The Texans are going to live and die with how C.J. Stroud, the rookie quarterback out of Ohio State, does right out of the gate. Yes, he's in a quarterback. The rest of the AFC South may be formidable, the Jaguars have plenty of talent and the Colts were able to navigate a season ending injury to. Mock Draft Simulation adjustment | Texans In the Lab – How much, if at all, is the personnel for this defense shifting? – Switch to the ' Stack. The Texans are + to win the AFC South, + to win the AFC and + to texans season predictions the Super Bowl. Texans best-case scenario for Stroud.
Over the last couple of years, this franchise has drafted well and added components to its defense. Now the Texans need to see that start to come to fruition. Jalen Pitre , the rookie safety from last year, played really well for most of the season but missed too many tackles. If he cleans that up, he's got a chance to be an All-Pro. And last but not least, they drafted LB Will Anderson and gave up a lot in order to get into that position to draft him third overall, one pick after Stroud.
Anderson must play up to that potential, as well. Bottom line: The Texans want to play like a Demeco Ryans defense needs to play. And he'll put his stamp on the teams from the head coach's chair, too. The biggest off-field storyline for the Texans is their new coach, Ryans, who is going to understand players like few coaches do because he was a Pro Bowl player himself at one point for Houston.
He is a defensive-minded head coach, and he's going to have to mesh with a rookie quarterback. How will that go. Look at the other two top quarterbacks in this past year's draft. Anthony Richardson went to Indianapolis where coach Shane Steichen came from an offensive coordinator's role.
And Bryce Young went to Carolina at the top of the draft where coach Frank Reich, who calls the plays and is an offensive-minded head coach, is meshing with his team's rookie quarterback. Now in Houston, you've got a defensive coach trying to mesh with a rookie quarterback.
How will that work for the Texans. I think pretty well. Houston has a very manageable schedule to build its young core against. Although there is a very difficult season opener at Baltimore, two games against defending AFC South champion Jacksonville, as well as contests against other AFC North foes Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Houston has some legitimate chances on its schedule.
Throw in a shocking result here or there, and Houston will be in business. Texans season predictions Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is returning from a season-ending injury himself, so we believe taking the under on Both teams have made major personnel changes on offense, so their defensive identities will win out in the season opener.
We like six wins for the Texans, doubling their victory total from each of the past two seasons. Ryans and the young infusion of talent will bring about some exciting upsets, with reality setting in against some of the bigger AFC boys on the schedule. If Stroud struggles early, young quarterback Davis Mills performed admirably himself last year, throwing for 3, yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Texans won 10 games in despite not having Stroud for two games, but the team will face a far more difficult schedule now that the team finished in first place this past season. While the team pounced on a last place schedule last season, the likely improvement with another year of development of Stroud and more proven talent, the team is set to contend.
The rest of the AFC South may be formidable, the Jaguars have plenty of talent and the Colts were able to navigate a season ending injury to stud rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson to still contend for the postseason, but the Texans are the clear favorite to win the AFC South again.