Odds seem even but stakes higher for Houston Texans vs Miami Dolphins – NFL Preview
The Houston Texans will host the Miami Dolphins this Sunday to start the season as Super Bowl contenders for the first time, and reaching beyond first round of the playoffs is an obvious target in front of them.
It was for the first time in their franchise history that the Texans played a game in the playoffs in the 2011 National Football League (NFL) season, after winning the American Football Conference (AFC) South division.
The achievement of the two milestones has welcomed the team back into the 2012 season as Super Bowl contenders. It is yet to be seen if they are able to attain new glories, or even maintain the last year’s ones.
Coach Gary Kubiak is hopeful of their chances, so is quarterback Matt Schaub, and last year’s hero and then rookie QB T.J. Yates. The team has strength, and has struck a right balance at all positions. They are particularly hopeful of Schaub’s form who missed
most part of the past season with a foot injury. It was down to Yates then to help the side through to the playoffs, and now it is Schaub’s turn to prove his mettle.
Also, the team has star receiver Andre Johnson fully fit and in form now. He was absent from as many as nine games of last year with a lingering hamstring injury. So with Johnson, Yates and Schaub, the Texans form a strong offensive line, well capable of
ruining any defence in the league. The trio is crucial to the team’s performance and victory chances this season.
The Dolphins, on the other hand, are led by rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill with incumbent Matt Moore as his backup. So their offence is as strong as the Texans’. However, they face a stronger defensive line of the Texans.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has helped the side leap forward on the league’s defence rating chart from bottom to the top, and the Dolphins can expect to be sternly challenged, tackled and even roughed up.
It is for the first time that new coach Joe Philbin is heading the Dolphins into the season. He has spoken high of the team’s preparations irrespective of the fact they had to face some difficulties at the receivers’ position following sudden waiver of wide
receiver Chad Johnson.
Again, the offence’s performance will be crucial to the team’s victory chances, which should be an encouraging development for the coach, who seems to be not confident in the wake of some latest changes in the side.
For example, veteran QB David Garrard could have made a difference on the offensive line for them. Unfortunate for both stakeholders that the player had to undergo a minor surgery and was let go earlier this week.
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