Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are a professional football team in the National Football League. The team plays in the South Division of the AFC.Houston Texans: Houston Texans

The Texans came under fire in February of 2009, after players claimed the team's off-season practice sessions were too physical and included prohibited blocking drills, that injured at least three team members. Video tapes of the practice sessions later supported the claims.ESPN Video: Outside The Lines: Illegal Contact Per the collective bargaining agreement, all mini-camp drills must be non-contact.ESPN.com: Texans' Minicamp Drills Questioned

The Houston Texans joined the NFL as an expansion team in 2002. Houston's previous team, the Oilers, moved to Tennessee in 1997 and changed their name to the Titans in 1999.Houston Texans: Houston Texans

The Texans began their first season in 2002. They finished with a record of 4-12 their first year, typical for an expansion team. In 2003, they improved to five wins, followed by seven wins in 2004. However, the team went backwards in 2005, finishing with a record of 2-14.Houston Texans: Houston Texans

In 2006, the Texans drafted Mario Williams with the number one overall pick. Williams improved the Texans' defense and helped the team to finish 6-10 in 2006 and 8-8 in 2007.Houston Texans: Houston Texans

The Texans completed the 2008 season with a 8-8 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. On December 30, 2008, the team fired three defensive coaches: Richard Smith, the defensive coordinator, Jon Hoke, the secondary coach, and Jethro Franklin, the defensive line coach.SI.com: Texans Fire Three Defensive Coaches

The Houston Texans are in the unenviable situation of playing within the AFC South division which means first that they have to take on the Indianapolis Colts and their high powered offense led by QB Peyton Manning twice a year, and that they have to compete for a AFC Wild Card Sport as the Colts an the Tennessee Titans are two very good football teams that have routinely won their division. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/htx/

The Texans have been on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history for the last two seasons. In 2008 they finished 8-8, and in 2009 the finished 9-7. It seems that this is a team one or two pieces short of dominating the AFC.

In recent years they traded for QB Matt Schaub, in 2003 the y drafted WR Andre Johnson with the third overall pick. In the 2010 NFL Draft they added a franchise CB in Kareem Jackson, and finally got a talent hard nosed RB in Ben Tate. It now appears that they have all of the tools to go out and make the NFL playoffs. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-team/dt-by-team-input:hou

• ESPN Video: Illegal Contact Drills Caused Injury (Time: 0:24)

• SI.com: Texans Fire Three Defensive Coaches (December 30, 2008)

• ESPN.com: Hurricane forces Ravens-Texans game to move to Monday night (September 11, 2008)

• Official Site: News and press releases

• Topix.net: All news related to the Houston Texans

• CBS SportsLine: CBS Houston Texans

• Yahoo! Sports Houston Texans news and notes

• Google News: Houston Texans

• Matt Schaub
• Steve Slaton
• Ahman Green
• Andre Johnson
• Kevin Walter
• Mario Williams
• David Carr
• Ryan Moats