The NFL has released the 2022 NFL schedule, and here's how it stacks up for our beloved Houston Texans.
We've known the opponents for quite some time. We just didn't know the order, days and time, until now. One opponent coming to NRG this year, may have become one of those must be there games, especially after a certain trade was made back in March. That trade, of course, was Deshaun Watson going to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns will be coming to Houston in December.
The Texans will kickoff the 2022 season at home for the 2nd year in a row, and against a division opponent for the 2nd year in a row. That opponent? The Indianapolis Colts. The Colts will have another new QB. It will be the 7th year in a row that the Colts will start a season with a different QB than the season previous. And that QB is long time Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Ryan wanted out of Atlanta when it appeared the Falcons had won the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. When Watson went to Cleveland, the Falcons were like, "so no hard feelings, right, Matt?" Matt says, "uh, yeah, I want out."
The Texans hit the road for the next 2 games. It's the start of a stretch of 4 out of 5 games the Texans will play on the road. They start in Denver, where they'll face a new Broncos QB. And that QB is long time Seahawks signal caller Russell Wilson. The Texans catch a bit of a break the following week as they'll go play the da Bears in Chicago early in the season, missing the bitter cold. 2 of the 3 games the Texans have ever played in Chicago the temperature hasn't been above 34 degrees, including their 1st ever meeting in 2004 where it was 12 degrees. Late September in the Windy City shouldn't have them dealing with any kind of temps like that.
That will take the Texans into their bye week. A bye in week 6 is the 2nd earliest scheduled bye week the Texans have ever had. They had a bye week in week 5 on 3 occasions, 2002, 2004 and 2006. They had a forced bye week in week 2 in 2008 because of damaged caused to then Reliant Stadium, by Hurricane Ike.
I don't expect the Texans to win too many games again this year, but the next 2 games will be 2 of the biggest of whatever kind of season they have. Sunday, December 4, NRG Stadium, straight up noon, it's the Houston Texans vs. the Cleveland Browns. The only thing that will take some of the shine off of this game is if Deshaun Watson is suspended. There is a suspension expected, but no one knows when or how long. It could be a full season, or it could be anywhere from 4-8 games. If it's the latter, the fact that this game is in week 13, guarantees (save for injury) that Watson would be making his 1st start at NRG in a uniform that is not Steel Blue, Battle Red and Liberty White. Instead he will be donning the puke orange, poop brown colors of the Browns.
The 2nd of those 2 big games has the Texans traveling up I-45 to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Jerry World, where the Texans have yet to win. The last time the Texans played in Arlington, AT&T Stadium was about 50% Texans fans. Of course that was back when there were Texans fans who cared. Nowadays they're more apathetic than anything, barely going to games in Houston.
We've known the opponents for quite some time. We just didn't know the order, days and time, until now. One opponent coming to NRG this year, may have become one of those must be there games, especially after a certain trade was made back in March. That trade, of course, was Deshaun Watson going to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns will be coming to Houston in December.
The Texans will kickoff the 2022 season at home for the 2nd year in a row, and against a division opponent for the 2nd year in a row. That opponent? The Indianapolis Colts. The Colts will have another new QB. It will be the 7th year in a row that the Colts will start a season with a different QB than the season previous. And that QB is long time Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Ryan wanted out of Atlanta when it appeared the Falcons had won the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. When Watson went to Cleveland, the Falcons were like, "so no hard feelings, right, Matt?" Matt says, "uh, yeah, I want out."
Not only do the Texans open the season against the Colts, they will close it with them as well, as they'll finish the 2022 regular season campaign in Indy.
The Texans hit the road for the next 2 games. It's the start of a stretch of 4 out of 5 games the Texans will play on the road. They start in Denver, where they'll face a new Broncos QB. And that QB is long time Seahawks signal caller Russell Wilson. The Texans catch a bit of a break the following week as they'll go play the da Bears in Chicago early in the season, missing the bitter cold. 2 of the 3 games the Texans have ever played in Chicago the temperature hasn't been above 34 degrees, including their 1st ever meeting in 2004 where it was 12 degrees. Late September in the Windy City shouldn't have them dealing with any kind of temps like that.
The Texans come back home for their only game at NRG in this 5 game stretch, that will actually cover 6 weeks because of the bye week. The LA Chargers make their 2nd consecutive appearance in Houston. The got embarrassed by the Texans last year, to the tune of 41-29.
Next the Texans head to north Florida to play the Jaguars. It's the 1st of 2 trips the Texans will make to the state of Florida this year. The Jags, out from under the Urban Myer debacle last year, and getting the overall #1 pick in the draft for the 2nd year in a row, are looking to improve under last year's overall #1 pick, QB Trevor Lawrence. The Texans had just 4 wins last season. 2 of them were against the Jaguars.
