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This puzzle uses the names of sixteen, or one-half of the current NFL teams as answers. The other half is used in puzzle number three. Please note that clues in this sports puzzle were updated October 2, 2010. NFL records were current at that time.
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The Houston Texans are an expansion team that officially joined National Football League (NFL) play in 2002. Dom Capers became the team's first head coach. Gary Kubiak became the second head coach in the franchise's history in January 2006.
Houston had previously been home to an NFL team, the Oilers, a charter member of the American Football League, founded in 1960. This franchise became part of the NFL in the 1970 merger. However, in 1997 the Oilers moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.
The Texans were awarded the first pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft and chose David Carr, quarterback from Fresno State. In their first ever NFL home game, the Texans defeated the Dallas Cowboys, who would quickly become their instate rivals.
In 2009, the Houston Texans posted a 9-7 record with quarterback Matt Schaub establishing new team records for individual passing yardage.
As part of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Texans chose defensive back Kareem Jackson from the Alabama Crimson Tide as their first round pick; Ben Tate, running back from Auburn as their second round pick; Earl Mitchell, defensive tackle, Arizona, in the third round; and Darryl Sharpton, linebacker from Miami and Garrett Graham, tight end, Wisconsin, in the fourth round.
The Texans are part of the AFC South Division, which also includes the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans.
The American professional football franchise known as the Indianapolis Colts has a continuous history dating back to the formation of the Baltimore Colts in 1953. The team captured its first NFL titles a few years later in 1958 and 1959. The legendary Weeb Ewbank was the head coach at that time. Players included quarterback Johnny Unitas, running back Lenny Moore, wide receiver Raymond Berry, defensive linemen Gino Marchetti and Art Donovan, and offensive lineman Jim Parker; all of whom have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Colts earned their way into the third Super Bowl played (in 1969) losing to the New York Jets, 16-7. Two years later in 1971, the Colts returned to the big show and knocked off the Dallas Cowboys 16-13. Thirty-six years later, in 2007 the Colts led by Peyton Manning returned to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Chicago Bears. Devin Hester opened the game with a 92-yard kickoff game, the first time in Super Bowl history a game had begun with a touchdown, and the Colts started out behind but finished the game 29-17.
In 2010 the Colts made their fourth Super Bowl appearance but fell to the New Orleans Saints.
Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 is scheduled to be played in Indianapolis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team in 1995. Tom Coughlin was hired as the team's first head coach. Jack Del Rio replaced him in 2003.
In their second season, led by quarterback Mark Brunnell and receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell, the team earned a spot in the playoffs as a wild-card team, advancing to the American Football Conference (AFC) title game before falling to the New England Patriots. Although the team has made the playoffs a number of times since, they are still pursuing their first trip to the Super Bowl. (The city of Jacksonville hosted the 2005 Super Bowl in which the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles.)
The Jaguars chose defensive players in their first four picks of the 2010 NFL Draft: Tyson Alualu, defensive tackle, California; D'Anthony Smith, defensive tackle, Louisiana Tech; Larry Hart, defensive end, Central Arkansas; and Austen Lane, defensive end, Murray State.
The Jacksonville franchise is part of the American Football Conference (AFC) South Division which also includes the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans.
The NFL franchise, Kansas City Chiefs was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans, a charter member in the American Football League (AFL). The franchise was incorporated into the NFL during the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Hank Stram was named as the Dallas Texans' first head coach and under his leadership, along with Len Dawson at quarterback, the team captured the 1962 AFL title. The following year the franchise moved to Kansas City and took the new name Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs played in the first ever Super Bowl, losing to the Green Bay Packers, 35-10. In Super Bowl IV, the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-7. The team has yet to return to the championship game.
The franchise holds the NFL team records for the most first downs in a season with 398 in 2004; the NFL team record for fewest fumbles in a season, seven in 2002; and the fewest turnovers in a season, 12 in 1982.
Notable players in the Chiefs' history have included Len Dawson, Tony Gonzalez, Dante Hall, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Jim Kearney, and Derrick Thomas. In addition Warren Moon, Marcus Allen, and Joe Montana made brief stops in their careers.
For their part in the 2010 NFL draft, the Chiefs chose Eric Berry, defensive back from the University of Tennessee in the first round; Dexter McCluster, wide receiver, Mississippi, and Javier Arenas, defensive back from Alabama, in the second round; Jon Asamoah, offensive lineman from Illinois, and tight end Tony Moeaki, of Iowa in the third round; among others.