Needless to say, the 2022 Houston Texans make the whole endeavor of rooting for them very complicated. It's a place we hope we don't have to experience again next season. Hopefully, the team selects Bryce Young with the first overall pick and the return to respectability begins. Right now, here is what the draft order would look like if the season ended today:
1 Houston 1-11-1
2 Denver 3-10 (pick goes to Seattle)
3 Chicago 3-10
4 LA Rams 4-9 (pick goes to Detroit)
5 New Orleans 4-9 (pick goes to Philadelphia)
6 Arizona 4-9
7 Indianapolis 4-8-1
8 Las Vegas 5-8
9 Carolina 5-8
10 Atlanta 5-8
11 Jacksonville 5-8
12 Cleveland 5-8 (pick goes to Houston)
13 Pittsburgh 5-8
14 Green Bay 5-8
So the good news, for those nervous about losing out on the pick of the litter that comes with selecting first in the draft, is that the Texans have a little bit of cushion. They can win another game, and still not fall in the draft order! It's almost like you're getting a mulligan in golf!
So I put this question in POLL form on Twitter — you can pick one game for the Texans win the rest of the season, so which one would it be?
That was about as razor thin a margin as I can ever remember in one of the seemingly thousands of polls I've posted to Twitter. (News flash — I love polls!) I think a case can be made for any of the final four games being the right selection. Here is my argument for each one:#Penserpoll … you can pick ONE game for the #Texans to win the rest of this season. Pick one. @SportsRadio610
— Sean Pendergast (@SeanTPendergast) December 13, 2022
VOTE:
WEEK 15: vs KANSAS CITY
This would easily be the most impressive of the games to win, as the Texans enter this game as a likely two touchdown underdog at home. It would be the ultimate chance to play spoiler in the AFC playoff race, as the Chiefs are currently 10-3, the same record as the first overall seed Buffalo Bills. Also, this would be a small measure of revenge for the Chiefs essentially ending the Texans run of respectability from 2014 through 2019 in that playoff loss in Kansas City in January 2020.
WEEK 16: at TENNESSEE
This one is easy — the Titans stole the Houston Oilers from us! Of course, if they hadn't done that, there would be no Texans (wait, stop smirking, all of you! RIGHT NOW!). If there were no Texans, there would be no Sean Pendergast radio career, probably. (I SAID STOP SMIRKING!) Well, there's also the fact that Derrick Henry has run for over 200 yards in his last five games against the Texans. Maybe try to stop the guy?
WEEK 17: vs JACKSONVILLE
This would be my selection, and it's a simple reason. The Texans currently have a nine game winning streak against the Jaguars, which is insane that the Texans of the last three years could have a winning streak of ANY length against ANY team, let alone NINE GAMES! I just get too big a kick out of seeing the Texans logo on the graphic for longest winning streaks for one team over another. This must continue!
WEEK 18: at INDIANAPOLIS
I guess this would be at the bottom of my list. The reasons to root for a win here would be (1) finishing the season on a high note, (2) avenging the TIE on the Texans' ledger, and (3) the off chance that Colts owner Jim Irsay will do something INSANE if the Colts lose at home to a one-win Texans team.
Of course, the Texans will be favored in none of these games, so chances are, we are staring at a 1-15-1 season, boys and girls!
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
