# 2021 Houston Texans season

The 2021 season was the Houston Texans' 20th season in the National Football League (NFL), and their only under head coach David Culley. For the first time since 2011, defensive end J. J. Watt was not on the roster, as he had signed with the Arizona Cardinals on March 5, 2021, reuniting him with former Texans teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who was traded to the Cardinals the season prior. It also was the first time since 2014 without former head coach Bill O'Brien, as he was fired just four games into the 2020 season when the Texans began 0–4.
In addition, Deshaun Watson, the starting quarterback since 2017, was inactive the entire season due to several allegations of sexual assault. Though he was never released, suspended, or placed on any reserve list, he was ruled out each week for "non-injury-related" reasons. Veteran free agent signing Tyrod Taylor and rookie Davis Mills split time as the starting quarterback in Watson's stead throughout the season. Due to injury and poor performance by Taylor, Mills would be the starting quarterback for most of the season. Mills would finish the season with 2,664 passing yards, breaking the franchise record for most passing yards in a season by a rookie quarterback.
After winning their season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans would go on an eight-game losing streak before winning against the Tennessee Titans in week 11. After a Week 13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Texans became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year. With a 41–29 upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in week 16, the Texans matched their win total from the previous season, at four.
Following the season, head coach David Culley and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly were fired. Watson would also be traded to the Cleveland Browns in the following off-season.

## Offseason

On January 7, 2021, the Texans hired Nick Caserio as the team's new General manager. Caserio spend 20 years with the New England Patriots. On January 29, 2021, the Texans hired Ravens assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and passing coordinator David Culley as the team's new head coach.

### Signings

| Position | Player | Age | 2020 team | Contract |
| QB | Tyrod Taylor | 32 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 year, $12.5 million |
| RB | Phillip Lindsay | 27 | Denver Broncos | 1 year, $3.5 million |
| RB | Mark Ingram II | 31 | Baltimore Ravens | 1 year, $3 million |
| RB | Rex Burkhead | 30 | New England Patriots | 1 year, $1.5 million |
| WR | Andre Roberts | 33 | Buffalo Bills | 2 years, $5.95 million |
| WR | Chris Moore | 28 | Baltimore Ravens | 1 year, $5.95 million |
| WR | Alex Erickson | 28 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 year, no details |
| WR | Donte Moncrief | 28 | New England Patriots | 1 year, no details |
| WR | Chris Conley | 28 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 year, no details |
| TE | Paul Quessenberry | 29 | New England Patriots | 1 year, no details |
| OG | Justin McCray | 29 | Atlanta Falcons | 2 years, $4 million |
| OG | Lane Taylor | 31 | Green Bay Packers | 1 year, no details |
| C | Cole Toner | 30 | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 year, no details |
| C | Justin Britt | 30 | Did not play | 1 year, $5 million |
| DT | Maliek Collins | 26 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1 year, $6 million |
| DT | Vincent Taylor | 27 | Cleveland Browns | 1 year, $2 million |
| LB | Kevin Pierre-Louis | 29 | Washington Football Team | 2 years, $8 million |
| LB | Jordan Jenkins | 27 | New York Jets | 2 years, $6 million |
| LB | Christian Kirksey | 29 | Green Bay Packers | 1 year, $4.5 million |
| LB | Kamu Grugier-Hill | 27 | Miami Dolphins | 1 year, $3.25 million |
| LB | Joe Thomas | 30 | Dallas Cowboys | 1 year, $2 million |
| LB | Derek Rivers | 27 | Los Angeles Rams | 1 year, $1.3 million |
| LB | Tae Davis | 25 | Cleveland Browns | 1 year, no details |
| LB | Hardy Nickerson Jr. | 27 | Minnesota Vikings | 1 year, no details |
| CB | Terrance Mitchell | 29 | Cleveland Browns | 2 years, $7.5 million |
| CB | Tavierre Thomas | 25 | Cleveland Browns | 2 years, no details |
| CB | Desmond King | 26 | Tennessee Titans | 1 year, $3.5 million |
| CB | Tremon Smith | 25 | Indianapolis Colts | 1 year, $1.13 million |
| S | Terrence Brooks | 29 | New England Patriots | 1 year, $2 million |
| P | Cameron Johnston | 29 | Philadelphia Eagles | 3 years, $8 million |

### Re-Signings

| Position | Player | Age | Contract |
| RB | Dontrell Hilliard | 26 | 1 year, $1.25 million |
| RB | Buddy Howell | 24 | 1 year, no details |
| TE | Pharaoh Brown | 27 | 1 year, $2.2 million |
| CB | Vernon Hargreaves | 26 | 1 year, no details |
| CB | Cornell Armstrong | 26 | 1 year, no details |
| LS | Jon Weeks | 35 | 1 year, 1.075 million |

### Departures

| Position | Player | Age | 2021 team |
| QB | Ryan Finley | 26 | TBD |
| RB | Duke Johnson | 27 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| FB | Cullen Gillaspia | 26 | New York Giants |
| WR | Chad Hansen | 26 | Detroit Lions |
| WR | Steven Mitchell | 26 | TBD |
| TE | Darren Fells | 34 | Detroit Lions |
| OG | Senio Kelemete | 31 | San Francisco 49ers |
| OG | Zach Fulton | 29 | New York Giants |
| OG | Beau Benzschawel | 25 | Washington Football Team |
| C | Nick Martin | 28 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| DE | J. J. Watt | 31 | Arizona Cardinals |
| DT | Carlos Watkins | 28 | Dallas Cowboys |
| CB | Mark Fields | 24 | San Francisco 49ers |
| CB | Brandon Williams | 28 | TBD |
| P | Bryan Anger | 32 | Dallas Cowboys |
| LS | Anthony Kukwa | 28 | TBD |

