Houston Texans: Which Games on the Schedule Should Be Considered Must-Wins?

Even before the season begins, there are certain games on each team's schedule that you would consider must-win games.

The definition and frequency of must-win games changes depending on the outlook of the team.

For the Texans, they are trying to make the first playoff appearance in the history of the franchise. Their must-win games consist of every game against a team considered inferior and most home games.

A lot of times, simply winning the games you should and protecting your home field is enough to get you to the postseason.

Unfortunately for the Texans, the schedule is difficult enough that they are also going to have to steal some games they weren't expected to win.

Simply winning these must-win games will get them pretty close, though.

Week 2: At Miami Dolphins

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MIAMI - DECEMBER 26: Quarterback Chad Henne #7 of the Miami Dolphins is preasured by Lawrence Jackson #94 of the Detroit Lions at Sun Life Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Some will argue that the opening game at home against the Colts is a must-win, but I don't see it that way. The Colts are still the class of the AFC South and any win over them is a bonus in my mind.

This game against the Dolphins, though, is a different story. Miami is not a playoff team. As a matter of fact, they probably overachieved by going 7-9 last season.

Their running game, led by Ronnie Brown, will be a challenge for the suspect Texans defense. While not as bad as their passing defense last year, the run defense still wasn't any good.

The biggest advantage for the Texans will be that the Dolphins probably don't have a good enough passing offense to make even the pitiful Houston secondary pay. Quarterback Chad Henne has his games where he throws for a lot of yards, but all those yards are usually offset by a crippling interception or two. If the secondary can simply be patient and not make huge mistakes, Henne will play into their hand.

Miami's defense is good, but there are few defenses that can truly shut down the powerful Texans offense. This may not be a game where Houston scores 28 or 35 points, but they probably won't need that many.

Week 5: Vs. Oakland Raiders

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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 19: Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders runs with the ball during their game against the Denver Broncos at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 19, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Raiders are an improving team. They finished 8-8 last season, their first non-losing season since their Super Bowl season of 2002.

They boast a solid running game, led by Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. For the first time in a long time, they also had a competent quarterback in Jason Campbell. He isn't a Pro Bowler or anything, but he is certainly an improvement over JaMarcus Russell.

All that being said, the Texans have to win this one, particularly with it being at home. They will have just come off the toughest three-game stretch of the entire season and they may come in reeling from the physicality of those games.

Stopping the running attack will be paramount as the Raiders, like the Dolphins before them, don't have the passing game to really take advantage of the undermanned secondary.

The Raiders' defense wasn't all that great to begin with and they will more than likely be without star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha once the free-agency period is allowed to begin.

The Raiders won't be an easy win and the Texans also have a strange history of laying eggs in games against Oakland. Coming off the tough part of the schedule, the Texans will really have to have this one.

Week 7: At Tennessee Titans

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INDIANAPOLIS - JANUARY 02: Chris Johnson #28 of the Tennessee Titans runs for a touchdown during NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If the Texans are going to have any chance to challenge for the AFC South title, they need to sweep the series against the Titans, beginning with this road game in Week 7.

The Titans are a franchise in disarray. It was originally thought that they were going to have to choose between their longtime coach Jeff Fisher and their embattled starting quarterback Vince Young. They ended up parting ways with both.

Not that Vince Young was bound for the Hall of Fame, but his departure leaves the Titans with no quarterback on the roster that you would trust to go out and win a game. Neither Kerry Collins nor Rusty Smith would have me scared if I were a defensive coordinator.

Running back Chris Johnson is an elite rusher and he will be more than enough to deal with for the Texans' defense. He also helps out quarterbacks with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He can make a bad quarterback look OK with his ability to make big plays on screens and short routes.

Their defense is halfway decent, but again, much better defenses have had trouble stopping the Texans.

They key for the Texans will be to get up on the Titans early and hold that lead. Don't let them feel like they can get back into the game.

Week 8: Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 19: Maurice Jones-Drew #32 of the Jacksonville Jaguars dives against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Jaguars 34-24. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty I

This first Jaguars game is important for many of the same reasons the Titans game is. The Texans could really use the division win if they want to challenge the Colts at the top. The game being at home makes it even more important.

The game is made even more important by the fact that the Jaguars will likely be one of the teams the Texans are battling for a playoff spot.

Again, the running game will be a challenge. The Jags' Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the best workhorse backs in the league. Rashad Jennings has also emerged as a good red zone runner.

David Garrard is a steady, unspectacular quarterback, but he makes a living having great games against the Texans. Last November, he threw for 342 yards against Houston in a Jacksonville victory.

