The Houston Texans were once again close, but no cigar. For the third straight season in 2025, the Texans won their wild card matchup but lost in the divisional round.
They have also had a beneficial offseason, snagging three-time Pro Bowl guard Wyatt Teller and OT Braden Smith to two-year deals. They also bolstered their offensive through the draft, with first-round guard Keylan Rutledge joining the fray.
While there have been some stalls in contract extension talks, C.J. Stroud remains in Houston for the time being. While Stroud hasn't quite duplicated the production from his rookie season, he is still a serviceable quarterback.
When Stroud missed three games due to a concussion, the Texans also showed that they have a reliable backup, with Davis Mills winning all three contests that he started.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Texans' 2026 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
Houston Texans schedule 2026
Home opponents: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Ravens, Bengals, Bills, Cowboys, Giants
Away opponents: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Browns, Steelers, Chargers, Eagles, Commanders, Packers
Every NFL team's 2026 opponents are predetermined. Houston's full 2026 NFL schedule with dates, times and TV networks will be updated below when the NFL schedule is announced at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 14.
Week Date Opponent Kickoff time (ET) TV channel
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Texans strength of schedule
The Texans were dealt the 18th-hardest draw in 2025, with an opponent winning percentage of .481 entering the season. However, when looking back at the schedule now, it also becomes worse. The Texans played Seattle on the road. At the start of last season, the Seahawks were coming off a 10-7 campaign. By the end of the season, they were Super Bowl champions. While the Texans didn't have the hardest schedule by any means, the initial rankings don't always tell the full story.
The Texans have one of the easiest strengths of schedule in 2026, with their opponents combining for a .474 winning percentage in 2025. This places them in 26th for strength of schedule in the NFL. In the AFC South, only the Indianapolis Colts have an easier schedule.
Toughest tests: Two contests with the Jaguars remain as a very tough test for the Texans, who missed out on a division victory to Jacksonville last season. The Bills, like Houston, finished last season at 12-5 and will prove challenging. Finally, the Eagles are just one year removed from a championship, and are set to face off with the Texans in Philadelphia this season.
Biggest breaks: The Texans do have plenty of easier matchups this season, with two contests against the Titans, who struggled to a 3-14 record last season, even with the addition of Cam Ward. Houston also has the Browns and Giants on their schedule, which with the latter being at home. These should be matchups where the Texans can coast to a win.
Texans record prediction
Bottom line: Houston should be considered among the deadliest defenses in the NFL once again, and for good reason. They limited opponents' yardage better than anyone else last season, and they added some crucial offensive pieces in this year's draft class. Offensively, some improvement is needed if Houston hopes to hoist banners after next season.
The ceiling for this group is quite high and they have the capabilities to win a lot of low-scoring games. Of their opponents for next season, only the Jaguars had a better record in 2025. These two teams will meet twice, and the Bills, Chargers, and Eagles will be tough tests as well. But overall, Houston is not in a bad spot at all.
Record prediction: 11-6