HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- When the NFL released the Texans 2019 schedule last April two games jumped out to Justin Reid. The first is week four's battle against Reid's older brother, Eric, and the Carolina Panthers, the second is Monday's season opener in New Orleans which will be a homecoming for the second year safety.
"I know every song they're about to play in the stadium," Reid said after the Texans practiced Monday at NRG Stadium. "I know all the chants. I know all the videos that they play."
Reid was born in Prairieville, Louisiana 22 years ago, and attended high school in Geismar, which is about an hour west of New Orleans.
"I was there whenever they won the Super Bowl, it was a little over a decade ago, so it will be really exciting."
Reid said he's probably going to end up buying around 30 tickets for members of his family, and needless to say, he's excited to play on his home turf.
"I'm gonna have more juice than anyone probably in the building, more than (the Saint), probably, just from being back in my home state."
While Reid is juiced to play in New Orleans, he knows he and the Texans defense have a challenge on their hands.
"They're a high-powered offense," Reid acknowledged. "They know how to put up a lot of points. They got a Hall of Fame quarterback. They have a lot of players returning."
Of the 11 offensive starters listed on the Saints depth chart, only rookie center Erik McCoy was not part of the team that was a blown pass interference call away from a trip to the Super Bowl last winter, so not only do the Texans have to deal with one of the NFL's most talented offenses, they have to deal with a talented offense that has been together for awhile.
"These guys have a lot of chemistry, a lot of experience," Reid said. "We're gonna have to combat that, and we have a lot of returning starters too, coming to our squad, so we just have to gameplan and listen to what the coaches tell us and be prepared to play on Monday."
If you're a guy playing on the defensive side of the ball and you're getting ready to play the Saints, the first guy you think of is Drew Brees. A season ago, the now 40-year old star completed over 74 percent of his passes, while throwing for 32 touchdowns and five interceptions, finishing 2018 with a 115.7 quarterback rating. Reid has never faced the man who was drafted when he was four-years old, but he feels like he'll be prepared to take on the legend.
"One of the things I feel that might help me is I watched him play my whole life, so I feel like I kinda know a little bit, even though I haven't gotten to play against him yet."
A year after opening the season in New England, the Texans get the task of kicking off the 2019 campaign against another one of the NFL's powerhouse teams. The Texans lost that game, which led to an 0-3 start. Reid believes for his team to accomplish what it wants to accomplish this season, a strong start is key, which is why Monday's game in New Orleans is so crucial.
"We don't want to start the same way we started last year. We want to start faster, and that will make the season easier on is to be able to do what we want to do."
