If you didn't know, the NFL schedules were released yesterday. Yaayyyyyy.....Not extremely interesting, unless you are a season ticket holder or a die hard fan who has to know what your teams week 11 matchup is (the Texans take on the Redskins).
All this does is give the national media something football related to talk about, because football coverage never seems to stop in this country. Seriously, turn on your local sports radio station, they are breaking down the schedules week by week right now. Yeah I know baseball season is just getting started and you will have all summer to talk about those games, and I'm not even sure when the NBA playoffs end now. September I think. But predicting each teams record based on their schedule is like guessing if a food will taste good, based the name on the menu. You're probably going to be wrong 70% of the time. (Just for reference if it sounds french, probably not. Give me pictures and big words like a Waffle House menu every time.)
I could have gone week by week for the Cowboys and Texans and given you my predictions, but I'm lazy, and I'm not sure you want to hear that from me when you can get it everywhere else. Instead I'm going to focus the one game that is on everyone in this area's radar, week 5, Cowboys vs. Texans at NRG on Sunday Night Football.
By "focus" I don't mean break down the matchups. No, I'm going to tell you why this game is important for Texas, and why these two teams should play every year. You can read why they don't play every year, here.
1. In State rivalries could be good for the sport:
The NFL scheduling policy doesn't allow this concept to happen, but they really need to make an exception for teams from the same State. If you have more than one franchise in the same State they should be required to play each other. The Jets should always play the Giants (no one cares about the Bills, sorry). The Jaguars should always play the Dolphins, and the Chargers should have to play the 49ers or Rams. Swap years. It may not matter that much to other states, but I know here in Texas, we like to prove that we are better than the next guy. There isn't a simpler way to do that than by playing. The NFL is always looking for storylines. We see this in college football, and the ratings that large rivalry games bring. Texas vs. A&M before they were too good for each other, USC vs. UCLA, Florida vs. Florida State. The list goes on and on, but people always get up for these games, if for nothing more than just bragging rights. That brings me to my next point....
2. Settle a debate:
Like it or not Houston and Dallas have a weird animosity toward each other. There is always the debate about which city is best. Houston wants to have a rivalry with Dallas so bad, like a dude at a bar just looking for a fight. And Dallas is like a scorned ex girlfriend "we don't even think about Houston, but like what's he up to?". So inevitably this is settled with the sports franchises. Mavs vs. Rockets, Astros vs. the Arlington Rangers, but not the Texans vs. Cowboys. Still, every single year without fail, there will be this debate between fans, "who is better the Cowboys or the Texans?". And without fail there will be a twitter/Facebook argument that ends with a Cowboys fan saying "count the rings", and a Texans fan saying "you have less playoff wins in the last 20 years than the Jaguars." Both fan bases are triggered and nothing is settled, unless they happen to play in a Super Bowl (which we all know will never). So if the NFL is truly about the fans, let the two teams from some of the biggest markets in the league have this one thing to look forward to every year.
3. It should be fun:
Finally the game should be a decent one to watch. Both franchises have been inconsistent to say the least since the Texans have come into the league, but recently they may have found new life. Both teams have young and exciting quarterbacks. The last time these two played in 2014, the Texans had Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB (yuck). The Cowboys may have the best running back in the league in Elliott, and the Texans have an elite wide receiver in Hopkins, and playmakers on defense. There are some interesting matchups here. But I have to believe the players will always be motivated for this one as well. Especially J.J. Watt, after what Tony Romo did to him in that '14 game....
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This still hurts to watch.
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