Thanks mostly to that offseason move, some are even saying Kansas City is going to battle with San Diego for the division this year.

First things first guys. On Saturday the Chiefs are slight 2-point home favorites over the Texans

Houston’s top draft pick, linebacker Brian Cushing, won’t play in Saturday’s preseason opener against Kansas City and could miss the second preseason game as well because of a sprained left knee.

Cushing did not practice Wednesday and instead watched both workouts with a brace on his knee. Coach Gary Kubiak said no one is sure when he was injured, but the knee started bothering Cushing on Tuesday night and he was taken for an MRI.

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Just for fun, let's total their cumulative numbers: 4,096 rushing/receiving yards, 235 catches and 20 touchdowns. That's good. Seriously, find a better trio. Maybe Atlanta's Michael Turner, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, but Gonzo wasn't there last year. No wonder the Texans finished a franchise-high third in the NFL last season, averaging 382.1 yards per game.

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So obviously the Texans should be one of the top offensive teams in the NFL again this year if those three and, most important, QB Matt Schaub stay healthy. I say Schaub might be the key because semi-reliable backup Sage Rosenfels is now in Minnesota. Schaub's backup? Probably Rex Grossman. Indeed, depth on offense might be the only problem, as there isn't much behind Slaton or Johnson either.

It's on defense where Houston must improve if it hopes to avoid a third consecutive 8-8 season. Last year the Texans had just 25 sacks as a team despite 12 from former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams (still mad the Texans didn't take Reggie Bush or Vince Young, Houston fans?). But in Williams, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, linebacker DeMeco Ryans and cornerback Dunta Robinson (assuming he doesn't hold out), there is a nice base of talent here. Plus Houston added excellent USC linebacker Brian Cushing in the draft. We'll see how that unit fares under first-year defensive coordinator Frank Bush.

So is this finally the year the Texans reach the playoffs?

The Houston Texans are 35/1 odds to win Super Bowl XLIV. Bet on NFL futures at Bodog.

Here is the Texans' 2009 schedule, and we’ll break it down after:
Sept. 13 vs. New York Jets, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs. Oakland Raiders, 1 p.m.
Oct. 11 at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m.
Nov. 1 at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.
Nov. 8 at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.
Week 10: Bye
Nov. 23 vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.
Dec. 6 at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.
Dec. 13 vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 at St. Louis Rams, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27 at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 15th (opponents combined to go 129-126-1, .506, in 2008)
Projected record: 10-6
Bodog over/under total: 8
Bodog odds to win AFC South: 3/1
Bodog odds to win AFC: 16/1
Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 35/1 (subject to change)

Houston needs to start strong to compete in the loaded AFC South, but that hasn't been a strength of Gary Kubiak-coached teams.

Since Kubiak took over in 2006, Houston is 2-8 in September and last year was 0-3. You have to like at least a 2-1 start this year, as the Texans should be solid favorites at home against the Jets and Jaguars. Plus Houston is 12-4 at home the past two years. Winning at Tennessee might be asking too much, since the Texans haven't done that since 2004.

The highlights of October include three games against below .500 teams from last year. Having the Bengals as the only AFC North opponent isn't a bad thing. That game with the Niners is San Francisco's first-ever visit. The bye probably comes at just the right time in November, following tough road games at Buffalo and Indy. Houston has lost seven straight at Indianapolis and has to play the Colts twice in three weeks; the Texans have been swept by Peyton Manning and Co. the past two years and have just one win against them ever.

Houston should be able to take care of business against those NFC West foes in December, but it might take an upset of the Patriots in the season finale to reach the playoffs. The good news is the Pats may not have anything to play for then and that Houston is 3-0 under Kubiak in season finales.

Another .500 or below season in Kubiak's fourth year at the helm might cost the coach his job, but I believe this club is on the rise and will sneak in as a wild card in 2009 – if Schaub, Slaton and Johnson stay healthy.

The Texans had their four-game winning streak snapped last week with an 27-16 upset loss to Oakland. Houston star receiver Andre Johnson totally disappeared in last week’s loss after an explosive performance versus Tennessee a week earlier. Against the Titans Johnson racked up 11 receptions for 207 yards and a touchdown, but against Oakland he only had two catches for 19 yards. Bodog has all your NFL football betting.

Houston still has a chance at finishing with a winning record for the first time since entering the NFL in 2002. They have not lost since Nov. 16 and need a win over Oakland to match last season's club record for victories, and then one over Chicago at home next weekend to close the year with a winning mark.
Steve Slaton has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of his last three games and has 1,124 yards with eight touchdowns on the season.

Houston won 24-17 at Oakland last November and faces a Raiders team that has lost three in a row overall and four straight at home.

Tennessee has clinched the AFC South on the strength of its top-flight defense, but the Titans also feature Kerry Collins (81.4 passer rating) in place of the wayward Vince Young, plus Chris Johnson and LenDale White at running back.

Houston’s offense has two capable starters in Sage Rosenfels (79.5 rating) and Matt Schaub (93.1), the latter returning from injury last week to beat Green Bay as 7-point road dogs. And rookie RB Steve Slaton (5.0 yards per carry) has taken the reins from veteran Ahman Green. But Houston’s defense is one of the worst in the league, leaving the Titans pegged as 3-point road faves (-125) for Sunday’s matchup.

The Texans will be playing on a short week of rest after dumping Jacksonville 30-17 on Monday night as 3-point home faves. Steve Slaton rushed for 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Jaguars; he should continue his fine rookie season against the No. 29-ranked run defense in the NFL. Green Bay counters with a higher-scoring offense than Houston’s, although the Texans are getting more yards per attempt, both passing and rushing.

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Now they face the Browns who have a rushing game that ranks 22nd in the league. Jerome Harrison is demanding playing time with his production, and it seems time for the Browns to work Harrison into the offense on a more consistent basis.

One bright spot for the Texans on Sunday was a strong running performance from rookie Steve Slaton, who had 14 carries for 156 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings, while the home team is also 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between these clubs. The Bodog Sportsbook has your NFL betting. Get in on the action today.

Any chance of making a serious run for a wild-card playoff spot is pretty much dependant on getting on a hot streak over the final two months of the regular season, and it has to start against the Texans.
Indy is an 8.5-point favorite, but the Colts are only 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.

The Texans are coming off of a 41-13 loss to the Ravens on Sunday where Sage Rosenfels and the offense could not get anything going. Rosenfels was sacked only twice, but he was hit a number of times and he threw four interceptions to go with just one touchdown. Get your NFL bets today.

After losing three straight games the Ravens have rebounded by winning three straight (all ATS) by a combined 93-50 score. Flacco has been a huge part of the win streak, going 46-for-76 for 620 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions to post a 104.1 passer rating.

The Texans need to overcome the loss of Schaub, who left last Sunday's 28-21 defeat to Minnesota after the first half because of a knee problem. The ball now goes to Sage Rosenfels, who was 4-1 as a starter last season when Schaub was out with various injuries.

Houston has lost its previous two games against Baltimore by a combined five points. Get your NFL picks in the Bodog Sportsbook today.

Coach Brad Childress did address the issue briefly, saying he expected Pat and Kevin Williams, who are unrelated, to play. The loss of the two players would be a major blow to Minnesota's defense, which ranks eighth in the league at 290.1 yards allowed per game and are giving up 70.7 rushing yards a contest.

Mario Williams helped the Houston defense put together its best performance of the season last week when they beat the Bengals 35-6. The Texans held an opponent to a single-digit point total for the first time since last season's opener, allowing a season-low 253 yards.

Can the 4.5-point underdog Texans do it again versus the Vikings on Sunday? Place your NFL bets today.