In 2012-2013 the Texans plan to have everyone back and healthy, and their hopes for the season are high. This should make Texans tickets very hard to find for first games against Miami and Jacksonville. If the Texans play like they did last year, they should be able to start off the season 2-0.

Week three brings with it a very interesting match up, as the Texans travel to Denver to face Peyton Manning for the first time in a Broncos uniform. By that point, Manning will have had two games to get used to the Denver offense, so it will be interesting to see how he holds up against the Houston pass rush.

On October 14, Texans tickets will sell out quick when Green Bay travels to Houston. Surely, the Packers will be eager to redeem themselves after their playoff loss to the Giants in 2012, and they will circle the Texans game as one they need to win to do that. With Matt Schaub back in the lineup, however, the Texans have the passing offense to go toe-to-toe with the Packers.

A week later, the Texans won’t get a rest as Baltimore comes to town. The Texans will be waiting for this game, as Baltimore ousted them from the playoffs in 2012. The Texans will be anxious to face the vaunted Baltimore defense with a healthy offense, in order to avenge their loss from last year.

November sees a couple of intriguing inter-conference match up for the Texans. First, they travel to Detroit on November 22 to face an up-and-coming Lions team who many have compared to the Texans. Just like the Texans, the Lions have a big, rangy wide receiver (Calvin Johnson) and a quarterback with a big arm. Two weeks later, Houston faces a very different team in the Chicago Bears. The Bears will put their stingy defense up against Schaub and Houston running back Arian Foster. I can’t wait to use my Texan tickets to see these games.

On December 10, the Texans travel to New England to face the Patriots. At this point in the season, many experts predict this game to have meaningful playoff implications. The Texans hope to be vying for a division title, and New England is always in the playoff hunt.

If Houston can get past New England, they have a relatively easy finish to the season. They face rebuilding Indianapolis twice, with Minnesota sandwiched in between. If the Texans play well in 2012-2013, the end of the season will be a great time to regain their strength for the playoffs.

2012-2013 Houston Texans Schedule:

September 9 – Texans vs. Dolphins

September 16 – Texans vs. Jaguars

September 23 – Texans vs. Broncos

September 30 – Texans vs. Titans

October 8 – Texans vs. Jets

October 14 – Texans vs. Packers

October 21 – Texans vs. Ravens

Bye

November 4 – Texans vs. Bills

November 11 – Texans vs. Bears

November 18 – Texans vs. Jaguars

November 22 – Texans vs. Lions

December 2 – Texans vs. Titians

December 10 – Texans vs. Patriots

December 16 – Texans vs. Colts

December 23 – Texans vs. Vikings

December 30 – Texans vs. Colts

Re-signed

The Texans started their off-season aggressively by re-signing running back Arian Foster to a five-year deal. The Pro Bowl running back will be paid $43.5 million of which $20.75 million is guaranteed. As the dominant running back in the Texans top rated rushing attack, the move made sense on a number of fronts. This news puts buying Texans tickets a little at ease, knowing that they would have a decent running game.

Along this line, the Texans also moved to re-sign center Chris Myers. Myers made the Pro bowl last season and was due to become a free agent. Instead, the Texans locked him up with a four-year deal that will pay him $25 million total with $14 million being guaranteed. For a player just coming into his prime, the contract represents a good deal for the Texans as Myers would be able to command much more in another couple of years.

Cuts

As is the case with most NFL teams, the Texans had to cut a number of players to get under the salary cap before free agency started. What was surprising was the quality of some of the players that they cut. While getting rid of quarterback Matt Lineart and safety Quintin Demps wasn’t particularly surprising, the decision to cut tackle Eric Winston and fullback Lawrence Vickers was. The team has no clear replacements for Winston or Vickers. This is particular troubling since the team favors a run first offense and both players were key to its success. Hopefully by the time I make my decision to buy Texans tickets, they will have found comparable players for those positions.

