Head coach Gary Kubiak plans to play his starters in both preseason games at Reliant Stadium. After resting nine starters in the Texans 27-13 preseason win at Minnesota, Kubiak is ready to increase playing time prior to the start of the regular season. When asked if J.J. Watt would play against Miami on Saturday, Kubiak's response was definitive.
"Everybody will go this week," Kubiak said Tuesday. "We will get good reps and we'll get two grass games coming up here at home against these two opponents. Our ones, those guys need to play a bunch of football the next two weeks."
After sitting out Friday's preseason game, Watt is eager to play again.
"I sure hope so," Watt said regarding whether or not he would play in the preseason home opener. "Yeah I think I'm playing Saturday. I feel great and I think it was more just about a little bit of rest in the last game. I feel great. I want to get out there. I want to play and I believe I'm going to play."
Reliant Stadium's grass surface would give starters an opportunity to get repetitions without an added risk of injury from playing on an unnatural surface, a major reason why many Texans players did not play in Friday's preseason game in Minnesota.
The Texans next two preseason games will be at Reliant Stadium. Houston will play Miami on Saturday at 7 p.m. and the New Orleans Saints on August 25 at 3 p.m.
