Head coach Gary Kubiak spoke about the Texans' 2012 schedule on Tuesday at Reliant Stadium. The following is a transcript of his interview.
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on the exposure of playing four primetime games plus the Thanksgiving game in 2012) "That's a credit to the team, the players, and the job they did. So we do get some opportunities to play in some big primetime-type football games. Our games, throughout the season, are kind of all over the map so that's a big challenge for us, but it's one that I'm looking forward to. We knew we had a tough schedule coming, and that's part of it but we'll be ready to go."
(on opening the season at home against Miami and playing at Denver in Week 3) "It's nice to open at home. It's a few years in a row that we've had the chance to do that. We've had some great games with Miami. It seems like we've played them every year since I've been here. I'm sure this one won't be any different. We have a big division game on the road, probably a very warm game in Jacksonville and then going back to Denver in Week 3. I think Tennessee is Week 4, so two of our four division games carry a lot of weight and playing an old foe in Peyton (Manning) in Week 3. It's a very exciting schedule for our football team. There will be some great football to be played on some big stages."
(On the bye week falling on Week 8) "I like it. Anytime it's close to the middle is good. You never know how it's going to pan out for your team as far as is it a good time? Do you need some extra time to get some guys healthy? I think anytime you're somewhere there in the middle, it gives you a break and gets you ready for the back end."
(on what it will be like to play on Thanksgiving) "I've done it before. That's just a tough week. It's a tough turnaround, but there is a reward after it. You get a chance, almost like an extra bye week after that game, to freshen up coaches and freshen up players as you go into the month of December, which is usually a big, big month in this league."
(on playing two of the last three games against the Colts, including the season finale at Indianapolis) "Those division games just carry so much weight. We've always had some big games against those guys. Hopefully, we've got ourselves in position right there, that those games are really, really big games for both of us and we can take care of our business."
(on playing four games on primetime) "I think it's awesome. You've got two Monday Night Football games, both on the road against two great football teams. If you look over the course of the last three or four years, the job the Jets and Patriots have done, so that's a big challenge for our football team. We played pretty well on the road last year. There won't be anything bigger than what we've got to go do at those two places, plus Chicago on a Sunday night. We'll have to be a good road football team to go out there and win our games and those two challenges, yet the opportunity is tremendous."
(on having players back this week) "We just got going. We're kind of staying away from them these two weeks and letting them work with (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) Cedric (Smith). We're trying to find out where they all are physically. We've had 100 percent participation. It's been excellent and our guys have always been great. We'll let Cedric work with them for a couple weeks and then we'll get into our classroom and our fieldwork in the third week of the program which is Phase 2."
