Texan Flag Runners during a 2010 football game. (Photo: M Glasgow via Flickr)
In a normal world, when a professional team works their way into a playoff spot, it’s definite cause for celebration. More so when a team wins their division and enters the post-season for the first time in franchise history. For the Houston Texans, that exhilarating moment finally came to fruition in mid-December; That’s when they clinched their first AFC South title and earned a playoff berth for the first time in the team’s 9 year history.
However, normalcy has been a rather taboo word in the minds of Texan fans and players this year. After all of the injuries that this team has suffered, fans have been left to wonder, “Can this team stay healthy to just compete in a playoff game.”
The Texans injury woes have been well documented all season long: Houston has 12 players on Injured Reserve, with stars such as Linebacker Mario Williams, Quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart, Free Safety Dominique Barber and Cornerback Roc Carmichael populating that list. Among the walking wounded: Wide Receiver Andre Johnson has had both hamstrings fail him; Linebacker Brian Cushing seems to break his nose every other week; Finally, the Texans learned that Tight Ends Joel Dreesen and Owen Daniels practiced sparingly this week due to knee injuries, while starting QB T.J Yates is practicing with a mild shoulder injury.
It just seems as if the Texans cannot get a break! Even when the Texans seem to rest players who are recovering from injury, more players end up getting hurt. While injuries are a part of the game, it’s evident that the Texans injury bug has attacked the offensive side of the ball quite a bit. Fans just hope that this team can stave off further injury, especially as the Texans will be up against a scrappy Cincinnati Bengal team on Saturday.
About Moses Leos