Aug 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs onto the field before a game against the San Francisco 49ers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Texans regular season is finally here, which means the awfulness of what was 2013 is all in the past, and it is now time to focus on what is ahead … a meeting with the Washington Redskins at NRG Stadium to open the 2014 regular season.

Houston and Washington will kickoff at 1 p.m. ET (noon CT) with the game airing on FOX.

With this start of the ’14 season comes my second year of making predictions for each Texans game. Sure I missed on a lot of my predictions last season, but I did get a few correct as well. Plus all of this is in good fun, so feel free to join along and make some predictions of your own.

It is football season, let’s enjoy it!

Here is what I think will happen in Week 1 when the Texans and Redskins take the field Sunday afternoon.

Aug 20, 2014; Englewood, CO, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing (56) during scrimmage against the Denver Broncos at the Broncos Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

1. Brian Cushing will be the star of the Texans defense: The reasoning behind this is the Redskins must focus on J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney on the pass rush, which will leave Cushing as the player the Redskins will have to leave less focus on, giving him an advantage.

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick won’t throw an interception: I believe this is bold for the simple reason that the new starting QB of the Texans has thrown double-digit interceptions in a season for the past five seasons, including 12 last season as the QB of the Tennessee Titans. He’ll stay safe with his passes in Week 1, and I expect to see a lot of work from Arian Foster at running back.

3. Arian Foster will have 100 yards rushing: Is it too much pressure to put on Foster to say he’ll rush for 100 yards after not playing a game this preseason, plus coming off offseason back surgery? Last season, Foster had 100-plus yards in two of the eight games he played in. In ’12 he had seven games of over 100 yards rushing playing all 16 games. With the QB situation the Texans are in, Foster could have a big day.

4. The Redskins will have under 300 yards of total offense: Last season with an offense that had it’s share of struggles, the Washington Redskins averaged 369.7 yards of offense per game. I believe with the front seven the Texans have, they won’t allow the Redskins to not just get under 300 yards, but not even 250 yards of total offense in the season opener.

5. Game Prediction: This will be a game of tough defense for each team, and I believe the x-factor of this game besides the two defenses, is which team can establish a rushing attack. I believe the Texans will be that team, and gain the close victory by a 17-14 score.

Give us your predictions on the game, and follow us on Twitter @Texans_TT all season long.