What Texans Game Lights Your Fire?

Welcome to the second installment of the virtual interruption of the Battle Red Masthead’s life of glory. Getting these questions answered in between BFD’s lighting cigars with thousand dollar bills, Brett’s insistence that we always keep 99 bottles of champagne aboard the corporate jet to toast J.J. Watt’s return, and Uprooted Texan’s purchase of Stalin-era uniforms for the janitorial staff can be a tall order. But since this is all about you, we set aside our weekly shopping trip to Rodeo Drive to provide you with valuable insight into the 2017 season.

Are you ready?

Okay, here goes.

The question at hand is: What game are you most looking forward to on the upcoming 2017 regular season schedule?

Diehard Chris:

The Pittsburgh Steelers in Houston on Christmas Day. I love the rhythm and routine of "regular noon" Sunday games, but for a national TV game on a major holiday to go down at NRG - I love the potential of that matchup. Hopefully the Texans will be in the thick of the playoff hunt (we know the Steelers are likely to be in it as well) and we'll have an elite matchup of our pass rush against Ben Roethlisberger.

It feels like the majority of recent national TV games for the Texans have been on the road, so it'll be great to showcase what is sure to be a raucous crowd, plus all the pageantry that goes along with Christmas.

Brett:

I am really looking forward to seeing this defense take on Tom Brady again. They almost made him look human last season in the playoffs before the Texans' putrid offense gave the game away. Hopefully Tom Savage can do just enough as the new starting quarterback to flip that script once and for all.

Oh, and the defense was able to have a ton of success against the Patriots last season even without J.J. Watt, so I cannot wait to see what they can do now that he, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus will all be rushing the passer together for once.

Capt. Ron:

The Patriots game is my first choice, with the Seahawks a very close second because I may travel to see the Texans in Seattle. The game against the Patriots is early in the season, which means there will be less film to help New England prepare, and there is a lower chance of key Houston stars sitting out due to injury. I want to see the full force of this defense take over the game. I want to see Tom Brady flustered and throwing tantrums on the sidelines. A win in this game not only helps with potential playoff seeding later, but it can also seriously galvanize the team with confidence and fuel to get on a strong roll throughout the 2017 season.

Weston:

I'm all in for Brock Osweiler beating Houston. It's going to happen, and it's going to be the greatest, most Texans thing ever.

(Pardon us for a moment as BFD virtually and spiritually flogs Weston for his answer.)

BFD:

For me, I'm most interested in the opening game against the Glitter Kitties. Last year, the two teams were similar from an all-around talent standpoint, but the Jaguars were big players in free agency, including stealing A.J. Bouye from us.

More than that, however, it'll be our first real opportunity to see if Bill O'Brien has done something, anything, to improve his horrendous offensive scheme. We might see glimpses in the preseason, but until the rubber meets the road in the opening game, we aren't really going to know much.

kdentify:

I'm most interested in the two games against the Colts. I know that the Patriots have been our bugaboo since our inception, but a division game will always mean more to me. Ideally, we can walk through the AFC South and then concern ourselves with the dominant forces in other AFC divisions, but I want to see the total demoralization of division rivals' fan bases before we turn our sites on the likes of the Patriots, Chiefs, and Browns (if we don't wipe the floor with the Browns, especially at NRG Stadium, I will be one incredibly unhappy fan).

Luke:

The Browns game. The idea of Brock Osweiler playing against this defense is too much fun not to consider, nor is the fact that he may very well roast this team with the deep ball because we as Texans fans are not allowed to have nice things.

In between bites of Franklin’s BBQ, hand delivered by Franklin himself, who couldn’t resist a trip to the 99th floor of Battle Red Tower, I couldn’t help but throw out my answer as well.

Mike:

Week Two against the Bengals. Historically, we’ve always put those big cats down, and Houston needs to get off on the right foot for this season’s slate of night games. This should be a chance for the Texans to show the nation just how great this team - and especially the front seven - can be on national TV. By the end of the night, Andy Dalton should be having nightmares of Jadeveon Clowney, J.J. Watt, and Whitney Mercilus everywhere he turns, and I’ll have a Texans win to celebrate on my birthday.

There ya have it. Now that you know what games we’re looking forward to, what games are lighting your fire? Pound the comment button and discuss while we get back to our lobster thermidor and private screening of Jerry Maguire in the corporate break room...