Monday Night questions to be asked and answered

Jan 5, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Greetings Texans Fans!

Monday night is the big night, but before that night kicks off questions abound.

Will Ed Reed make an appearance?

How many carries will Arian Foster get before it becomes the Ben Tate show?

Will Jared Crick make his presence known?

How many catches will new receiving stud DeAndre Hopkins have and for how many yards?

Will Earl Mitchell be the beast he was during preseason?

How much play time will DJ Swearinger have and how well will he perform?

Isn’t the weekend of NFL kickoff not the most intriguing of times? There is an air of anticipation that you can almost feel as everyone gears up for the annual ritual of dashed hopes and amazing stories. Thursday, of course the biggest threat to the Houston Texans if you read the preseason picks that is, put on a show for the ages with the Denver Broncos dismantling of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

Many experts seem to have Denver penciled in for a trip to the Meadowlands in February. Personally I wouldn’t start buying stock in orange fabrics just yet. While it was quite the performance, it was against a new-look Baltimore defense that was missing leaders and the fire that drove them last year.

Speaking of, one of those leaders should be taking the field Monday night in steel blue and battle red, even if just for a few snaps or to give pointers on the sideline. I’m not buying the “Denver Dominance” theory just yet. However, the Texans have to prove they too, are ready for prime time.

What better way then capping off the start of the NFL season during Monday Night Football? While it’s easy, and I did predict this in my previous column, for an easy Texans blowout what’s important is how the team starts coming together. Week three and a visit to Baltimore may just depend on the chemistry that solidifies with the offense starting Monday night.

So all the above questions … they’ll get answered in due course.

But what we should all be watching for is how Matt Schaub and his receivers connect, how the defense works as a unit to achieve Wade Phillips’ goal of destruction before the ball is even thrown. The individual achievements will be fun to watch, but here’s hoping the big picture is one of promises fulfilled and hopes lifted even higher.