Weekend Musings: Questions concerning the schedule launch for the Houston Texans

The NFL will launch the schedule of video games for the upcoming 2026-2027 season on Thursday, Might 14th. This can enable followers to know when and the place their favourite groups will play their video games. Journey preparations, occasion schedules and getting minds ready for when to go full-on berserker mode can begin in earnest.

In a single respect, it’s a bit odd that all of us get pumped for the schedule launch. For the reason that final day of the common season, each workforce is aware of who they are going to face subsequent season. They will count on two video games towards division foes, video games towards a chosen convention and non-conference division, video games towards convention foes that completed in the identical place of their respective divisions (second place groups play second place groups, and so on) and a one-off recreation towards a non-conference opponent. For Houston, that is who they get for the up-coming season:

Accounting for all that we all know and nonetheless must know, a couple of pre-schedule launch ideas:

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 18: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball towards Derek Stingley Jr. #24 of the Houston Texans throughout the third quarter within the recreation at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photograph by Sam Hodde/Getty Photos) Getty Photos

No scarcity of fine prime-time choices for the workforce. Final season, the Texans ended up with 4 designated prime-time video games. On condition that the workforce made yet one more run into the highest 8 and that they’re anticipated to as soon as once more contend, 3 to 4 primetime slots appear prone to be Houston’s future. As for what video games are prone to get such consideration, there are a couple of choices:

There are some intriguing non-conference matchups for Houston that would get prime-time protection. Their duel with in-state (or in-region rival Dallas, relying on whether or not you view Dallas as part of Texas or merely Deep Southern Oklahoma/Deep Southwest Arkansas) appears prone to get some prime-time love, as their final matchup was on Monday Night time Soccer and their final Houston-based matchup was on Sunday Night time Soccer. You possibly can see two robust defenses get some prime-time consideration when Houston travels to Philadelphia. The matchup towards Inexperienced Bay looks as if a primetime kind recreation. I suppose to get some love with the most important media market, you can see the Giants of New York who’ve performed in New Jersey for over 50 years get a primetime date. Yeah, you can discuss your self into any of the NFC matchups getting primetime love.

But the choices will not be restricted to the NFC. No scarcity of choices for the AFC, as Houston may see its playoff rematch with the Steelers get nationwide protection, together with a duel towards Baltimore. The strength-on-strength matchup between the Bengals offense and Houston’s protection may warrant some prime-time love, as may Houston and Buffalo dueling once more. One can’t rule out one other primetime matchup with the LA Chargers, as which may once more be a recreation that comes right down to the 4th quarter.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 15: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans congratulates Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the sport at NRG Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photograph by Tim Warner/Getty Photos) Getty Photos

Will Houston’s residence opener be on primetime but once more? The final two seasons noticed Houston’s first residence recreation on primetime, with 2024’s residence opener towards the Bears on Sunday Night time Soccer, and the 2025 Liberty White Opener towards Tampa Bay on Monday Night time Soccer. That wouldn’t be the worst custom for the NFL to permit to occur, though the standard of the video games for Houston followers is likely to be topic to query as we noticed with a slugfest of a win towards Chicago and a painful walk-off loss towards the Buccaneers.

One other custom, ending or beginning the season with a matchup towards the Colts? For some cause, the NFL likes to both begin or finish the season with the Colts and Texans duking it out. Since 2022, the Texans and Colts have both opened the season (2022, 2024) or ended the season (2023, 2025) going through off towards one another. If this sample holds, could throw a few bucks within the prediction markets on Indianapolis and Houston kicking off their 2026 seasons towards one another.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Basic view contained in the stadium throughout the NFL match between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on November 03, 2019 in London, England. (Photograph by Jack Thomas/Getty Photos) Getty Photos

Will the Houston Texans must get some passports? Within the leadup to the NFL’s schedule launch, strategic leaks will filter out within the days prior, particularly if groups are slated for worldwide matchups. As Houston has 9 highway video games this 12 months, a type of may very a lot be worldwide. They’ve solely performed two worldwide video games (2016 in Mexico Metropolis and 2019 in England). Of notice, the NFL will play 3 video games in England, with Jacksonville internet hosting two and the Washington Commanders internet hosting the opposite, and each are on the Texans’ schedule. The opposite worldwide choices will not be possible for Houston as they’ve opponents not on the 2026-2027 lineup. Maybe Houston and Jacksonville reprise their 2019 matchup in England, which really turned out fairly properly for the Battle Crimson (even when we by no means communicate of the beginning QB for that recreation).

How will they juggle the highway slate of video games and what of the bye? Final season, Houston’s residence schedule was back-loaded, taking part in most of their 9 residence video games later within the 12 months after opening with a comparatively road-heavy schedule (4 of their 1st 6 video games had been on the highway). Will the load be a bit extra unfold out/balanced? Additionally, what’s the plan for the bye? If Houston should trek throughout the pond, it’s probably {that a} bye might be round that exact recreation. Might be absurdly early like final season (Week 6), absurdly late (Week 14 in 2024), or will or not it’s a bit extra mid-season? That might be attention-grabbing to see, particularly for a workforce that can probably play a bodily model of soccer, as a later bye would appear extra useful. Then once more, Houston’s robust protection solely obtained an early break within the season final 12 months and it didn’t damage all of them that a lot on the finish of the 12 months.

This isn’t an all-inclusive record of questions related to the schedule. Probably you, the interweb-based reader, can have your personal questions. Probably, the schedule launch this coming Thursday will reply quite a few these questions. Nevertheless, newer questions will emerge. Till then, see you on the schedule launch.