The Texans' preseason game scheduled for tomorrow night against the Cowboys in Arlington has "been cancelled so the Texans can return to their families in Houston," according to John McClain of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. The game was scheduled to be played tomorrow night at AT&T Stadium after being moved from NRG Stadium (CHRON.com, 8/30). Anyone who "already purchased tickets for Thursday's game can either get a refund or donate the funds to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts" (TWITTER.com, 8/30). ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, "The Texans now are able to get back home, and so I think the priority is for that organization to be with their families rather than to play a fourth preseason game. They had sold 40,000 seats" ("SportsCenter, ESPN2, 8/30). THE MMQB's Albert Breer tweeted, "Right decision by the Texans, Cowboys and NFL, allowing the Houston players and coaches to go take care of things at home." But the Houston Chronicle's Brian Smith posted, "NFL should have made that call earlier in week. Pointless game with no impact on season, just a distraction for #Texans" (TWITTER.com, 8/30). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Michael David Smith notes several injured Texans players "didn’t make the trip to New Orleans" for last week's game and now they are "stuck in Houston." Texans coach Bill O’Brien said that the team is "doing what it can for those players, in some cases getting them hotel rooms if their homes are flooded" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/30).
WHAT TO DO? PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Charean Williams noted the Texans "currently are scheduled" to host the Jaguars in the season opener and yesterday "made it clear" that not only do they "want to play at NRG Stadium on Sept. 10 if at all possible, but they believe it's 'important' for the city that they play at home." Texans LB Brian Cushing said that playing at home would "help the healing process" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/29). San Antonio Convention & Sports Facilities Dir Michael Sawaya said that his group has "offered up the Alamadome" as a possible host of the Texans' season opener. Sawaya said, "The Alamodome has not been contacted about the possibility of moving the Texans season opener to the Alamodome, however we have made NRG Stadium management and the Texans aware that we could host the game if they should need to relocate" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/30). In Houston, John McClain writes under the header, "Keep Texans Opener At NRG Stadium To Help Bolster Spirits." McClain: "I don't know if I've ever heard a crowd louder than the New Orleans fans who welcomed home the Saints against the Atlanta Falcons in their first game after Hurricane Katrina devastated their city. I expect to hear a comparable ovation from Texans fans who attend the first regular-season game" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/30). ESPN's Mike Golic said, "You have to decide, 'can a football game be played there'? Can all the players be there to play it? The biggest thing is the ancillary people you need to put on a game" (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 8/30).
QUICK FIX: PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote an "easy solution for the league would be to flip the home games in the annual two-game Jaguars-Texans series." The Texans would play at Jacksonville to start the season, and the Jaguars would come to Houston on Dec. 17. That would "result in three straight home games in December for the Texans and three straight road games to start the season," but it is the "quickest, easiest, and most sensible fix." Even if NRG Stadium would be able to host the game, "who would attend?" With Houston and the surrounding area "suffering through an unprecedented weather disaster, there’s no way Houstonians and those from neighboring communities will be willing or able to attend a football game" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/28).
