The
2023 season was the
Houston Texans' 22nd season in the
National Football League (NFL) and the first under
head coachDeMeco Ryans. While the team went into the season with low expectations as a rebuilding period and started 0–2, they not only improved on their 3–13–1 record from last year with a Week 9 win over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers,[2] but the Texans qualified for the playoffs for the first time since
2019 with a win over the
Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, ending with a 10–7 record. After the
Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the
Tennessee Titans the day after, the Texans also clinched the AFC South for the first time since 2019. The Texans became the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with both a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach, as well as making history as the first team in NFL history to win a division entirely with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.[3][nb 1]
In the Wild Card round of the
playoffs, the Texans blew out the
Cleveland Browns with a 45–14 win.[4] The team’s season would officially come to an end when they would lose to the one-seed
Baltimore Ravens 34–10 in the Divisional round, preventing them from making their first AFC Championship appearance in franchise history.
^
abcdThe Texans traded first- and second-round selections (12th and 33rd overall) and first- and third-round selections in 2024 to
Arizona in exchange for first- and fourth-round selections (3rd and 105th overall)[7]
^
abThe Texans traded QB
Deshaun Watson and a 2024 sixth-round selection to
Cleveland in exchange for first- and third-round selections (12th and 73rd overall), 2022 and 2024 first- and fourth-round selections, and a 2024 sixth-round selection.[8]
^
abcdThe Texans traded third-, sixth-, and seventh-round selections (65th, 188th, and 230th overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for a second-round selection (62nd overall).[9]
^
abcdThe Texans traded third- and fifth-round selections (73rd and 161st overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for third- and sixth-round selections (69th and 191st overall).[10]
^
abcdThe Texans traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (104th and 203rd overall) to
Las Vegas in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round selections (109th and 174th overall).[11]
^The Texans traded a fourth-round selection (105th overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for a 2024 third-round selection.[11]
^The Texans forfeited their fifth-round selection as punishment for a salary cap reporting violation.[12]
^The Texans traded WR
Brandin Cooks to
Dallas in exchange for a fifth-round selection (161st overall) and a 2024 sixth-round selection.[13]
^
abcThe Texans traded fifth- and seventh-round selections (174th and
259th overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a fifth-round selection (167th overall).[11]
^
abThe Texans traded a sixth-round selection (179th overall) to
Tampa Bay in exchange for guard
Shaq Mason and a seventh-round selection (230th overall).[14]
^The Texans traded CB
Bradley Roby to
New Orleans in exchange for a sixth-round selection (188th overall) and a 2022 third-round selection.[15]
^
abcThe Texans traded a sixth-round selection (191st overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for two seventh-round selections (230th and 248th overall).[16]
^
abThe Texans traded DE
Ross Blacklock and a seventh-round selection (219th overall) to
Minnesota in exchange for a sixth-round selection (201st overall).[17]
^
abThe Texans traded a seventh-round selection (230th overall) and a 2024 sixth-round selection to
Buffalo in exchange for a sixth-round selection (205th overall)[19]
^The Texans traded a sixth-round selection (207th overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for linebacker
Blake Cashman.[20]
Placekicker
Kaʻimi Fairbairn exited the game at halftime with a quad injury. Running back
Dare Ogunbowale handled kickoffs for the Texans during the second half.[24]
Quarterback C.J. Stroud sets the NFL single-game record for passing yards by a rookie with 470 passing yards, surpassing the record set by Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Andrew Luck.[25] Despite the Buccaneers taking a 4-point lead with just 46 seconds left, CJ Stroud marched 75 yards down the field to score the game-winning touchdown.[26]
Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 10: Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Down 6, the Colts drove the ball to the Houston 15 yard line before failing to convert on 4th and 1 with 1:06 remaining thus sealing the game for the Texans. With the win, the Texans clinched a playoff berth for the first time since
2019 and finished the regular season with a record of 10–7. The 10 wins also broke the franchise record for most wins in a season by a first-year head coach. The following day, the
Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the
Tennessee Titans; as a result of the Jaguars' loss, the Texans won the AFC South.
^
abBuffalo finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory.
^
abBuffalo finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abCleveland finished ahead of Miami based on conference record.
^
abCincinnati finished ahead of Jacksonville based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Indianapolis (see below).
^
abJacksonville finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abLas Vegas finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head sweep.
^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.