Their defense isn't any good, so we might have a shootout on our hands. The Texans are equipped for shootouts on offense. The key will be which team makes the one or two big stops on defense.

Week 9: Vs. Cleveland Browns

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CLEVELAND - DECEMBER 26: Tailback Peyton Hillis #40 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball by linebacker Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Speaking strictly of matchups, the Browns might be the best single matchup for the Texans. They ranked 31st in offense last season. If not for a surprisingly effective season out of running back Peyton Hillis, they would probably have come in last.

Given the situation around him, Colt McCoy had a pretty decent season at quarterback as a rookie last year. He is the perfect quarterback for the Texans defense, though. He isn't going to throw downfield a whole lot. His most prolific target last season was tight end Benjamin Watson. The Texans beleaguered cornerbacks won't be all that challenged.

As I mentioned, the running game was decent thanks to Peyton Hillis. He is the type of runner that can be bottled up, however. He runs between the tackles and is a runner that gets better as the game goes on. If Houston can slow him down early on, the Browns might go away from him and try the passing game, playing right into the Texans' hand.

Depending on how bad the Titans end up being, the Browns may very well be the weakest opponent on the schedule. The game is at home and the Browns simply don't have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Texans.

Week 12: At Jacksonville Jaguars

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 26: Quarterback David Garrard #9 of the Jacksonville Jaguars attempts a pass during the game against the Washington Redskins at EverBank Field on December 26, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Image

The return game with the Jags is just as important as the first game and maybe more. This one is on the road, but that means very little to Jacksonville. They have more trouble filling their stadium than any team in the league. The home-field advantage for the Jaguars will be minimal.

By this point of the season, we will also know if either or both of these teams are in the playoff race. If they both still are, it adds another layer of intrigue to this already chippy rivalry.

The Colts are still going to be the class of the division, and these games against the Jaguars will be the determining factor in which team establishes itself as the next best team.

Week 14: At Cincinnati Bengals

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CINCINNATI - DECEMBER 26: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass during the NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals 34-20. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Like the Titans, the Bengals are a team mired in chaos and mediocrity. They do have an offense that could give the Texans some trouble, but the biggest part of that offense is a huge question mark.

Quarterback Carson Palmer has said that he will either be traded or he will retire. So far the Bengals seem content to try to call his bluff. The receivers, long a strength of Cincinnati, are in limbo also. Terrell Owens is getting ever longer in the tooth and Chad Ochocinco has begun to show signs of aging.

The Bengals drafted TCU quarterback Andy Dalton as a possible replacement for Palmer, but you can't count on anything from rookie quarterbacks.

Even with a resurgent season from Cedric Benson, the Bengals running game isn't anything to write home about. Benson isn't a big playmaker, and if the passing game is at least decent, that will more than likely be their offensive focus against Houston.

Marvin Lewis is also back as their coach, but you can't help but think he is kind of a lame duck. If Cincinnati gets off to a rough start, he could be a dead man walking by this time.

Week 15: Vs. Carolina Panthers

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CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 24: DeAngelo Williams #34 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on October 24, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty I

There is new hope in Carolina. They have a new head coach in Ron Rivera and they hope they have a new franchise quarterback in Cam Newton.

Those things probably won't help them much next season, though. Rivera doesn't have much on the roster to work with right now and there is talk that Newton will sit behind Jimmy Clausen for at least part of his rookie season.

Either way, the Texans have to look at this as a game they have to have. Neither Clausen nor Newton will be able to do much in the passing game with the lack of targets on the roster.

Their running game is very good, led by the two-headed monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Slowing them down enough to force the Panthers to try to make some plays in the passing game will be the biggest key for Houston.

Week 17: Vs. Tennessee Titans

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NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 19: Kenny Britt #18 of the Tennessee Titans makes a catch as Jason Allen #30 of the Houston Texans defends at LP Field on December 19, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Texans, 31-17. (Photo by Grant Halverso

The season finale for the Texans is what they hope will be a lollipop home game against the Titans. The Titans aren't going to be very good. By Week 17, there is a good chance that they will have gone through all of their quarterbacks several times over.

The hope of the Texans is that they are so bad that they are ready to be anywhere but on the football field.

They can't fall asleep at the wheel, though. There is some upset potential in this game. If the Texans have to have this game to get into the playoffs, the Titans might be wanting to play spoiler against one of their rivals.

If the Texans navigate the early part of the schedule well enough, they may be able to give their starters a rest in this game. If they do need it, they will want to jump on the Titans early and keep them from being confident that they can pull the upset.