Texans News: Can the Houston Texans 3-peat as AFC South champs?

The Houston Texans news is they have a chance to 3-peat as AFC South champs.

Three times the Houston Texans have won back-to-back AFC South championships in franchise history, and now for the third time the Texans have a chance to gain a three-peat as division champions.

Only one franchise has won the AFC South title for at least three straight seasons, and that was the Indianapolis Colts from 2003-07. During that time the Colts were a loaded team and had Peyton Manning as their quarterback.

After failing to achieve the rare three-peat in the AFC South on two previous occasions (2011-12, 2015-16). The question this offseason is will the Texans news headline at the end of the regular season read, “The Texans gain the 3-peat.”

Many odds makers once again don’t believe in the Texans as the Texans news coming out this offseason is Houston will be average at best, or most likely the team led by Deshaun Watson will be third place in the division with a sub-.500 record.

Even at the start of the 2020 season the Texans are an underdog according to The Action Network. The site has the Texans at +10.5 in the season opener against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, a game that will be played on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7:20 p.m. CT.

The futures odds for the Texans this season — according to The Action Network — are +5692 to win the Super Bowl, as the favorite is the Chiefs at +546. Houston is also +2400 to win the AFC championship.

The Texans news with their odds to win the AFC South championship is +350, third best in the division. The rest of the AFC South championship odds include the Colts as the favorite at +125, followed by the Tennessee Titans (+150), and the Jacksonville Jaguars (+2223).

Houston Texans News: The roster has changed since last season

Now thinking about the Texans, do they still have the roster to compete with the Colts and Titans to win the division for the seventh time in franchise history?

Of the four quarterbacks in the AFC South — Deshaun Watson (Texans), Philip Rivers (Colts), Ryan Tannehill (Titans), and Gardner Minshew (Jaguars), it is tough to argue against who  the current best quarterback in the division is — Watson. Also remember, the Titans were one win away from playing in the Super Bowl last season, and the Colts will most likely be better than they were a year ago.

If the Texans are able to win the 2020 AFC South title, it might just be the toughest division title and spot earned to make the playoffs this franchise has ever achieved. The Texans news this offseason has included DeAndre Hopkins, Carlos Hyde, Johnathan Joseph and D.J. Reader being  four players who won’t be back with the franchise this upcoming season.

The Houston Texans news has seen the franchise add solid additions to the franchise with the team now having wide receivers Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks, and at running back it is a mystery with David Johnson looking to return to being a game-changing rusher in the league as his best days thus far came a few seasons ago with the Arizona Cardinals.

Even without Hopkins on the roster this season, the Texans have worked to make their entire offensive unit a competitive group, and though they might not be the best on paper, they still have the potential to be a surprise in the division and in the entire league.

Bill O’Brien will be looking for veterans to get the Texans through the 2020 season, as many of his wide receivers have quality NFL experience. There is also the fact Watson is entering his fourth season, the offensive line is the best it has been in a few years, plus the tight ends seem set to be unsung players as well.

The defense is another issue because all of us need to see where J.J. Watt will be after fully recovering from his torn pectoral injury that cost him half of last season. There is also a good amount of change to the secondary that has questions that’ll need answered.

Even with the change, if the defense can be a unit that doesn’t allow games to get away — they don’t need to be the ’85 Bears or ’00 Ravens — the offense can pick up the rest and make the Texans competitive within the AFC South.

Tim Kelly will be very vital as a play calling offensive coordinator for the first time, and hopefully some new wrinkles into the offense will make a big difference.

If players can live up to their potential, the offense of the Texans with Watson leading the way under center will surprise many, and the Texans news headlines could read “Three-Peat Champions” at the end of the 2020 NFL season.