2022 NFL schedule release: Texans opponents, previews, full list of teams on regular-season schedule

The Houston Texans had an eventful offseason, trading Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns for a heap of draft picks and changing head coaches. Watson had 22 civil lawsuits over sexual assaults filed against him, but will not face criminal charges from any of the 10 criminal complaints.

The Texans struggled last season, going 4-13 under head coach David Culley, who was fired after his only season with the team. Lovie Smith is Houston’s new head coach.

Smith announced that second-year quarterback Davis Mills will be their starter going forward. Here’s a look at who the Texans will be facing in the upcoming season.

2022 opponents:

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars had a similar season to the Texans, that is to say one filled with a lot of losses, going 3-14. For the second year in a row, the Jags got the No. 1 pick, and this time took Georgia pass rusher Travon Walker with the selection.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts will have a new look offense with Matt Ryan now running the show. Colts legend and wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne says Ryan reminds him of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, a high compliment for Matty Ice.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans won their division last year with a 12-5 record and are shaping up to be the AFC South favorite once again. Their offense will be without one of their stars, though, as they traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles for draft picks.

Cleveland Browns: The Browns offseason has been very eventful, from the drama surrounding Baker Mayfield to giving quarterback Deshaun Watson the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history. The Texans are scheduled to go up against their former QB, but the NFL is expected to hand down a suspension of some sort to Watson, so we’ll wait and see if he’ll be starting for this one.

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs offense will be without wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is now with the Miami Dolphins, but added JuJu Smith-Schuster to the roster. Kansas City also added wide receiver Skyy Moore with the No. 54 overall pick in the draft, a selection that earned an A+ from CBS Sports draft analyst Chris Trapasso. 

Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers defense improved over the offseason, adding Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson to the squad. Justin Herbert is a young star in the league and help from the defense will certainly be beneficial for a team that has lost many close games in the past few years. The Chargers need that extra push to go from a middle of the road team to the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles draft was one of the best of the league, and while they were pulling off a solid draft, they also traded for star wide receiver A.J. Brown. Quarterback Jalen Hurts will benefit from additions like Brown, offensive lineman Cam Jurgens out of Nebraska and tight end Grant Calcaterra from SMU.

Washington Commanders: The Commanders got a B- from CBS Sports for this year’s draft haul. The team currently has quarterbacks Carson Wentz, who has had an up and down career, Taylor Heinicke and rookie Sam Howell, who they took in the fifth round of the draft.

Chicago Bears: The Bears did not have the best offseason, and their selection of receiver Velus Jones Jr. in the third round after using their first two picks on defense did not bring enough for quarterback Justin Fields. The team is still clearly rebuilding and this season will likely reflect that.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have the worst playoff win percentage along with the Lions in recent NFL history. Even when the team looks like they could make a playoff run, their postseason play comes up short, and last year was no exception. The team traded away Amari Cooper, but will still have weapons that could earn them the NFC East title. 

Denver Broncos: Denver will look a lot different this year, with Russell Wilson now leading their offense. The Broncos had a lot of the pieces they needed to win, but were missing the key piece of a solid quarterback. They could be a real contender if Wilson proves he is still at the top of his position. Having to play the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders twice a year will be challenging, though.

Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr will now have Davante Adams on his offense, making the Raiders even more of a threat. The team’s defense improved during the offseason as well, acquiring Chandler Jones, Jayon Brown, Rock Ya-Sin and drafting defensive tackle Matthew Butler.

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins will be viewed as a more difficult opponent to beat than they’ve been in the past. The team now has wide receiver Tyreek Hill and a new coach in Mike McDaniel. The team only had four selections this draft, with their best pick being linebacker Cameron Goode.

New York Giants: The Giants need to focus on better protection for quarterback Daniel Jones this season, and drafting offensive lineman Evan Neal out of Alabama is a good first step. The Giants have not been a real threat for some time, and while I think they could stack up more wins than last year’s performance, I do not see much changing as far as their success rate goes. 

2022 full schedule: