The upcoming Bucs game, 11/13/2011
 

The Texans hit the road this Sunday to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an early game. The Texans (6-3) have won 3 in a row and reached 3 games over .500 for the first time in team history - will they make it 4 games over?

Tampa Bay (4-4) has been in a lot of close games this year - six games decided by 7 or less and have a 4-2 record in these games. Their other two losses were an obliteration by the 49'ers (48-3) in San Francisco and a loss last week 27-16 to New Orleans in New Orleans. Besides QB Josh Freeman (2004 yds, 8 TD, 10 INT, 76.8 rating), others to keep an eye on will be RB LeGarrette Blount (400 yds, 4.4 ypc) and receivers Preston Parker (26/366 yds.) and Mike Williams (37/363 yds.).

Announcers = Marv Albert, Rich Gannon

Favorite = Texans by 3 to 3.5

The Bucs are sort of like the NFC version of the Bengals. They are easy to overlook and never seems to have better talent than their opponents yet they always manage to be their most dangerous when you least expect it.

The Texans have not had to push themselves the past three weeks so I think they will carry good energy as long as they aren't looking past this game to the bye week. I think Foster/Tate has found their confidence behind that OL and if they can establish the run early, they should be able to take out the Bucs.

What we don't know is how well the Texans are in dealing with prosperity. Do they sense the momentum they are building and find another gear or do they get too self-satisfied and become sloppy on the road before the bye? We'll find out some things this week that the Jags and Browns couldn't reveal.

Yep, these are my concerns as well. What's the team attitude? "Pros" would go into the game focused and take care of business. Last year's Texans would surely choke away the game... Have this year's Texans grown enough to be their best all the time? Walter points out quite a few reasons why it doesn't look good for the Texans. I guess we'll see....

If the question is are we going to win the division and go to the playoffs,
for the first time ever I'm fairly confidant that we do as I think it's unlikely we lose more than one division game (maybe at Jacksonville) and the
division is so weak and we'll hold the tie-breakers, it's just gonna take a real effort on our part to lose it.
If the question is do we have a pretty good team here, it's about to get answered because the next 3 or 4 games IMO can go either way, including this one.

All True. The thing that concerns me is, the Oline seems to slip sometimes (not lately) when we least expect it. If Kubs cherished run game does not get off to a fast start, then it will be a tougher game than if the run game continues to ramble. I'm more worried about TB than I am about Jax.

I don't think he's a real "factor" anymore, certainly not this week, but I've seen tweets that the Bucs claimed Haynesworth off waivers from the Pats.

Note to Austin/SA/Corpus viewers: The Texans will not be on local TV Sunday because the Cowboys will host Buffalo in the same time slot on the same network so you may be headed to a sports bar if you don't have Sunday Ticket.

While, I certainly don't want to stop folks from heading to a bar.....;)

My brother lives in OH, and uses these websites to stream the games:
http://www.justin.tv/directory/sports
http://atdhenet.tv/

I haven't had to watch any Texan games on them, but I have picked up a couple of college games on them from time to time (screw you LHN!). Games are usually posted the morning of. They will also show the NFL Network games as well, for those of you that have Time Warner.

Thought I would pass those along for those not in the area.

Another good website is http://www.firstrowsports.tv/

They usually offer several feeds and sometimes you have to try a few before you find one that streams nicely.... Some links want to you to use a plug-in but I've always been able to find something that works without the plug-in (downloadable program). These sites come in handy for other things, too (*cough*pay-per-view-boxing*cough*).

I'm touched by all the attempts to keep me at home instead of spending my money but I kinda enjoy the social interaction although it does suck when you have to watch with no sound. Then again, with some announcers, it's a blessing to watch with no sound.

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would listen to the jackoffs they have on TV rather than the team's radio broadcast. Andre's insights are great and they focus on OUR team, not both teams or something else entirely like Al Davis or where to get the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia or who knows what.

Not surprising, or unexpected, but Dre is officially out for the game.

Here's to hoping he comes back strong for the stretch run.

Sad about Dre. I have a feeling he could really make a difference at TB. Oh well.

Yup, he certainly could. However, if we get him in good rested shape when we make the play off push I think that is more important. Manning should also be back and the other nicks and injuries should be better. As long as Schaub doesn't get injured I think we are stacking up well for a good push.

I just hope Andre doesn't have a reinjury upon return, because I'm having difficulty sharing everybody elses optimism that after a short time back he's his old self again. I think this injury is more serious and more complicated and recovery more uncertain than we've been led to believe ?

I've got some of the same thoughts, as this "time saving" surgery appears to be a "season saving" surgery.

It does prove, yet again, anything and everything coaches, players, and local mouthpieces are nothing more than flat BS. I know better, but I continue to get sucked into to coachspeak.

Doctors said 6 weeks. Only Andre said less. We are just now at 6 weeks. I'd say he's right on schedule.

Maybe so, but I think TB is a tough away game. I think Dre would possibly make a difference in winning or losing. And we DO need this game.

I agree 100%. This one would be no gaurantee with him, and it's a dogfight without him. We need to lead early to make sure it's our run game controlling things.

OK I agree that I do not want to lose a game right now, but this game is not a big one when it come to seating for the playoffs. So this game is not a must win game.

That said I am using this game to see what team the Texans are now. The same mentally weak team that we have been for the past ten years or a mentally tough(MT) team that wins games they should win.

Tampa Bay is not a push over, few teams are in the NFL, and the Texans appear to be the better team on paper, so they should win this game going into the bye week. And again if they win they will be closer to being a MT team.

If they do win this week then I have one more test before I declare them a MT team, that is they must win the game coming out of the bye week also. This team has no business losing to Jacksonville in two weeks, and winning tomorrow can be seen as the 1st sign that they are a different team now.