The waiting is over. The Houston Texans got their first taste of exhibition action in the NFL's Hall of Fame Game last week, but the real preseason begins in just a few days.
We didn't see any prominent players take the field against the Chicago Bears last Thursday night, but in the coming games, we're sure to see more of the players fans want to see most.
It all begins Friday when the Texans head up to face Mike Tomlin and the extra-intriguing Pittsburgh Steelers. Let's dive into the Texans' three preseason games, starting with the Steel City.
Preseason Week 1 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Date/Time: 6 p.m. CT, Aug. 9
While Russell Wilson has been recovering from a calf injury, the Steelers have seen Justin Fields lighting it up during training camp. He's still shown flaws, but the potential big-play ability of Fields has Pittsburgh fans wondering what might be if he wins the job. Will the Texans see any of Wilson in this one, or will Fields continue to get the bulk of the reps?
Preseason Week 2 vs. New York Giants
Date/Time: Noon CT, Aug. 17
This is the game where we're likely to see the most action from Houston's starters, assuming DeMeco Ryans wants to send his best out there at all during the preseason. As for New York's side, the Texans don't have much to be concerned about from a team that very well could finish with a bottom-three record this coming season.
Preseason Week 3 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Date/Time: Noon CT, Aug. 24
If this were a regular season matchup, the storylines would never end. It would have potential to be the highest-scoring game of the week, if that were the case. But, we're probably not going to see a ton of Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua in this one.
When does the Houston Texans' regular season kick off?
The Texans open up their regular season by traveling to take on a division rival, the Indianapolis Colts, on Sept. 8. It'll be a noon game (noon CT) for the first AFC South showdown of the year.
This matchup will feature two second-year quarterbacks, of course, with Indy's Anthony Richardson making his first appearance since a season-ending injury as a rookie in 2023. Richardson has quite a bit of catching up to do if he wants to prove he belongs with the likes of Stroud, and for the sake of the division's health, let's hope it's a fun contest between the two passers.
It would be in the Texans' best interest to win this game as they go into their first primetime game of the year in Week 2 when they play host to no. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. That should be a fun game with an up-and-coming team like Chicago trying to do what Houston did last year.
For the full regular season schedule, you can check it out here.