Texans secure a winning season at last

Anyone who knows me will be aware of my deep-rooted love for the Chicago Bears, which began way back in what Alan Partridge's friend Bono would describe as 'the nineteen-eightieees'. My favourite player was actually Kevin Butler for many many years, which is slightly embarrassing, as it was only when I got to the age of 12 that I realised that having a kicker as your hero was not something you admitted.

Fast-forward 15 years and I'm still a Bears nut (as many a baffled girlfriend will testify, usually at 5am on a tuesday morning), but I have had a soft spot for the NFL's newest franchise, the Houston Texans, since their induction into the league. After seven seasons, it has finally become acceptable to admit this further bizarre affiliation to my inglorious NFL resumé.

The Houston Texans have a winning season.

The most important part of the whole equation will not be decided until the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and Denver Broncos finish their games (the Texans best hopes are probably that the Broncos and Jets lose, although I have a strange feeling about Oakland today, maybe they can get an upset), but the likelihood is that the team will keep coach Gary Kubiak around for 2010, which will be good for continuity. It isn't good for the media commentators who aren't fans of his, but Kubiak has quietly overseen some solid drafts in Houston, and deserves more credit than he is getting.

Actually, on that point, the Texans have done pretty well in recent years even before Kubiak. The Mario Williams pick is a feather in the cap of former G.M. Charlie Casserly, and with starters DeMeco Ryans, Owen Daniels, Zac Diles, Steve Slaton, Jacoby Jones all coming in recent years, the team has done well. This year LB Brian Cushing and DE Connor Barwin have also shown they will be starters in the league.

Perhaps the only disappointments have been in the linemen and in the secondary. The team lacks a bruising DT to compliment Amobi Akoye, and some of the OT's drafted have looked slightly out of their depth at times. Patience may be the best virtue, but it will again be a draft where the team invests in defensive backs.

For now though, the Texans will be hoping they can cap the team's first winning season with their first trip to the postseason.