We’ve officially arrived at NFL Schedule Release Week, and the NFL world is abuzz with anticipation. As the week goes on, we can fully expect several key matchups to be announced ahead of the actual league-wide release date of May 14th (this Thursday).
The Dallas Cowboys already have two of their games officially announced, as well as there being a more-than-credible report that the Houston Texans will be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in week six.
Speaking of Texans schedule news, fans and local media are currently scouring the sports media space for more information about the team’s 2026 slate.
In the meantime, this seems like a fun opportunity to compile a bold three-game wish list of matchups that I believe would ignite the fanbase if any of which were to actually come to pass.
Also, stay up to date with all Texans related scheduling news with Toro Times' official Schedule Tracker!
Wish List Item #1: Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens run it back on Christmas Day
Back in the 2024-2025 season, the Texans suffered one of their most embarrassing losses of the year, getting walloped by the Ravens on Christmas day by a final score of 31-2. Even worse, there was a Beyoncé concert at half-time. Thus, a much broader audience watched as the team became a footnote at their own high-stakes home game.
Their zero points were the lowest scored by the franchise since a 31-0 beatdown handed out courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts back in week 13 of the 2021-2022 season.
The Texans could get payback this time around, after having a highly productive offseason along with bringing back the best defense in the NFL. The Texans are 1-3 against the Ravens in the C.J. Stroud era (after a 44-10 blowout of Baltimore last season). This season could be another stepping stone towards balancing those scales in Houston’s favor.
Wish List Item #2: Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys in ‘Battle of Texas’ before Thanksgiving
As is customary, the Cowboys will be playing this Thanksgiving against a yet-to-be-named opponent. Before that, Houston could help settle the, “who the best team in Texas?” debate for the next four years in a matchup against Dallas in the week or two leading up.
The last time they played was in the 2022-2023 season, in which the Cowboys escaped with a 27-23 victory over then-starting quarterback Davis Mills and co. It took a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter for the Cowboys to finally eclipse the feisty Texans and walk away with a narrow victory at AT&T Stadium.
This time around, they’ll be facing quarterback C.J. Stroud for the first time in the regular season, along with having to navigate Houston’s ferocious defensive front and lockdown secondary. The Texans would be looking for their first victory against the Cowboys since the Deshaun Watson-led squad defeated them in 2018 by a final score of 19-16 in overtime.
Wish List Item #3: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars open the season at EverBank Stadium
The last time the Texans and Jaguars did battle, a 19-point Davis Mills-led comeback helped Houston climb out of a giant hole and walk off their road opponents in week 10 by a final score of 36-29. The victory was a major turning point in the team’s season, as it helped launch a nine-game winning streak that landed the Texans a 12-5 record and a third consecutive AFC Playoff berth (Wildcard). Jacksonville went on a streak of their own afterwards, winning eight-straight contests and securing the AFC South Title with a 13-4 record.
What a better way to start the 2026 season than to have the first and second place division finishers duke it out for supremacy? It would be a huge early statement win for Houston if they were able to topple their division counterparts, and a sign that they could realistically reclaim their AFC South crown in short order after doing so from 2023-2024. The two franchises have exchanged that accomplishment by an even split of 2-2 since 2022.
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