The Houston Texans have a chance to win the AFC South title for a third straight season, and here’s how they can do it.
Winning the AFC South championship is an automatic placement into the playoffs, and for the past two seasons the champions of the division have been the Houston Texans. Though the Texans news hasn’t been that great once they are in the playoffs, making the “second season” is still an amazing accomplishment.
Many fan bases would love to have the success the Houston Texans have had in the past two seasons, with 19 regular-season wins and one win in the playoffs. Go ask the fan bases of the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions, to name just three, if they would make a trade for those seasons.
Now going into the 2020 NFL season, the Houston Texans have a lot on their plate with a new play caller, new wide receivers, and a division that includes a team that played in the AFC Championship, there is a lot to battle through for a three-peat division championship.
Where should the Houston Texans start in terms of moving forward for the three peat, because the first month of their 2020 regular-season schedule has to be one of the toughest in all of the league. Houston starts their journey to a three-peat in the AFC South by playing the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and we all know who the favorite is in that season-opening game.
Next will be the Baltimore Ravens, followed by games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings. The first four games will be a true test for the Houston Texans in 2020, and depending on how they get through that schedule — they’ll need a .500 record to avoid panic — the Texans could be in for a very interesting season.
Last season, the Texans won the regular-season meeting against the Chiefs and didn’t fare so well against them in the playoffs. When the Texans faced the Ravens last season, it was Baltimore who was the better team from start to finish. That said, the first two weeks are very important in 2020, but to be honest, it will not make or break the season of the Houston Texans.
Next though are three reasons as to what the Texans have to do to three-peat as the AFC South champions, and none of the three tasks ahead will be the easiest to achieve, but could be the difference of the division title or watching the playoffs from home.
3. Defense has improved on paper compared to 2019
Here is the deal with the 2020 defense of the Houston Texans … it is an unknown with more potential than given credit for. The Texans defense has the unsung talent on their roster to be a sleeper for defenses in the NFL players like Johnathan Joseph and D.J. Reader to name two of the bigger players from last season’s roster.
Returning is J.J. Watt, who missed eight regular-season games in 2019, and not only that, when he was gone the Texans defense took a step back without his pass rush. Having Watt back will be huge for this franchise as he enters his 10th season.
Also on the defensive line a player who will jump into the headlines is defensive end Charles Omenihu, and don’t look past Angelo Blackson, Albert Huggins and Brandon Dunn at defensive end.
Yes, the Houston Texans lost Reader in free agency, but in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft the addition of Ross Blacklock helped the Texans recover from the loss of Reader to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Also, a linebacker to be excited for is always Whitney Mercilus, but don’t look past Jacob Martin, as he came to the Texans last year in the Jadeveon Clowney trade. Martin needs more snaps during games to see what he truly can do for the defense, but in his snaps played last season he showed there is much potential.
In the secondary, it has to be improved from the previous season, and with a mix of veterans and younger talent the improvement should be there. A veteran to watch is Bradley Roby at cornerback, and at safety Justin Reid is about to take a huge step in his pro football progression in season three.
2. The offensive line all returns … and they can be good
It is time to show some love to the Houston Texans offensive line because the progression they made from 2018 to 2019 was outstanding, and the best part is all five starters are back for the 2020 season.
The offensive line consists of left tackle Laremy Tunsil, left guard Max Scharping, center Nick Martin, right guard Zach Fulton and right tackle Tytus Howard. Those are just the starters, and the Texans have solid depth as well, so this isn’t — or at least should be — the offensive line we’ve all seen in recent memory.
Watson was sacked 44 times in 2019, but considering the previous season in 2018 when he was sacked 62 times, that was a great improvement in a one-year change of players on the unit.
Having tackles like Tunsil and Howard has to be maybe the best move made by the front office of the franchise, and the interior offensive line isn’t too bad either, but more work is always needed to be considered one of the very best.
1. Deshaun Watson is a MVP candidate in 2020
Everyone who knows anything about the NFL knows quality quarterback play is the base of a solid offense, and the Houston Texans are lucky enough to have one of the very best at the position, that being Deshaun Watson.
The Houston Texans offense will go as far as Watson can lead them, but not all of the pressure needs to be on his shoulders either, though the spotlight will be heavily on him in his first season without DeAndre Hopkins as his top wide receiver.
Watson has been on Twitter and social media a lot this offseason and has been seen putting in the work an MVP candidate has to put in to achieve that type of success. With the Texans’ offensive line being better than it has been in the past, Watson’s game has no choice to improve along with their progress.
This season, Watson has the best duo of running backs he’s had on the offense since joining the franchise with David Johnson and Duke Johnson being dual threats, and the wide receivers — though not as much of a force as Hopkins — are quality players who can get the job done.
There are aspects of his game that Deshaun Watson will need to improve upon in 2020 — one being feeling pressure and getting rid of the football a little quicker — but overall, the opportunity is in front of Watson to be an MVP quarterback.
This season should be fun to watch in his quest to do so, leading the Texans to success they have yet to achieve as a franchise.