HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!! Like many of you, I'm hoping 2021 can be a much better 365-day experience than 2020 was. The Texans' 12 months of 2020 sort of felt like 2020 itself. Started with a ton of promise, then a massive low, then an even lower low - perhaps rock bottom, then some positive points, a few more down and, in the end, everyone was just glad that it's over. So, the 2020 season ends while calendar year 2021 begins on Sunday with a matchup with the Titans. Here are some numbers to digest...for the last time in the 2020 season.
8 - The Texans have generated just eight turnovers all season long.
3 - The Texans have generated those eight turnovers against just three teams - Jaguars, Titans and Lions - and only one team outside the AFC South.
62.5% - the Texans have generated five of their eight total turnovers (62.5%) in just two games (Titans - week six and Thanksgiving win over the Lions)
87.5% - the Texans have generated seven of their eight total turnovers (87.5%) in just three games (Titans - week six, Lions and Jags - week five)
4,770 - the all-time Texans passing mark is held by longtime starting quarterback Matt Schaub. He threw for 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2009. Current Texans quarterback, ahem, three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson already topped the touchdown mark with 30 through 15 games. Watson sits at 4,458 yards heading into the finale. So, doing the math...add the two, carry the one...Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally order of operations and Watson is 312 yards shy of Schuab's yardage total. Watson averages 297 yards per game, but he's thrown for more than 312 yards six times in 2020, one of those instances was in week six at Tennessee in the first matchup.
6 - In that 2009 season, Schaub threw 15 interceptions, while in the 2020 campaign Watson has thrown just six and only one in the past ten games. That got me thinking…
27 - the 2009 Texans generated 27 turnovers!! So, let's do a little more math. That's 19 extra possessions the 2009 offense had for Schaub to lead the Texans offense into the end zone. That's a little over one extra possession PER GAME that the 2009 Texans offense had over the Watson-led 2020 offense. Just imagine Deshuan Watson with 19 additional possessions in a season or just one extra possession in a game this season. I don't even want to do the math on that one. I mean, I do because I wish it happened, but my gosh.
128 - Texans running back David Johnson ran for 128 yards against the Bengals behind an offensive line that lost Brent Qvale, Tytus Howard and Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil. That was the fourth highest rushing output in his seven year career. It was Johnson's highest total since November 18, 2018 against the artist formerly known as the Oakland Raiders. Furthermore, it was just the second 100+ yard rushing output in over four calendar years. Here's hoping there's one final 100-yard performance for Johnson in 2020.
5 - There are five teams still alive in the AFC playoff race and the Texans' opponent on Sunday is one of them. In fact, those five teams all have identical 10-5 records.
Titans (10-5) at Texans (Titans favored)
Colts (10-5) v. Jaguars (Colts favored)
Ravens (10-5) at Bengals (Ravens favored)
Dolphins (10-5) at Bills (Bills favored)
Browns (10-5) v. Steelers (Browns favored)
4 - Four of them will make the playoffs - one as the AFC South champion and three of them as Wild Cards. If the favored teams all win…
Kansas City is the top seed - Mahomes and company will sit on Sunday
Buffalo would be the two seed
Pittsburgh would be the three seed
Tennessee would be the four seed
Ravens would be the fifth seed
Browns would be the sixth seed
Colts would be the seventh seed.
Wild Card round matchups
Ravens at Titans
Browns at Steelers
Colts at Bills
But...you all well know that the favored teams aren't all winning on Sunday. Not a dadgum thing has gone the way anyone thought in 2020; not to mention, one favored team could go down to defeat against your Houston Texans on Sunday. That would be a whole lot of fun. If that happened...the Titans and Colts would swap spots (4 & 7). However, if the Texans win, the Colts win AND the Dolphins win, the Titans' 2020 season would end in Houston. I'm ALL for that scenario, if you want the truth. See you on Sunday, everyone.
