When should we play Patriots?

[TEXANSWILDBILL]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcsouth/0-9-53/When-s-best-to-draw-game-vs--Patriots-.html

I am not too sure. We have not been too good at starting the season out, but been surprisingly exceptional during the second half of the season. Personally I wouldn't mind getting them during the end of the season. No excuses about not being ready. Playoffs are on the line and everything.

[wildroot]

No excuse for not being ready on opening day! If they wind up being first on our schedule, Kubiak will have 5 months to do nothing but prepare the team for one game....

[blake1776]

Get Mario to scare brady out of town.

[houstonsportsfan09]

I don't really care as to where it falls though I think it will be in the second half of the season. Hopefully primetime.

[Bluehen Texan]

The sooner the better. I want to know what this team is made of.

[Sportswriter79]

Opening day.

Right here on Kirby Drive - Reliant Stadium.

Let Mario & Co. welcome their hotshot QB back into the NFL.

[GoldenHolden]

No excuse for not being ready on opening day! If they wind up being first on our schedule, Kubiak will have 5 months to do nothing but prepare the team for one game....

That means Belichek has 5 months to prepare as well. I am a Kubiak fan but Belichek is a football genius. I would prefer to play them after our bye week.

[Sprtsfanatic]

I say early on....not first game but one of the first 4 games. With the coaching staff changes they had over there on O it would be nice to get them before they completely adjust...either way though I think we hand them their arses....early or late. Oh and dont forget it will take some time for Brady to fully trust his instincts in the pocket with people crawling all around him.

[South Texan]

Play them first half of the season when we will still be underdogs.

[A-B]

Dont care. If we wanna run with the big dogs we should always be ready to bite.

[TEXANBRONCO]

COME ON MAN.....no fear -no mercy:D.....it doesnt matter when we play them, THEY ARE GOIN DOWN:D

[jvaldez1984]

Opening day.

Right here on Kirby Drive - Reliant Stadium.

Let Mario & Co. welcome their hotshot QB back into the NFL.

Patriots play the Bills on Monday Night of Opening Weekend.

[TexSid]

I prefer to play them on the day of the assigned schedule. otherwise its kinda embarrassing...you know... we show up and there is another team playing them and we are like oh sorry and its really awkward

[Sportswriter79]

Patriots play the Bills on Monday Night of Opening Weekend.

Ooops....didn't know that any regular season games had already been scheduled and released.

[Sprtsfanatic]

Ooops....didn't know that any regular season games had already been scheduled and released.

It hasnt...it comes out tuesday, but most of the primetime games have been announced already

[johndoe]

Keep in mind that Tom Brady might not be at full strength early in the year. The sooner we play them the better i think...

[dbruder44]

It hasnt...it comes out tuesday, but most of the primetime games have been announced already

Week one primetime games and the Thanksgiving schedule is the only thing out so far

I still hope the rumor about NE on MNF holds up and it is a September game

[txwooley]

Week 2. Our D will have a whole new look this year. Kubes isn't going to give anything away during pre-season so the Pats will only have 1 game tape to study with our new look defense. We, however, have years worth of game film of the Pats since they haven't really changed anything. Prepped Texans over the unprepared Patriots in week two: 34-27

[Sprtsfanatic]

Y'all are forgetting we have always played them pretty darn close...even in their superbowl years. I think taking a superbowl team to OT and losing on a clutch kickers fg is as far as you can take a team. And that was then...we are much more talented this year and so is our offense. Our defense will have to step it up but even compared to then we are much better off

[ubecool454]

I don't really care as to where it falls though I think it will be in the second half of the season. Hopefully primetime.

Ditto!.....I just hope it falls when it cools down some here and on a monday night so we can have the roof opened in prime time.

[doveslayer665]

Let Mario & Co. welcome their hotshot QB back into the NFL.

hellyeah brother!

[Wolf123]

I want to play them whenever brady is not going to play.

[Sprtsfanatic]

I want to play them whenever brady is not going to play.

forget that...I mean I'd take the W but I would much rather have a better guage to tell where out team stands.

[Flash80]

forget that...I mean I'd take the W but I would much rather have a better guage to tell where out team stands.

I think we could beat them Brady or no Brady (less of a chance but who knows what could happen). However, a win is a win... and we need about 10 of them to get to the post season so I'll take them anyway they come.

But how sweet would it be to beat them this year with Brady fully healthy? Man, that would be great.

[TexansRage123]

i dont think we can beat em...brady to moss/welker....not to mention how many draft picks they got...they gonna be pretty good...not undefeated good...but...they gonna cause alot of trouble in the AFC...and they signed some good vets...pats are always good with older players...not to mention there D will be a bit younger after this draft...but if there was any chance at all..it would have to be at home...sunday night game....id say monday night..but pats have pretty good record on monday nights...so...i doubt that...

[TheRedfishCo]

Week 2. Our D will have a whole new look this year. Kubes isn't going to give anything away during pre-season so the Pats will only have 1 game tape to study with our new look defense. We, however, have years worth of game film of the Pats since they haven't really changed anything. Prepped Texans over the unprepared Patriots in week two: 34-27

Everyone else has had the same game tapes as well...look how good that has worked. They were 16-0 in 2007 and 11-5 in 2008 without Brady. Having game tapes is one thing, having the athletes to compete with them is another.

