There’s little debate over whether or not the Houston Texans’ 2023 season was a rousing success. They exceeded every expectation on the way to an AFC South title and a playoff win.
However, heavy roster turnover is imminent, and the Texans are staring down an offseason that will be important both in chasing down the Kansas City Chiefs and keeping themselves atop their AFC South rivals.
In an improving division, Houston will work to make life easy on itself while the league’s dynamics muddy its path forward.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke about the status of the AFC South and the challenges that lie ahead.
“Our division is definitely really good,” Ryans said. “When you think about the young quarterbacks in our division with the Colts, the Jags, the Titans, and us, we all have really young quarterbacks who all have bright futures. Four really good teams in our division.
“It’s going to be a battle each and every week that we play each other. I’m excited about it. You want to play against the top competition to see where you stack up, and I’m excited to see our team develop and grow throughout the year and see where we end up.”
The Texans went 10-7 last season, winning the division in Week 18. They dealt with adversity, namely a two-game absence from Stroud and injuries to the offensive line, but one can argue that their rivals faced much more misfortune.
Both Indianapolis and Jacksonville shape up to be more competitive than they were last season. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson looked good in limited action before shoulder surgery ended his season far too early. His dynamic talent in head coach Shane Steichen’s offense is a scary sight for every team on their schedule. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be healthier, too, and changes to the coaching staff should add stability to their defense.
Additionally, Houston will play a first-place schedule instead of the fourth-place docket from this past season.
Now, the Texans are the ones with a target on their back, and each rival has a quarterback they feel is capable of taking down C.J. Stroud. Ryans is well aware that last year’s accomplishments don’t do him any good.
“Well, for me, every season you start over. Last year was last year. It was a good run for us,” Ryans said. “It didn’t end the way we wanted it to end, but it was a good run for the 2023 Texans. Now, for me, it’s a clean slate.
“We start over in 2024. Now who are we going to be? … I’m excited to, first of all, build our team, again, the proper way, of guys who are just looking to compete, guys who have that relentless mindset.”
The principles of Ryans’ inaugural campaign won over the locker room and were entrenched in their results. As they build next season’s roster in that vision, the winning mindset he so frequently preaches will play a significant part in keeping Houston’s head above water when the going gets tough and adversity inevitably strikes.
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