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**[Kubiak on Texans' 2006 schedule
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HOUSTON – The Houston Texans 2006 schedule is highlighted with the Texans facing opponents from the NFC East and AFC East. Houston begins the season with three of their first four games at Reliant Stadium. Houston will face cross-state rival Dallas in Week 6 at Texas Stadium for the Governor's Cup. Houston's schedule includes its first three-game road trip, which sees them going to Tennessee, the New York Giants and Jacksonville.
Houston opens at home for the third time in five years when they face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are the second NFC East team to open the season in Houston. The Texans opened with the Cowboys on September 8, 2002 in the team's inaugural game.
Houston travels to Indianapolis in Week 2 marking the earliest the Texans have faced an AFC South opponent. Houston returns to Reliant Stadium to face the Washington Redskins in Week 3. This marks the first trip to Reliant Stadium for the Redskins. Houston completes the first quarter of the season with a home match-up against the Miami Dolphins.
Houston begins the second quarter of the season with a trip to Dallas. This is the first time the two teams have met since 2002 and the Texans initial victory. Houston hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars before a three-game road trip takes them to Tennessee and New York to face the Giants before completing the swing in Jacksonville.
Houston returns home to face the Buffalo Bills then hit the road to face the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders, marking the Texans first trip to McAfee Coliseum. This stretch of games will see Houston on the road for five of six games from Week 8-13.
The final quarter of the season begins with Houston hosting division rival Tennessee before going to Foxboro to face the New England Patriots. The Texans close out the season with homes games against the Colts on Christmas Eve and the Cleveland Browns on New Year's Eve.
This season has a new wrinkle with the implementation of flexible scheduling for Week 10-15 and Week 17. The NFL has the option to inform teams 12 days in advance that their Sunday afternoon game will switch to Sunday night and will be aired on NBC at 7:00 p.m. The Texans Week 16 match-up at home against the Indianapolis Colts game will not change due to the NFL locking in the games over the Christmas Holiday weekend.
For more information, call the Houston Texans Communications Department at (832) 667-2140.
2006 SCHEDULE NOTES
- The Texans will have played at every AFC venue when they play at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. and McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, Calif.
- Houston faces the NFC East for the second time in team history. The Texans are 2-2 all-time against the division.
- Houston plays home games in December against Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Tennessee. This marks the first time in team history the Texans have played three homes games in December.
- Houston travels to Tennessee, the New York Giants and Jacksonville from Week 8-10 for their first three-game road trip in team history.
- The Texans finish their schedule with two home games for the second time in their history. In 2003, Houston concluded the season with home games against Tennessee and Indianapolis.
- Houston's 2006 schedule features five playoff teams (Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Washington, New England and the New York Giants).
- The Texans 2006 home opponents finished last season with a 66-62 combined record (.516) and their 2006 road opponents had a 68-60 combined record (.531) in 2005.
- The Texans have played Cleveland and Buffalo four times in five seasons – most outside their own division.
- New Texans head coach Gary Kubiak was the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator in 2005 when they finished with a perfect 8-0 home record, marking the fifth time in Broncos history. His offense totaled 393.9 at home, second highest total in the NFL.
- The Texans are 4-2 in games played on FOX…Wins- N.Y. Giants, 16-14 (11/24/02); Carolina Panthers, 14-10 (11/2/03); Atlanta Falcons, 17-13 (11/30/03) and Arizona Cardinals, 30-19 (12/18/05). Losses- Minnesota Vikings, 34-38 (10/10/04) and St. Louis Rams, 33-27 (11/27/05). Both losses came in overtime.
- Houston opens the 2006 season at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. This marks the second time in team history Houston begins the season against an NFC East opponent. Houston beat the Dallas Cowboys, 19-10, on September 8, 2002.
- The Texans do not play an opponent from the NFC in December for the first time in team history.
- The Texans begin their season with three of their first four games at home.
- The Texans are 5-3 at home against the NFC with wins against Dallas, 19-10 (9/8/02); NY Giants, 16-14 (11/24/02); Carolina, 14-10 (11/2/03); Atlanta, 17-13 (11/30/03) and Arizona, 30-19 (12/18/05). They lost a pair of overtime games against Minnesota, 34-28 (10/10/04) and to St. Louis (11/27/05). They fell 16-13 to Green Bay (11/21/04).
- Houston plays two NFC opponents in the month of September for the second time in team history when the host Philadelphia and Washington. In 2002 Houston played Dallas and Philadelphia.
- The Texans travel to Indianapolis in Week 2 marking the earliest time in team history Houston has faced a division opponent.
- Houston plays a home game on Christmas Eve for the second year in a row. They welcome division rival Indianapolis to Reliant Stadium. Houston played against Jacksonville on Christmas Eve in 2005.
- For the third time in team history, the Texans open and close their 2006 season at home. In 2002, Houston opened the season against Dallas and closed against Tennessee. In 2004, Houston began with San Diego and closed with Cleveland.
- This marks the second time in team history the Texans' season finale is at home against the Cleveland Browns. The 2004 season closed with Cleveland in Reliant Stadium.
- Houston's bye week falls on October 8. This is the fourth time in five seasons the Texans bye week has fallen in October.