### Trades

| March 17 | To Houston Texans Shaq Lawson WAS's 2021 sixth round pick | To Miami Dolphins Benardrick McKinney 2021 7th round pcik |
| March 17 | To Houston Texans Marcus Cannon 2021 fifth round pick DAL's 2021 sixth round pick | To New England Patriots ARI's 2021 fourth round pick 2021 sixth round pick |
| March 18 | To Houston Texans Ryan Izzo | To New England Patriots 2022 seventh round pick |
| March 19 | To Houston Texans Ryan Finley 2021 seventh round pick | To Cincinnati Bengals MIA's 2021 sixth round pick |

## Draft

2021 Houston Texans draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 3 | 67 | Davis Mills | QB | Stanford | |
| 3 | 89 | Nico Collins * | WR | Michigan | from Cleveland via Carolina |
| 5 | 147 | Brevin Jordan | TE | Miami (FL) | |
| 5 | 170 | Garret Wallow | LB | TCU | from Cleveland via Jacksonville and L.A. Rams |
| 6 | 195 | Roy Lopez | DT | Arizona | from Dallas via New England |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## NFL Top 100

NFL Network began announcing its annual top 100 list on August 15, 2021. Two players were named to the list.
| Rank | Player | Position | Change |
| 18 | Deshaun Watson | Quarterback | 2 |
| 75 | Laremy Tunsil | Offensive tackle | 9 |

## Preseason
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 14 | at Green Bay Packers | W 26–7 | 1–0 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 21 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 20–14 | 2–0 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 16–23 | 2–1 | NRG Stadium | Recap |

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 3 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 26 |
| Packers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: August 14
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game attendance: 72,348
* TV: KTRK
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 37-yard field goal, 7:48. Texans 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 53 yards, 5:33.
Second quarter
GB – Kylin Hill 22-yard pass from Jordan Love (J. J. Molson kick), 14:15. Packers 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 5:13.
HOU – Scottie Phillips 5-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 9:08. Texans 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 2:03.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbarin 25-yard field goal, 0:56. Texans 13–7. Drive: 17 plays, 71 yards, 6:01.
Third quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 41-yard field goal, 6:11. Texans 16–7. Drive: 9 plays, 34 yards, 3:57.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 42-yard field goal, 13:01. Texans 19–7. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 3:28.
HOU – Darius Jackson 25-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 6:06. Texans 26–7. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:39.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 11/21, 112 yards, INT
GB – Jordan Love – 12/17, 122 yards, TD
Top rushers
HOU – Scottie Phillips – 13 rushes, 66 yards, TD
GB – Dexter Williams – 4 rushes, 32 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Chris Conley – 4 receptions, 51 yards
GB – Devin Funchess – 6 receptions, 70 yards :
Tyrod Taylor started at quarterback for the Texans, leading the team 57 yards downfield on his first drive, before the drive stalled at Green Bay's 19-yard line; the Texans would settle for a 37-yard field goal from Kaʻimi Fairbairn to take a 3–0 lead. This was the only drive Taylor would play, going 4-of-4 for 40 yards. Rookie quarterback Davis Mills entered the game on Houston's next drive, being sacked once and throwing an incomplete pass as the Texans went three-and-out. After the rough start, Mills would settle in and lead the Texans on two scoring drives, resulting in ten points. Late in the 2nd quarter, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love was sacked and fumbled the ball, with Jaleel Johnson recovering for Houston at the Green Bay 17-yard line; however, Mills would throw an interception on the very next play. Mills would briefly appear in the 2nd half before Jeff Driskel took over midway in the 3rd quarter. Driskel would remain the Texans' quarterback for the rest of the game; Driskel would only complete one pass out of six attempts for 2 yards. Late in the 4th quarter, Houston cornerback Tremon Smith intercepted a Kurt Benkert pass.
The three Texans' quarterbacks finished with a combined 16/32 for 149 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.

#### Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: August 21
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV: KTRK
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Mark Ingram II 2-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 11:06. Texans 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 23 yards, 3:04.
DAL – Tony Pollard 8-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 3:36. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:15.
Second quarter
DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 9-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 1:48. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 6:11.
Third quarter
HOU – Lonnie Johnson Jr. 53-yard interception return (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 6:52. Tied 14–14.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 38-yard field goal, 11:35. Texans 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 4:15.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 24-yard field goal, 2:13. Texans 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 2:53.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 10/16, 115 yards
DAL – Ben DiNucci – 14/19, 120 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 7 rushes, 24 yards, TD
DAL – Rico Dowdle – 6 rushes, 31 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Jordan Veasy – 2 receptions, 30 yards
DAL – Noah Brown – 3 receptions, 35 yards :
The Cowboys received the opening kickoff, with Houston defensive end Jacob Martin causing a fumble on the third play of the game, with Charles Omenihu recovering it for the Texans. Tyrod Taylor started at quarterback for Houston, leading the offense on a short drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run from Mark Ingram II Taylor would play for most of the 1st quarter before Davis Mills came in with 0:22 left; Taylor finished 2-of-5 for 10 yards. In the third quarter, cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. intercepted a Ben DiNucci pass and returned it 53 yards for a pick six touchdown. Shyheim Carter picked off a DiNucci pass in the 4th quarter, returning it 5 yards to the 50-yard line. Jeff Driskel took over at quarterback on the next drive, leading the team down to the red zone before the drive stalled, settling for a 24-yard field goal from Kaʻimi Fairbairn to give the Texans a 20–14 lead. Late in the 4th quarter, with the Cowboys trying to win the game, strong safety Terrence Brooks intercepted DiNucci, sealing the victory for the Texans.
The Texans only had 220 yards of offense versus the Cowboys' 308, but committed no turnovers while Dallas turned the ball over four times. The three Houston quarterbacks finished for a combined 13-of-23 for 131 yards.

