The Houston Texans were in a dreadful place after trading superstar QB Deshaun Watson away. However, a much brighter horizon is on the way for Texans fans. They landed two prospects in the recent draft who’ll be instant game-changers for them. While I have reservations about C.J. Stroud, he is an ideal QB to build around and should be a quality starter in no time.
They gave up a ton for Will Anderson Jr., but the pick itself was excellent. He can very well be the Nick Bosa of this defense, and having him alongside a QB is enormous. It certainly is disheartening to lose your 2024 first, but on the bright side, you got two guys who can be franchise players. This upcoming season likely won’t be much better than last year, but the building pieces are now set in stone.
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Grading scale: 20-100.
(+): The player is expected to improve.
| Power Ranking – 31 | OVR Grade – 77.4 | Projected Wins – 6.3 |
| HC – DeMeco Ryans | OC – Bobby Slowik | DC – Matt Burke |
The Texans have one of the most exciting coaching staffs heading forward. DeMeco Ryans was a tremendous hire, as he will dramatically change this defense and culture. Ryans will run a 4-2 split safety system that uses a lot of zone and match coverages. Derek Stingley Jr. should excel because he likes to press receivers in this scheme. You can also expect a lot of stunts and twists from Ryans, where Anderson Jr. will flourish.
Bobby Slowik is being brought in from San Francisco to run the offense, and you can expect him to run a wide-zone scheme. That means a lot of stretch runs, toss cracks, and play-action passes will be used. Slowik worked for PFF in the past and also coached under Mike Shanahan, which is more evidence they will use this scheme. The system is ideal for Stroud and will take a lot of weight off his shoulders.
| Playcalling – 77 |
| Scheme – Wide Zone |
| QB – 72.9 (+) |
| C.J. Stroud(+), Davis Mills, Case Keenum |
| Receiving Options – 77.5 |
| WR1 – Robert Woods, Noah Brown WR2 – Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson SWR – John Metchie III, Tank Dell, Amari Rodgers TE – Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, Brevin Jordan HB – Damien Pierce, Devin Singletary, Mike Boone, Dare Ogunbowale FB – Andrew Beck, Troy Hairston |
| Pass-Pro – 81.5 |
| LT – Laremy Tunsil, Austin Deculus LG – Kenyon Green(+), Michael Deiter OC – Juice Shruggs, Scott Quessenberry, Jarrett Patterson RG – Shaq Mason, Jim Morrissey RT – Tytus Howard, Charlie Heck HB – Damien Pierce, Devin Singletary, Mike Boone, Dare Ogunbowale |
| Run Blocking – 74.9 |
| LT – Laremy Tunsil, Austin Deculus LG – Kenyon Green(+), Michael Deiter OC – Juice Shruggs, Scott Quessenberry, Jarrett Patterson RG – Shaq Mason, Jim Morrissey RT – Tytus Howard, Charlie Heck TE – Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, Brevin Jordan FB – Andrew Beck, Troy Hairston |
| Run Options – 80.5 |
| HB – Damien Pierce, Devin Singletary, Mike Boone, Dare Ogunbowale |
Houston has done a fine job assembling a surrounding core to support Stroud. They could’ve done a better job beefing up the interior, but resigning Tunsil was massive for this team. The pass protection will be very conducive for Stroud, and there’s a nice pair of backs to rely on. They lack a true-X receiver, but many dependable options are on board.
Stroud should easily transition to the pros, as his arm talent and deep accuracy bode very well with the scheme. The big question is how good the playcalling will be, as it’s Slowik’s first time calling plays. The success of this offense is primarily dependent on how Slowik pans out. While this offense isn’t going to be very effective in 2023, you feel great about what there is to come.
| Coaching – 87 |
| Scheme – 4-2 Split-Safety |
| Secondary – 79.3 |
| CB1 – Derek Stingley Jr.(+), Tavierre Thomas CB2 – Steven Nelson, Ka’dar Hollman SCB – Desmond King, Darius Phillips FS – Jimmie Ward, Eric Murray SS – Jalen Pitre, M.J. Stewart, Tyree Gillespie |
| Pass Rush – 78.2 |
| ED1 – Will Anderson Jr.(+), Jonathan Greenard, Derek Rivers ED2 – Jerry Hughs, Chase Winovich IDL1 – Sheldon Rankings, Roy Lopez, Thomas Booker IDL2 – Maliek Collins, Hassan Ridgeway |
| Off-Ball Linebacker – 75.1 |
| LB1 – Denzel Perryman, Christian Harris, Henry To’oTo’o LB2 – Christian Kirksey, Corey Littleton, Blake Cashman |
| Run Defense – 73.6 |
| ED1 – Will Anderson Jr.(+), Jonathan Greenard, Derek Rivers ED2 – Jerry Hughs, Chase Winovich IDL1 – Sheldon Rankings, Roy Lopez, Thomas Booker IDL2 – Maliek Collins, Hassan Ridgeway |
Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. are superb cornerstone pieces to build around, and DeMeco Ryans is an exceptional fit for this defense. They will be one of the better pass-defense teams in the league. These pass rushers’ skillsets will be maximized, and the Corner room is deep with talent.
Moreover, bringing in Denzel Perryman was wise, as they needed a true Mike Linebacker. It is also one of the deepest Linebacker rooms in the league. This run defense is the one weakness due to having multiple pass-rush specialists on board. The interior is also rather thin. However, if this culture takes a turn for the better, you could be looking at one of the most significantly improved defenses all year.
Total Win Projection – 6.3
| Houston | Win % |
| vs. IND | 57% |
| vs. TEN | 43% |
| vs. JAC | 33% |
| vs. CLE | 33% |
| vs. PIT | 43% |
| vs. NO | 43% |
| vs. TB | 50% |
| vs. DEN | 43% |
| vs. AZ | 50% |
| at IND | 43% |
| at TEN | 33% |
| at JAC | 20% |
| at ATL | 43% |
| at BAL | 20% |
| at CAR | 33% |
| at NYJ | 20% |
| at CIN | 20% |
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