Texans Unfamiliar With High Expectations

I don't know whether high expectations and Houston Texans have ever been synonymous.

Texans fans are still giddy after six years, given ticket sales, over the return of the NFL to Houston. But the honeymoon is just but over.

High expectations have never preceded any of the Texans’ six seasons. Just the fact that the NFL has returned to the city has heretofore been enough of a draw to fill the seats of Reliant Stadium.

Perhaps 2009 is the year? Back-to-back 8-8 seasons have Texans fans thinking, no dreaming, of not only the franchise’s first winning season but also its initial venture into the playoffs.

Of course, newly acquired QB Dan Orlovsky would be happy just to taste victory. The former Detroit Lions quarterback played in 10 of Detroit’s 16 games last season (all losses), including seven starts….Baby steps….

The Texans looked to shore up a defense that ranked No. 22 in the league last season with their first two picks in the 2009 draft. Linebacker Brian Cushing (USC) and defensive end Connor Barwin (Cincinnati) should help in that department along with a plethora of free agent signings that included Antonio Smith (DE), Stanley McClover (DE), Eugene Wilson (FS), Shaun Cody (DT), Cato June (LB), and John Busing (S).

High expectations? Maybe it’s just a relative term. AFC South foes Indianapolis and Tennessee know about high expectations. They had the best records in the NFL last season.

How can the also-rans of the AFC South, the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars compete with that?