Houston Texans 2017 schedule release: Games, dates and times
By Brad Weiss
The Houston Texans were kings of the AFC South once again in 2016, but with the big question mark at quarterback, can they make it three in a row?
Last offseason, the Houston Texans made two big moves to bolster their offense, bringing in a new quarterback and running back. While Lamar Miller did a nice job in the backfield, quarterback Brock Osweiler proved to be quite the mistake, and has since been traded to the Cleveland Browns. Despite their woes on offense, the Texans were still able to win the AFC South, and have the talent on the roster to do the same this season.
The division is going to be tough, as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans have all taken steps forward this offseason. What separated the Texans is their defense, which finished the year as No. 1 in the NFL despite the fact they lost J.J. Watt early in the year to a back injury. They have a tough schedule, including a road game against the team that eliminated them in the playoffs, the New England Patriots.
Here is the 2017 schedule, week-by-week, per NFL.com:
Due to the fact they won their division, the Texans will have to take on division winners from around the league. Not only will they play the Pats, but also the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, though they get to play them at home. Watt and linebacker Brian Cushing should be back to 100 percent next season, which could make this Texans defense even scarier than the unit they put on the field in 2016.
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The Texans will be looking to win their third straight AFC South championship, but that is not the goal around the team anymore. This squad wants to advance deep into the playoffs, and they certainly have the defense to do so. If they can get a quarterback who can just manage the game, they have the type of defense that could lead them all the way to Super Bowl LII.