Free Agent Losses

In addition to cutting a number of players, they suffered two significant free agent losses. The player that is getting the most attention is defensive end/linebacker Mario Williams. A one time first overall pick in the NFL draft, Williams had come into his own as a pass rushing specialist. Once he became a free agent, teams were climbing all over themselves to try to sign him. Ultimately, it was the Buffalo Bills that won out when they signed him to a staggering six year contract for a cool $100 million. This makes Williams the highest paid defensive player in the league, a contract that the Texans had no hope of matching. I had my hopes up for this deal but knew it would play no part in making my decision to buy Texans tickets.

An additional loss that is perhaps more important, but isn’t getting as much mention, is the loss of offensive guard Mike Briesel. The team wanted Briesel back, but he signed a five-year contract for $20 million with the Oakland Raiders. When combined with the loss of Eric Winston, the team has now lost two of its starting five offense linemen. It is difficult to see how losing almost half your offensive line will not have an effect will on the team’s vaunted rushing attack, not to mention interest from fans to want to buy Texans tickets.

On a lesser note, they also lost cornerback Jason Allen to the Cincinnati Bengals. Allen missed the 2011 season due to injuries, but still managed to convince the Bengals to sign him to a two-year contract for $8.2 million. Although the Texans have other cornerbacks in the fold, this will undoubtedly force them to look to the draft to develop some depth.

Free Agent Signings

Listing the free agents that the Houston Texans have signed since the free agency period opened is extremely easy. This is because they haven’t signed a single player. This is terrible news for anyone interested in purchasing Houston Texans tickets. There was some talk that Peyton Manning might come to the team since he was already familiar with the division and would be able to get revenge on the Indianapolis Colts, but that now appears to be a pipe dream.

Overview

The Texans 2012 off-season has been a frustrating one for fans. The team looked so close to going to the Super Bowl in 2011 and may well have made it if starting quarterback Matt Schaub and not been lost for the season with an injury. Unfortunately, it now appears as though the team is taking a step back. While they have retained two key players, they have lost a lot of quality players and now have some serious holes to fill. The Texans are going to have to have a very productive draft if they hope to maintain their momentum as an up-and-coming team. Only time will tell if I will be renewing my Texans tickets this year.

Key Pre-Season Developments

The Texans had long been an offensive force, which has been one of their main drivers to get people to buy Texans tickets.  Their defense on the other hand, tends to want to drive people away. Ownership knew this so they sought out Wade Phillips to make a change. His presence on the sidelines helped end one of the worst defenses in the league during the 2010 season. The Texans overall rankings for 2011 season are now third in run defense and fourth in  pass defense. If a coach could be the MVP of a team, Wade Phillips was it. His hard hitting style change to the Texan’s defense helped spark new interest in fans to buy Texans tickets and watch the game.

The second huge pre-season development was the physical ailments of Peyton Manning, the uber quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts. Manning would end up missing the entire season and the Colts, who had dominated the division for a decade, would collapse. This rare opportunity gave the Texans the ultimate chance to finally break through and they did just that. Fans were ecstatic when they finally got to use their Texans tickets for a playoff game.

The Season

Notwithstanding their ultimate success, they had a hard time selling Texans tickets at the start because of their inconsistent 3-3 record. Looking on the bright side of things, they had notable wins against the Colts in their season opener and the mighty Pittsburg Steelers, yet somehow managed to lose to a very average Oakland Raiders. Along the way, they lost talented defensive end/outside linebacker Mario Williams for the season. To be honest, it was looking like the same old Texans after the first six games of the season. Then things changed and people found it harder to find cheap Texans tickets.

The Streak

After starting the season at a dismal 3-3, the Texans went on a seven game winning streak to steal away the division. This is when fans rejoiced about finally getting the opportunity to use their Texans tickets to a playoff game. Perhaps more impressive than the streak was the fact the team found its identity. With bruising running back Arian Foster, the team established itself as the second best running team in the league. This was fortunate as the team’s passing attack, usually a strength, endured a nightmare season that would ultimately derail the team.

