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2-0 Texans seek to prove they're no longer second fiddle to Dallas Cowboys
09:53 PM CDT on Saturday, September 25, 2010
By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com
HOUSTON – When it comes to pro football, Houston has always played second fiddle to Dallas. Roots of this hierarchy trace back to 1962, when Dallas won the AFL championship over Houston with a team called the Texans.
Not even the domed "Eighth Wonder of the World" could keep the Oilers from being overshadowed by the Cowboys.
Dallas was celebrating its third Super Bowl victory in four years in 1995 when alienated fans in Space City decided to wave goodbye to the Oilers instead of fund a new stadium.
Dallas had "America's Team." Houston had no team.
After pro football returned in 2002, Houston's expansion franchise floated in anonymity like a dwarf planet. The generic Texans hardly registered a blip.
But winning has put the Texans on the NFL's radar. They closed the 2009 season with four straight victories. They opened 2010 with a win over the mighty Indianapolis Colts, then posted the first overtime victory in franchise history against Washington.
Don't look now, but Houston has a shooting star that's visible to people outside Mission Control. The Texans can be ignored no more.
Today at Reliant Stadium, in the shadow of the Astrodome, the Texans can further enhance their Q rating with a victory over "America's Team."
The Texans are 2-0, the Cowboys 0-2. A victory would give Houston its first 3-0 start. Dallas is trying to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2001.
The Cowboys were considered a contender to become the first team to play in a Super Bowl on its home turf. But Houston is the Texas team with the inside track on Cowboys Stadium in February.
"We think it's an opportunity here in Texas to have a great rivalry that creates a lot of interest for football and for the NFL," Texans owner Bob McNair told reporters Tuesday. "And frankly the more we beat the Cowboys, the greater interest there will be."
McNair knows the difficulty of overcoming the Cowboys' imposing presence. They built their widespread fan base on playoff success, including five Super Bowl titles.
The Texans have the distinction of being the only franchise among the big four pro sports leagues to have never made the playoffs.
"We're the new kids on the block, and we have to prove ourselves," McNair said. "The quicker we do that, the more fun we're going to have."
The Texans may not rival the Cowboys' national appeal, but they are establishing a foothold in Texas. Today's game has long been sold out. It is Ticketmaster's No. 1-ranked game in volume and demand.
"The fans look forward to this game more than any other game on the schedule," Texans defensive tackle Amobi Okoye said. "It's 'America's Team.' We're trying to change that."
Sales of Texans apparel are the strongest since the club's first season. Team gear sales at the stadium are up 35 percent, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Texans players tried to take a businesslike approach into the game, downplaying the rivalry. But, hey, it's the Cowboys.
"I really can't lie. You really do feel it," defensive end Antonio Smith said. "Anybody who plays Dallas kind of feels that. Dallas has been named 'America's Team' for years and years. I used to be a Cowboys fan. Growing up in Oklahoma, they were the biggest thing there other than [the University of] Oklahoma."
The juxtaposition of the teams' status magnifies the game's importance.
The Cowboys' 50th NFL season has sparked widespread criticism instead of celebration.
Expectations were high after an 11-5 season that included an NFC East title and the first playoff victory in 13 years.
But the Cowboys lost to Washington, 13-7, after a holding penalty nullified a potential game-winning touchdown. Mistakes also marred their home opener, a 27-20 loss to Chicago. Their offense has scored two touchdowns.
"Everybody's making a big deal about the Cowboys coming in here like a wounded animal, this and that," Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans said. "Well, what about us? We're desperate for a win, too. I'm not worried about the Cowboys. We're doing our own thing."
The Texans lead the league in scoring, total offense and rushing yards per game. They rank second in rushing defense.
In the 34-24 victory over Indianapolis, Arian Foster rushed for a team-record 231 yards. In the 30-27 victory over Washington, quarterback Matt Schaub set the team record with 468 yards passing.
Overcoming a 17-point deficit in the Redskins game showed how far the Texans have come.
"You go back a year ago, we would have lost that game," receiver Andre Johnson said. "I think the expectation we have of each other is higher. Guys are hard on each other. Everyone's locked in to what they're doing."
Tale of the tape
Texans Category Cowboys
2-0 Record 0-2
32.0 (1) Scoring (rank) 13.5 (26)
440.5 (1) Total offense 395.0 (4)
283.0 (6) Passing per game 325.5 (2)
157.5 (1) Rushing per game 69.5 (28)
442.0 (31) Total defense 279.0 (10)
411.0 (32) Pass defense 215.5 (18)
31.0 (2) Rush defense 63.5 (6)
Year-by-year comparison
Texans Season Cowboys
4-12 2002 5-11
5-11 2003 10-6
7-9 2004 6-10
2-14 2005 9-7
6-10 2006 9-7
8-8 2007 13-3
8-8 2008 9-7
9-7 2009 11-5
2-0 2010 0-2
51-79 Total 72-58
Tough ticket
The Texans have sold out all 83 preseason and regular-season games in franchise history. A breakdown of season-ticket sales:
Year Season tickets
2010 64,355
2009 61,323
2008 64,047
2007 61,878
2006 60,938
2005 61,435
2004 61,047
2003 60,344
2002 59,308
Mixed feelings
Cowboys from the Houston area:
Pos., name High school
HC Wade Phillips Groves*
TE Martellus Bennett Alief Taylor
C Andre Gurode North Shore
OL Montrae Holland Jefferson
S Danny McCray Westfield
*Port Neches-Groves
Texans from the Dallas area:
Pos., name High School
DT Frank Okam Lake Highlands
G Wade Smith Lake Highlands
TE James Casey Azle
• • •
09:53 PM CDT on Saturday, September 25, 2010
By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com
HOUSTON – When it comes to pro football, Houston has always played second fiddle to Dallas. Roots of this hierarchy trace back to 1962, when Dallas won the AFL championship over Houston with a team called the Texans.
