The NFL has released its 2024 schedule, and we’ve learned exactly when the Houston Texans will face their upcoming opponents. The Texans hit the road in Week 1 for a rematch of Week 18’s theatrics against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium before returning home to take on No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
The NFL did little favors for Houston on the backend. Not only will the Texans play three games in 10 days, but they’ll also go head-to-head with three potential AFC postseason rosters. Four days after traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Houston welcomes 2023 MVP Lamar Jackson and the Ravens for a rematch of the AFC Divisional Round on Christmas Day.
Therein lies the beauty and curse of a first-place finish. The road back to the postseason not only is treacherous, but features countless twists and turns to prove the year before was far from a fluke. Houston, which spent over $175 million in guaranteed money this offseason, will be hunted and as much as it is the hunter en route back to the postseason.
Can the Texans reclaim the division title behind C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr.? Let’s go through and predict every game on Houston’s schedule in 2024.
Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts
It’s the return of Anthony Richardson and a pissed-off Colts roster that believed it deserved a playoff spot. How different would things be if Jonathan Taylor took the field on fourth-down for the completion? Would Indianapolis be viewed as the division favorites entering the summer? Would Cleveland still have Joe Flacco on its roster following a playoff win?
Richardson, who rushed for two touchdowns in the first quarter of a Week 2 win against Houston last season, will still be working off the rust after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in October. Stroud, who claimed the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award, will be looking to build a relationship with newly acquired Stefon Diggs.
There’ll be growing pains on both sides, and the Colts could compete for a playoff spot. For the moment, the Texans feel like a safer bet, so I’ll give them the nod on the road.
Prediction: WIN (1-0)
Week 2: vs. Chicago Bears (SNF)
Yes, Chicago upgraded immensely in the offseason with the selection of Williams after stealing the No. 1 pick from Carolina. Texans fans should actually thank GM Ryan Poles for trading back with the Panthers in 2023 because Stroud likely wouldn’t be donning the Steel Blue without his sauve decision-making.
Even if the former Heisman winner lives up to the hype with a potent supporting cast, this is the season opener, people! It’s H-Town on Sunday Night Football, a first in ages. It’s a new era of Texans’ football with Joe Mixon, Danielle Hunter and Diggs making their debuts in front of their new fans.
It’ll be closer than expected, but the Texans remain undefeated for another week.
Prediction: WIN (2-0)
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
There are multiple storylines in Week 3. Hunter, a native of Katy, returns to his second home for the first time after spending eight seasons there mastering his craft as one of the game’s top pass-rushers. There’s also an Ohio State vs. Michigan flair as Stroud will take on first-round pick J.J. McCarthy in what hopes to be a better outlook than the 2022 matchup in Columbus.
Then there’s friendly fire between former LSU teammates Justin Jefferson and Derek Stingley Jr., who likely will be locked up against each other all afternoon. That could determine the outcome late in the fourth quarter, but sights truly should be set on the pass rush. Hunter and Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. will have to be on point against Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill if they hope to add pressure on third down.
Again, this will be another nail-biter, but the Texans come out the other side undefeated.
Prediction: WIN (3-0)
Week 4: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Texans return home riding high off another win and feel in control while sitting in the driver’s seat to close out September. What could go wrong against Jacksonville?
Nothing. Nothing at all. Well, at least in Week 4 in front of the home crowd. Last season, the two sides split the series with wins on the road. I think the same happens again, even without Calvin Ridley catching touchdowns from Trevor Lawerence, but this time, the two sides win on their respective turfs.
Prediction: WIN (4-0)
Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills
It’s the Diggs’ revenge game for the four-time Pro Bowler in front of the new fans. Diggs, who spent four seasons with Josh Allen as the go-to receiver, ruffled feathers on social media when he said, “You sure about that,” regarding who was the leader on offense.
Now it’s time to prove it. The Texans will also be pulling out their H-Town jerseys for the first time, thus adding a bit more pressure for the look to live up to the hype. Allen, a favorite to win MVP, will be looking to set the tone. Houston, however, will be looking to show the AFC it has officially arrived and won’t be going back to the cellar.
Bold take: Diggs catches the game-winning touchdown with under two minutes remaining and “X” quite literally explodes because of it.
Prediction: WIN (5-0)
Week 6: at New England Patriots
The Texans will drop a game they’re supposed to win. It happens every year like clockwork and that’s not changing just because Stroud is on a 20-plus hot streak to begin his NFL career.
Week 6’s road trip to Foxborough won’t be that game, at least it shouldn’t be with a new coach in Jerod Mayo and a first-year quarterback in Drake Maye. Just like that, the Texans are sitting with six wins and it’s not even Halloween.
Prediction: WIN (6-0)
Week 7: at Green Bay Packers
Pop open the champagne, 1972 Miami Dolphins since your record is safe from the Texans in 2024. The battle at Lambeau Field will be a fight to the finish between two up-and-coming postseason contenders, headlined by young quarterbacks that could easily be MVP favorites for the next decade.
