**

MORE ON TEXANS 2016 SCHEDULE RELEASE*
Bill O'Brien: "Air of excitment" with schedule release
Texans-Patriots reunite in Thursday primetime game
Numbers to Know: 2016 schedule
2016 Texans feature in 5 primetime games

Texans open 15th season at home on Sept. 11 against Chicago*

HOUSTON – The Houston Texans 2016 regular season schedule features five primetime games in Weeks 3, 6, 7, 11 and 16. In Week 3, the Texans will travel to New England to face the Patriots on Thursday, Sept. 22 in a game that will be broadcast on CBS, NFL Network and live-streamed on Twitter.

In Week 6, Houston faces their AFC South rival, the Indianapolis Colts, on Sunday, Oct. 16 on NBC's Sunday Night Football. The following week, on Monday, Oct. 24, Houston travels to Denver to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos as part of ESPN's Monday Night Football.

The Texans will face the Oakland Raiders at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Monday, Nov. 21. It will be the first-ever Monday Night Football game to be played outside the U.S. and first trip to Mexico for the NFL since 2005. In Week 16, the Texans are scheduled to take on the Bengals in a night game on Saturday, Dec. 24 on NFL Network. Houston defeated Cincinnati, 10-6, on the road in Week 10 last season on Monday Night Football.

Bill O'Brien kicks off his third season as Texans head coach with a season-opening matchup at home against Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 11. It will be the fourth time the Texans have faced the Bears, having defeated them 13-6 in Chicago on Nov. 11, 2012. The Texans are 8-6 all-time in the first game of the season and 6-4 when opening the season at home.

The Texans take on Kansas City at home in Week 2 on Sunday, Sept. 18. Along with facing Chicago, Houston will take on all four NFC North teams for the fourth time in franchise history, as they travel to Minnesota on Oct. 9, face Detroit at home on Oct. 30 and travel to Green Bay on Dec. 4.

Following their trip to Mexico City, the Texans will return home to face the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, Nov. 27. The Texans beat the Chargers in the 2013 season opener in San Diego, 31-28, to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.

The Texans are looking for back-to-back wins in Indianapolis for the first time ever in 2016 and travel to face the Colts on Sunday, Dec. 11 in Week 14. The Texans will come off their Bye Week in Week 9 and travel to Jacksonville for a game on Sunday, Nov. 13 while the Jaguars will make their annual trip to Houston on Sunday, Dec. 18. Houston hosts the Titans in Week 4 on Sunday, Oct. 2 and will travel to Tennessee for the final game of the regular season on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017.

HOUSTON TEXANS 2016 SCHEDULE

PRESEASON

Day

Date

Opponent

TV Network

Kickoff Time 

Sunday

Aug. 14

at San Francisco 49ers

KTRK

6:00 p.m.

Saturday

Aug. 20

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

KTRK

7:00 p.m.

Sunday

Aug. 28

ARIZONA CARDINALS

FOX#

3:00 p.m.

Thursday

Sept. 1

at Dallas Cowboys

KTRK

7:00 p.m.

* *

REGULAR SEASON

Day

Date

Opponent

TV Network

Kickoff Time

Sunday

Sept. 11

CHICAGO BEARS

FOX

Noon

Sunday

Sept. 18

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

CBS

Noon

Thursday

Sept. 22

at New England Patriots

CBS/NFLN/Twitter#

7:25 p.m.

Sunday

Oct. 2

TENNESSEE TITANS

CBS

Noon

Sunday

Oct. 9

at Minnesota Vikings

CBS

Noon

Sunday

Oct. 16

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

NBC#

7:30 p.m.

Monday

Oct. 24

at Denver Broncos

ESPN#

7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Oct. 30

DETROIT LIONS

FOX

Noon

BYE

Sunday

Nov. 13

at Jacksonville Jaguars

CBS

Noon

Monday

Nov. 21

at Oakland Raiders

ESPN#

7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Nov. 27

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

CBS

Noon

Sunday

Dec. 4

at Green Bay Packers

CBS

Noon

Sunday

Dec. 11

at Indianapolis Colts

CBS

Noon

Sunday

Dec. 18

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

CBS

Noon

Saturday

Dec. 24

CINCINNATI BENGALS

NFLN#

7:25 p.m.

Sunday

Jan. 1

at Tennessee Titans

CBS

Noon

*

*