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!Complete 2015 Schedule Release Coverage **READ: 2015 schedule by the numbers READ: Key early season matchups
READ: Texans to face several top overall draft picks
READ: Top 5 reunion games of 2015

It's notable if not amazing that for the 10th time in 14 years the Texans schedule starts at home. This time, against Kansas City. That's followed up by a trip to Carolina. In fact that's the exact way 2007 started out, when the Texans beat the Chiefs and Panthers to go 2-0. If they start this season 2-0, it'll be the sixth consecutive time they've jumped out of the gate with back to back wins. The week four matchup at Atlanta means three of the first four games on this slate are identical to '07.

The schedule makers did the Texans no favors by putting the second half of the season series with the Colts is on the road for the sixth consecutive year. The Texans have only beaten the Colts four times in team history and never in Indianapolis. The home tilt is a Thursday nighter in week five, just like last year.

For only the fourth time ever, The Texans will play the Dolphins in South Florida. This is where I remind everyone that the Texans have never lost to Miami.

The Monday nighter at Cincinnati assures that the Texans will play a road Monday night game for the fourth consecutive year (five out of the last six seasons). It's strange to me that the league wouldn't want to showcase the phenomenal Houston home atmosphere. The Texans have hosted only two Monday night games ever and went 1-1.

The cold weather scenario is iffy as the Texans head to Tennessee December 27, which could go either way. The same could be said for Monday Night Football in Cincinnati November 16. Buffalo on December 6 is likely to be more than a bit chilly. But bad weather has seldom been an issue for the Texans with late season wins in Chicago, Green Bay, Cleveland and Cincinnati on the franchise resume.

Two weeks in December will go a long way toward defining the season. Hosting New England and jetting off to play Indy in back to back games will be a huge test.

All the schedule predictions running through your head are very much based on what the Texans were last season. This year's bunch will forge their own identity. This is why we watch the games. Can't wait.

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