Texans Schedule Preview: Part 1
Personally I believe the Texans are Super Bowl bound this year. They are the best team in the AFC South and arguably the best team in the entire AFC. They don’t have nearly as easy of a schedule as they did last year but due to being a better overall team we should see an even better record at 12-4
Week 1: Texans vs Dolphins W
While it’s arguable that Ryan Tannehill is the quarterback that Dolphins fans have been waiting for, it’s his first start as a professional and that bodes well for a Texans defense that is eager to get after the passer. The Dolphins also traded their number one target, and cut Chad Johnson who was the favorite to take that spot this year. For those two reasons along with the Texans being a better team at full health than almost any team in the league I like the home team in the season opener.
Week 2: Texans @ Jaguars W
The Texans again benefit from the early season matchup as the Jaguars have a young quarterback in Blaine Gabbert and a struggling receiving corps. The Texans will also see an extremely rusty MJD, meaning the Jaguars offense should be even more stagnant than they will be later in the season.
Week 3: Texans @ Broncos W
The Broncos are on their second completely new offensive scheme in as many years. Peyton is still recovering from neck surgery and has yet to pick out his favorite target. No Texans fan should ever underestimate Peyton Manning as he has proven time and time again but I believe that they should come away with the win.
Week 4: Texans vs Titans W
The Titans are good young team. The best news the Texans can hope for in this week is that Kenny Britt should still be a little rusty and that would take one of Locker’s targets away. The other thing in the Texans favor is that Locker is still a young quarterback and even with a year under his belt, going up against the Texans defense is no small task.
Week 5: Texans @ Jets W
I really do not like the Jets this year. Neither of the two potential starting quarterbacks in Sanchez and Tebow scored touchdowns in all of the preseason. The Jets quarterback situation is bad enough even if one of them is named as the guy but by week five I predict a controversy to be in full swing and both quarterbacks to be looking over their shoulder. That along with their horrible wide receivers and Rex Ryan’s big mouth should lead to a Texans victory.
Week 6: Texans vs Packers L
Few teams can do what the Packers did last year and go undefeated for a majority of a season. While the Texans will be playing in Reliant Stadium giving them the home field advantage, Aaron Rodgers is too good of a player leading too good of an offense to continue to roll through. A win this week is completely possible but the Packers would be a completely respectable team to record a first loss to this late in the season.
Week 7: Texans vs Ravens W
Other than the Ravens having Jacoby Jones there are many reasons the Texans will win this game. While they are similar teams the Texans have a better field general in Matt Schaub and a better defense considering arguably the Ravens best player will still be unavailable in Terrell Suggs. Finally if it comes down to a field goal, I trust Shayne Graham more than I trust whoever the Ravens have replaced Billy Cundiff with.
Week 8: Bye
The Texans enter the bye week at 6-1.
Week 9: Bills @ Texans
The Bills are many people’s dark horse candidate to make noise in the AFC East. By taking Mario Williams from the Texans this offseason they’ve greatly improved their pass rush but I still like Duane Brown in that matchup. If the game was in Buffalo I would have been more likely to give the Bills a fighting chance in this one but considering the Texans won’t be playing in the 40 or 50 degree weather, I like the Texans.