The dynamic Texans offense regressed badly in the 2011-12 season. They say injuries are never an excuse, but they were this time. Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson missed long stretches of time with an ankle injury and was a shadow of himself when he did play.

The real problems occurred when the Texans quarterback started getting injured. Just when a Super Bowl run seemed realistic, starting quarterback Matt Schaub sustained a season ending injury in a week 10 game against the pathetic Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Backup Matt Lienart was named the next starter, only to fall prey to a season ending shoulder injury the next game. Things were not looking to good for those that bought their Texans tickets early in the season.

The promising season looked torpedoed as the Texans faced their final four games of the season and the playoffs with a quarterback, T.J. Yates, who was a true rookie that had never thrown a pass in the NFL. Yates had played his collage ball at North Carolina where he was so average that he wasn’t even asked to the NFL draft combined work out. In the ultimate humbling moment, he was instead asked to come and throw to the wide receivers the teams wanted to evaluate! Texans tickets holders were not happy to see the fate of their team in the unsure hands of TJ Yates.

Alas, the Texans went 1-3 in their last four games as they relied on their defense and vaunted rushing attack to keep games close. Things would change in their first playoff game in franchise history.

Playoffs

As division winners, the Texans hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in a first round game. It was a slaughter. The Texans defense forced the Bengals into three interceptions and Arian Foster rushed for over 153 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans won 31-10. This was a huge success for the Texans because not only did they win in Houston, they won their first playoff game for the first time. Hopefully this will start a trend where those that purchase Texans tickets can start expecting them to make the playoffs more often.

Alas, the Texans next playoff game was against the very strong Baltimore Ravens in Balitmore. Without an experienced quarterback, they managed to put up a solid fight but were doomed to lose. Yates would end up throwing three interceptions and the Texans lost the game 20-13, a disappointing conclusion to a great season.

Conclusions

The players and coaches of the Texans were under a ton of pressure to perform coming into the season. I believe that they did that and more. If the team hadn’t lost its top two quarterbacks, they would have had a very good chance at making the Super Bowl. Heading into the 2012-13 season, it is hard to imagine them having such a run of bad luck again. With the rest of the teams in the division being very mediocre, the Texans are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. I know that I can wait to use my Houston Texans tickets for their very first Super Bowl appearance.

Team Status

The Houston Texans have long been a tease to their fans. Always seemingly ready for a breakthrough into the playoffs, the team consistently has disappointed. Not this year. In 2011, the Texans took advantage of the collapse of the Indianapolis Colts to dominate their division. Not only have the qualified for the playoffs, they’ve clinched the division. Many Houston fans are excited for their team and have purchased Houston Texans tickets to show their support.

The Carolina Panthers are experiencing a rebirth under the leadership of new Head Coach Ron Rivera and the play of stud rookie quarterback Cam Newton. The team only had a 4-9 record coming into the game, but they had led in all but one game. Rivera has the formerly sad sack Panthers on the cusp of doing big things. The match up with the division winning Panthers represented another chance to improve…and the Panthers did just that winning in Houston by a 28-13 score. Cam Newton put on a spectacular show for those that purchased Texans tickets for this game.

First Quarter

The Panthers came out fired up. On only the second offensive play for Houston, the Panthers forced a fumble by Arian Foster and recovered it on Houston’s 26 yard line. Four plays after that, Cam Newton hit Steve Smith for a 26 yard touchdown. The Texans would drive for a field goal before the period was out, but kicker Neil Rackers would miss it giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead at the end of the quarter. If the Texans continue to play this poorly in the upcoming playoff match, those that bough Texans tickets will be extremely disappointed.

