Sports
Are The Houston Texans The Second Best Team In The AFC?
Growing up, James was fascinated with watching sports. This led to an interest in research and stats and writing betting analysis for a variety of sports. James has graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business.
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The Houston Texans went from 3-13-1 and finishing last in the AFC South in 2022 to 10-7 and winning the division in 2023.
This was due to three key factors.
Last year, they hired Demeco Ryans to be the new head coach and in the 2023 NFL Draft, they selected QB CJ Stroud and pass rusher Will Anderson Jr with the second and third overall picks.
All three moves proved to be highly successful.
This led to a quick turnaround for the organization.
In the offseason this year, they acquired WR Stefon Diggs, RB Joe Mixon, and pass rusher Danielle Hunter.
Houston can make these moves now because Stroud is still on a rookie deal.
The Texans are loaded on both sides of the ball and are well-coached.
Below, we discuss whether the Houston Texans are the second-best team in the AFC behind the Kansas City Chiefs and whether the Texans are Super Bowl contenders.
Is The Houston Texans The Second Best Team In The AFC?
As long as the Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, no other team will be considered the best team in the AFC.
This does not mean no team in the conference can not defeat the Chiefs.
However, entering each season, the Chiefs will be regarded as the best team because of Mahomes.
Being the second-best team in the AFC is wide open.
Teams like the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals are all threats to the Chiefs.
All five teams can make a strong case to be considered the biggest threat to the Chiefs.
They all have a superstar QB.
Aaron Rodgers is the biggest question mark of the QBs but if he is healthy, he could play at a very high level given the talent around him on the Jets.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow are all star QBs.
Any one of them has an argument to be considered the second-best QB in the league behind Mahomes.
Four of the five teams listed above have a great defense, with the Bengals’ defense not up to the level of the others.
However, the Bengals have Joe Burrow, who is the only QB besides Tom Brady to ever beat Mahomes in the playoffs.
With Burrow under center and Ja’Marr Chase at WR, the Bengals can compete with any team in the league.
Baltimore made it to the AFC Championship game last year but lost to the Chiefs.
Buffalo has Josh Allen, who is arguably the second-best QB in the league, though Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow make a strong case.
The Bills have lost heartbreakers against the Chiefs in the playoffs, none to the fault of Allen.
If anything, Allen did everything possible in the playoffs to put Buffalo in a position to beat the Chiefs.
New York has a top-five defense in the league and weapons on offense in WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece Hall.
The thing that has held the Jets back the last two years is QB play.
Aaron Rodgers played in just four snaps last year before tearing his Achilles.
The Jets hope Rodgers can stay healthy and return to playing at a high level in 2024.
If they get a healthy Rodgers, the Jets are a dangerous team.
So where does this leave the Houston Texans among the teams in the AFC?
Houston has a strong argument to be considered the second-best team in the conference.
They have a star QB in Stroud, a star WR in Stefon Diggs, a good offensive line, two superb pass rushers in Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter, and a good secondary.
The Houston Texans are loaded on both sides of the ball.
Entering the 2024 season, the Houston Texans should be considered the second-best team in the AFC and the biggest threat to the Chiefs.
Are The Texans Super Bowl Contenders?
By saying the Houston Texans are the second-best team in the AFC, this means they are Super Bowl contenders.
The main thing a team needs to be a Super Bowl contender is a QB and the Texans have a very good one.
Next is having a good head coach, which Demeco Ryans proved to be last year.
He helped turn around the Texans in just one year, along with Stroud.
So the Texans have nailed down the two most important things a team needs, a QB and head coach.
Next is having a good pass rush.
Houston has that in Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter.
Last season, the Texans recorded 46 sacks, which was just slightly better than average.
However, Will Anderson was in his rookie year and Houston did not have Hunter last year.
With the addition of Hunter and Anderson improving in his second year, the Texans will surpass 50 sacks and be among the team leaders in sacks in 2024.
That is now three for three of the most important things a team needs to contend for a Super Bowl.
Next is having a good offensive line to protect Stroud.
They have the most important position on the offensive line locked up.
The left tackle position is the most important on the offensive line and Laremy Tunsil is one of the best in the league.
Shaq Mason is a reliable guard.
The other positions on the offensive line need to improve but they have a star left tackle.
Stroud has weapons at his disposal on offense.
The WR room improved this year with the addition of Stefon Diggs.
Alongside Diggs, the Texans have Nico Collins and Tank Dell.
Houston has playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
The Houston Texans also have a good secondary.
Derek Stingley Jr is a very good CB.
Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter has a lot of potential and Stingley will help him.
Entering the 2024 season, it is difficult to find a weakness in the Houston Texans’ roster.
The Houston Texans are a Super Bowl contender and should be considered the biggest threat to the Chiefs.