Not even the domed "Eighth Wonder of the World" could keep the Oilers from being overshadowed by the Cowboys.
Dallas was celebrating its third Super Bowl victory in four years in 1995 when alienated fans in Space City decided to wave goodbye to the Oilers instead of fund a new stadium.
Dallas had "America's Team." Houston had no team.
After pro football returned in 2002, Houston's expansion franchise floated in anonymity like a dwarf planet. The generic Texans hardly registered a blip.
But winning has put the Texans on the NFL's radar. They closed the 2009 season with four straight victories. They opened 2010 with a win over the mighty Indianapolis Colts, then posted the first overtime victory in franchise history against Washington.
Don't look now, but Houston has a shooting star that's visible to people outside Mission Control. The Texans can be ignored no more.
Today at Reliant Stadium, in the shadow of the Astrodome, the Texans can further enhance their Q rating with a victory over "America's Team."
The Texans are 2-0, the Cowboys 0-2. A victory would give Houston its first 3-0 start. Dallas is trying to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2001.
The Cowboys were considered a contender to become the first team to play in a Super Bowl on its home turf. But Houston is the Texas team with the inside track on Cowboys Stadium in February.
"We think it's an opportunity here in Texas to have a great rivalry that creates a lot of interest for football and for the NFL," Texans owner Bob McNair told reporters Tuesday. "And frankly the more we beat the Cowboys, the greater interest there will be."
McNair knows the difficulty of overcoming the Cowboys' imposing presence. They built their widespread fan base on playoff success, including five Super Bowl titles.
The Texans have the distinction of being the only franchise among the big four pro sports leagues to have never made the playoffs.
"We're the new kids on the block, and we have to prove ourselves," McNair said. "The quicker we do that, the more fun we're going to have."
The Texans may not rival the Cowboys' national appeal, but they are establishing a foothold in Texas. Today's game has long been sold out. It is Ticketmaster's No. 1-ranked game in volume and demand.
"The fans look forward to this game more than any other game on the schedule," Texans defensive tackle Amobi Okoye said. "It's 'America's Team.' We're trying to change that."
Sales of Texans apparel are the strongest since the club's first season. Team gear sales at the stadium are up 35 percent, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Texans players tried to take a businesslike approach into the game, downplaying the rivalry. But, hey, it's the Cowboys.
"I really can't lie. You really do feel it," defensive end Antonio Smith said. "Anybody who plays Dallas kind of feels that. Dallas has been named 'America's Team' for years and years. I used to be a Cowboys fan. Growing up in Oklahoma, they were the biggest thing there other than [the University of] Oklahoma."
The juxtaposition of the teams' status magnifies the game's importance.
The Cowboys' 50th NFL season has sparked widespread criticism instead of celebration.
Expectations were high after an 11-5 season that included an NFC East title and the first playoff victory in 13 years.
But the Cowboys lost to Washington, 13-7, after a holding penalty nullified a potential game-winning touchdown. Mistakes also marred their home opener, a 27-20 loss to Chicago. Their offense has scored two touchdowns.
"Everybody's making a big deal about the Cowboys coming in here like a wounded animal, this and that," Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans said. "Well, what about us? We're desperate for a win, too. I'm not worried about the Cowboys. We're doing our own thing."
The Texans lead the league in scoring, total offense and rushing yards per game. They rank second in rushing defense.
In the 34-24 victory over Indianapolis, Arian Foster rushed for a team-record 231 yards. In the 30-27 victory over Washington, quarterback Matt Schaub set the team record with 468 yards passing.
Overcoming a 17-point deficit in the Redskins game showed how far the Texans have come.
"You go back a year ago, we would have lost that game," receiver Andre Johnson said. "I think the expectation we have of each other is higher. Guys are hard on each other. Everyone's locked in to what they're doing."
Tale of the tape
Texans Category Cowboys
2-0 Record 0-2
32.0 (1) Scoring (rank) 13.5 (26)
440.5 (1) Total offense 395.0 (4)
283.0 (6) Passing per game 325.5 (2)
157.5 (1) Rushing per game 69.5 (28)
442.0 (31) Total defense 279.0 (10)
411.0 (32) Pass defense 215.5 (18)
31.0 (2) Rush defense 63.5 (6)
Year-by-year comparison
Texans Season Cowboys
4-12 2002 5-11
5-11 2003 10-6
7-9 2004 6-10
2-14 2005 9-7
6-10 2006 9-7
8-8 2007 13-3
8-8 2008 9-7
9-7 2009 11-5
2-0 2010 0-2
51-79 Total 72-58
Tough ticket
The Texans have sold out all 83 preseason and regular-season games in franchise history. A breakdown of season-ticket sales:
Year Season tickets
2010 64,355
2009 61,323
2008 64,047
2007 61,878
2006 60,938
2005 61,435
2004 61,047
2003 60,344
2002 59,308
Mixed feelings
Cowboys from the Houston area:
Pos., name High school
HC Wade Phillips Groves*
TE Martellus Bennett Alief Taylor
C Andre Gurode North Shore
OL Montrae Holland Jefferson
S Danny McCray Westfield
*Port Neches-Groves
Texans from the Dallas area:
Pos., name High School
DT Frank Okam Lake Highlands
G Wade Smith Lake Highlands
TE James Casey Azle
• • •
