2011 Houston Texans: First Playoff Trip

2011 Houston Texans: First Playoff Trip

2011 Houston Texans: The First Rodeo

In their first nine years of existence, the Houston Texans had just one winning season, finishing the 2009 campaign at 9-7. That mark was good enough for second place in the AFC South, but not enough to reach the playoffs. The Texans followed that up with a 6-10 finish in 2010. During the offseason, they overhauled their defense by hiring defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and drafting 6-foot-6, 290-pound defensive end J.J. Watt with the 11th overall pick. The defense improved dramatically, cutting its points allowed from 26.7 per game in 2010 to 17.4 in 2011. That improvement fueled the best season in franchise history for the 2011 Houston Texans.

A Retooled Defense Leads the Way

Watt was still a year away from becoming the game-wrecking force he would later be known as, but he already played a valuable role, finishing third on the team with 48 tackles and adding 5.5 sacks. Connor Barwin led the team in sacks with 11.5, while Brian Cushing paced the defense with 81 tackles. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph topped the secondary with four interceptions and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl. The unit ranked third in the NFL in passing yards allowed and fourth in rushing yards allowed, forming the foundation the 2011 Houston Texans built their season on.

The Texans’ Offensive Story

Arian Foster and the Ground Game Carry the Attack

With the defense containing opposing offenses, Houston leaned on its running backs for offensive support. Arian Foster and Ben Tate powered a rushing attack that finished second in the league in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns. Foster led the team with 1,224 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while Tate added 942 yards and 4 touchdowns. The passing game was far less potent; leading receiver Andre Johnson missed most of the season with a leg injury, leaving tight end Owen Daniels to lead the team in catches and receiving yards. Foster was the team’s second-leading receiver, adding 53 receptions for 617 yards out of the backfield.

A Quarterback Position in Flux

Quarterback proved to be a moving target for Houston in 2011. Matt Schaub started ten games, completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,479 yards and 15 touchdowns, and led the team to a 7-3 record before a foot injury ended his season. Former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart took over in Week 12 until a broken collarbone sidelined him as well. Rookie T.J. Yates finished that game and led the Texans to a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yates then won the next two games, over the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals, pushing Houston to a 10-3 record. The Texans dropped their final three regular-season games, but their 10-6 finish was still enough to win the franchise’s first AFC South title.

Houston’s Historic First Playoff Run

Wild Card Round: Taking Down the Bengals

The Texans earned their first playoff appearance in franchise history, where they would meet the Cincinnati Bengals at home in the Wild Card round. With rookie T.J. Yates nursing a shoulder injury from the regular-season finale, Houston leaned heavily on Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster, who carried the ball 24 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns. The score was tied at 10 late in the first half when J.J. Watt returned an Andy Dalton interception for a touchdown, sending the Texans into halftime with a 17-10 lead they would not relinquish. Andre Johnson, back in the lineup for the playoffs, caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Yates, and Foster added his second score of the game to seal a 31-10 victory.

Divisional Round: A Quick Exit Against the Ravens

Fresh off the first playoff win in franchise history, the Texans faced the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. The game slipped away early, as Houston trailed 17-3 before the first quarter ended. Arian Foster scored to cut the deficit to 17-13, but three interceptions from Yates kept the Texans from mounting a real comeback. Houston committed four turnovers in all and fell 20-13 to the Ravens.

The Texans’ first playoff run ended quickly, but the foundation built during the 2011 Houston Texans season carried over into 2012, when the team returned to the playoffs behind a 12-4 record.