Texans Have the NFL’s Toughest Road Ahead… And It Shouldn’t Matter

On today’s episode of Locked On Texans, we’re talking about the mountain standing in front of Houston heading into the 2026 season… ✈️ The Texans have the 7th hardest schedule in the NFL ✈️ Houston is expected to travel over 28,000 miles — the 3rd most in football ✈️ Elite opponents. Long road trips. National pressure. But here’s the real question: Why should any of that change expectations for a team trying to become elite? If the Texans truly believe they’re contenders behind CJ Stroud, DeMeco Ryans, and this young core, then double-digit wins should STILL be the expectation — regardless of travel miles or strength of schedule. Because championship-caliber teams overcome championship-caliber obstacles. We break down: 🔥 Why Houston’s ceiling should remain high despite the brutal road ahead 🔥 Whether national media still doubts the Texans offensively 🔥 Why adversity might actually sharpen this team mentally And speaking of disrespect… Mike Clay recently ranked the Texans offensive line near the bottom of the league AGAIN. Fair or foul? Houston added new pieces, improved athleticism, and completely reshaped the identity of the offensive line this offseason — so why do other teams get the benefit of optimism for new additions, but the Texans don’t? 🏈 Is Houston being judged too heavily off last season’s struggles? 🏈 Can the revamped offensive line surprise people? 🏈 Or does this unit still have too many unanswered questions? Plus, we dive into a difficult long-term roster conversation: Sooner or later, somebody becomes the odd man out financially. Could that eventually be Jalen Pitre? With Houston preparing to pay stars across the roster — including CJ Stroud, Derek Stingley Jr., Nico Collins, and Will Anderson Jr. — tough decisions are coming. We discuss: 👀 Pitre’s value to DeMeco Ryans’ defense 👀 Whether Houston can realistically keep every young core piece 👀 Why roster building gets uncomfortable once championship windows open The Texans are no longer rebuilding. They’re entering the stage where expectations, pressure, and difficult financial choices become part of the journey. Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at https://square.com/go/LockedOnNFL. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Rocket MoneyLet Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join athttp://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDON   Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.