#### Week 3: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 6 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
| Texans | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 16 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: August 28
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* TV: KTRK
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Chris Goodwin 24-yard pass from Tom Brady (kick blocked), 10:12. Buccaneers 6–0. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 2:26.
Second quarter
TB – Ronald Jones II 13-yard run (José Borregales kick), 11:43. Buccaneers 13–0. Drive: 8 plays, 93 yards, 3:34.
HOU – Blaine Gabbert sacked in end zone, 11:43. Buccaneers 13–2.
TB – José Borregales 36-yard field goal, 0:00. Buccaneers 16–2. Drive: 6 plays, 24 yards, 0:53.
Third quarter
HOU – Nico Collins 11-yard pass from Davis Mills (Davis Mills pass to Keke Coutee), 8:44. Buccaneers 16–10. Drive: 1 play, 11 yards, 0:04.
TB – Codey McElroy 20-yard pass from Kyle Trask (José Borregales kick), 5:13. Buccaneers 23–10. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:31.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Jordan Veasy 9-yard pass from Davis Mills (pass failed), 12:33. Buccaneers 23–16. Drive: 5 plays, 39 yards, 1:40.
Top passers
TB – Tom Brady – 11/14, 154 yards, TD
HOU – Davis Mills – 10/27, 106 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
TB – Ke'Shawn Vaughn – 15 rushes, 29 yards
HOU – Scottie Phillips – 8 rushes, 73 yards
Top receivers
TB – Chris Goodwin – 3 receptions, 84 yards, TD
HOU – Chris Moore – 2 receptions, 40 yards :
Kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn suffered an injury during pregame warmups, with safety Justin Reid handling the kickoffs for the Texans; Reid would not attempt any field goals or extra points, with the team opting to go for it on 4th down and attempt a two-point conversion after touchdowns. Tyrod Taylor started at quarterback and played until midway of the 2nd quarter. Taylor left the game after losing a fumble on a sack, finishing 6-of-9 for 31 yards. Davis Mills would play for the rest of the game, going 10-of-27 for 106 yards with two touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. Taylor and Mills finished for a combined 16-of-36 for 115 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.

## Regular season
### Schedule

The Texans' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 37–21 | 1–0 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | at Cleveland Browns | L 21–31 | 1–1 | FirstEnergy Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 23 | Carolina Panthers | L 9–24 | 1–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | at Buffalo Bills | L 0–40 | 1–3 | Highmark Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | New England Patriots | L 22–25 | 1–4 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 17 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 3–31 | 1–5 | Lucas Oil Stadium | Recap |
| 7 | October 24 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 5–31 | 1–6 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 31 | Los Angeles Rams | L 22–38 | 1–7 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | at Miami Dolphins | L 9–17 | 1–8 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 11 | November 21 | at Tennessee Titans | W 22–13 | 2–8 | Nissan Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 28 | New York Jets | L 14–21 | 2–9 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | Indianapolis Colts | L 0–31 | 2–10 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | Seattle Seahawks | L 13–33 | 2–11 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 30–16 | 3–11 | TIAA Bank Field | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Los Angeles Chargers | W 41–29 | 4–11 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 7–23 | 4–12 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 18 | January 9 | Tennessee Titans | L 25–28 | 4–13 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jaguars | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Texans | 14 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 37 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 12
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 68,105
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Mark Ingram II 1-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 6:42. Texans 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 7:02.
HOU – David Johnson 7-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Joey Slye kick), 2:25. Texans 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:14.
Second quarter
JAX – Chris Manhertz 22-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence (Josh Lambo kick), 12:25. Texans 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:05.
HOU – Joey Slye 40-yard field goal, 8:11. Texans 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 4:13.
HOU – Joey Slye 26-yard field goal, 1:02. Texans 20–7. Drive: 5 plays, 0 yards, 1:18.
HOU – Danny Amendola 8-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Joey Slye kick), 0:08. Texans 27–7. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 0:29.
Third quarter
HOU – Phillip Lindsay 5-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 3:24. Texans 34–7. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:44.
JAX – D. J. Chark 41-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence (Josh Lambo kick), 1:48. Texans 34–14. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:36.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Joey Slye 25-yard field goal, 11:59. Texans 37–14. Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 2:53.
JAX – Marvin Jones 4-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence (Josh Lambo kick), 0:05. Texans 37–21. Drive: 12 plays, 85 yards, 2:45.
Top passers
JAX – Trevor Lawrence – 28/51, 332 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
HOU – Tyrod Taylor – 21/33, 291 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
JAX – Carlos Hyde – 9 rushes, 44 yards
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 26 rushes, 85 yards, TD
Top receivers
JAX – D. J. Chark – 3 receptions, 86 yards, TD
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 5 receptions, 132 yards :
The Texans kicked off the 2021 season and the David Culley era at home against AFC South rival the Jacksonville Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence, the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The Texans' defense picked off Lawrence three times while the offense committed no turnovers. With the win, the Texans started 1–0 for the first time since 2016; additionally, the Texans were the only AFC South team to win during week 1.

