The Houston Texans have been a team in disarray over the past two seasons. They have won just eight games in 2020 and 2021. There’s no indication of tremendous improvement during the offseason, even if they have some bright spots on the roster.
Likewise, they have had four head coaches in as many seasons, including interim coach Romeo Crennel and current head coach Lovie Smith. Despite that coaching transition, the Texans are still likely to end up at the bottom of the standings, and we’d expect to see suitably long odds in NFL betting markets. This means the Texans could earn the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Everything went south for the Texans since they traded away DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for meager returns. Since then, the franchise experienced an exodus of talent, including the departure of three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.
The reduced talent level led them to back-to-back four-win seasons. It’s a far cry from the six AFC South division titles they’ve won from 2011 to 2019. Unfortunately, the franchise hasn’t had many highlights other than making it to the Divisional Round four times, the last of which happened in 2019.
The Texans are the youngest franchise in the NFL. The team was established in October 1999 and participated in its first season in 2002. Given their relatively short history, they are only one of four teams that have not appeared in a Super Bowl. Likewise, they have never reached the AFC Championship Game and won a playoff game on the road. The Texans replaced the former Houston Oilers, which is now known as the Tennessee Titans.
The Texans play their home games at NRG Stadium, formerly known as Reliant Stadium. It opened in August 2002 and can accommodate over 72,000 people. The stadium is owned by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation. NRG Stadium has a retractable fabric roof that can be opened or closed within seven minutes.
In terms of the crowd, Texans fans in the “Bull Pen” bleacher section behind the north end zone participate in the game by singing songs, shouting chants, or supporting the team enthusiastically. NRG Stadium has also hosted Super Bowls XXXVIII and LI.
The Texans’ biggest rivals are the teams within their division. After all, they play each other at least twice yearly and every game counts as they compete for the AFC South title. While the Texans are a relatively-young NFL franchise, they have rivalries with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts, alongside the Tennessee Titans.
The Texans selected Mills in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft and he has been a steady presence for the squad ever since. There’s also Cooks who led the team in receiving yards last year. Other noteworthy players on offense are wide receiver Nico Collins, running back Dameon Pierce, and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
On defense, Jonathan Greenard and Jerry Hughes lead their push up front. They also have Christian Kirksey, Mario Addison, Jalen Pitre, and Derek Stingley Jr. The Texans also have Ka’imi Fairbairn as their placekicker and Cameron Johnston as punter and holder.