Green Bay and Houston are evenly matched after free agency and the draft, so I’ll make this analysis as easy as possible. If the game took place at NRG Stadium, the Texans would win. With the weather changing in late October, the Packers take the environment and run with it to victory.
Prediction: LOSS (6-1)
Week 8: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Not only will Richardson be healthy, but he’ll have seven games under his belt to build up his relationship with Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and potential Offensive Rookie of the Year sleeper Adonai Mitchell. The offensive line, barring multiple injuries, will remain one of the league’s best and Taylor should be on pace for another 1,000-yard season.
Like it or not, the Colts and Texans are two evenly matched-rosters. Indianapolis rebounds on the road and gets revenge for Week 1’s mishaps at Lucas Oil.
Prediction: LOSS (6-2)
Week 9: at New York Jets (TNF)
It’s a short week and a road game, making this far from ideal for Houston to secure a win after a heartbreaking loss. Then again, last season the Jets trusted Zach Wilson to guide them to victory after Stroud left with a concussion.
It’s Halloween on Amazon Prime, so expect things to get spooky. It’s a trick to fall for the trap that Houston won’t treat fans to a win on the holiday before all hell breaks loose in November and December.
Prediction: WIN (7-2)
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions (SNF)
Remember earlier when I said Houston would lose a game this season that it probably should win by a touchdown? The same goes for winning a matchup against a legit Super Bowl contender.
And much like with New England in Week 6, this isn’t one of those games. Jared Goff isn’t perfect, but he’s good enough for Detroit and just led the franchise to its first NFC Championship appearance since 1992. The Lions also upgraded their secondary in the draft with the additions of Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Detroit should be a favorite in the NFC this season and has all the pieces to beat anyone, including a tired Texans roster on Sunday Night Football.
Prediction: LOSS (7-3)
Week 11: at Dallas Cowboys (MNF)
So maybe this isn’t the break Houston wants, but an extra day of rest before heading to Arlington for the Lone Star Showdown is better than nothing, right? The Texans will be motivated to claim the title of the top team in Texas, and Stroud will be looking for bragging rights against frienemy Micah Parsons.
Dak Prescott is a good quarterback. He is and it’s ignorant to say otherwise simply because he hasn’t broken the near three-decade NFC Championship curse like every other Cowboys’ starter. Stroud, however, is the better option, and he’ll prove that in Jerry World on ESPN Monday night.
Prediction: WIN (8-3)
Week 12: vs. Tennessee Titans
The Titans are better than last season and should give Houston trouble. Will Levis doesn’t have an excuse not to be the reason why Tennessee’s offense can’t be revamped and ready to score in 2024. That being said, Derrick Henry is no longer running rampant in Nashville, so I think Houston will be in a good spot for another season sweep.
Prediction: WIN (9-3)
Week 13: at Jacksonville Jaguars
I said earlier that Houston and Jacksonville will split the series in 2024. The Texans won at NRG Stadium in front of their fans. Do you know what that means for Week 13?
Prediction: LOSS (9-4)
Week 14: Bye Week
Thank the lord. This is needed for more than just the players.
Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Texans return after the bye week to prove their value as a Super Bowl contender, but the path from here on out is crazy.
Miami has question marks on defense, but its offense features a speed force that even Barry Allen would find quick. Over the last three years, the Dolphins have collapsed late in the season. I don’t see that happening in 2024.
Prediction: LOSS (9-5)
Week 16: at Kansas City Chiefs
Remember when I said Houston would win a game it probably should lose? Stroud shows the NFL he’s not on Patrick Mahomes’ level, but he might be the closest to his level entering the end of his second season.
Arrowhead is one of the loudest stadiums in the league. Do you know what else is loud? The Big House in Ann Arbor, where Stroud threw for nearly 400 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kansas City drops a game at the wrong time as the Texans secure another double-digit win season.
Prediction: WIN (10-5)
Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Christmas Day)
The holidays are meant for a joyous occasion. Too bad Christmas won’t be kind to the Texans against Baltimore. Last season, the Ravens had Houston’s number. It’ll be more of the same in 2024.
Prediction: LOSS (10-6)
Week 18: at Tennessee Titans
Remember when I said Houston would drop a game it should win? Yeah, this is the one. Houston however already clinched a playoff spot, so now the only question is if someone else did better in the division race.
Prediction: LOSS (10-7)
2024 Recap
The Texans are good enough to remain in the postseason conversation, even with a first-place schedule. That doesn’t mean things will come easy. With a late bye week, Houston’s going to face the injury bug once or twice.
If they can stay healthy, 11 or 12 wins are plausible. If things become rocky, it could be a long season ahead at NRG Stadium. Let’s meet in the middle and say Houston makes the playoff at 10-7.