#### Week 2: at Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
* Date: September 19
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 75 °F (24 °C)
* Game attendance: 67,431
* Referee: Brad Rogers
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CLE – Andy Janovich 1-yard run (Chase McLaughlin kick), 9:56. Browns 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 2:02.
HOU – Phillip Lindsay 20-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Joey Slye kick), 5:18. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 4:38.
Second quarter
HOU – Tyrod Taylor 15-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 7:06. Texans 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 2:38.
CLE – Baker Mayfield 5-yard run (Chase McLaughlin kick), 1:14. Tied 14–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:52.
Third quarter
CLE – Demetric Felton 33-yard pass from Baker Mayfield (Chase McLaughlin kick), 7:50. Browns 21–14. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 5:52.
CLE – Chase McLaughlin 30-yard field goal, 4:40. Browns 24–14. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:37.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Brandin Cooks 2-yard pass from Davis Mills (Joey Slye kick), 11:32. Browns 24–21. Drive: 16 plays, 75 yards, 8:08.
CLE – Nick Chubb 26-yard run (Chase McLaughlin kick), 5:52. Browns 31–21. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 5:40.
Top passers
HOU – Tyrod Taylor – 10/11, 126 yards, TD
CLE – Baker Mayfield – 19/21, 213 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 14 rushes, 41 yards
CLE – Nick Chubb – 11 rushes, 95 yards, TD
Top receivers
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 9 receptions, 78 yards, TD
CLE – Demetric Felton – 2 receptions, 51 yards, TD :
Starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffered a hamstring injury during the first half, with rookie Davis Mills replacing him for the second half.

#### Week 3: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| Texans | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 23
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 68,320
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Sam Darnold 5-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 6:36. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 88 yards, 6:00.
Second quarter
HOU – Anthony Miller 1-yard pass from Davis Mills (kick failed), 0:25. Panthers 7–6. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 1:12.
Third quarter
CAR – Tommy Tremble 7-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 6:20. Panthers 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 91 yards, 4:17.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Zane Gonzalez 21-yard field goal, 12:44. Panthers 17–6. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 6:31.
HOU – Joey Slye 53-yard field goal, 9:09. Panthers 17–9. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 3:35.
CAR – Sam Darnold 1-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 4:07. Panthers 24–9. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:02.
Top passers
CAR – Sam Darnold – 23/34, 304 yards
HOU – Davis Mills – 19/28, 168 yards, TD
Top rushers
CAR – Chuba Hubbard – 11 rushes, 52 yards
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 6 rushes, 21 yards
Top receivers
CAR – D. J. Moore – 8 receptions, 126 yards
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 9 receptions, 112 yards :
Rookie quarterback Davis Mills started his first NFL game as Tyrod Taylor was still recovering from a hamstring injury. After a slow start, Mills would lead the offense on a quick scoring drive to end the half with a 1-yard pass to Anthony Miller, but kicker Joey Slye missed the extra point. The offense would continue to be inconsistent throughout the 2nd half, with Mills constantly being pressured by Carolina's defense.

#### Week 4: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bills | 7 | 9 | 3 | 21 | 40 |
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: October 3
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Light rain, fog and mist, 67 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 68,087
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (CBS): Beth Mowins and Tiki Barber
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
BUF – Dawson Knox 25-yard pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass kick), 1:59. Bills 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:02.
Second quarter
BUF – Tyler Bass 33-yard field goal, 13:05. Bills 10–0. Drive: 5 plays, 35 yards, 1:55.
BUF – Tyler Bass 26-yard field goal, 7:12. Bills 13–0. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:31.
BUF – Tyler Bass 21-yard field goal, 0:23. Bills 16–0. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 1:17.
Third quarter
BUF – Tyler Bass 28-yard field goal, 8:45. Bills 19–0. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:15.
Fourth quarter
BUF – Dawson Knox 1-yard pass from Josh Allen (Tyler Bass kick), 13:29. Bills 26–0. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 6:49.
BUF – Zack Moss 4-yard run (Tyler Bass kick), 10:44. Bills 33–0. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 2:15.
BUF – Mitchell Trubisky 4-yard run (Tyler Bass kick), 3:36. Bills 40–0. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 4:27.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 11/21, 87 yards, 4 INT
BUF – Josh Allen – 20/29, 248 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 6 rushes, 24 yards
BUF – Devin Singletary – 14 rushes, 79 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 5 receptions, 47 yards
BUF – Stefon Diggs – 7 receptions, 114 yards :
The Texans committed five turnovers, with quarterback Davis Mills throwing four interceptions and tight end Jordan Akins losing a fumble and only had 109 yards of total offense. The Texans were shutout for the first time since 2016. The 40 point loss is also the largest in franchise history.