[dbruder44]

Y'all are forgetting we have always played them pretty darn close...even in their superbowl years. I think taking a superbowl team to OT and losing on a clutch kickers fg is as far as you can take a team. And that was then...we are much more talented this year and so is our offense. Our defense will have to step it up but even compared to then we are much better off

We actually blew that game that ultimately went to OT, our TE Billy Miller was interfereed with in the end zone and we couldn't convert three straights tries from the 1. that would have won it for us.

[wildroot]

Everyone else has had the same game tapes as well...look how good that has worked. They were 16-0 in 2007 and 11-5 in 2008 without Brady. Having game tapes is one thing, having the athletes to compete with them is another.

Yeah, Id say it's a long shot... 16-0 and 11-5 and we're sitting at 8-8 two years running. Unless we just absolutely have some sort of breakout year, I don't know other than wishful thinking what would make anyone think we're going to win this one.

[Sprtsfanatic]

Yeah, Id say it's a long shot... 16-0 and 11-5 and we're sitting at 8-8 two years running. Unless we just absolutely have some sort of breakout year, I don't know other than wishful thinking what would make anyone think we're going to win this one.

Well count me in that small number of people cause I believe we have a hell of a shot to beat them and think we will...and thats without any koolaid

[1TexaninSA]

Count me in as well..I think The Texans have the ability to beat any team in this league. The only way we lose to the Patriots is if we beat ourselves. i.e. turnovers, and bad play calls. I do think, win or lose, it's gonna be one hell of a game. Brady or not..

[TexansRage123]

In Order To Win A Few Things Have To Occur:

1. Schuab Has To Play And No INT's
2. Have To Put Up At Least 100 Yds Rushing
3. Force Pressure On Brady And Not Let Em Convert on 3rd Downs

And The Most Important One. Control The Time Of Possession.

[wildroot]

Well I hope like *ell we win but this is a Belichek led team that's averaged 12.5 wins a season over the last 5 years. I've seen us make some improvements but the Pats are doing things to upgrade their team as well. In my heart I say we win the game but my head tells me that I haven't seen us do anything this off-season to leap-frog us past the Pats. What am I missing here? We're still an 8-8 team trying to get our first winning season under our belts and their shooting for what, their 4th SB in this decade? And showing no signs of slowing? I'd say the same thing if we were going to face Pittsburg...not dissing our team, just facing reality.

[Se7en]

This question is backward...

When do the Patriots want to face us!

[TexansRage123]

Maybe The Patriots Will Be Like Dallas And Ask To Play Someone Else :p

[Se7en]

Maybe The Patriots Will Be Like Dallas And Ask To Play Someone Else :p

I am pretty excited because I honestly think a lot of teams still look at us and chalk up a win. Most fans still do not realize that we have taken steps to improve past where we were just 3 years ago.

Think about the Chicago game at the end of last season for a perfect example. Chicago fans thought they had the playoffs locked up with an easy win over us and then we blasted them and helped send the Eagles into the playoffs through the backdoor.

The Texans are going to make the season rough for a lot of teams and I cannot wait!

[wildroot]

I am pretty excited because I honestly think a lot of teams still look at us and chalk up a win. Most fans still do not realize that we have taken steps to improve past where we were just 3 years ago.

Think about the Chicago game at the end of last season for a perfect example. Chicago fans thought they had the playoffs locked up with an easy win over us and then we blasted them and helped send the Eagles into the playoffs through the backdoor.

The Texans are going to make the season rough for a lot of teams and I cannot wait!

No doubt we've taken steps to get better albeit baby steps, but 8-8 isn't going to strike fear into our opponent's hearts. Hopefully that'll work in our favor.

[Flash80]

Week one primetime games and the Thanksgiving schedule is the only thing out so far

I still hope the rumor about NE on MNF holds up and it is a September game

Unfortunately the Patriots are playing the Bills MNF opening weekend (like someone said above) and I don't think they would have two MNF games in September. Maybe MNF a little later in the season though.

[TexansRage123]

i know pats play TB in london or wherever it is over there

[Houston Texans_]

Get Mario to scare brady out of town.

Get the Baby Momma and her friends front row seats....LOL

[TexansRage123]

why u hope it will be like the tony romo/jessica simpson thing?

[TheRedfishCo]

Well it looks like the Pats game is the final game of the year, which means that they might lock up 1st in the div by then. Could be a gimmie game for the texans. This is assuming that the pats are anything like have been the past few years, but the NFL changes rather quickly to even make this statement way before the season starts. Jumping way way way ahead of myself.

[houstonsportsfan09]

Well it looks like the Pats game is the final game of the year, which means that they might lock up 1st in the div by then. Could be a gimmie game for the texans. This is assuming that the pats are anything like have been the past few years, but the NFL changes rather quickly to even make this statement way before the season starts. Jumping way way way ahead of myself.

We could pull a NYG. Lose to them in the final week, only to beat them in the playoffs.;)

[blake1776]

Hopefully we are the #1 and #2 seed and we both rest our starters, but still win.

[Scotty Smalls14]

Playing NE last game of the year is the best time for us to play them, considering the Patriots should cruise in a weak AFC East division(I don't see Miami having the type of year they did last year)

[Houston Texans_]

I think we will see that game flexed, we are having 1st winning season playing for playoff berth...New England winning their division again...Clash of the TITANS...two powerful teams finishing the season looking to see who is best.