The NFL was founded in 1920 and began with only 8 teams. The game has since evolved to 32 franchises aiming for that Super Bowl championship and coveted ring given to its winners. The teams represent various cities across America and have grown into organizations with global reach.
The two biggest franchises that represent the South West are the Texans and the Cowboys. Last season, the Texans ended with 10 wins and 6 losses, the Cowboys only managed 8 wins and 8 losses which saw them out of playoff contention. Both teams go into their playoff campaigns on equal odds. The Dallas Cowboys have attempted to level the playing field with the acquisition of some key players during the off season such as DE Everson Griffen, and picks in the next draft. The Houston Texans are looking to secure the signature of the stars in their current roster to strengthen their squad.
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History
The Cowboys were formed back in 1960 and have largely enjoyed success throughout the organization’s lifetime. They have had 11 of their players inducted into the Pro football Hall of Fame, appeared in the playoffs 30 times, and have won 5 championships (1972, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1996). The team has had football legends such as: wide receiver Michael Irvin who enjoyed an illustrious career with the Cowboys in the 90s, defensive tackle Randy White who has Super Bowl XII MVP honors, running back Emmitt Smith who is still the NFL’s all-time rushing yardage leader (17,162 yards), and finally quarter back Roger Staubach who led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles.
It was not for another 39 years after the team was founded that one of their main rivals would enter the league, the Houston Texans in 1999 and established in 2002. The Texans have never won a Super Bowl but have made it to the playoffs 10 times; winning 4 games and losing 6. The team is relatively young in comparison to many other NFL teams but have still had some quality players in their line-ups. Wide receiver Andre Johnson is seen as one of the best in his position, he has played 8 seasons with the Texans and is quickly becoming more relevant in Hall of Fame discussions. Defensive end and line-backer Mario Williams is another Texan who is on the road to the Hall of Fame, Williams quickly embedded himself into the squad and has become one of the best pass rushers currently in the NFL.
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Most successful
For the first 10 seasons since the team was founded the Houston Texans struggled with positive results. The always seemed to fall short to the opposing team. This all changed as the organization made some drastic roster changes in 2011 which saw the team’s offensive and defensive rating increase. The acquisition of first round pick J.J. Watt, the continued growth of Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub’s stability within the quarterback position all proved to increase the Texans chances of winning their division and making a move towards the Super Bowl. Since then the team has steadily been building their roster year on year with the Texans now outperforming the Cowboys in the standings despite the history of success for Dallas.
Dallas has seen their form dip and have been struggling to attain the level of previous campaigns. The fans have grown tired of the powerhouse name, the organization and owners have responded by acquiring talent from across the league and draft to strengthen their roster and aim for a Super Bowl championship again. The Cowboys have won 5 Super Bowls but have not won any since 1996 which was before the Texans were a part of the NFL.
Recent news/transactions
The Dallas Cowboys have looked too shore up their defensive roster this off season. Defensive ends Everson Griffen and Dontari Poe have both signed multiple year contracts with the Cowboys. The team also acquired Gerald McCoy during the off season but due to a season-ending injury the remaining roster will have to become more versatile in order to compete at the highest level against the competition. Jason Garret the now former head coach of the Cowboys was replaced by Mike McCarthy (former HC of the Green Bay Packers and winner of Super Bowl XLV) in a bid to snap Dallas’ poor form and utilize McCarty’s championship experience to take their current first choice quarterback Dak Prescott’s game to the next level.
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The Houston Texans have been looking at their star quarterback Deshaun Watson and his future with the club. It is thought that he is looking at a more lucrative 3-year extension to the team and the Texans view him as the face of the franchise leading them to 27 passing touchdowns last season so are willing to finalize a deal before the start of the next season. Head coach since 2014, Bill O’Brien has seen a run of success since the beginning of his tenure, one of his success is the resigning of offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil on a $66M 3-year contract extension; that includes $57.85M guaranteed showing how much they value his production on the field.
Playoff chances
The excitement surround the Cowboys and Texans is real. The Dallas are chasing their former glory with an updated and rebuffed roster, and Houston are currently building a team with playoff berth consistency in sight.
The Cowboys are known as one of the most valuable teams in the NFL, with a revenue of over $950M the team are able to fit the bill when acquiring new players or resigning incumbent. The current form of the team however has not matched their purse and they will have to work incredibly hard in regards to the players on the field and the front office off the field in order to achieve playoff berth and aim for a Super Bowl championship. They will need to secure Dak Prescott’s signature in order to remain consistent at the quarterback position.
The Houston Texans have been steadily crafting a team of potential future Hall of Famers in pursuit of a Super Bowl championship. Although they have a lower revenue than the Cowboys ($), they have been able to acquire key pieces such as Deshuan Watson, Lonnie Johnson Jr, J.J. Watt and a few draft picks that has seen them rise to consistency. Keeping these players happy in terms of their contracts and healthy on the pitch is the biggest concern for the Texans.
The playoff chances for both of the teams seems equal with either side willing to make the necessary trades and signings to help guarantee success in the league.