SportsQuest
All games

Week 18, Sun, Jan 10, 12:00 PM local

Tennessee Titansat Houston Texans

NRG Stadium, Houston. Fly into IAH.

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The matchup

Form, ESPN's model and the stat leaders
Form

The Titans are 0-3 after 3 games, 3rd in the AFC South.

They have lost 3 in a row.

They are 0-1 on the road.

The Texans are 0-3 after 3 games, 4th in the AFC South.

They have lost 3 in a row.

They are 0-2 at home.

What we know about NRG Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • Downtown Houston. 20 min. METRORail Red Line to Stadium Park/Astrodome. Reliant's campus has no bar scene. It's a sea of parking lots. But there's a light-rail station right at the gate. The METRORail Red Line runs from downtown to Stadium Park/Astrodome in about 20 minutes. Fare is $1.25. Trains run every 6 minutes on weekdays and every 12 on weekends. Stay downtown for bars and restaurants, and ride a cheap, frequent train straight to your seat. Downtown is the right base, not a fallback.
  • Midtown / Museum District. 15 min. METRORail Red Line. Both sit on the same Red Line between downtown and the stadium. That makes them closer to the stadium than downtown, with full transit access. Midtown has the busier bar scene. The Museum District is quieter, with the Museum of Fine Arts and the Houston Zoo close by for your off day. Either cuts the game-day ride to about 10-15 minutes.
  • NRG/Reliant Park hotel cluster. 8 min by walk. This only works if you want to roll out of bed into the stadium. The Crowne Plaza (0.3 mi), Vacation Inn Houston S, NRG Area (0.4 mi) and Extended Stay America (0.4 mi) are walking distance to the stadium. But the area around them is just frontage roads and parking lots. You'll still ride the Red Line into town for dinner, so the convenience fades fast.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
There's no walkable bar district at the stadium. A few spots sit within 0.1 to 0.3 miles: Asahi Sushi, Russo's NY Pizzeria, and Pappas Bar-B-Q. The rest are scattered along the I-610 frontage roads, too spread out to wander between. The real draw here is the rail station, not the surroundings.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
IAH George Bush Intercontinental is 60 minutes away by rideshare or METRO bus. Budget at least an hour.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
METRORail Red Line to Stadium Park/Astrodome, about 20 min. The station sits on the stadium campus, but it's a long walk across the parking lot to the gates. Rail riders are directed to Gate 2 off Fannin. Red Line service pattern.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Tailgating is allowed in all Reliant Park parking lots, not just designated ones, at every Texans game. But it's still parking-lot-based, so a fan without a car has no spot of their own. The culture is welcoming, and lots open four hours before kickoff. Walk the lots and you may get invited in, but that's not guaranteed.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC, no larger than 12" x 6" x 12", or a one-gallon clear zip-seal bag. A small clutch up to 4.5" x 6.5" is also allowed. Medically necessary items are the only exception at Texans games. Note: the wider Reliant Park rule for non-NFL events is different, allowing an 11" x 17" bag with diaper and medical bags checked at inspection. Don't apply that rule on game day.
  • Re-entry: No re-entry once your ticket is scanned. Both the Texans A-Z guide and the Reliant Park campus A-Z guide confirm a facility-wide no re-entry policy.
  • Prohibited items: Watch for these stricter rules: camera lenses over 3 inches are banned, tighter than the 6-inch limit at SoFi, Soldier Field, and U.S. Bank Stadium. Binocular and camera cases are barred. So is outside food and drink, large umbrellas, air horns, whistles, noisemakers, cowbells, backpacks, and coolers. Strollers are allowed but must be checked at a Guest Experience booth.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
Traffic around the campus is heavy after the game. The Red Line is the fastest way out. No official time is published for the post-game exit. Weekend trains run every 12 minutes, so a line builds on the platform after a Sunday game. Expect to let a train or two pass before you board.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Don't book at the stadium expecting nightlife. Don't book far out along I-610 or in the Energy Corridor or Katy just because Houston is a driving city. Without a car, what matters is whether your hotel sits on the Red Line. Also plan for the walk: leaving Stadium Park/Astrodome station means crossing a large parking lot to reach the stadium. Give yourself more time than a 'station at the stadium' sounds like.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • Griff's Irish Pub

    3416 Roseland St, Houston, TX 77006 (Montrose)

    Michael Griffin opened Griff's in 1965, blending his Irish roots with a love of sports. It's billed as the oldest surviving sports bar in Houston.

