two games wouldn't be too much to ask, right?
- Amobi Okoye needs 5 sacks to break Mario's record for most sacks by a rookie (4.5).
As far as team records:
- I think the obvious target this year is to break the team record for wins in a season (7). That would be nice.
- With an opening week win against KC, the Texans will have won three regular season games in a row for the first time ever.
- Certainly the Texans can score 32 points in a game this year, right? It's something they've never done.
- I have a feeling the single-game attendance record of 70,769 at Reliant Stadium (Packers 2004) will be broken at the Tennessee or New Orleans games. Hopefully Texans fans leave both of those with heads held high. That would be nice too.
- With the emphasis on the running game, the Texans should shatter their team record for most first downs rushing in a season (106) set last year. Seven rushing first downs per game will break that record. Sad, isn't' it?
- The team record of 3,246 net passing yards in a season is certainly achievable with the assumption that sacks will be reduced.
- Again, with the emphasis on the running game this season, the team rushing record of 1,882 in a season should be attainable. That's 117 team rushing yards per game.
- And again, if the Texans can control the clock in most of their games, the opponents shouldn't be able to run at will. The current Texans record for fewest rushing attempts allowed in a season is 417 (2004). That's amazing because it means the Texans have never allowed fewer than 26 rushing plays per game in their history – a function of opponents running the ball to protect leads. Let's change that.
- With at least one rushing TD in their first two games this year, the Texans will break their record for most consecutive games with a rushing TD (6).
- And with the new and improved offense, maybe the Texans can break their team record for fewest punts in a season (73 or 4.5 per game).
- And last but not least, the Texans have never gone two consecutive games with no sacks allowed. Could this be the year? Matt Schaub sure hopes so. Have you converted your jersey yet?
If even half of these records are broken this year, we are in for an exciting season.
You can email Alan Burge at: ajtexans@yahoo.com
