I'm just glad it'll be showing on CBS and not Fox's crap HD feed, with it being vs a NFC team and all.
The offense has to help the defense out by keeping Brees and company off the field for as long as possible. We have to win the TOP battle. We could use a few 10-minute TD drives in this one.
New Orleans has already faced two top-5 defenses and racked up 30+ on both of them. We aren't getting away with an offensive performance like we had Sunday. I don't see any hope of holding them to 20 in the Superdome. It's going to have to be a shootout win. Saints killed the Bears by a) blitzing to bring out Bad Cutler b) suffocating the run (Forte had an early 42 yard run....and otherwise 9 carries for 7 yards) Saints are a big play team - it's always that one guy that slips deep that makes them so dangerous. Colston's out, but Henderson's been dangerous in both weeks. The secondary isn't going to pitch a shut out - it's critical that the attacking front 5 continue to churn up the pocket and hurry Brees into a check down. Winston can't have another bad day - Schaub was ineffective under pressure when the Dolphins made their run, and the aggressive blitzing was the formula for the Saints last week. We aren't winning a shoot out if we can't keep Schaub clean. Teams are also sniffing out the boot - blitzing from the far side where Schaub is turning blindly to (with no protection). Gregg Williams has tape on that now and will be taking notes. Kubiak needs to adjust because Schaub could get his bell rung in a serious way if Roman Harper gets a full throttle blindside hit in. It's too bad Foster came back too soon - we could really use him in the dome. You almost have to treat Brees like Manning now - keep him off the field and dominate time of possession. If they get some quick strikes and force you to abandon the run to play catch up, you're sunk. We absolutely, 100%, can win this game....but I don't see Kubiak pushing the right buttons and I think this is a good enough offense that they'll exploit the weak spots in Wade's All-In 5-2 scheme. 33 - 24, bad guys
Tough game and terrible matchup for us. The Saints can run the ball and their receivers have the kryptonite for our secondary: speed. I expect the Saints to beat us up with the running game and hit long bombs down the field to whoever is being covered by Jackson/Allen. Saints 35, Texans 24 Edit: But I'm with you Em. The Texans have the talent to win this game, just not sure I see it happening. I wish this matchup was later in the season when I expect the Texans to be humming much better.
If I had more confidence that the Texans would make it competitive, I might would go. I just don't want to be a Texans' fan in the Superdome if the Saints blow them out. It's not that I hate the Saints or their fans. I just don't want to experience that. Heart's prediction: Texans 41, Saints 35 Brain's prediction: Saints 38, Texans 20
I have never liked a post as much as I like this one. Try being in Alabama where there isn't a professional football team. Everyone roots for the Saints or Falcons. I hate both teams and all their fans are SO ANNOYING. The "Who Dat" and "Dirty Birds" just needs to go Anyways....Texans 24-Saints-17. Tate dominates and we control Time of possession to keep Brees off of the field. N.O scores on a bomb to Devery Henderson(For fantasy purpose) but it's not enough! After the game the Texans will get more than 20 seconds worth of time on ESPN, but not due to our victory...more of how the Saints lost because they didn't had Marques Colston.
Game 3s have historically been very bad for the Texans. Overall the Texans are 1-8 in Game 3s. Under the Kubiak era the Texans are 0-5 in Game 3s. However, under Kubiak the Texans are 3-2 in their 1st game against a NFC opponent.
I will be there. And Saints fans are insufferable losers also. They were very annoying when we whupped them at Reliant.
Yes, this game (win or lose) will be very telling about whether the organization has really turned the corner. Last year we laid a complete egg against the Cowboys in week 3. If we get routed by New Orleans, I'll be worried. If we hang with them and lose the game late without shooting ourselves in the foot, I can accept that.
Amen. I want a win, but I will not feel like the season is lost with a loss of 10 points or less. The Saints are a good team, but I don't think they're winning the Super Bowl, so we should have a shot. That is not meant to be taken as the Texans will win the Super Bowl, but I truly believe this team could win a couple playoff games. When that's the case, you have to win against upper caliber talent.
As a side note: When we played them in the preseason, Brees played the first quarter, and the Texans outscored the Saints 14-0. Multiply that by four, and we win 56-0. So.... Texans 56 Saints 0 Statement game.:grin:
Fox has the better feed. Hopefully, we can run it down their throat similarly to the preseason game against them. We have a good shot to pull it off if we do. Colston being out and a rusty Lance Moore certainly helps our cause.
Forte also had 100+ yards receiving, we know in that offense he'll catch, not rush. I think we match up decently against the Saints. I've always been hoping against hope that Gary's been resting Foster up for this 2 week gauntlet of NO and PITT. Brees is 6' and he'll be getting throws out against a hungry front 4 that's a minimum of 6'3" in Mitchell. 6'4" for Smith, 6'5" for Watt, and 6'6" for Mario. You saw it against Henne, the line is learning to better anticipate throws and sWatt'em down. /publicenemy We all saw how Rodgers/McCarthy had Greg Williams in a daze trying to stop them. Of course Schaub =/= Rodgers, but this team can be better balanced, and has all the same kind of targets. All pro #1, catching fullback, sure-hands TE, speedster #3. Walter would've been our Donald Driver. And then you factor in the formidable run game (unless Tate gasses out and we have to put Slaton in ). If we'd only put in Vickers in the red zone, then I think the efficiency gets back to where we like it. I'm not a fan of the naked boot either. Half the time it seems like there's only one guy designed to get open, maybe there's a deep read too, just can't see it on the tv. And we all know Schaub on a broken play is either a throwaway or a run out of bounds. I agree that ToP will be a battle we must win.
I think FOX provides better PQ, it just randomly switches to SD sometimes. Gus Johnson leaving means there's nothing but Texans haters left on CBS.
The more I think about this game, the more it has the feel of Arizona 2 years ago. I think we start out sluggish due to the atmosphere and hype, and Schaub either throws a bonehead pick early, or fumbles after getting hit, and we go down in a two possession hole early. In both games so far, Schaub has either thrown an interception on the first drive, or NEARLY thrown one (the pass to Jacoby was under thrown, and tipped....should have been picked off). However, neither team we played could capitalize. The Saints can, and will. If we are going to win this game, it's going to have to come from Tate pounding the ball early and often, the offensive line protecting Schaub from all of the exotic blitzes that Gregg Williams will be sending, the defense identifying when/where the deep threat will be coming, and getting pressure on Brees to make him force the ball into areas he doesn't want to. That seems to be a lot to expect from a team that is only 2 weeks into a new defensive scheme, and is missing their best running back. Saints : 34 Texans : 24
