The NFL released the 2021 schedule on Wednesday evening, and the Texans begin with a home game against the Jaguars and end with an NRG Stadium tilt against the Titans. Here are 15 things to know about their 2021 regular season schedule.
- After not having it in 2020, the Texans have a 3-game homestand in 2021. In Week 12 on November 28 they'll host the Jets, with games the following two Sundays at home against the Colts and Seahawks.
- The combined record of the Texans' opponents in 2021 is 137-135.
- Five teams--the Jaguars, Colts, Titans, Patriots and Browns--will play the Texans again in 2021 after they squared off in 2020.
- For just the second time in franchise history, the Texans will play a game on Halloween. This year they face the Rams at NRG Stadium. On October 31, 2004 they beat the Jaguars, 20-6 in Houston.
- The Texans play back-to-back road games twice this year, going to Indianapolis in Week 6 and then Arizona in Week 7. A bye splits their second back-to-back roadies, as the Texans travel to Miami on November 7 and then Nashville on November 21 for a matchup with the Titans.
- Four Texans opponents--the Jaguars (Trevor Lawrence), Jets (Zach Wilson), 49ers (Trey Lance) and Patriots (Mac Jones)--drafted quarterbacks in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
- Five of Houston's final seven games are at NRG Stadium.
- The 2020 home record of the Texans' eight 2021 road opponents is a combined 35-29. Those teams' overall records last season were 71-57.
- The January 9 finale against the Titans is the latest date on the calendar a Houston regular season will end.
- Houston will face three teams: the Jaguars, Jets and Chargers, who have first-year head coaches. Urban Meyer (Jacksonville), Robert Saleh (New York Jets) and Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers) are all in their first year as NFL head coaches.
- Of their final four opponents, only the Titans in Week 17 had a winning record in 2020.
- The 2020 road record of the Texans' nine 2021 NRG Stadium opponents is a combined 29-43. Those squads' overall records in 2020 were a combined 66-78.
- The Texans are slated for 14 noon CT kickoffs, two in the 3 o'clock CT hour, and one in primetime.
- At 1,314 miles, roundtrip, the trip for the Titans game is the shortest of the season.
- The 3,200-miler to and from San Francisco is the longest road trip in 2021 for the Texans.
- Altogether, the Texans will log 16,502 roundtrip air miles on a United Airlines charter in the 2021 regular season.
