/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65400874/599165830.jpg.5.jpg)
The Falcons take on the Texans tomorrow and we’re all bracing for the worst. It’s hard to truly quantify fan confidence, but here’s how I’d describe it at this point: “non-existent.” The fan base is officially in panic mode, and rightfully so. If the Falcons somehow pull of a win tomorrow, that may change ... to a point. But there’s a lot of work to be done before anyone, myself included, feels good about the direction of this team.
All that said, let’s take a quick look at the series history before the Falcons get their butts kicked tomorrow before tomorrow’s game.
These teams have only faced off 4 times with their first match up coming in November 2003. (If you’re new to football, the Texans are an expansion team that played their first games in 2002.) Interestingly the series is currently all tied up at 2-2, so there’s something to play for, y’all! Also interesting is the fact that the Falcons have won both their home match ups and the Texans have won both of their home match ups.
The Falcons and the Texans last played on October 4, 2015, a little over 4 years ago. Devonta Freeman scored 3 rushing touchdowns in that game, helping the Falcons to a 48-21 drubbing of the Texans. If you recall, that was Freeman’s breakout year, and the win over the Texans truly showcased the player he was at that time. Brian Hoyer started that game at quarterback for the Texans, so it’s safe to say they’ve upgraded. Nate Stupar led the Falcons with 6 tackles and threw in a defensive touchdown for good measure.
Deshaun Watson has never played the Falcons during the regular season. And with the way he’s playing, that’s probably a good thing. Watson needs 198 passing yards to surpass 7,000 career passing yards in 28 games as an NFL quarterback. Three players in NFL history (Marc Bulger, Dan Marino, and Kurt Warner) reached that milestone quicker. Truth be told, this appears to be a match up between two teams headed in opposite directions. Let’s hope appearances are deceiving.
Given that the Falcons have lost 8 of their last 11 regular season games and 12 of their last 13 games against AFC opponents, it’s looking the Texans may take 3-2 series lead by the end of the day Sunday.
Your thoughts, Falcoholics?