The schedule-makers did the Houston Texans a solid heading into Week 1 when they face the Indianapolis Colts Sept. 11 at NRG Stadium.
Peter King pointed out in his Football Morning in America column for NBC Sports Monday that the Texans are among four teams that will have 16 days between their preseason finale and Week 1.
6. I think four teams have 16 days to rest after their last preseason games (Kansas City, Green Bay, San Francisco, Houston), which is going to be either an interesting test for those coaches or a big advantage. The Packers are at KC, and San Francisco at Houston, on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 25. Then they don’t play till Sunday, Sept. 11. Plus, with more teams playing fewer starters in the preseason now, it’ll be interesting to see, for instance, how long Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes play in that preseason game. Point is, there are going to be some very well-rested teams (stale, perhaps, too) after a 1.5-week bye prior to the start of the practice week for the first game that counts.
Not only do the Texans have a 16-day break, but their preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers will also be at NRG Stadium. After the Texans travel to SoFi Stadium for their second preseason game to take on the Los Angeles Rams, Houston is done traveling for the rest of the exhibition slate.
The Colts similarly won’t have to travel for their preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they won’t have the extra days Houston will.
