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Did the Texans possibly back themselves into the Thursday opener?

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Hey Now!, Mar 9, 2016.

  1. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    Denver, of course, will host the NFL's first game, and the Texans with Osweiler are suddenly an interesting match-up.

    I'm guessing the NFL won't waste New England/Denver that early; the Broncos also host Carolina, Indianapolis, and Kansas City - all solid match-ups. But the Texan -Bronco connections might make for a pretty intriguing storyline that the NFL can't resist.

    That would be pretty cool.
     
  2. RasaqBoi

    RasaqBoi Member

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    Good point.

    I mean it's not like Broncos will have a high profile QB to showcase for any big ratings vs Brady, Cam etc. The stadiums adrenaline hate for Brock will be higher when the season is fresh.

    Oh ya JJ Watt will be there.
     
  3. mick fry

    mick fry Member

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    I'll take primetime anyway we can get it. Would be pretty awesome but only if we win.
     
  4. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    Nah. I still say Cam and the MVP/SB rematch outweigh a free agency departure.

    While the Broncos certainly wanted to keep him, they couldn't have been *that* attached to him. Could they? Let's see how high the emotions still are when the schedule is made/released.
     
  5. mick fry

    mick fry Member

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    You're forgetting the real storyline, Keenum facing the team that cut him twice.
     
  6. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    Depends on how good the NFL thinks the Texans will be. No way they open the season with a game they are expecting to be a blowout.
     
  7. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    Oh how could I forget that juicy nugget.

    TBH, until the Texans are relevant on a national stage (which only comes with winning/looking the part), I highly doubt NBC wants to commit to them (and certainly not this early).

    The flex game they got last year was a nice enough surprise... but the resultant egg they laid didn't garner any benefit of the doubt favors with this franchise/regime.

    I will say, however, with Peyton gone... and Denver possibly regressing... there is a huge AFC team void to fill to be that "other" marquee team. Its basically been whoever Peyton's been with (Colts then Broncos) and the Pats for the last 15+ years, with some sprinkling in of the Steelers every now and then.

    Smart money would be on a Luck/Colts bounce back... with the Steelers still garnering a huge national following like they always do.
     
  8. Two Sandwiches

    Two Sandwiches Contributing Member

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    It would be an excellent choice.


    Actually, one of the best they could make.
     
  9. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    I don't think a blowout would be expected

    Hell a lot of people around town here in Denver are now expecting a 6 win team next season
     
  10. rocketman12

    rocketman12 Member

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    I was thinking Carolina at Denver would be great. Rematch right off the bat. However now Houston at Denver is a strong possibility. I think it would cool if the Texans got it.
     
  11. Buck Turgidson

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    KARL KOLD!!!!

    Honestly, who gives a ****?
     
  12. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    Decent chance Fox will want to keep that game; only high profile appearance of the SB champs on their network with the NFC's biggest star seeking redemption.
     
  13. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    But I believe NBC gets the first dibs, especially with it being the first game and Denver already being locked into it.

    Yes, Denver is the SB champs... But they're sort of like what the Bulls were in 93 after Jordan retired. Yes, they're still likely to be good (especially with that defense)... There's still big names on that team...But I wouldn't underestimate what losing Manning will do to their national exposure (hell, if NBC didn't have to show them the first game... I'm sure they'd consider anybody else).

    Most people observed that they were incredibly lucky to even come close to contending last year, let alone winning the whole damn thing... Very unlikely they duplicate that sort of uncanny/fortunate result... Hence why most Denver fans aren't expecting a huge win total.
     
  14. vinsensual

    vinsensual Member

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    Why would NE/Denver on the season opener be wasteful? I think it depends on how Brady's appeal goes.
     
  15. rocketman12

    rocketman12 Member

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    Now that I think about it, it would make great sense for the Texans to open at Denver. New England at Denver, and Carolina at Denver will get great ratings any week so why waste it on opening night when the ratings will be great no matter what.

    The Texans don't have a huge national following so having them on opening night would be a great way to get a otherwise lukewarm matchup some ratings love.
     
  16. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

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    My hunch tells me that the NFL likes to play it really safe with the opening night matchup, being one of the highest rated few games of the year (if not in all of Television).

    We're excited about Osweiler but the average viewer in the US is not going to care about us or him. The Broncos might be on the short list depending on their new QB, but don't think it will be against us.
     
  17. Baseballa

    Baseballa Member

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    The Broncos will definitely be hosting. The SB winner always hosts the first Thursday night game.
     
  18. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    On the flip side, you can look at it as they want this game to get the highest ratings possible... as it does impact negotiations and contract extensions (if the league even sees the slightest drop-off in ratings year-to-year.... alarms ring, no matter how big the league has gotten).

    This game is also important because NBC will be part of the Thursday night package this season (divided with CBS)... and with the heat that those games have been getting overall (despite the networks paying a pretty penny for the packages), they're going to try and maximize the matchup to boost ratings.

    They treat this game as an event... and since Denver has to be in it no matter what, they're going to want as big of a marquee team as the opposition. And despite the excitement around here, I'd still put money on the Pats, Panthers... even Colts... being all more desirable matchups.

    Texans vs. Broncos should still have a shot to get a 3pm national slot... which is usually the most-watched game of the week besides SNF.
     
  19. FishBulb913

    FishBulb913 Contributing Member

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    Y'all are putting way too much stock into how much the average fan cares about Brock Osweiler lol.
     
  20. Hey Now!

    Hey Now! Contributing Member

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    I know for the flex schedule, at least, both CBS and Fox have dibs over NBC; not sure how the first game works as it has a much greater prominence/importance.

    Having said that, they've never launched with an inter-conference match-up (at least going back to 2010 - which makes me think Carolina is, at best, a long shot, especially given what a lame Super Bowl it was).

    Looking at the last few opening night games, some years, the choice is very nearly a default - New England's home schedule last year was awful; the Steelers were the only logical choice. Same with Green Bay in 2011 - the Saints were far and away the only good team on their home schedule.

    But when they have choices, they don't always go with the marquee match-up. For instance, the Cowboys played the Giants in '12. While Cowboys/Giants is a SNF staple, Dallas was in the midst of abject mediocrity and were picked over the Packers, Saints and Steelers.

    In 2014, Seattle hosted Denver (SB rematch), Dallas, San Francisco and the Giants but they went with lackluster Green Bay (8-7-1 the previous year).

    ++++

    If I were president of NBC Sports, I'd rank the choices like this:
    1) New England with one giant caveat - no Brady? No Patriots.
    2) Texans/Colts - Luck = Watt; and frankly, with Manning gone and no Colt-Bronco storylines, the Kubiak/Phillips and Osweiler connections provide an easy narrative to sell. Osweiler leaving will be a BIG story this year. And Houston is poised to be a real force in the AFC if he can live up to his potential.
    3) Kansas City - poised to also likely be a very formidable team in the AFC, I just don't think Kansas City has much going for it, nationally.
    4) Carolina - lackluster Super Bowl and they tend to (rightly, IMO) avoid inter-conference games
    5) Raiders - highly unlikely but they're poised to be a fun team this year; would be an intriguing dark horse.
     

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