The Houston Texans were watching Super Bowl LIX with the rest of us, wondering what they need to do to take their next step.
After winning 20 games over the past two regular seasons and going 2-2 in the playoffs, there's hope that they can contend in the near future.
That being said, let's look at four reasons the fan base should be optimistic that they could be in the big game as early as 2025.
New offensive coordinator with excellent pedigree
The Texans' offense had the pieces but poor offensive line play and questionable play calling left them falling short. That's why Nick Caley was hired to replace Bobby Slowik as their offensive coordinator.
Caley comes to Houston after working under Sean McVay and is praised for his talent as a passing-game coordinator. He's going to work on getting the ball out of C.J. Stroud's hands quicker, which should make a huge difference.
C.J. Stroud has the "it factor"
C.J. Stroud wasn't the reason Houston lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Despite being under pressure all day, he performed well and proved he's not going to be rattled easily.
A strong leader, Stroud is able to stay focused no matter what happens around him. That's not something that can be taught — and if the pieces around him get fixed, he can get it done.
Nick Caserio knows what needs to be fixed
General manager Nick Caserio has a vision. He's been smart about cap management and is making moves to put together a championship roster while Stroud is on his rookie deal.
He also knows where the issue is.
Houston's offensive line was a problem last year, which is why they let O-line coach Chris Strausser leave when they dismissed Slowik. Now, he's going to get back to work and will do what he can to fix the line. As long as he does that — and fills out the depth chart as well as he did in 2024 — there's no reason to doubt they'll improve up front.
Defense will continue to shine
As much as the other reasons matter, the most important factor in the Texans' chances going forward is their defense.
Houston was sixth in the league in yards surrendered in 2024 but they really came on strong at the end of the season. Led by Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, they registered 49 sacks as a team, making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans gave Derek Stingley the credit for their aggressiveness, saying his coverage skills slowed down opposing wideouts. He wasn't alone though as Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock were excellent as rookies — that's without mentioning what Jalen Pitre brings to the table.
Offense is important but defense wins championships — and Houston has a championship-caliber defense.