With the 2025 NFL schedule release now becoming official across the league, the various predictions and projections for how the coming regular season could transpire have flooded across outlets drawing out how Weeks 1 through 18 could develop once things kick off in September.
For the Houston Texans, most feelings have remained relatively positive about what the next year could have in store. After keeping most of the roster's key components in the fold for another season across recent months, the stage could be set for another AFC South division win for their third-straight, and with it, earn three consecutive playoff appearances led by the duo of DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud.
But in the eyes of some, it might not be that simple for the Texans.
The latest skeptics for how next season could look for Houston come from FOX Sports analyst Henry McKenna, who ended up picking the Indianapolis Colts to win the division rather than the Texans.
"Of course, my Colts pick is likely to addle a few brains. The Houston Texans didn’t look like a strong team on film last year — but they coasted into the postseason due to weak division," McKenna wrote. "Indy got better this offseason. Houston didn’t. And whether it’s Daniel Jones or an improved Anthony Richardson at QB, the Colts should win more games — and they were already 8-9 last season."
For the Colts, it'd be nothing short of an impressive accomplishment to finally get that division-winning monkey off their back, a feat that hasn't been done in the past decade. But for Houston, that'd be a bit of a disappointing result for the season, all things considered.
The surrounding division for Houston has managed to improve in recent months; the Colts' defense and even a few aspects offensively, the Tennessee Titans got a potential franchise quarterback and the Jacksonville Jaguars landed perhaps one of the most unique and talented prospects the league has seen across the past decade.
Though the Texans still have a lot going their way to bank on to provide an extra ounce of optimism for the year ahead. They've got a surefire star under center and the best quarterback in the division, the most complete defensive unit, and some ideal experience that could prove extremely useful on their road to a hopeful division win across a long and gruelling season.
It won't be a walk in the park for the Texans this season, but there's undoubtedly the tools in place to prove the doubters wrong en route to trying to earn their first third-straight division title in franchise history.
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