The Houston Texans entered the 2024 season with a projected win total of 9.5 games, meaning they needed 10 or more wins to exceed expectations. Currently standing at 8-5 with four games remaining, the Texans need strong performances to secure a winning record. To reach 11 wins, they must defeat at least one of their toughest remaining opponents, the Kansas City Chiefs or Baltimore Ravens, which poses a significant challenge. However, a 10-7 record remains achievable, with more favorable matchups against the Dolphins and Titans on the horizon.
The Texans faced a much tougher schedule in 2024 compared to 2023, when they finished 10-7. This year, they encountered elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen, which raised the level of competition considerably. Additionally, the structure and flow of the schedule became major hurdles, as factors like prime time games, the placement of the bye week, and holiday matchups disrupted the team’s rhythm and created difficult stretches throughout the season.
One unique challenge for the Texans was starting training camp earlier than any other team due to their participation in the preseason Hall of Fame game. Coupled with a late bye week in early December, Houston ended up playing and practicing longer than any team in the modern NFL era. The extended stretch of games without a break likely contributed to fatigue and performance struggles in the second half of the season.
The Texans also faced the NFC North in their conference crossover matchups, which proved especially difficult. The division considered one of the strongest in recent memory, includes top-tier teams like the Lions, Vikings, and Packers, all of whom handed losses to Houston. In 2025, the Texans will face the NFC West instead, a division with fewer dominant teams, offering a much more manageable slate of opponents.
Further complicating the 2024 schedule were three consecutive prime time games in Weeks 9, 10, and 11, followed by a grueling stretch of three games in 11 days during the holiday season, including a Christmas Day matchup. Playing 13 straight weeks without a bye also raised concerns about player safety. These irregular scheduling challenges are unlikely to repeat in 2025, which should give the Texans a more balanced and favorable path moving forward.