Second Quarter

The second quarter saw the Panthers go on a five minute drive that culminated with a 9 yard touchdown throw from Newton to tight end Jeremy Shockey. The teams then traded punts until six minutes were left in the quarter. At that point, Houston rookie quarterback T.J. Yates threw an interception giving Carolina the ball at midfield. The Panthers drove down the field and ran a rarely seen trick play to score – the old college fumbleroskie play. The offense ran an option play to the right with Cam Newton appearing to carry the ball. The only problem was the ball was actually handed off to the tight end who went the other direction to run scott-free into the end zone. This put the Panthers up 21-0 at the half.

Third Quarter

The third quarter finally saw a switch in momentum. Texans tickets holders finally had something to cheer about when the Texans started shutting down the Panthers offense while the Texans offense started driving the ball effectively. They had to settle for two field goals, however, which would ultimately doom them in the game. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 21-6.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter saw the game come alive. The Texans drove from their own 32 yard line to score a touchdown on a 1 yard run by Arian Foster and narrow the score to 21-13. The young Panthers have shown a tendency to collapse under such pressure, but not in this game. Instead, they immediately drove down the field to score a touchdown on a 24 yard run by DeAngelo Williams. The Texans would throw an interception on the next drive and the Panthers would then run out the final 7 minutes of the quarter to win the game 28-13. If the Texans do start getting their game back, they could really disappoint the people that already bought Texans tickets for the upcoming playoff game.

Summary

As good a season as the Texans have had, the Panthers exposed why the Texans will not go far in the playoffs. The loss of their starting and backup quarterbacks has left them with a low round rookie starting their games. He has played far better than anyone could have hoped for, but that will not last. You need quality quarterback play in the playoffs to win and Yates is simply to inexperienced. Still, things look up for the future.

As for the Panthers, this game represented another solid step forward. Not only did they beat a good team, but they stood up and were counted in the fourth quarter when things hung in the balance. Carolina may only be 5-9 at the moment, but the team’s fans have to be very excited about the future. Look for the Panthers to make a run for the playoffs as early as next season.

Yates looked to be focusing on all-pro wide receiver Andre Johnson early in the game.  Johnson, who missed 6 weeks of the season due to a hamstring injury made leaping catches on the first two completions of the game.  However, that drive ended in a punt.

Both teams had trouble getting their offense started in the first quarter.  After trading punts to start the game, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan threw an interception that led to the first points of the game, a 43-yard field goal by Neil Rackers.  They followed that up with a 3 yard touchdown pass from Yates to tight end Joel Dressen mid way through the second quarter.  The big play on the drive was a 50-yard hail marry pass from Yates to Johnson. You can say that those who purchased Texans tickets to this game really got their moneys worth.

Fans were upset when Atlanta finally got on the board at the 5:06 mark in the second quarter with a 19-yard field goal by Matt Bryant. Texan tickets holder were expecting to see a blowout this game.

The rookie quarterback had a little luck on his side to start the 4th quarter.  His worst pass of the game was an interception by Falcon linebacker Mike Peterson.  Peterson returned the pick for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a penalty on the Falcons. Fans breathed a sign of relief when the touchdown was called back.

A 4-yard pass from Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to Roddy White was the first Falcon touchdown of the game.  That touchdown tied the score at 10 heading into the 4th quarter.  However, the next series by the Texans was an impressive 19 play drive that covered 85 yards.  That drive ended in a 1-yard touchdown run by Arian Foster.  Foster carried most of the offense after Andre Johnson left the game in the third quarter with an injury to his other hamstring.

The Falcons responded with their own 12 play drive, however after moving the ball 55 yards, they gave it away on downs after being unable to convert. After a quick 3 and out by the Texans, the Falcons had another chance to tie the game.

The got the ball on their own 33 yard line with :59 seconds left in the game.  They were able to move the ball to mid-field and get in a position for a game tying touchdown pass, but they couldn’t make it happen.  Ryan overthrew wide receiver Roddy White who was open in the end zone.  Wide receiver Julius Jones had a chance to win the game as time expired.  However, Texan Kareem Jackson was able to bat away the ball in the end zone and prevented Jones from making the grab. This game ended up being a real nail bitter in the end. I am sure those that bought Texan tickets for this game didn’t expect the game to be this close. Be sure that you don’t miss your chance to see exciting games like this one. Purchasing your Texan tickets now!

