Texans game-by-game predictions after 2024 NFL schedule release

The Texans have found great success against the Jaguars in recent years, and we expect that to continue this year, at least at home. The Texans have won 21 of their last 27 games against Jacksonville since 2010. The Jaguars are a good team, and they will be contending for the postseason. Houston is destined to take at least one game from them, though.

Win

Week 5 vs. Buffalo Bills

After losing a lot of talent this offseason, the Bills are likely to take a step back. Buffalo has been arguably the second-best team in the AFC behind the Chiefs for years now, and Houston could be primed to take their spot. They can do so and announce themselves to the world as true contenders with a win in Week 5.

Win

Week 6 @ New England Patriots

For decades, the Patriots were a tough matchup on any team’s schedule. This is a completely new era, though, and it may take the Patriots a while to figure things out. They have a new coach (Jerod Mayo) and quarterback (Drake Maye), which brings hope for the future of the franchise, but rebuilds always take time to complete, and New England will likely struggle this year. This is especially the case because Maye is considered more raw than the quarterbacks that were taken directly ahead of him.

Win

Week 7 @ Green Bay Packers

Green Bay is never an easy place to win at. C.J. Stroud is a Big Ten quarterback, though, so he knows how to win in the cold.

Win

Week 8 vs. Indianapolis Colts

C.J. Stroud was clearly the best rookie last season, but Anthony Richardson gave him a run for his money before he got hurt. Luckily, the Texans now have one of the pass-rushing duos in the NFL since pairing Will Anderson with Danielle Hunter, and the edge rushers should be able to apply enough pressure on the Colts’ quarterback to make things hard.

Win

Week 9 @ New York Jets (Thursday Night Football)

The Texans will play a hard schedule in 2024. They face a lot of playoff teams, a bunch of elite quarterbacks, and some teams that are expected to improve this year. One team that can improve is the Jets because they will have their franchise quarterback back this year. Aaron Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer, but he got hurt just four plays into his first season in New York.

Without him, they only won seven games, but they will be a threat if Rodgers returns to form after his Achilles injury fully recovers. However, football is a young man’s game, and a 40-year-old playing elite football after tearing his Achilles is easier said than done. So, we think the youth movement will win, and the Texans will get a victory in East Rutherford.

Win

Week 10 vs. Detroit Lions (Sunday Night Football)

Like the Texans, the Lions are former bottom dwellers who are now one of the best and most exciting up-and-coming teams in the NFL. The Lions are a little further along in their rebuild, though, considering they made the NFC Championship Game last year. Both teams have explosive offenses and improving defenses, so this game will surely go down to the wire.

Loss

Week 11 @ Dallas Cowboys (Monday Night Football)

While the Cowboys have become notorious for choking in the playoffs, they have consistently been one of the best regular-season teams, especially on their home turf. Dallas didn’t lose a game at AT&T Stadium last year, so it won’t be easy for the Texans to go into Dallas and win a game.

Loss

Week 12 vs. Tennessee Titans

While the Texans got their quarterback early in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Titans found their quarterback of the future 32 picks later. Will Levis will now have the chance to prove himself over the course of an entire season, but getting a win against the Texans won’t be easy.

Win

Week 13 @ Jacksonville Jaguars

While we do project the Texans to beat the Jaguars earlier in the season, Jacksonville’s team is talented enough that sweeping the season series seems unlikely. Trevor Lawrence is a bright young quarterback, and they have invested heavily through free agency to fill out the roster in recent years.

Loss

Week 14: Bye Week 

Week 15 vs. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have a lot of star talent on their team, which makes them capable of beating anyone in theory. That hasn’t played out how Miami would have hoped, though, as the team has struggled mightily against teams with winning records recently. Houston is likely going to be a playoff team, so if Miami’s trend against good teams continues, then the Texans should be able to walk away with a win.

Win

Week 16 @ Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday)

The Chiefs are the team that everyone is gunning for, including the Texans. While Houston may be in the running for the Super Bowl, it won’t be easy to get past the defending champions. Stroud and Patrick Mahomes will likely both be in the running to win MVP this season, and this game could have huge implications on who is voted the best player for the 2024 season.

Loss

Week 17 vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have double-digit win figures in five of the last six seasons. That means they will likely find plenty of wins again in 2024. Last season, Baltimore beat the Texans in Week 1, and then they sent them packing in the postseason. Eventually the Texans will surpass the Ravens, but we don’t project that to happen this season.

Loss

Week 18 @ Tennessee Titans

The Titans had the second-worst pass defense in the NFL last season. While the Texans weren’t much better, they did spend their first draft choice on a corner (Kamari Lassiter) and signed Jeff Okudah, a former high draft pick who will look to turn his career around in Houston. The Texans have a lethal passing offense that includes Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, and Nico Collins. That should overwhelm Tennessee’s secondary.

Win

Record: 11-6