The Texans won their inaugural regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys 19–10 on Sunday Night Football.

Carr's record would not be broken until 2021, when Davis Mills finished that season with 2,664 passing yards (a number since surpassed by C. J. Stroud's 4,108 in 2023).

[1][2] In June 1997, Bob McNair and Chuck Watson's plans for a National Hockey League expansion team fell apart due to the lack of an arena in the Houston area.

The discussion eventually began to create a new NFL expansion team, with the 31st being awarded to the reformed Cleveland Browns.

[3] On January 19, 2000, the team hired former Washington Redskins general manager Charley Casserly to serve in the same position.

On December 29, the team signed ten players: running back Michael Basnight, safety Leomont Evans, tackles Robert Hicks and Jerry Wisne, defensive tackle Jason Nikolao, quarterback Mike Quinn, fullback Matt Snider, cornerback Jason Suttle, linebacker Casey Tisdale and safety Kevin Williams.

On March 6, 2002, Colts offensive lineman Steve McKinney became the first unrestricted free agent to be signed by the Texans.

On February 26, quarterback Danny Wuerffel was traded to the Washington Redskins for defensive tackle Jerry DeLoach.

On the next drive, Texans' running back James Allen fumbled the ball and it was recovered at the New York 30-yard line by linebacker Dhani Jones for the Giants.

The two teams would trade punts with the first points being scored by Houston kicker Kris Brown on a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter.

New York long snapper Bob Jones fumbled the snap with the ball being recovered by punter Matt Allen, who was tackled in his own end zone for a safety with the Texans trailing 7–5 at halftime.

The Texans went for two, with Allen catching a pass from David Carr to put Houston up 13–7 with 6:57 left in the 3rd quarter.

New York would score on its next possession with a 31-yard pass from Kerry Collins to receiver Amani Toomer to the Giants up 14–13 with 13:18 left in the game.

The Giants had three drives to respond, but Collins was picked off twice on back-to-back possessions with the last play of the game being a failed Hail Mary to give the Texans a 16–14 upset victory.