Yates finished the game 12-for-25 for 188 yards with one touchdown.  His quarterback rating for his first NFL start finished at 86.8.  That compares to the 20-for46, 267 yard performance of his counterpart from Atlanta.  However, the two early interceptions thrown by Ryan may have been the difference in the game.

This game was essentially over early, and the hometown crowd who booed the Titans through much of the game, finally began trickling out of the stadium at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Many of these fans were wishing that they had purchased Texans tickets instead because they would at least have a team to cheer for.

Although Houston started the game by punting on it’s first two possessions, they picked up the pace and scored on six of their next seven possessions. The Texans began their scoring bonanza with 7:18 left in the first quarter as field goal kicker Neil Rackers punched a 32 yard field goal through the uprights, capping a 13 play – 78 yard drive.

In the second quarter Texans defensive back Danieal Manning intercepted a pass from Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Houston was pinned on their 13 yard line. But Texans quarterback Matt Schaub quickly drove the Texans offense down the field and finished the scoring drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to tight end Joel Dreessen.

On their next scoring drive the Texans needed only four plays, as Schaub rolled out to his right and threw back across the field to find running back Arian Foster wide open. Foster snaked his way through the Titans defense and ran virtually untouched into the end zone for a 78 yard touchdown pass. Foster, last year’s NFL rushing leader, had an outstanding day finishing the game with three touchdowns and 234 all-purpose yards (115 rushing – 119 receiving).

The Titans offense could not get untracked at all during the first half of the game and was only able to gain 148 total yards all day, compared to the Texans 518 total yards.

Houston tacked on a 29 yard field goal by Rackers at the end of a 7 play – 37 yard drive to lead the game 20-0 at halftime. Time of possession in this game was a bit one-sided as you might expect in a blow out, favoring the Texans 37:58 to the Titans 22:02.

In the third quarter Houston scored again on a 92 yard drive and Foster got his second touchdown of the day on a 1 yard carry. The Titans defensive line was just no match for the Texans offensive front four. Time and time again, the Titans defense was blown off the line of scrimmage and wide holes were opened up for Houston’s running backs to gain good yardage.

Finally, near the end of the third period the Titans decided to go with the hurry-up offense and managed to mount a scoring drive. Hasselbeck found Jared Cook in the end zone on a fourth-and-goal play from the 5 yard line to take the goose-egg off the scoreboard and give Tennessee their only score of the day.

In the fourth quarter Arian Foster got his third and final TD as the Texans drove 52 yards in 8 plays, Foster carrying the final 5 yards.

The Texans finished the day by sticking their collective thumb in the eye of the Titans as Brice McCain intercepted a Hasselbeck pass and ran it back for a touchdown. It was the Texans who was victorious when the final score was set. But most of the Titan fans did not see it because they had already left the stadium.

This Sunday, the Houston Texans will have yet another tough game against the 2-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. Texans tickets for this event are almost completely sold out! The difference between the Steelers and the Saints is that the Steelers have a defense. The Saints and the Texans beat people with their offense, not with their defense. The Texans are led by QB Matt Schaub who threw almost 400 and 3 touchdowns, but falling short last week. The Texans could only salvage one touchdown in 5 visits to the New Orleans red zone last week, which is not very encouraging.

Both of the teams the Texans have beaten this season have yet to win a game (Miami and Indianapolis). So, what does this say about the Texans? It says that if they want to earn some respect they are going to have to defeat an established team known for winning. That team could be the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is not like the Texans have not made an effort towards improving their defense. They brought in Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips and paid over 34 million for Defensive Backs Danieal Manning and Johnathan Joseph. In addition, they drafted all defensive positions with their first 5 draft picks. All that effort has yet to pay off.

