The Texans see the Saints so often in the preseason it feels like they play more. But this is only their fifth regular season meeting.
Bill O'Brien is 1-0 against New Orleans. And it was a historic defensive performance helping to get the job done, 24-6, in 2015 at NRG Stadium. In that game, Romeo Crennel's bunch held the Drew Brees-Sean Payton collaboration without a TD. That's like holding Lennon and McCartney without a hit.
The last time the Texans were in New Orleans, they had a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter but couldn't hold on as Brees kept finding ways to make plays. That was 2011, a year that turned out very well. But the Saints game was Week 3 and Houston had yet to gel defensively.
The only other time the Texans played at the Dome was Week 2 in 2003, Andre Johnson's second game. New Orleans is also the site where the Texans got their first win of any kind, a 13-10 preseason victory in 2002.
The series is tied at 2-2, with both Houston wins coming at home – the 2015 victory and a 2007 win that pushed the Texans to 5-5 at the time.
Brees is 3-2 vs. Houston, as he picked up two wins as a Charger in Game 2 of '02 and the 2004 opener.
Think about that for a moment. The Texans faced Brees in the second game in the history of the franchise! And he's still going strong.
New Orleans is coming off a loss in the NFC championship game, featuring a no-call on a play that helped usher in challenges and reviews of pass interference situations. It'll be interesting to gauge crowd reaction if a review comes up.
The Texans come into the game as a very different team that last took the field in the playoffs in January. Almost half the position players have been changed out. Some were drafted. Some were acquired in trades or through free agency and some are coming back from injury.
Buckle up. It's going to be a big night in the Big Easy.
