2011 NFL Preseason Schedule: New York Jets Will Jolt Houston Texans

Until the Houston Texans finally make the playoffs, it’s hard to give them much respect.  They have looked great on paper for the last couple of years, but they choke every single season.  The New York Jets don’t live up to their hype either, but at least they put up a fight.

Not that it really matters, but the Jets should handle the Texans in their preseason matchup.  It doesn’t matter how good Houston looks good on paper after a solid offseason.  Johnathan Joseph, Daniel Manning, J.J. Watt, Brooks Reed and Brandon Harris won’t change the fact that the Texans aren’t a mentally tough football team.

Adding the passive Wade Phillips may improve their defense, but it won’t fix their ability to finish games in the fourth quarter.  That has been killing them maybe even more than their defense the last couple of years.  They don’t know how to win yet.

The Jets are mentally tough; they take the attitude of their head coach in Rex Ryan who may be obnoxious, but he instantly turned NY into a powerhouse. 

Houston lost its battering ram in Vonta Leach this offseason so their unstoppable rushing attack all of a sudden is stoppable.  They failed to find an upgrade at the wide out position across from Andre Johnson so Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie should have their way on Monday.  It will be interesting to see how the Texans’ young defensive line plays together and what kind of impact Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason can have after such a short time with the team.

Here are each team’s schedules the rest of the way:

- David Daniels