Big Offense Makes Houston Texans A Value Bet For 2010 Super Bowl

NFL News - March 4th, 2010 - Written by John

The 2009 NFL Season was rather cut and dry. The two best teams in the league, who went side-by-side for 13 weeks and featured each conference's Pro Bowl starting quarterback, ended up in the Super Bowl at the end of the year. There wasn't as much drama or conflict as had been in year's past and most teams ended up in the place they were forecasted from the beginning.

But in the riddle-free season, there was the enigma of the Houston Texans. Expected to compete for the AFC South, Houston had the top passer in the NFL, the league-leading pass catcher, and the second-best offense in the conference. Yet, the Texans finished a mere 9-7 and were once again relegated to an early off-season.

It wasn't like the defense weighed Houston down. Linebacker Brian Cushing won Defensive Rookie of the Year with 134 tackles, and Mario Williams had nine sacks. But the Texans just couldn't get over the hump with five losses in six division games, and a four-game losing streak in November.

Steve Slaton had a great rookie campaign, but fell back to earth in '09. He only gained 437 yards and fumbling issues kept him out of the lineup towards the end of the year. Ryan Moats took over the primary load after a 126-yard game against the Buffalo Bills, but only finished with 390 yards and four scores.

Any type of running game should make Houston an interesting value bet for 2010. Bodog has Houstan Texans with 28/1odds to win the Super Bowl, which is in the Cincinnati Bengals' range, according to NFL Betting Lines.

The Texans have never made the playoffs, but could crack through next season. Matt Schaub is coming off a career year with 4,770 yards, 29 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nomination. Joining him in the All-Star game was Andre Johnson, who led the league with 1,569 yards.