Houston Texans 2021 Schedule Is Out, Predictions Are In

The NFL officially released your Houston Texans 2021 schedule last night. If this was the team from even a few years ago, hope would spring eternal. However, this might be the worst roster the Texans have fielded in a very long time.

With the schedule release comes the required umpteen prediction articles, blog posts, forum comments and various social media bits.

Here at Battle Red we’re no different, so expect ours soon.

In the meantime, let’s get a look at some of the early birds.

Bleacher Report

The Texans just continue to be a combination of vexing personnel decisions and continuous blunders. To this point, the only thing that has held the team together is Deshaun Watson.

The Texans brought in one of the biggest hauls in free agency, which is typically a bad sign. They added several players who will likely be starters, including tackle Marcus Cannon, running back Mark Ingram II, running back Phillip Lindsay and quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Defensively, their signings included edge defenders Shaq Lawson and Jordan Jenkins, linebackers Christian Kirksey, Kamu Grugier-Hill and Kevin Pierre-Louis.

Houston had just five draft picks to use, starting with the 67th pick, which they used to take Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. It wouldn’t be surprising if he ends the season as the starter over Taylor.

Prediction: 3-14

But wait, it gets worse:

Sportsnaut

The Houston Texans may have the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL, and that’s saying something. Thus, when the Texans’ 2021 schedule released on Wednesday, it wasn’t exactly a cause for celebration.

It’s a difficult slate ahead for one of the NFL’s worst rosters, especially as the scandal surrounding superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson carries on.

With a small class of rookies joining the fold and minimal help arriving in free agency, Houston will need a miracle to not be in the NFL cellar this season.

For the Texans to score 24 points in any game this season, they’ll need garbage time to get it done.

Houston Texans projected record: 0-17

Some are slightly more optimistic, however.

Texans Wire

It is kind of a sad state of affairs for the Texans when the Browns are contenders and they aren’t, but it is the way of the AFC.

The Dolphins were the beneficiaries from the Laremy Tunsil trade executed at the end of the 2019 preseason, and it will be on display against the Texans.

New scheme, same result as Derrick Henry runs all over the Texans’ defense.

With a 4-13 record, the Texans possess the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Pro Football Network

While the Texans’ 2021 schedule does not include any of the teams projected to win 11 or more games, it does contain five games against teams projected to win at least 10 games next season. On top of that, they have another seven games against teams projected to win nine or more games. That is a total of 12 games against teams expected to be over .500 this season.

The Texans have three games on their schedule against teams who project to win fewer than seven games in 2021. Two of them come against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who the Texans have defeated in six straight, as well as 17 of 21 meetings. However, with rookie QB Trevor Lawrence under center, the Jaguars will have a good chance to break that streak in 2021.

The other game comes against the Jets, who will also start a rookie QB in Zach Wilson. The Jets have a steep learning curve under new head coach Robert Saleh as they look to rebuild their roster. This will be one of the games on the schedule the Texans have a relatively good chance to win.

Regardless of the off-the-field situations, the Texans’ 2021 schedule means that it is going to be a long year on the field. Even the weakest team in their division, the Jaguars, are expected to be significantly improved in 2021. Nearly 75 percent of the Texans’ 2021 schedule comes against teams projected to finish with nine wins or more. There is a very real chance we could be putting the Texans on watch as the first team ever to go 0-17.

Projected 2021 record: 2-15

That averages out to 2.25 wins and since you can’t win a fourth of a game in the NFL, we’ll hope for the best and call this a 3-14 team.

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