The NFL Draft is less than 2 weeks from being completed and our Houston Texans begin Rookie Minicamp today, all with the goal of lining up and playing a 17 game schedule this Fall. Though the opponents have been known for quite some time, we now know the order, the dates, the times, those games will be played as the 2023 NFL Schedule has been released.
The Texans will kickoff October when the Pittsburgh Steelers make their 1st trip to Houston since Christmas Day 2017, a game that not only saw the Steelers thrash the Texans 34-6, but it was literally like a home game for them with NRG being packed with about 80% Steeler fans. The 7 previous games the Texans have played against the Steelers are the fewest they've played against any AFC opponent.
The Texans will come out of the bye heading to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. This game will feature the top 3 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft this past April. The Panthers took the #1 overall pick, QB Bryce Young. The Texans had the #2 and #3 overall picks and selected Stroud and Anderson respectively. It's the 2nd year in a row that the Panthers and Texans play each other, the 1st time the Texans have played the same NFC opponent in back-to-back seasons. Made possible, of course, by the schedule being 17 games now. Unless/Until that changes 2 years in a row against a team from the opposite conference will be the max.
Week 10 sees the Texans heading to the state where C.J. Stroud played his college ball when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals. It's the Texans 7th trip to Cincinnati where they've won the last 4 times they been there. Of course, none of those were against current Bengals QB Joe Burrow. Including the playoffs the Texans are 8-2 against Cincy the last 10 times they've played them, after losing the 1st 3 games they ever played against them.
The Texans play their 2nd of 3 straight at home the Sunday after Thanksgiving when the Jaguars visit. The following week, the Texans wrap up their 3 game home stand with their only scheduled non-noon game of the season when the Denver Broncos come to town. Former Saints head coach Sean Payton is now HC of the Broncos. The Texans and Broncos will hook up for the 2nd year in a row, and 10th time overall. The Texans have lost 4 of their last 5 against the Broncos including a 16-9 loss in Denver last season.
The Texans will finally hit the road again in week 14 with their 2nd trip to The Meadowlands in as many seasons. Last year they played the Giants at MetLife Stadium. This year it's the New York Jets and their new QB, a one Mr. Aaron Rodgers.
The Texans stay on the road the following week, their only back-to-back road games of the year, to take on the Titans in Nashville. The Texans have had some tough times against the Titans, losing 10 of the 1st 12 they ever played against them, and currently 5 of the last 7 hookups. The Texans, however, have won 3 of their last 4 in Nashville. Word is the Titans will be wearing throwback uniforms in this game, and those throwbacks will be the uniforms of the Houston Oilers.
For the 2nd consecutive season the Texans will be playing on Christmas Eve, and for the 2nd consecutive season the Cleveland Browns will be visiting NRG Stadium, meaning ex-Texans QB Deshaun Watson returns to his 1st NFL home. Watson was suspended for 11 games last year, and his 1st game back was against the Texans at NRG. Watson and the Browns got over on the Texans with a 27-14 win. This will be the 14th meeting between the Texans and Browns, most for the Texans against a non-division opponent.
As is always the case, 6 of the Texans 17 games (35%) will be against their divisional rivals, Indianapolis, Tennessee and Jacksonville, 2 games each at home and on the road. After starting the season the last 2 years against division rivals, the Texans won't get division play underway until week 2 this year. But for the 2nd year in a row that first
game at home will be against the Indianapolis Colts. Also for the 2nd year in a row, the Texans will close the regular season on the road in Indy. The 2 games against the Colts will feature 3 of the top 4 picks in this past April's draft. C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, #2 and #3 overall respectively, for the Texans, and the Colts with QB Anthony Richardson going #4 overall.
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| Richardson |
game at home will be against the Indianapolis Colts. Also for the 2nd year in a row, the Texans will close the regular season on the road in Indy. The 2 games against the Colts will feature 3 of the top 4 picks in this past April's draft. C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, #2 and #3 overall respectively, for the Texans, and the Colts with QB Anthony Richardson going #4 overall.
Before that home opener against Indy in week 2, the Texans will open the 2023 campaign on the road in Baltimore against the Ravens. It's the Texans 6th trip to Baltimore in franchise history, 7th if you include the playoffs, and they are still looking for their 1st ever win in Charm City.
After the home opener against the Colts in week 2, the Texans will stay in the division with a trip to north Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, in their 1st of 2 clashes this season. Hey, at least it's not in London where the Jags will play 2 games this year. If there's 1 team in the NFL that the Texans have had success with it's the Jaguars, with a 28-14 record since the Texans inception in 2002 That .667 winning percentage is the 2nd highest against a Texans opponent where they've played at least 10 times. The Texans had a 9 game winning streak against the Jaguars snapped in their 2nd meeting last season.
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| Crowd at NRG |
The Texans will kickoff October when the Pittsburgh Steelers make their 1st trip to Houston since Christmas Day 2017, a game that not only saw the Steelers thrash the Texans 34-6, but it was literally like a home game for them with NRG being packed with about 80% Steeler fans. The 7 previous games the Texans have played against the Steelers are the fewest they've played against any AFC opponent.
The Texans keep the road-home-road-home thing going all the way through week 10, as they hit the road again in week 5 to take on the Atlanta Falcons. In the 5 previous matchups between the Falcons and Texans, the home team has won every single game. The last time they played each other was 2019 in Houston where the Texans dropped a 50 burger on them in a 53-32 win. That was the 2nd most points the Texans have ever scored in a game.
Week 6 will see the New Orleans Saints come marching into NRG. The Saints haven't played a regular season game in Houston since 2015, and this will only be their 3rd visit to NRG. In the 5 games the Texans and Saints have played against each other, the home team has won every game. The Texans and Saints will also play each other in a pre-season game in New Orleans on August 27th.
