The Houston Texans 2015 NFL schedule has made it’s debut and with it, a giant splash of excited murmuring between football fans, enduring NBA/NHL playoffs. The one thing the new schedule hasn’t changed for the Texans, is their toughest obstacle set on their post season hopes.
The New England Patriots.
Week 14 will be, by far, the most highly anticipated game on the team’s docket. Aside from the Patriots coming to Houston as the defending world champs, they have been in large part, the door that’s never been kicked in. Every year the Texans seemed to get things going, the Patriots were there in the playoffs, waiting to crush their spirits in true Belichick-fashion.
The last time the two teams met was on December 1st, 2013. In the midst of an already-depressing slew of losses that year and the eventual departure of both franchise quarterback Matt Schaub and head coach Gary Kubiak, the Texans met the New England squad at NRG stadium to lose a close one, 34-31. That would be a record 10th loss in a row for Houston to suffer.
The time before that, the Texans were in the second round of the 2012 playoffs on January 13, 2013 when they visited the Pats in Foxborough. After having finished that season a franchise record high 12-4, the team swallowed a tough loss on the road 41-28 . Just a month earlier, they faced quarterback Tom Brady on the road and got spanked 42-14.
Playing the Patriots at home on week 14 this year will be more than just proving the Texans are a good team and are capable of beating a good team. It will put to rest the fear of 2013, (dropping 14 straight losses) let fans forget the dreaded pick-six era that came with it, and give identity to the new squad that is pushing to dethrone the AFC South division rivals, the Indiannapolis Colts.
It’s not enough to survive the 2015 season, the Texans need to thrive in it, and there’s no better test of courage right before the playoffs than lining up against the league’s reigning champions.
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