These are the new Texans. These are the Texans that can go into an opponent's stadium, stink it up for a while, gather themselves and still win in a runaway. These are the Texans who can lose a Pro Bowler (Owen Daniels) and remove the 2008 AFC yards from scrimmage leader (Steve Slaton) from the game, and still put up 25 second half points. These are the Texans who will enter the second half of the season as winners for the first time ever.
This team is far from perfect. They laid an egg on opening day. They failed to capitalize in late goal line plays against Arizona and Jacksonville. They played flat offensively in the second half against the Raiders. They played flat defensively in the second half against San Francisco. They handed the ball to Buffalo three times in the first quarter Sunday. But, despite its faults, this team is developing a knack for getting the job done.
Forget about the drama on offense for a moment. The defense continues to take steps toward being a playoff-caliber unit. The one touchdown the crew allowed Sunday was on a T.O. end around. The only other points were on a field goal. This was as solid a performance as you could ask for. The Bills are not to be confused with the 1999 Rams, but the Texans' 'D' took care of business.
This was the type of game the 'old' Texans would have lost. If they opened flat, they would have stayed that way. If they committed early turnovers, they would have found a way to be generous late. But there is something different about this group. They are slowly but surely learning how to win.
Next up: Indianapolis. The Texans have never won at Indy. Even with a loss, they'll go into the Monday nighter with Tennessee no worse than 5-4. It's possible that the losses to the Jaguars and the Jets will come back to bite Houston, but for now we're on a wild ride that must be appreciated.