#### Week 5: vs. New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 25 |
| Texans | 6 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 22 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: October 10
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 68,450
* Referee: Scott Novak
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Amanda Balionis
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Antony Auclair 11-yard pass from Davis Mills (kick failed), 4:45. Texans 6–0. Drive: 18 plays, 79 yards, 10:06.
Second quarter
NE – Damien Harris 1-yard run (kick failed), 14:17. Tied 6–6. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:37.
HOU – Chris Moore 67-yard pass from Davis Mills (kick failed), 12:56. Texans 12–6. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:21.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 33-yard field goal, 1:37. Texans 15–6. Drive: 15 plays, 65 yards, 7:11.
NE – Nick Folk 52-yard field goal, 0:02. Texans 15–9. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 1:35.
Third quarter
HOU – Chris Conley 37-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 13:31. Texans 22–9. Drive: 2 plays, 44 yards, 0:42.
NE – Nick Folk 52-yard field goal, 8:25. Texans 22–12. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:57.
NE – Nick Folk 32-yard field goal, 1:50. Texans 22–15. Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:58.
Fourth quarter
NE – Hunter Henry 13-yard pass from Mac Jones (Nick Folk kick), 9:31. Tied 22–22. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 3:54.
NE – Nick Folk 21-yard field goal, 0:15. Patriots 25–22. Drive: 15 plays, 84 yards, 7:00.
Top passers
NE – Mac Jones – 23/30, 231 yards, TD, INT
HOU – Davis Mills – 21/29, 312 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
NE – Damien Harris – 14 rushes, 58 yards, TD
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 16 rushes, 41 yards
Top receivers
NE – Hunter Henry – 6 receptions, 75 yards, TD
HOU – Chris Moore – 5 receptions, 109 yards, TD :
The Texans had a 22–9 lead early in the 3rd quarter, but the Patriots would score 16 unanswered points, including Nick Folk's game-winning field goal with 17 seconds left in the 4th. Houston kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn missed two extra point attempts and a 56-yard field goal.

#### Week 6: at Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Colts | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
* Date: October 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 58 °F (14 °C) (retractable roof open)
* Game attendance: 57,947
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Jay Feely
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
IND – Parris Campbell 51-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Michael Badgley kick), 1:52. Colts 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 3:18.
Second quarter
IND – Michael Badgley 41-yard field goal, 12:59. Colts 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 1:56.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 31-yard field goal, 6:16. Colts 10–3. Drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 6:43.
Third quarter
IND – Mo Alie-Cox 28-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Michael Badgley kick), 11:50. Colts 17–3. Drive: 2 plays, 28 yards, 0:46.
IND – Jonathan Taylor 4-yard run (Michael Badgley kick), 6:37. Colts 24–3. Drive: 4 plays, 88 yards, 2:16.
Fourth quarter
IND – Jonathan Taylor 11-yard run (Michael Badgley kick), 4:47. Colts 31–3. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 5:21.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 29/43, 243 yards, 2 INT
IND – Carson Wentz – 11/20, 223 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
HOU – Mark Ingram II – 18 rushes, 73 yards
IND – Jonathan Taylor – 14 rushes, 145 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 9 receptions, 89 yards
IND – T. Y. Hilton – 4 receptions, 80 yards :

#### Week 7: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: October 24
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/1:25 p.m. MST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 60,297
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Preview, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Kyler Murray sacked in the end zone by Jacob Martin for a safety, 2:58. Texans 2–0.
Second quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 53-yard field goal, 14:55. Texans 5–0. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 3:03.
ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 1-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 9:01. Cardinals 7–5. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 5:54.
ARI – Christian Kirk 5-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 2:45. Cardinals 14–5. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:58.
ARI – Matt Prater 31-yard field goal, 0:05. Cardinals 17–5. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 1:32.
Third quarter
ARI – Zach Ertz 47-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 7:58. Cardinals 24–5. Drive: 7 plays, 88 yards, 3:33.
Fourth quarter
ARI – James Conner 18-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 10:22. Cardinals 31–5. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:53.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 23/32, 135 yards
ARI – Kyler Murray – 20/28, 261 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
HOU – David Johnson – 7 rushes, 25 yards
ARI – Chase Edmonds – 15 rushes, 81 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Nico Collins – 2 receptions, 28 yards
ARI – Zach Ertz – 3 receptions, 66 yards, TD :
With the loss, the Texans' dropped to 1–6, losing their sixth game in a row. Following the game, head coach David Culley announced that quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who suffered a hamstring injury in week 2, would be returning to practice during the week.

#### Week 8: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 7 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 38 |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 22 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 66,013
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LAR – Darrell Henderson 3-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 9:32. Rams 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:28.
Second quarter
LAR – Matt Gay 27-yard field goal, 8:51. Rams 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 4:32.
LAR – Robert Woods 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 6:09. Rams 17–0. Drive: 4 plays, 12 yards, 1:55.
LAR – Darrell Henderson 1-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 0:30. Rams 24–0. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 3:19.
Third quarter
LAR – Cooper Kupp 11-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 7:55. Rams 31–0. Drive: 3 plays, 79 yards, 1:31.
LAR – Robert Woods 16-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 0:02. Rams 38–0. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 5:52.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Rex Burkhead 1-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 8:08. Rams 38–7. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 3:55.
HOU – Brandin Cooks 45-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 5:00. Rams 38–14. Drive: 4 plays, 62 yards, 1:23.
HOU – Brevin Jordan 9-yard pass from Davis Mills (Davis Mills run), 2:35. Rams 38–22. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 2:25.
Top passers
LAR – Matthew Stafford – 21/32, 305 yards, 3 TD
HOU – Davis Mills – 29/38, 310 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
LAR – Darrell Henderson – 14 rushes, 90 yards, TD
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 4 rushes, 21 yards, TD
Top receivers
LAR – Cooper Kupp – 7 receptions, 115 yards, TD
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 6 receptions, 83 yards, TD :

