Three Biggest Games: Houston Texans

The 2015 Houston Texans are a riddle wrapped in an enigma. The team could finish the season 11-5 or 3-13 and neither record would come as a great shock. After all, the unit features two of the biggest steals of the draft in Jaelen Strong and Benardrick McKinney, a former number one overall draft pick plagued with injury but whose ceiling extends to Mount Olympus, and a quarterback competition that might not be settled until opening day.

Week 5 vs. Indianapolis Colts

As Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett and Tom Savage clash all offseason over who will earn the right to be named starter, the Colts are entering their forth season with Andrew Luck, whose skill, strength and chemistry with his offensive weapons makes 2015 a potential Super Bowl year in Indy. In what should be a congested and competitive AFC, Houston’s best chance to make the playoffs may be a victory in the two-horse division race with the Colts. An early-season primetime encounter at home is as good a chance as the Texans might have all year.

Week 10 at Cincinnati Bengals

The team that might struggle to make the playoffs meets the team that can’t win in the playoffs in this intriguing Monday night matchup in Cincy. As both teams look to kick-start the sort of late-season surge that has done wonders for playoff participants in the past, the key to a Houston victory will be pass rush. A wealth of talent in a front seven that includes J.J. Watt, Jared Crick, Louis Nix III, Vince Wilfork, Brian Cushing and Jadeveon Clowney could render Andy Dalton and his versatile offense helpless en route to a comfortable victory.

Week 12 vs. New Orleans Saints

The Texans and Saints underperformed for entirely different reasons in 2014. Where Houston couldn’t amass any consistency at quarterback despite solid play from the rest of the team, the Saints’ only constant last season was Drew Brees. The defense was atrocious, the offensive line was an embarrassment and the mysterious aura that once surrounded the Superdome had very much dissipated. Drew even sacrificed his favourite target, Jimmy Graham, in exchange for a better life insurance policy courtesy of Seattle Pro Bowler Max Unger. It’s hard to see an elite quarterback like Brees wallow in mediocrity for too long, which is what makes this clash a dark horse for game of the year.