2012 Opponents
 

By my shaky calculations, the Texans opponents for next year are almost determined.

Six games against divisional opponents, Indy, Tennessee and Jacksonville, home and away.

Four games against the AFC East - New England, NY Jets, Miami, Buffalo.

Two games against AFC division champions - Denver or Oakland in the AFC West and Baltimore or Pittsburgh from the AFC North.

Four games against the NFC North - Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota.

As a divisional champion, I'd expect we'll get a few more prime time games next year with Green Bay, Detroit and the AFC playoff teams the most likely matchups.

The schedule doesn't seem particularly tough or easy - just representative. A lot more will be determined in how the schedule is laid out.

Looks like a fun schedule.

I selfishly hope for a primetime game @ Green Bay. Watching a game there is on my bucket list, and I couldn't make it the last time we went up there due to a work conflict.

Games I'd worry about:

Green Bay
New England
AFC North (either one)
Detroit
@ Indy (since we never win there)

I'll say 1-4 to this.

Games I'd say are 50-50:

Chicago
@ Tennessee
AFC West (either one)
NY Jets

So, let's say 2-2 here.

Games I'm confident we can win:

Buffalo
Miami (I think we're still undefeated against them)
Home vs the AFC South
@ Jacksonville
Minnesota

Factor one brain-fart game here and it is 6-1.

So, a conservative guess at a 9-7 record which is about where we are give or take a win.

Oy, looks pretty brutal. The Texans, right now, I think would struggle to go 8-8 against that lineup. But, if there was one year to avoid injury, 2012 would be the year. A healthy Schaub, AJ and Mario (if he's back) for 16 games could do wonders.... Other IR contributors next year could be Lestar Jean, Brett Hartmann, Dom Barber, Leinart (is he back?) and Darryl Sharpton...

I devoutly hope the injuries improve next year.

Hope Mario resigns.

When did LeStar go on IR? I never thought he got off the PS.

I hope CB Brandon Harris doesn't become another Moulden. He never emerged here, but he is starting now for NE I believe.

Does look like fun, 10 - 6 or better and another divoision championship
is my expectation

First, the Packer game will be in Houston.

Second, the Texans have a decent shot at playing the Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit next season. It is the Lions' turn to play the AFC, and CBS may be more likely to want the Texans over the Colts given Indy's poor season this year.

HOME
Indy
Tenn
Jacks
Buffalo
Miami
GB
Minn
AFC North Champ

AWAY
Indy
Tenn
Jacks
New England
NY Jets
Chicago
Detroit
AFC West Champ

i think that is more an indictment of how poor new england's defense is than it is about any improvement molden has made since leaving

a thanksgiving game would be nice. on all the doom and gloom predictions about the record next year. if they have their big time players healthy the texans will be a super bowl contender next year. this is definitely a tougher schedule than this year's was, but the texans are one of the most balanced teams in the nfl (offense/defense). and hopefully wade sticks around for another year.

Three potential late-season snow games!

The home opponents scream 6-2 or 7-1. It's the road opponents that bring most of the danger. Have the Texans ever won on the East Coast other than Florida? Not counting Miami and Jacksonville, I think their victory furthest east would be Pittsburgh in 2002 (which is further east than Buffalo). I don't recall them ever winning in NY, NE, Philly, Baltimore or Washington. Or Charlotte. Or Atlanta.

They won that OT game in Washington early last season.

You're right! That's when AJ made that great catch late to complete a big second half comeback and send it to OT.

All I could remember was that game where Ladell Betts had a career day against us.

2007 there was a win at Charlotte. 2 Weeks later, lost to Atlanta in their house. Only game ever @ Atlanta. That's the deal..... These NFC teams, we only go to their house once every 8 years....they come to Houston in between at the 4 year mark.... So, we've only played like 1 game away against the Giants, 2 against the Eagles - all losses, although the last visit to Philly last year was a Thursday Night game and, IMO, pretty entertaining....

Who didn't have a career day against us last year? ;)

Buffalo is decidedly east of Pittsburgh. But your point is salient; the Texans have not done much winning in the northeast. That is likely because up until very recently they have not done much winning anywhere.

Yup. After consulting a map, you're right. But it is west of Altoona.
They've done OK on the west coast (SF, Oakland).

I have that prime time thrashing they took in Seattle back when lodged in my mind as the foremost example of their west coast play but that may be a touch unfair.

It's now official. Next year's schedule will have the Ravens at home and the Broncos on the road.

That works out nicely.