#### Week 9: at Miami Dolphins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: November 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 60,232
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Myles Gaskin 6-yard run (Jason Sanders kick), 4:37. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:03.
Second quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 31-yard field goal, 9:48. Dolphins 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 20 yards, 3:21.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 40-yard field goal, 4:32. Dolphins 7–6. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 0:58.
MIA – Jason Sanders 42-yard field goal, 1:08. Dolphins 10–6. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 3:24.
MIA – Mack Hollins 5-yard pass from Jacoby Brissett (Jason Sanders kick), 0:29. Dolphins 17–6. Drive: 4 plays, 26 yards, 0:24.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 20-yard field goal, 11:32. Dolphins 17–9. Drive: 14 plays, 92 yards, 5:40.
Top passers
HOU – Tyrod Taylor – 23/42, 231 yards, 3 INT
MIA – Jacoby Brissett – 26/43, 244 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
HOU – Phillip Lindsay – 8 rushes, 28 yards
MIA – Myles Gaskin – 20 rushes, 34 yards, TD
Top receivers
HOU – Danny Amendola – 3 receptions, 49 yards
MIA – Jaylen Waddle – 8 receptions, 83 yards :

#### Week 11: at Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 3 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 22 |
| Titans | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
* Date: November 21
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 56 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 67,395
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Sherree Burruss
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 43-yard field goal, 4:04. Texans 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 62 yards, 6:58.
Second quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 24-yard field goal, 13:35. Texans 6–0. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:25.
HOU – Tyrod Taylor 7-yard run (kick failed), 7:43. Texans 12–0. Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:39.
Third quarter
HOU – Tyrod Taylor 5-yard run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 7:00. Texans 19–0. Drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 0:36.
TEN – Dez Fitzpatrick 18-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (kick failed), 2:24. Texans 19–6. Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 4:36.
Fourth quarter
TEN – Anthony Firkser fumble recovery in end zone (Randy Bullock kick), 7:47. Texans 19–13. Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 2:15.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 37-yard field goal, 3:26. Texans 22–13. Drive: 4 plays, -4 yards, 0:16.
Top passers
HOU – Tyrod Taylor – 14/24, 107 yards
TEN – Ryan Tannehill – 35/52, 323 yards, TD, 4 INT
Top rushers
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 18 rushes, 40 yards
TEN – Adrian Peterson – 9 rushes, 40 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Chris Conley – 4 receptions, 37 yards
TEN – Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – 7 receptions, 107 yards :
Houston only had 190 yards of total offense compared to Tennessee's 420, but the Titans turned the ball over five times during the game and turned it over on downs twice. Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw four interceptions, three of which happened in Houston territory. During a punt return, Chester Rogers muffed a punt that was recovered by Tremon Smith for Houston at the Tennessee 5-yard line.

#### Week 12: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 3 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 21 |
| Texans | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: November 28
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 65,120
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Jay Feely and Amanda Balionis
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Matt Ammendola 31-yard field goal, 5:34. Jets 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 3:28.
Second quarter
HOU – Brevin Jordan 13-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 14:18. Texans 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 2:47.
HOU – Brandin Cooks 40-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 10:29. Texans 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 67 yards, 2:47.
NYJ – Austin Walter 2-yard run (Josh Johnson run), 1:13. Texans 14–11. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 5:19.
Third quarter
NYJ – Zach Wilson 4-yard run (Matt Ammendola kick), 7:51. Jets 18–14. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 7:09.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Matt Ammendola 37-yard field goal, 3:34. Jets 21–14. Drive: 13 plays, 36 yards, 6:20.
Top passers
NYJ – Zach Wilson – 14/24, 145 yards, INT
HOU – Tyrod Taylor – 17/26, 158 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
NYJ – Tevin Coleman – 16 rushes, 67 yards
HOU – David Johnson – 10 rushes, 39 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Braxton Berrios – 2 receptions, 47 yards
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 3 receptions, 45 yards, TD :

#### Week 13: vs. Indianapolis Colts

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colts | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: December 5
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 65,291
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
IND – Jonathan Taylor 1-yard run (Michael Badgley kick), 11:26. Colts 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 3:29.
Second quarter
IND – Ashton Dulin 2-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Michael Badgley kick), 0:43. Colts 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 6:16.
Third quarter
IND – Jonathan Taylor 3-yard run (Michael Badgley kick), 9:47. Colts 21–0. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:13.
Fourth quarter
IND – Michael Badgley 23-yard field goal, 9:08. Colts 24–0. Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 5:08.
IND – Deon Jackson 3-yard run (Michael Badgley kick), 1:56. Colts 31–0. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 3:33.
Top passers
IND – Carson Wentz – 16/22, 158 yards, TD
HOU – Davis Mills – 6/14, 49 yards
Top rushers
IND – Jonathan Taylor – 32 rushes, 143 yards, 2 TD
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 8 rushes, 30 yards
Top receivers
IND – Michael Pittman Jr. – 6 receptions, 77 yards
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 3 receptions, 38 yards :
Starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was benched in the third quarter in favor of rookie Davis Mills. Taylor finished 5-of-13 for 45 yards with an interception. With the loss, the Texans were the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention. This loss also marked the first time in franchise history the Texans were shut out at home during the regular season, and their second home shutout loss after their 30–0 Wild Card Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 season.