    Away fans: mostly home fans.

  • Biggio's

    1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010 (Marriott Marquis, Discovery Green)

    Named for Astros Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, this bar sits inside the Marriott Marquis overlooking Discovery Green. It's Houston's go-to spot for visiting fans.

    Away fans: mixed, welcoming to away fans

  • Little Woodrow's MidtownBefore or after

    2306 Brazos St, Houston, TX 77006 (Midtown)

    Little Woodrow's Midtown sits on Brazos Street. It is a 21-and-over neighborhood bar.

    Away fans: neutral, a general sports bar, not a Texans room

  • Red River Ice House

    10308 S Main St, Houston, TX 77025

    Red River is a Texas ice house. That means an open-sided bar with garage doors, built where ice used to get sold.

Sidequests in Houston

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Outing40 points

    Houston Museum of Natural Science

    Large science museum in Hermann Park, open 9 AM to 6 PM Friday to Sunday. Adults $25, kids 3 to 11 $16, under 2 free. Free general admission Tuesdays 5 to 8 PM.

    $$. The day before

  2. Landmark65 points

    Hermann Park on the way down Main Street

    Free city park on the Red Line between downtown and the stadium, open 6 AM to 11 PM. Zoo, Japanese Garden, McGovern Centennial Gardens, plus a mini railroad and carousel running 10 AM to 6 PM.

    Free. The day before

  3. Eat65 points

    Fajitas at The Original Ninfa's on Navigation

    East End spot open since 1973, where Mama Ninfa Laurenzo grilled skirt steak in flour tortillas and invented the fajita. Weekend brunch runs 10 AM to 2 PM, dinner until 10 PM Sunday.

    $$. 19 hours before kickoff

  4. Drink25 points

    Social Beer Garden HTX for out-of-market games

    Midtown beer garden on San Jacinto Street with NFL Sunday Ticket. Fans of other teams can catch their own game here. One of Houston's main football watch spots.

    $$. 18 hours before kickoff

  5. Eat65 points

    Wings and waffle at The Breakfast Klub

    Midtown counter-service spot known for wings and waffles, plus catfish and grits. Opens 8 AM on weekends, closes 2 PM. Line forms early.

    $. 5 hours before kickoff

  6. Drink25 points

    Christian's Tailgate Bar and Grill, Midtown

    Houston burger bar with three locations; the Midtown one sits on Bagby Street with screens through the bar and a covered patio. Claims Houston's best burger, a good pregame stop before the Red Line south.

    $$. 4 hours before kickoff

  7. Eat65 points

    Barbecue at Pappas Bar-B-Q on South Main

    Houston barbecue chain's stand on South Main, listed as the Reliant Stadium location. Texas plates a short walk from NRG Park. Hours aren't posted, so call (713) 432-1107 first.

    $. 3 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  8. Tailgate65 points

    BULLevard and Bud Light Plaza outside the south gates

    The BULLevard sits on the stadium's southeast corner by the Phillips 66 Gate, with food, drink, live music, Texans Legends autographs and Texans Radio broadcasts. Bud Light Plaza next door pours cheap domestic beer.

    $. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  9. Ritual25 points

    Ride the Red Line to Stadium Park/Astrodome

    METRORail Red Line runs down Main Street to Stadium Park/Astrodome every 6 to 12 minutes, more trains on game days. Fare is $1.25; Fannin South park and ride runs $25 to $50 with rail wristbands.

    $. 2 hours before kickoff

  10. Photo25 points

    The Astrodome from the NRG Park lot

    World's first air-conditioned domed stadium, opened 1965, once called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Empty since 2006, closed since 2008, it sits right next to NRG Stadium. Worth a photo from outside.

    Free. 1 hour 40 minutes before kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of NRG Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

100 level, end zone100 level, corner, home side100 level, home sideline100 level, corner, home side100 level, end zone100 level, corner, visitor side100 level, visitor sideline100 level, corner, visitor side300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, end zone300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, corner, home side300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, home sideline300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, corner, home side300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, end zone300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, corner, visitor side300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, visitor sideline300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite level, corner, visitor side500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, end zone500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, corner, home side500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, home sideline500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, corner, home side500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, end zone500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, corner, visitor side500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, visitor sideline500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite level, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
100 level300 level (Mezzanine and the East and West Clubs), with the 200 suite levelTexas Children's Club sections CLB329 to CLB346500 and 600 level (Upper), with the 400 suite levelTap any part of the stadium to see its view.