Flashing Forward – Looking at the Houston Texans 2012 Matchups

The 2011 NFL season is officially over with the crowning of the New York Giants as Super Bowl XVLI champs. Giants QB Eli Manning has helped ensure that the Manning dynasty lives on. Meanwhile, the wife of New England Patriots QB Tom Brady, supermodel Gisele, proves that most people cannot have both brains and beauty.

And now we move on…

Flashing forward to this fall we take a quick glance at the Houston Texans 2012 opponents, their 2011 season records, and what the Texans fans might expect from this next season.

The Texans have the following matchups for this fall:

Home Games

Indianapolis Colts (2-14)

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

Tennessee Titans (9-7)

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Miami Dolphins (6-10)

Minnesota Vikings (3-13)

Green Bay Packers (15-1)

Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

If we look at all of the home games that the Texans will play next season I believe that it is safe to assume that they could go 7-1 at home. Of the eight teams that they will face only three of them had a winning season in the 2011-12 season. Of those three (Titans, Packers, and Ravens) the Packers will be the true test for the Texans.

The Texans beat the Titans in Nashville last season and then lost to them at home after they had already secured a playoff berth. With home-field advantage, such as it was this season, the Texans should handily destroy the Titans at home next season.

The Ravens defeated the Texans in both of their matchups this last season. However, the playoff game was decided by a touchdown and both games were in Baltimore. Again, with home-field advantage I believe that the Texans can defeat the Dirty Birds and finally rid themselves of the Joe Flacco fiasco.

The Packers will be a true test for the Texans. Much like the Texans, the Packers have a young, quick defense and this game will be an all-out battle in the trenches. Assuming that Matt Schaub remains healthy next season the game will come down to the quarterbacks. Unfortunately, however, Aaron Rodgers is still a better quarterback than Schaub and will be the reason why the Packers win at Reliant.

While I would love to predict that the Texans will win seven games at home I also have to be a bit realistic. Therefore I predict a home game record of 6-2.