The bye week for the Texans comes in week 7 this year. They had it in week 6 last season.
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| Young |
The Texans will come out of the bye heading to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. This game will feature the top 3 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft this past April. The Panthers took the #1 overall pick, QB Bryce Young. The Texans had the #2 and #3 overall picks and selected Stroud and Anderson respectively. It's the 2nd year in a row that the Panthers and Texans play each other, the 1st time the Texans have played the same NFC opponent in back-to-back seasons. Made possible, of course, by the schedule being 17 games now. Unless/Until that changes 2 years in a row against a team from the opposite conference will be the max.
Moving into November the Texans are back at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Texans and Bucs have played almost twice as many pre-season games against each other (9) as they have regular season games (5). They will hook for for the 6th time where the records count this season. It's the Bucs 1st trip to NRG since 2015. The Texans have won 4 in a row against Tampa dating back to 2007.
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| Burrow |
Week 10 sees the Texans heading to the state where C.J. Stroud played his college ball when they visit the Cincinnati Bengals. It's the Texans 7th trip to Cincinnati where they've won the last 4 times they been there. Of course, none of those were against current Bengals QB Joe Burrow. Including the playoffs the Texans are 8-2 against Cincy the last 10 times they've played them, after losing the 1st 3 games they ever played against them.
That week 10 game against Cincy on Nov. 12th will be the last time the Texans play a road game until Dec. 10th. The Arizona Cardinals will be the 1st of 3 straight home games for the Texans. The Cardinals will be making just their 3rd trip to NRG, their 1st since 2017, and like the Falcons and Saints, every game (5) between the Texans and Cardinals have had the home team winning.
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| Payton |
The Texans play their 2nd of 3 straight at home the Sunday after Thanksgiving when the Jaguars visit. The following week, the Texans wrap up their 3 game home stand with their only scheduled non-noon game of the season when the Denver Broncos come to town. Former Saints head coach Sean Payton is now HC of the Broncos. The Texans and Broncos will hook up for the 2nd year in a row, and 10th time overall. The Texans have lost 4 of their last 5 against the Broncos including a 16-9 loss in Denver last season.
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| Rodgers |
The Texans will finally hit the road again in week 14 with their 2nd trip to The Meadowlands in as many seasons. Last year they played the Giants at MetLife Stadium. This year it's the New York Jets and their new QB, a one Mr. Aaron Rodgers.
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| Titans throwbacks |
The Texans stay on the road the following week, their only back-to-back road games of the year, to take on the Titans in Nashville. The Texans have had some tough times against the Titans, losing 10 of the 1st 12 they ever played against them, and currently 5 of the last 7 hookups. The Texans, however, have won 3 of their last 4 in Nashville. Word is the Titans will be wearing throwback uniforms in this game, and those throwbacks will be the uniforms of the Houston Oilers.
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| Watson |
For the 2nd consecutive season the Texans will be playing on Christmas Eve, and for the 2nd consecutive season the Cleveland Browns will be visiting NRG Stadium, meaning ex-Texans QB Deshaun Watson returns to his 1st NFL home. Watson was suspended for 11 games last year, and his 1st game back was against the Texans at NRG. Watson and the Browns got over on the Texans with a 27-14 win. This will be the 14th meeting between the Texans and Browns, most for the Texans against a non-division opponent.
The Texans wrap up their home schedule on New Year's Eve against the Titans. It will be the 2nd meeting between the 2 clubs in 3 weeks. And then, of course, the Texans close out the regular season on the road in Indy the 1st weekend of January. The Texans are 4-17 all-time in Indy. Win #4 was the season finale there last year that lost the Texans the rights to the #1 pick in the draft this year.
All of the Texans games this season are scheduled for noon start times but one. That can change with flex scheduling, but that presumes the Texans will be pretty good. They won 3 games last year. The Texans also have ZERO prime time games this season. Before this season it was a rule that every team would get at least 1 prime time game. For bad teams those games were typically Thursday night games. But that rule has changed. The Texans are one of just 2 teams in the NFL this season that will not play a game in prime time, or nationally, like Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or international games. The other, Arizona. Again, that can change with flex scheduling, but again, the Texans would have to be a playoff contender, at the very least, for that to happen.
So the draft is done, the schedule is set, some off-season workouts have begun, all we need now is for football to start. Just 18 weeks to go.
2023 HOUSTON TEXANS SCHEDULE
WK 1 - Sun. Sep. 10 - @ Baltimore Ravens - noon
WK 2 - Sun. Sep. 17 - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - noon
WK 3 - Sun. Sep. 24 - @ Jacksonville Jaguars - noon
WK 4 - Sun. Oct. 1 - PITTSBURGH STEELERS - noon
WK 5 - Sun. Oct. 8 - @ Atlanta Falcons - noon
WK 6 - Sun. Oct. 15 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - noon
WK 7 - BYE WEEK
WK 8 - Sun. Oct. 29 - @ Carolina Panthers - noon
WK 9 - Sun. Nov. 5 - TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - noon
WK 10 - Sun. Nov. 12 - @ Cincinnati Bengals - noon
WK 11 - Sun. Nov. 19 - ARIZONA CARDINALS - noon
WK 12 - Sun. Nov. 26 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - noon
WK 13 - Sun. Dec. 3 - DENVER BRONCOS - 3:05 pm
WK 14 - Sun. Dec. 10 - @ New York Jets - noon
WK 15 - Sun. Dec. 17 - @ Tennessee Titans - noon
WK 16 - Sun. Dec. 24 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - noon
WK 17 - Sun. Dec. 31 - TENNESSEE TITANS - noon
WK 18 - Jan. 6 or 7 - @ Indianapolis Colts - TBD
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