Are Texans AFC South's 'Surprise Team' Next Season?
Now officially less than three months away from the start of the 2023-24 NFL season, anticipation is rising quickly for Houston Texans fans.
Over the offseason, not only has Houston gotten its money's worth out of the draft, bringing in a top prospect on each side of the ball to go along with strong role players, but it has also improved its roster via free agency.
Coach DeMeco Ryans has spearheaded the positive change in energy surrounding the young team, and if backup quarterback Case Keenum's testimony is any proof, things are looking up in Houston.
"It's an incredible time to come into the Houston Texans organization," the veteran said. "You can feel the excitement [around] DeMeco Ryans ... [and] you can feel the little pulse coming back."
With a fresh new-look — maybe literally — the Texans are set to find a newfound success on the field, or as The 33rd Team suggested, they could be the AFC South's surprise team.
"Robert Woods’ offseason comments about the Houston Texans’ similarity to the Los Angeles Rams team he was on when they exceeded expectations are telling," the site wrote. "He talked about the overall buy-in and how successful they were when no one expected it."
"When you have a young team, if everyone buys into the vision, and everybody’s pushing in the same direction, there’s some value there."
It is already clear that players have bought into Ryans' mentality. They like him and want to play better because of the way he relates to them. But the Texans also have a new arsenal of weapons on both sides of the ball, including C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr. Dalton Schultz, and Jimmie Ward, while returning some of its core members to round out their roster.
But what about the other teams in the AFC South?
Tennessee isn't in a great place. ESPN's recent rankings of NFL offseasons spoke to that, labeling the Titans as the team with the worst offseason in the league.
In part, it is easy to see why.
Drafting another backup quarterback in Well Levis a year after bringing in Malik Willis didn't quite compute as a productive pick. Derrick Henry continues to dominate the NFL's run game, but without more pieces around him, it seems the Titans will continue to cruise at a subpar level.
Indianapolis also sits in hot water. The Colts have had a different primary starter at quarterback each of the last five seasons, and are set to make it six next year with the arrival of Anthony Richardson.
In the backfield, Jonathan Taylor — the running back many fans put higher than Derrick Henry in the MVP race two seasons ago — struggled all year due to injury. He fell short of the 1,000-yard mark and will be looking to bounce back next with a healthy year, but the offensive line will need work, which doesn't bode well.
Indianapolis also sits near the bottom of ESPN's offseason rankings, and having only managed to win one more game than the bottomed-out Texans last season while failing to "address premium positions on its roster," Houston is looking to be a lot better off next season.
That being said, the Texans may not be the best team in the AFC South next season. The Jaguars are on an upward trajectory led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The second-year rising star finished the season ranked in the top 10 for passing yards and touchdowns, while Travis Etienne Jr. ran for a top-10 finish in rushing yards, making for a high-powered offense.
Receiver Calvin Ridley is also set to make his NFL return after missing the entirety of last season with a gambling suspension, joining Zay Jones and Christian Kirk. So, with the Jaguars set to return their young core, they will be an AFC threat, and even a contender in the playoffs, but after last season, that wouldn't be surprising.
That's what makes Houston the division's likely surpriser. It could very well see itself in the top two of the division ranking throughout the year, and if its new game plan goes smoothly, it may even be an AFC Conference surprise team.
"[Houston] can get some wins that nobody expects [it] to get," The 33rd Team wrote. "Every game the Texans go into, [the other teams] may think, “This is our in-season bye," [which] makes them more dangerous."
The Texans will begin their 2023-24 season on the road against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 10.
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