#### Week 14: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 10 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 33 |
| Texans | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: December 12
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Clear, 55 °F (13 °C) (retractable roof open)
* Game attendance: 67,610
* Referee: Adrian Hill
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Jen Hale
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Brevin Jordan – 5-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 11:02. Texans 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:58.
SEA – Jason Myers 38-yard field goal, 6:20. Texans 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 4:42.
SEA – Rashaad Penny 32-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 0:00. Seahawks 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 3:03.
Second quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 21-yard field goal, 6:05. Tied 10–10. Drive: 16 plays, 72 yards, 8:55.
SEA – Tyler Lockett 55-yard pass from Russell Wilson (kick failed), 0:52. Seahawks 16–10. Drive: 1 play, 55 yards, 0:08.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 61-yard field goal, 0:00. Seahawks 16–13. Drive: 6 plays, 15 yards, 0:52.
Third quarter
SEA – Jason Myers 38-yard field goal, 4:32. Seahawks 19–13. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 4:59.
Fourth quarter
SEA – Gerald Everett 1-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Russell Wilson–Tyler Lockett pass), 7:28. Seahawks 27–13. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:10.
SEA – Rashaad Penny 47-yard run (kick failed), 5:26. Seahawks 33–13. Drive: 2 plays, 50 yards, 0:50.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 17/28, 260 yards, 2 TD
HOU – Davis Mills – 33/49, 331 yards, TD
Top rushers
SEA – Rashaad Penny – 16 rushes, 137 yards, 2 TD
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 11 rushes, 40 yards
Top receivers
SEA – Tyler Lockett – 5 receptions, 142 yards, TD
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 8 receptions, 101 yards :
At the end of the first half, kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn made a 61-yard field goal, setting a franchise record for longest field goal made.

#### Week 15: at Jacksonville Jaguars

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 14 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 30 |
| Jaguars | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
* Date: December 19
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 76 °F (24 °C)
* Game attendance: 60,252
* Referee: Alex Kemp
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Sherree Burruss
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
HOU – Brandin Cooks 22-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 6:39. Texans 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 8:21.
JAX – Matthew Wright 22-yard field goal, 1:42. Texans 7–3. Drive: 9 plays, 79 yards, 4:57.
HOU – Tremon Smith 98-yard kickoff return (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 1:26. Texans 14–3.
Second quarter
JAX – James Robinson 1-yard run (Matthew Wright kick), 12:09. Texans 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:17.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 52-yard field goal, 3:06. Texans 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 15 yards, 4:43.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 51-yard field goal, 0:00. Texans 20–10. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 25-yard field goal, 10:39. Texans 23–10. Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 2:13.
JAX – Matthew Wright 38-yard field goal, 4:47. Texans 23–13. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:52.
Fourth quarter
JAX – Matthew Wright 35-yard field goal, 11:18. Texans 23–16. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 2:04.
HOU – Brandin Cooks 43-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 2:22. Texans 30–16. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 2:47.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 19/30, 209 yards, 2 TD, INT
JAX – Trevor Lawrence – 22/38, 210 yards
Top rushers
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 16 rushes, 91 yards
JAX – James Robinson – 18 rushes, 75 yards, TD
Top receivers
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 7 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD
JAX – James O'Shaughnessy – 4 receptions, 60 yards :
With the win, the Texans swept the Jacksonville Jaguars for the fourth season in a row. This was also the first victory for rookie quarterback Davis Mills.

#### Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 6 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 29 |
| Texans | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 41 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 65,674
* Referee: Clay Martin
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Sherree Burruss
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
LAC – Dustin Hopkins 50-yard field goal, 10:55. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 4:05.
HOU – Rex Burkhead 25-yard run (Dominik Eberle kick), 6:25. Texans 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:30.
LAC – Dustin Hopkins 46-yard field goal, 1:57. Texans 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 4:28.
Second quarter
LAC – Justin Jackson 17-yard run (run failed), 11:15. Chargers 12–7. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:38.
HOU – Dominik Eberle 51-yard field goal, 5:11. Chargers 12–10. Drive: 12 plays, 42 yards, 6:04.
HOU – Chris Conley 41-yard pass from Davis Mills (Dominik Eberle kick), 0:27. Texans 17–12. Drive: 7 plays, 94 yards, 3:30.
Third quarter
LAC – Dustin Hopkins 35-yard field goal, 5:42. Texans 17–15. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 5:25.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Rex Burkhead 1-yard run (Dominik Eberle kick), 13:37. Texans 24–15. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:05.
HOU – Dominik Eberle 25-yard field goal, 8:54. Texans 27–15. Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 3:54.
LAC – Justin Jackson 9-yard run (Justin Herbert–Jared Cook pass), 5:50. Texans 27–23. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:04.
HOU – Nico Collins 13-yard pass from Davis Mills (Dominik Eberle kick), 2:32. Texans 34–23. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:18.
HOU – Tavierre Thomas 48-yard interception return (Dominik Eberle kick), 1:49. Texans 41–23.
LAC – Joshua Palmer 3-yard pass from Justin Herbert (pass failed), 0:34. Texans 41–29. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:15.
Top passers
LAC – Justin Herbert – 27/35, 336 yards, TD, 2 INT
HOU – Davis Mills – 21/27, 254 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
LAC – Justin Jackson – 11 rushes, 64 yards, 2 TD
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 22 rushes, 149 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
LAC – Justin Jackson – 8 receptions, 98 yards
HOU – Chris Conley – 3 receptions, 60 yards, TD :
The Houston Texans hosted the Los Angeles Chargers for the penultimate home game of the season, with both teams missing several players due to the NFL's COVID-19 protocols. The game was close for the first three quarters, but a 24-point fourth quarter by the Texans put the game out of reach for the Chargers, including scoring 14 unanswered points in under a minute. Running back Rex Burkhead finished the game with a career high 149 rushing yards, the most by a Texans' running back since Carlos Hyde in week 9 of the 2019 season. With the win, the Texans improved to 4–11, matching their win total from the previous season.

#### Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: January 2
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Clear, 64 °F (18 °C)
* Game attendance: 71,612
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta and AJ Ross
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
HOU – Brandin Cooks 8-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick) 1:57. Texans 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:15.
SF – Robbie Gould 37-yard field goal, 0:00. Texans 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 0:38.
Third quarter
SF – Elijah Mitchell 8-yard pass from Trey Lance (Robbie Gould kick), 5:53. 49ers 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 2:21.
Fourth quarter
SF – Deebo Samuel 45-yard pass from Trey Lance (Robbie Gould kick), 9:56. 49ers 17–7. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 2:08.
SF – Robbie Gould 27-yard field goal, 3:19. 49ers 20–7. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 3:27.
SF – Robbie Gould 36-yard field goal, 1:12. 49ers 23–7. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:29.
Top passers
HOU – Davis Mills – 21/32, 163 yards, TD, INT
SF – Trey Lance – 16/23, 249 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
HOU – Rex Burkhead – 16 rushes, 47 yards
SF – Elijah Mitchell – 21 rushes, 119 yards
Top receivers
HOU – Brandin Cooks – 7 receptions, 66 yards, TD
SF – Brandon Aiyuk – 4 receptions, 94 yards :

#### Week 18: vs. Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 0 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: January 9
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 66,722
* Referee: Land Clark
* TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton and Sherree Burruss
* Recap, Game Book
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
TEN – Anthony Firkser 5-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 7:40. Titans 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 94 yards, 6:31.
TEN – A. J. Brown 14-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 1:34. Titans 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 2:46.
TEN – Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 4-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 0:11. Titans 21–0. Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 0:33.
Third quarter
HOU – Chris Moore 28-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 9:46. Titans 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 3:42.
HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 31-yard field goal, 2:14. Titans 21–10. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 4:04.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Danny Amendola 7-yard pass from Davis Mills (Davis Mills–Danny Amendola pass), 11:40. Titans 21–18. Drive: 8 plays, 82 yards, 4:01.
TEN – Julio Jones 3-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Randy Bullock kick), 7:00. Titans 28–18. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:40.
HOU – Danny Amendola 26-yard pass from Davis Mills (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick), 4:04. Titans 28–25. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:56.
Top passers
TEN – Ryan Tannehill – 23/32, 287 yards, 4 TD
HOU – Davis Mills – 23/33, 301 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
TEN – D'Onta Foreman – 21 rushes, 69 yards
HOU – David Johnson – 5 rushes, 28 yards
Top receivers
TEN – Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – 4 receptions, 78 yards, TD
HOU – Danny Amendola – 7 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD :

### Standings
#### Division

AFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Tennessee Titans | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 8–4 | 419 | 354 | W3 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 451 | 365 | L2 |
| Houston Texans | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 280 | 452 | L2 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 253 | 457 | W1 |

#### Conference

AFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division winners ||||||||||||
| 1 | Tennessee Titans | South | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .472 | .480 | W3 |
| 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .538 | .517 | W1 |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .472 | .428 | W4 |
| 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .472 | .462 | L1 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .510 | .515 | W4 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | East | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .481 | .394 | L1 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 7 | 1 | .559 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .521 | .490 | W2 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 8 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .495 | .431 | L2 |
| 9 | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .464 | .379 | W1 |
| 10 | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .510 | .500 | L1 |
| 11 | Cleveland Browns | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .514 | .415 | W1 |
| 12 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .531 | .460 | L6 |
| 13 | Denver Broncos | West | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .484 | .357 | L4 |
| 14 | New York Jets | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 0–6 | 4–8 | .512 | .426 | L2 |
| 15 | Houston Texans | South | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .498 | .397 | L2 |
| 16 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .512 | .569 | W1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Tennessee finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory, claiming the No. 1 seed. 1 2 Las Vegas claimed the No. 5 seed over New England based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: Miami, Dallas, LA Chargers, Cleveland, and Indianapolis). 1 2 3 Indianapolis finished ahead of Miami and Los Angeles based on conference record (7–5 vs. 6–6). 1 2 Miami finished ahead of LA Chargers based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: New England, Las Vegas, Houston, Baltimore, and NY Giants). 1 2 Cleveland finished ahead of Baltimore based on division record (3–3 vs. 1–5). 1 2 NY Jets finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||

## Statistics
### Team

| Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
| Passing offense | 3,305 | 194.4 | 28th |
| Rushing offense | 1,422 | 83.6 | 32nd |
| Total offense | 4,727 | 278.1 | 32nd |
| Passing defense | 4,409 | 259.4 | 23rd |
| Rushing defense | 2,351 | 138.3 | 31st |
| Total defense | 6,760 | 397.6 | 31st |

### Individual

| Category | Player | Total |
| Offense |||
| Passing yards | Davis Mills | 2,664 |
| Passing touchdowns | Davis Mills | 16 |
| Rushing yards | Rex Burkhead | 427 |
| Rushing touchdowns | Tyrod Taylor Rex Burkhead | 3 |
| Receiving yards | Brandin Cooks | 1,037 |
| Receiving touchdowns | Brandin Cooks | 6 |
| Defense |||
| Tackles (Solo) | Kamu Grugier-Hill | 71 |
| Sacks | Jonathan Greenard | 8 |
| Interceptions | Lonnie Johnson Jr. Desmond King | 3 |
Source: