The 2010 season was the Houston Texans' ninth season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Gary Kubiak. They started the season with a 4–2 record going into a Week 7 bye week, but collapsed with two wins in the last 10 games in the second part of the season, finishing 6–10.
The Texans gave up 427 points to opponents (26.2 points per game), second-most in the AFC and fourth-most in the entire league. Football statistics site Football Outsiders states that the Texans' defense had allowed the highest percentage of plays with broken tackles in the league, allowing a broken tackle on 8.1% of defensive plays.Football Outsiders – Team Counts of Broken Tackles 2010 FO also calculated that Houston had the #2 offense in the league per play (adjusted for strength of opponent), but the second-worst defense (also adjusted). In their final eight losses, the Texans allowed an average of just under 30.4 points per game.
Undrafted second year running back Arian Foster led the NFL in rushing in 2010 with 1,616 yards. Foster had rushed for 257 yards in six games the season before.
Offseason
Coaching changes On January 6, Kyle Shanahan was hired as the new offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, shortly after his father, Mike Shanahan, was hired as the new head coach of the Redskins. One week later (January 13), the Texans hired former longtime Denver Broncos offensive assistant Rick Dennison as Kyle Shanahan's replacement. On January 12, assistant head coach/offensive line coach Alex Gibbs was hired to the same position with the Seattle Seahawks.
NFL draft
Staff
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Arizona Cardinals L 16–19 0–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 2 at New Orleans Saints L 20–38 0–2 Louisiana Superdome Recap 3 Dallas Cowboys W 23–7 1–2 Reliant Stadium Recap 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–24 1–3 Reliant Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 12 Indianapolis Colts W 34–24 1–0 Reliant Stadium Recap 2 September 19 at Washington Redskins W 30–27 2–0 FedExField Recap 3 September 26 Dallas Cowboys L 13–27 2–1 Reliant Stadium Recap 4 October 3 at Oakland Raiders W 31–24 3–1 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap 5 October 10 New York Giants L 10–34 3–2 Reliant Stadium Recap 6 October 17 Kansas City Chiefs W 35–31 4–2 Reliant Stadium Recap 7Bye 8 at Indianapolis Colts L 17–30 4–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 9 November 7 San Diego Chargers L 23–29 4–4 Reliant Stadium Recap 10 November 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 24–31 4–5 EverBank Field Recap 11 November 21 at New York Jets L 27–30 4–6 New Meadowlands Stadium Recap 12 November 28 Tennessee Titans W 20–0 5–6 Reliant Stadium Recap 13 at Philadelphia Eagles L 24–34 5–7 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 14 Baltimore Ravens L 28–34 5–8 Reliant Stadium Recap 15 December 19 at Tennessee Titans L 17–31 5–9 LP Field Recap 16 December 26 at Denver Broncos L 23–24 5–10 Invesco Field at Mile High Recap 17 January 2 Jacksonville Jaguars W 34–17 6–10 Reliant Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings Division
Conference
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Starting lineups: HOUSTON – OFFENSE: QB Matt Schaub, LT Duane Brown, LG Wade Smith, C Chris Myers, RT Antoine Caldwell, RG Eric Winston, WR Andre Johnson, RB Arian Foster, FB Vonta Leach, TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter.
The Texans began their season with a home game against the Indianapolis Colts, a division rival in which they had only beaten once ever. However, Houston got off to an early 13–0 lead after 30 and 49-yard field goals from Neil Rackers (who had recently replaced Kris Brown as the team's kicker) and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub, leading passer in the league a year ago, to Kevin Walter. As expected, the Colts wouldn't go down without a fight as Indy scored ten unanswered points to close out the half on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne and a 20-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. With the momentum seemingly shifting to Indianapolis, Houston took nearly eight minutes off the third-quarter clock with a 15-play drive (13 rushes) out of the locker room, as Arian Foster scored from a yard out, his first of three touchdowns on the day. Going into the fourth with Houston leading 20–10, the Texans continued to run, and the Colts continued to pass, as Peyton Manning attempted 57 passes that day, completing 40, a career-high. However, it wouldn't be enough; even though the Colts scored two touchdowns on a 10-yard pass to Dallas Clark and a 73-yard pass to Austin Collie, the Texans would score two of their own: 25 and 8-yard runs from Arian Foster en route to a 34–24 Houston win at Reliant Stadium. Arian Foster finished with 231 rushing yards on 33 carries. Both were Houston records for a game, and the 231 yards was the second most rushing yards on opening week, only behind O. J. Simpson. Peyton Manning eventually went 40/57 for 433 yards and three touchdowns. Houston began the season 1–0 and won for only the second time against Indianapolis, against fifteen losses. The Colts, after going 0–4 in the 2010 preseason, lost their fifth game overall to start the 2010 year.
Week 2: at Washington Redskins
Hoping to maintain their winning streak the Texans flew to FedExField for an Interconference duel with the Redskins. In the first quarter The Texans trailed early as kicker Graham Gano got a 41 and a 27-yard field goal. In the second quarter the Texans replied and took the lead with QB Matt Schaub completing a 5-yard TD pass to WR Jacoby Jones, but fell behind again when RB Clinton Portis got two 1-yard TD runs to put the Redskins up 20–7. The Texans tried to cut the lead in the third quarter as kicker Neil Rackers nailed a 47-yard field goal, but the Redskins increased their lead with QB Donovan McNabb completing a 22-yard TD pass to TE Chris Cooley. The Texans then went on a scoring rally to successfully cut the lead when QB Matt Schaub made a 6-yard TD pass to WR Kevin Walter, followed in the 4th quarter by Rackers making a 43-yard field goal. Then Schaub threw a 34-yard TD pass to WR Andre Johnson. The Texans pulled out the overtime victory, their first in franchise history, when Rackers booted a 35-yard field goal to win the game for the Texans by the score of 30–27.
With the win, Houston improved to 2–0.
Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Hoping to increase their winning streak the Texans played on home ground for an Inter-conference duel with the Cowboys. Houston took the early lead in the 1st quarter when kicker Neil Rackers hit a 24-yard field goal. Then they fell behind with RB Marion Barber getting a 1-yard TD run, followed by kicker David Buehler's 49-yard field goal. The Texans struggled further in the third quarter when QB Tony Romo completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Roy E. Williams. Houston replied with Rackers nailing a 30-yard field goal, but Dallas continued to score when Romo found Williams again on a 63-yard TD pass. Then David Buehler made a 40-yard field goal. The Texans would finally score when QB Matt Schaub made a 7-yard TD pass to WR Kevin Walter.
With the loss, the Texans fell to 2–1.
Week 4: at Oakland Raiders
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Cowboys the Texans flew to Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum for an AFC duel with the Raiders. The Texans took the early lead in the 1st quarter as RB Derrick Ward got a 33-yard TD run. The Raiders replied with RB Michael Bush making a 2-yard TD run. The Texans got the lead back when QB Matt Schaub completed an 11-yard TD pass to TE Joel Dreessen. The Raiders responded in the 2nd quarter with QB Bruce Gradkowski getting a 13-yard TD pass to FB Marcel Reece. In the 3rd quarter the Texans started to rally with RB Arian Foster making a 74-yard TD run, followed by kicker Neil Rackers getting a 35-yard field goal, then in the 4th quarter Schaub threw a 10-yard TD pass to RB Arian Foster. The lead was cut with Gradkowski found TE Zach Miller on a 14-yard TD pass, and kicker Sebastian Janikowski nailing a 39-yard field goal.
With the win, the Texans improved to 3–1.
Week 5: vs. New York Giants
Coming off their win over the Raiders the Texans played on home ground for an Interconference duel with the Giants. In the first quarter the Texans trailed early when QB Eli Manning made a 6-yard TD pass to WR Hakeem Nicks. Then RB Brandon Jacobs got a 1-yard TD run. This was followed in the 2nd quarter by Manning finding Hicks again on a 12-yard TD pass. The Texans tried to cut the lead when kicker Neil Rackers hit a 38-yard field goal, which was responded by Lawrence Tynes' 45-yard field goal. The Texans' offense managed to break through in the third quarter when RB Derrick Ward got a 1-yard TD run, but was closed off after Tynes made a 42-yard field goal; followed by Manning completing a 4-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith.
With the loss, Houston fell to 3–2.
Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Giants the Texans played on home ground for an AFC duel against the Chiefs. In the first quarter the Chiefs took the early lead with QB Matt Cassel getting a 2-yard TD pass to OLB Mike Vrabel. The Texans responded and tied the game with QB Matt Schaub making a 5-yard TD pass to TE Joel Dreessen. The Chiefs rallied with Cassel making a 17 and then a 42-yard TD pass to WR Dwayne Bowe in the 3rd quarter. The Texans replied with RB Derrick Ward getting a 38-yard TD run. Then kicker Ryan Succop made a 24-yard field goal to put the Chiefs up 24–14. In the fourth quarter the Texans closed the gap with RB Arian Foster making a 2-yard TD run, but the Chiefs tried to pull away with RB Thomas Jones getting an 11-yard TD run. However, the Texans replied and eventually snatched the win with Foster making a 1-yard TD run, and then with Schaub finding WR Andre Johnson on an 11-yard TD pass.
With the win, Houston went into their bye week at 4–2.
Week 8: at Indianapolis Colts
Starting lineups: HOUSTON – DEFENSE: DE Antonio Smith, DT Shaun Cody, DT Amobi Okoye, DE Mario Williams, LB Brian Cushing, LB Kevin Bentley, LB Darryl Sharpton, CB Glover Quinn, CB Kareem Jackson, SS Bernard Pollard, FS Eugene Wilson.
Coming off their bye week the Texans played at Lucas Oil Stadium for an AFC South division rivalry match against the Indianapolis Colts. In the first quarter the Texans trailed early as QB Peyton Manning completed a 2-yard TD pass to TE Jacob Tamme. The Texans struggled further in the 2nd quarter when Matt Schaub's pass was intercepted by CB Kelvin Hayden and returned 25 yards for a touchdown. They soon responded with kicker Neil Rackers nailing a 53-yard field goal. The Texans fell further behind with kicker Adam Vinatieri getting a 48-yard field goal. This was followed in the third quarter by Manning throwing a 15-yard TD pass to WR Reggie Wayne. The Texans' offense broke through with Schaub connecting to WR Andre Johnson on a 28-yard TD pass. The Colts replied with Vinatieri hitting a 23-yard field goal. The Texans tried to fight back but only came away with a touchdown after RB Arian Foster got a 6-yard TD run. The Colts closed the game with Vinatieri making a 36-yard field goal.
With the loss, Houston fell to 4–3.
Week 9: vs. San Diego Chargers
Starting lineups: HOUSTON – OFFENSE: QB Matt Schaub, LT Duane Brown, LG Wade Smith, C Chris Myers, RG Mike Brisiel, RT Eric Winston, WR Andre Johnson, RB Arian Foster, FB Vonta Leach, TE Joel Dreessen, WR Kevin Walter. HOUSTON – DEFENSE: LDE Antonio Smith, DT Shaun Cody, DT Amobi Okoye, RDE Mario Williams, SLB Kevin Bentley, MLB Brian Cushing, WLB Zac Diles, CB Glover Quinn, CB Kareem Jackson, SS Bernard Pollard, FS Eugene Wilson.