This week the Houston Texans will be able to test the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, which has bounced back since their Week 1 embarrassment at the hands of their rival Baltimore Ravens. Both of these teams have the potential to make it to the playoffs and be very competitive, but who will be 2-2 and who will be 3-1 after this Sunday? The Texans do not have a lot of competition in the AFC South without the Colts at full strength, but the Steelers have the Baltimore Ravens and the upstart Cleveland Browns to contend with.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a battered offensive line. Willie Colon is on the injured reserve and Jonathan Scott has a bad ankle, but should play. The Texans will be without offensive lineman Darius Butler as well. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin says he is depending on his beat up offensive line to prevail this week in Houston. The Texans are expecting RB Arian Foster to be back from a nagging hamstring injury, which should help their efforts as well. The Steelers need their running back Rashard Mendenhall to find some running room because he has only managed 148 yards this season.

The Steelers secondary should have their hands full trying to guard WR Andre Johnson who is as good as it gets. He has average over 100 yards a game receiving in his first 3 games. Chances are the Texans won’t be able to run against the Steelers so this game will be on the shoulders of Matt Schaub. The Texans are favored by 4 points at home, but the Steelers may have something to say about that on Sunday.

In July of 1997 the owner of the Houston Oilers finally got approval to move his NFL franchise to Nashville, Tennessee. This left the city of Houston without an NFL franchise and a void that would be hard to fill. In October 1997 Bob McNair is in the earliest stages of bringing an NFL expansion team to Houston. Although this offers a glimpse of excitement; the process is long and winding. It would not be until October 1999 before the NFL Owners unanimously decide to provide the city of Houston and Bob McNair with the 32nd NFL franchise. However, there is still a long way to go before Houston puts a team on the gridiron.

It would be March of 2000 before ground was broke for the Houston NFL stadium. In September of 2000 the Houston franchise becomes the Houston Texans. Just a month later the Houston NFL stadium is named Reliant Stadium. In January of 2001 Dom Capers is named the Texans first Head Coach. Capers had been the Head Coach of another expansion team, the Carolina Panthers, from 1995-1998. In late 2001 and early 2002 the Texans begin signing their first players. In the NFL Draft of 2002 the Texans use their first pick to get Fresno State QB David Carr.

On September 8th, 2002, in front of a stadium sold out of Texans tickets, they stun the NFL base by defeating the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 19-10 in their NFL debut. They would finish the 2002 season at 4-12 and finish last place in the division. As they entered the 2003 season they were still an expansion team trying to improve. Although they would win one more game; their 5-11 record still left them in the cellar of the AFC South. In 2004 the Houston Texans seem to be making strides and they ended up finishing in 3rd place with a 7-9 record. However, a winning record still eluded them.

In 2005 the Houston Texans crumbled and wound of with the worst record in their brief history at 2-14. Head Coach Dom Capers was fired and Gary Kubiak was hired as his replacement from the Denver Broncos. In 2006 the Houston Texans draft DE Mario Williams as their #1 pick, but it was not enough to over come a 6-10 season. In 2006 the Texans trade for QB Matt Schaub. It would be one of the best moves the franchise had made. In both 2007 and 2008 the Texans finish 8-8. In 2009 the Houston Texans finally achieve a winning season finishing 2nd in the division with a 9-7 record. However, last year they slipped again falling back to 6-10.

This year could truly be the year for the Houston Texans to at least make it to the post season. The hopes are high and this weekend will be a chance for the team to see what they are truly made of as they face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Texans are out to make history, but only time will tell.

Matt Schaub started off the 2011 NFL Season with a bang. He threw for 220 yards and a touchdown leading his team with pure will and excitement. Without RB Arian Foster to carry the pigskin, it was Ben Tate who had to follow the blocks of his offensive line. Tate would find his way through the Colt defense for a hard fought 116 yards reaching pay dirt as well. Colts QB Kerry Collins learned very quickly that filling the shoes of Peyton Manning would not be an easy chore. He spent the day scrambling for his life.

