For a while there, it looked like the Houston Texans would find themselves as a cellar dweller in the weak AFC South. Bill O’Brien’s squad started the season with an 0-3 record, losing to the Patriots, Titans and Giants by a combined 15 points. This had O’Brien himself on the hot seat in a big way.
Then, something clicked Week 4 against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. Houston put up 37 points in an overtime win, only to follow that up with another overtime victory over the in-state rival Dallas Cowboys.
Now winners of four consecutive, Houston heads into Thursday night’s game against the Miami Dolphins with a 4-3 record and in first place. In the process, the team has made some NFL history.
The #Texans are the 2nd team in NFL history to start 0-3 and find themselves in first place in their division after 7 games (2011 Chiefs)
Houston’s 4-game win streak is T-5th longest after an 0-3 start in the Super Bowl era#TNF #MIAvsHOU pic.twitter.com/adKbBafo5A
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) October 25, 2018
The schedule has certainly played a role in this. All four of Houston’s wins have come against teams that are currently under .500. In fact, it has played only one game against a squad that enters Week 8 with a winning mark. That was Week 1 against the Patriots.
The narrative here is that Houston can defeat lackluster opponents but is nowhere near ready to compete against the top dogs. That’s fine. But you can only play who you’re scheduled to go up against.
Thursday’s game against the Dolphins is only one of two remaining on the Texans’ schedule versus teams that currently boast a winning record. This is a clear indication that the team’s four-game winning streak might not end any time soon.