The
2023 season was the
Houston Texans' 22nd season in the
National Football League (NFL) and the first under
head coachDeMeco Ryans. While the team went into the season with low expectations as a rebuilding period and started 0–2, they not only improved on their 3–13–1 record from last year with a Week 9 win over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers,[2] but the Texans qualified for the playoffs for the first time since
2019 with a win over the
Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, ending with a 10–7 record. After the
Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the
Tennessee Titans the day after, the Texans also clinched the AFC South for the first time since 2019. The Texans became the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs with both a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach, as well as making history as the first team in NFL history to win a division entirely with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.[3][nb 1]
In the Wild Card round of the
playoffs, the Texans blew out the
Cleveland Browns with a 45–14 win.[4] The team’s season would officially come to an end when they would lose to the one-seed
Baltimore Ravens 34–10 in the Divisional round, preventing them from making their first AFC Championship appearance in franchise history.
^
abcdThe Texans traded first- and second-round selections (12th and 33rd overall) and first- and third-round selections in 2024 to
Arizona in exchange for first- and fourth-round selections (3rd and 105th overall)[7]
^
abThe Texans traded QB
Deshaun Watson and a 2024 sixth-round selection to
Cleveland in exchange for first- and third-round selections (12th and 73rd overall), 2022 and 2024 first- and fourth-round selections, and a 2024 sixth-round selection.[8]
^
abcdThe Texans traded third-, sixth-, and seventh-round selections (65th, 188th, and 230th overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for a second-round selection (62nd overall).[9]
^
abcdThe Texans traded third- and fifth-round selections (73rd and 161st overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for third- and sixth-round selections (69th and 191st overall).[10]
^
abcdThe Texans traded fourth- and sixth-round selections (104th and 203rd overall) to
Las Vegas in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round selections (109th and 174th overall).[11]
^The Texans traded a fourth-round selection (105th overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for a 2024 third-round selection.[11]
^The Texans forfeited their fifth-round selection as punishment for a salary cap reporting violation.[12]
^The Texans traded WR
Brandin Cooks to
Dallas in exchange for a fifth-round selection (161st overall) and a 2024 sixth-round selection.[13]
^
abcThe Texans traded fifth- and seventh-round selections (174th and
259th overall) to the
Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a fifth-round selection (167th overall).[11]
^
abThe Texans traded a sixth-round selection (179th overall) to
Tampa Bay in exchange for guard
Shaq Mason and a seventh-round selection (230th overall).[14]
^The Texans traded CB
Bradley Roby to
New Orleans in exchange for a sixth-round selection (188th overall) and a 2022 third-round selection.[15]
^
abcThe Texans traded a sixth-round selection (191st overall) to
Philadelphia in exchange for two seventh-round selections (230th and 248th overall).[16]
^
abThe Texans traded DE
Ross Blacklock and a seventh-round selection (219th overall) to
Minnesota in exchange for a sixth-round selection (201st overall).[17]
^
abThe Texans traded a seventh-round selection (230th overall) and a 2024 sixth-round selection to
Buffalo in exchange for a sixth-round selection (205th overall)[19]
^The Texans traded a sixth-round selection (207th overall) to the
New York Jets in exchange for linebacker
Blake Cashman.[20]
Placekicker
Kaʻimi Fairbairn exited the game at halftime with a quad injury. Running back
Dare Ogunbowale handled kickoffs for the Texans during the second half.[24]
Quarterback C.J. Stroud sets the NFL single-game record for passing yards by a rookie with 470 passing yards, surpassing the record set by Indianapolis Colts quarterback
Andrew Luck.[25] Despite the Buccaneers taking a 4-point lead with just 46 seconds left, CJ Stroud marched 75 yards down the field to score the game-winning touchdown.[26]
Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 10: Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Down 6, the Colts drove the ball to the Houston 15 yard line before failing to convert on 4th and 1 with 1:06 remaining thus sealing the game for the Texans. With the win, the Texans clinched a playoff berth for the first time since
2019 and finished the regular season with a record of 10–7. The 10 wins also broke the franchise record for most wins in a season by a first-year head coach. The following day, the
Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the
Tennessee Titans; as a result of the Jaguars' loss, the Texans won the AFC South.
^
abBuffalo finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory.
^
abBuffalo finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abCleveland finished ahead of Miami based on conference record.
^
abCincinnati finished ahead of Jacksonville based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Indianapolis (see below).
^
abJacksonville finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head sweep.
^
abLas Vegas finished ahead of Denver based on head-to-head sweep.
^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.