Analyzing AFC South opponents: Texans

Past Performance

After winning the final game of the season in a surprisingly entertaining matchup at Indianapolis, Houston finished the year at 3-13-1 (none of those losses against the Colts). The Texans were just not a good football team, as they had perhaps the worst roster in the entire NFL and did not do anything particularly well. This was not a team designed to compete, and they most certainly did not.

This offseason

The Texans had a very active offseason, adding several players to fill out the roster. They signed Robert Woods, Jimmie Ward, Sheldon Rankins, Dalton Schultz, and Shaquill Griffin to cheap, short contracts, as they are still clearly rebuilding and trying to add younger players via the Draft, which they did. They drafted Ohio State’s quarterback C.J Stroud with the #2 overall pick, and then also Alabama’s edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. with the #3 pick after trading up. Stroud and Anderson are now the best two players in the Texans’ roster. They also added some instant starters to the offense in center Juice Scruggs and wide receiver Nathaniel Dell. The Texans did lose edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the Browns, and he was a prodcutive young pass-rusher. Star wide receiver Brandin Cooks was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

Key Players

The Texans will not be competing this year, as their focus will be on trying to develop the young guys, and that comes with growing pains. So more than watching players to win games, keep an eye on the Texans’ young guys and how do they look. Don’t expect Stroud to be an MVP caliber quarterback his rookie season, but monitor whether he seems to have the tools the Texans’ envisioned him to have when they drafted him. New head coach Demeco Ryans will also help the defense a lot, and it will be fun watching pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. with him. Also, now with Juice Scruggs and the further development of Kenyon Green, the Texans now boast a formidable offensive line, so watch out for Dameon Pierce on the ground.

Weaknesses

The Texans roster just lacks proven NFL talent. Their only proven NFL talent right now is Laremy Tunsil, so this is a roster with a ton of question marks. They are going to be starting a rookie quarterback, their wide receiver room will not give any secondaries nightmares, their defensive line is not bad by any means and they have a very promising player in Jonathan Greenard but it still lacks some punch.

Prediction

I don’t see the Texans competing at all this season, and I predict they will once again finish at the bottom of the AFC South. The future does look brighter than before, but it is still way too early in the Texans’ rebuilding from the mess BoB left down there.