That will take the Texans into their bye week. A bye in week 6 is the 2nd earliest scheduled bye week the Texans have ever had. They had a bye week in week 5 on 3 occasions, 2002, 2004 and 2006. They had a forced bye week in week 2 in 2008 because of damaged caused to then Reliant Stadium, by Hurricane Ike.
The Texans come out of their bye week to play their 1st ever game in the state of Nevada, to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
After that is the only time the Texans will play 2 home games in a row, but they will play those 2 games in a span of 5 days. First is division rival Tennessee, an unusual Sunday 3:00 start at NRG. Four days later they will play their one and only nationally televised game, Thursday Night Football, against the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only have the Texans never beaten the Eagles (0-5), the Houston Oilers never beat them either (0-6). No NFL team in Houston has ever beaten the Philadelphia Eagles.
For the final 9 games of the season the Texans will play road, home, road, home, all the way through. They start with a mid-November clash with the New York football Giants up in New Jersey. The Texans will only have to worry about possible rain in Denver, Chicago and Jacksonville. This is their 1st game where lower temperatures could be an issue.
The Washington Redskins .... the Washington Football Team .... the Washington COMMANDERS will be making their 1st trip to Houston not known as the "R" word. This will be the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and it's the last of 3 games in a row against NFC East division teams. The Sunday after Thanksgiving the Texans make their 2nd trip to Florida, this time to take on the Miami Dolphins. It's the 2nd year in a row the Texans have been in south Florida, losing to the 'Fins last year 17-9.
I don't expect the Texans to win too many games again this year, but the next 2 games will be 2 of the biggest of whatever kind of season they have. Sunday, December 4, NRG Stadium, straight up noon, it's the Houston Texans vs. the Cleveland Browns. The only thing that will take some of the shine off of this game is if Deshaun Watson is suspended. There is a suspension expected, but no one knows when or how long. It could be a full season, or it could be anywhere from 4-8 games. If it's the latter, the fact that this game is in week 13, guarantees (save for injury) that Watson would be making his 1st start at NRG in a uniform that is not Steel Blue, Battle Red and Liberty White. Instead he will be donning the puke orange, poop brown colors of the Browns.
The 2nd of those 2 big games has the Texans traveling up I-45 to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Jerry World, where the Texans have yet to win. The last time the Texans played in Arlington, AT&T Stadium was about 50% Texans fans. Of course that was back when there were Texans fans who cared. Nowadays they're more apathetic than anything, barely going to games in Houston.
The Texans come back home the following week with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs paying a visit. Depending on the Texans record at this point (week 15), this could feel more like a Chiefs home game.
For the final 3 weeks of the season, the Texans close it out against division rivals, 2 on the road, only one at home. Most of the league, including the Texans, will play on Saturday in week 16, because Sunday is Christmas Day. So the Texans will spend Christmas Eve in Nashville for their 2nd game against the Titans.
The Texans final game at home will be the following week against the Jaguars, and that one will be on New Year's Day. Then the Texans close out the 2022 season against the Colts in Indy, a place they've won just 3 times in 20 games.
Put it all together and here's how the 2022 Texans schedule shakes out:
(all times CDT)
WK 1 - Sun. Sep. 11 - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - noon
WK 2 - Sun. Sep. 18 - @Denver Broncos - 3:25 pm
WK 3 - Sun. Sep. 25 - @Chicago Bears - noon
WK 4 - Sun. Oct. 2 - LOS ANGELES CHARGERS - noon
WK 5 - Sun. Oct. 9 - @Jacksonville Jaguars - noon
WK 6 - BYE WEEK
WK 7 - Sun. Oct. 23 - @Las Vegas Raiders - 3:05 pm
WK 8 - Sun. Oct. 30 - TENNESSEE TITANS - 3:05 pm
WK 9 - THU. NOV. 3 - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - 7:15 pm
WK 10 - Sun. Nov. 13 - @New York Giants - noon
WK 11 - Sun. Nov. 20 - WASHINGTON COMMANDERS - noon
WK 12 - Sun. Nov. 27 - @Miami Dolphins - noon
WK 13 - Sun. Dec. 4 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - noon
WK 14 - Sun. Dec. 11 - @Dallas Cowboys - noon
WK 15 - Sun. Dec. 18 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - noon
WK 16 - Sat. Dec. 24 - @Tennessee Titans - noon
WK 17- Sun. Jan. 1 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - noon
WK 18 - Jan. 7 or 8 - @Indianapolis Colts - TBD
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