The Houston Texans had a chip on their shoulder and aimed to prove that there was a new leader emerging in the AFC South. In 19 previous games against the Colts the Houston Texans had achieved a dismal 3-16 record. The Texans needed a win to escape history and alter their direction in the future. In QB Kerry Collins defense the Colts had drawn the 38 year old from retirement only 3 weeks previously and he had to take a crash course of Colts 101 very quickly. As is often the case when a new QB begins taking hands off with a new team; Collins would fumble back to back snaps that would lead to Houston touchdowns in the first quarter alone.

The new Houston Defensive Coordinator and former Dallas Cowboy Head Coach Wade Phillips kept the pressure on Collins the entire game. Collins would be sacked 3 times, but he did not throw a single interception. When the first half gun sounded the game was virtually over. The Texans had a demanding 34-0 lead. It would lead Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak to say that it was the best half of football his team had ever engaged in. The Colts defense was on its heels and gave up 259 yards in the first half alone.  The Texans managed 19 first downs in the first half; whereas the Colts only achieved 15 the entire game.

The Indianapolis Colts would not find pay dirt until WR Reggie Wayne caught a 6 yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins with around ten minutes left to play. When the final seconds ticked off the game clock the Houston Texans had defeated the Indianapolis Colts 34-7. The Texans were on top of the AFC South knowing that a road to a division championship would take one win at a time. Each win will need the support from fans, be sure to buy your Texans tickets now!

2011 may be different, however, for several reasons. Perhaps the most important one has nothing to do with the Texans themselves. Instead it has to do with Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning being out for the season (or most of it) with injury. The Colts are the perennial front-runners in the Texans’ division. Without Manning, the division appears to be wide open and the Texans hope to capitalize on that. I will be sure to keep by eyes and ears open for this situation to play off in my favor. I know that I can’t wait for the first chance to use my Texans tickets to a playoff match up.

Fittingly, the Texans open the season against the Colts. This game has become something of a barometer for the Texans each year. In the past, if they could at least split the season series with the Colts it was considered a victory overall. This year, without Peyton Manning in the picture, the Texans will have to win both games with the Colts to prove their legitimacy.

The Texans schedule doesn’t get any easier after the Colts as they have to travel to New Orleans in week 3 to play the Saints. Texans quarterback Matt Schaub will go head-to-head with Saints quarterback Drew Brees in what should be an offensive slug-fest. The Saints game is followed up by the Steelers at home in week 4. The punishing Steelers defense will test the true resiliency of the Texans offense. Arian Foster, the league’s leading rusher in 2010, will have to play his best game against a tough Steelers defensive line. I am sure that Texans tickets will sell out quick for this game, so buy your tickets today!

In week 6, the Texans face another stingy defense when they travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis leads the Ravens defense, and their shut-down secondary will attempt to contain Texans superstar receiver Andre Johnson. If they make it past the Ravens with a good record, the Texans will be in good shape as the toughest part of the schedule will be behind them.

In week 13 they play host to the Atlanta Falcons, who owned the league’s best record in 2010. Then, in week 16, the Texans play at the Colts to finish out the season series with Indianapolis.

Anything less than 10-6 will be a disappointment for the Texans in 2011-2012. They have a supremely talented offense and a quick and swarming defense. As long as everyone stays healthy, the team should be able to remain competitive with the best teams in the league in 2011. And fans hope they will be watching their team for the first time in mid-January.

Sunday            9/11     Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts

Sunday            9/18     at Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            9/25     at New Orleans Saints vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            10/2     Houston Texans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday            10/9     Houston Texans vs. Oakland Raiders

Sunday            10/16   at Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            10/23   at Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            10/30   Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday            11/6     Houston Texans vs. Cleveland Browns

Sunday            11/13   at Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            11/20   BYE WEEK

Sunday            11/27   at Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            12/4     Houston Texans vs. Atlanta Falcons

Sunday            12/11   at Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            12/18   Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers

Thursday         12/22   at Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans

Sunday            1/1       Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans