Houston Football

Houston is home to two professional football teams: the Houston Texans and the Houston Bengals. Both have a strong and bitter rivalry in the regular season. They also have a rivalry in the playoffs. The Texans have played in the AFC Divisional round, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Texans have also qualified for the playoffs twice in 2011 and 2014. In 2013, the Texans tied for the worst record in franchise history with 2-14. Houston Football

After the Houston Oilers left for Tennessee in 1996, the city of Houston was looking for a new team. Bob McNair, an owner, and businessman, led the drive to bring a new NFL team to Houston. His organization partnered with Steve Patterson, a billionaire, to form a new team.

On September 6, 2001, the franchise was officially named the Houston Texans. It was the 32nd franchise in the National Football League (NFL). Before that, the team had been called the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Before the start of the 2002 season, the team had already established itself as a contender in the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. They went 2-0 in the first two games and won their first game against the Dallas Cowboys. They then defeated the Buffalo Bills in overtime in the AFC Wild Card round. The Texans finished the regular season with a 9-7 record and qualified for the playoffs for the second year in a row.

In the third season, the Texans played in the AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. A few years later, the team was featured on the HBO show "Hard Knocks".

Several years later, the team was plagued by injuries. Their star player, J.J. Watt, suffered a second consecutive season-ending injury. Another player, Randy Bullock, was cut by the team. Other players were suspended due to disciplinary issues.

In January 2000, the Houston franchise hired Washington Redskins General Manager Charley Casserly as Executive Vice President and General Manager. The Houston Texans had previously hired former Carolina Panthers head coach Dom Capers as their first head coach.

After a year of playing in the AFC South, the Texans clinched the division in 2011. During that season, the Texans had the best record in the league. This was followed by a 12-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. Despite losing their home opener to the Dallas Cowboys, the Texans ended up winning the AFC South and the league title.

The Texans have a state-border rivalry with the Cincinnati Bengals. This rivalry is known as the Cage Sway. The two teams play in each other's city every year. Some of the Texans' stars include running back Lamar Jackson, quarterback Tom Savage and defensive end J.J. Watt.

The Texans were one of the finalists for the NFL's coveted Super Bowl, which they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. After a tough first season in 2007, the Texans improved to a 10-6 record and won the AFC South.