2010 Houston Texans season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Gary Kubiak |
General manager | Rick Smith |
Owner | Bob McNair |
Home field | Reliant Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 6–10 |
Division place | 3rd AFC South |
Playoff finish | did Not qualify |
Pro Bowlers |
3
|
The 2010 Houston Texans season was the team's ninth season in the National Football League (NFL). The Texans claimed their first winning season in franchise history, with a 9–7 record in 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs. The Texans selected Kareem Jackson CB from Alabama, with the 20th overall all pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. In 2010, the team started the season on a 4–2 record going into a Week 7 bye week, but promptly collapsed 2–8 in the second part of the season, finishing 6–10.
The Texans gave up 427 points to opponents (26.2 points per game), second-most in the AFC and fourth-most in the entire league. Football statistics site Football Outsiders states that the Texans' defense had allowed the highest percentage of plays with broken tackles in the league, allowing a broken tackle on 8.1% of defensive plays.FO also calculated that Houston had the #2 offense in the league per play (adjusted for strength of opponent), but the second-worst defense (also adjusted). In their final eight losses, the Texans allowed an average of just under 30.4 points per game.
Undrafted second year running back Arian Foster led the NFL in rushing in 2010 with 1,616 yards. Foster had rushed for 257 yards in six games the season before.
The Texans preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.
Starting lineups: HOUSTON – OFFENSE: QB Matt Schaub, LT Duane Brown, LG Wade Smith, C Chris Myers, RT Antoine Caldwell, RG Eric Winston, WR Andre Johnson, RB Arian Foster, FB Vonta Leach, TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter. The Texans began their season with a home game against the Indianapolis Colts, a division rival in which they had only beaten once ever. However, Houston got off to an early 13–0 lead after 30 and 49-yard field goals from Neil Rackers (who had recently replaced Kris Brown as the team's kicker) and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub, leading passer in the league a year ago, to Kevin Walter. As expected, the Colts wouldn't go down without a fight as Indy scored ten unanswered points to close out the half on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne and a 20-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. With the momentum seemingly shifting to Indianapolis, Houston took nearly eight minutes off the third-quarter clock with a 15-play drive (13 rushes) out of the locker room, as Arian Foster scored from a yard out, his first of three touchdowns on the day. Going into the fourth with Houston leading 20–10, the Texans continued to run, and the Colts continued to pass, as Peyton Manning attempted 57 passes that day, completing 40, a career high. However, it wouldn't be enough; even though the Colts scored two touchdowns on a 10-yard pass to Dallas Clark and a 73-yard pass to Austin Collie, the Texans would score two of their own: 25 and 8-yard runs from Arian Foster en route to a 34–24 Houston win at Reliant Stadium. Arian Foster finished with 231 rushing yards on 33 carries. Both were Houston records for a game, and the 231 yards was the second most rushing yards on opening week, only behind O.J. Simpson. Peyton Manning eventually went 40/57 for 433 yards and three touchdowns. Houston began the season 1–0 and won for only the second time against Indianapolis, against fifteen losses. The Colts, after going 0–4 in the 2010 preseason, lost their fifth game overall to start the 2010 year.