(QB CJ Stroud – Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB CJ Stroud, RB/KR Dameon Pierce, WR Noah Brown, WR Nico Collins, WR/PR Tank Dell, WR Robert Woods, TE Dalton Schultz, OC Juice Scruggs, OG Kenton Green, OG Shaq Mason, OG Tytus Howard, OT Laremy Tunsil, DE Will Anderson Jr., DE Derek Barnett, DE Jerry Hughes, DT Khalil Davis, LB Christian Harris, LB Henry To’oTo’o, CB Derek Stingley Jr., NB/PR Desmond King II, FS Jimmie Ward, SS Jalen Pitre, and PK Ka’imi Fairbairn.
Key Players Departing:
RB Devin Singletary (Giants), DE Jonathan Greenard (Vikings), DT Maliek Collins (49ers), DT Sheldon Rankins (Bengals), LB Blake Cashman (Vikings), LB Denzel Perryman (Chargers), CB Shaquill Griffin (Vikings), CB Steven Nelson (Retired), NB Tavierre Thomas (Buccaneers), FS Deandre Houston-Carson (UFA), and PT Cameron Johnston (Steelers).
Key Players Added:
RB Joe Mixon (Bengals), WR Stephon Diggs (Bills), DE Danielle Hunter (Vikings), DT Denico Autry (Colts), DT Mario Edwards Jr. (Seahawks), DT Folorunso Fatukasi (Jaguars), DT Tim Settle (Bills), LB Azeez Al-Shaair (Titans), CB CJ Henderson (Panthers), CB Jeff Okudah (Falcons), and PT Tommy Townsend (Chiefs).
(CB Kamari Lassiter – Getty Images)
Draft Picks:
Round 2: Pick 042 – CB Kamari Lassiter (Georgia)
Round 2: Pick 059 – OT Blake Fisher (Notre Dame)
Round 3: Pick 078 – DS Calen Bullock (USC)
Round 4: Pick 123 – TE Cade Stover (Ohio State)
Round 6: Pick 188 – LB Jamal Hill (Oregon)
Round 6: Pick 205 – RB Jawhar Jordan (Louisville)
Round 7: Pick 238 – EDGE Solomon Boyd (USC)
Round 7: Pick 247 – DT Marcus Harris (Auburn)
Round 7: Pick 249 – OG LaDarius Henderson (Michigan)
2023 Results:
W01 @ Ravens L 9-25
W02 COLTS L 20-31
W03 @ Jaguars W 37-17
W04 STEELERS W 30-6
W05 @ Falcons L 19-21
W06 SAINTS W 20-13
Bye Week
W08 @ Panthers L 13-15
W09 BUCCANEERS W 39-37
W10 @ Bengals W 30-27
W11 CARDINALS W 21-16
W12 JAGUARS L 21-24
W13 BRONCOS W 22-17
W14 @ Jets L 6-30
W15 @ Titans W (OT) 19-16
W16 BROWNS L 22-36
W17 TITANS W 26-3
W18 @ Colts W 23-19
WC BROWNS W 45-14
DIV @ Ravens L 10-34
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 10-7 (1st in AFC South)
Home: 6-3
Away: 4-4
South: 4-2
AFC: 7-5
NFC: 3-2
Head Coach: DeMeco Ryans
Houston: 11-8
Career: 11-8
Playoffs: 1-1
(DE Will Anderson Jr. – Icon Sportswire)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: CJ Stroud (319-499, 4108 yards, 63.9%, 8.2 avg., 23 TD, 5 INT)
Rushing: Dameon Pierce (145 ret., 416 yards, 2.9 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Nico Collins (80 rec., 1297 yards, 16.2 avg., 8 TD)
Yards After Catch: Nico Collins (549)
TD’s Scored: Nico Collins (8)
Sacks: Will Anderson Jr. (7)
Tackles: Christian Harris (101)
Interceptions: Derek Stingley Jr. (5)
Pass Deflections: Derek Stingley Jr. (13)
Tackles For Loss: Will Anderson Jr. (10)
Forced Fumbles: 8 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Dameon Pierce (7 ret., 225 yards, 32.1 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Tank Dell (11 ret., 100 yards, 9.1 avg., 0 TD)
Kickers: Ka’imi Fairbairn (27-28 fg/fga., 96%, 21-22 xp/xpa., 102 pts.)
Punters: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 CJ Stroud
RB: 28 Joe Mixon
WR: 12 Nico Collins
WR: 1 Stephon Diggs
WR: 3 Tank Dell
TE: 86 Dalton Schultz
LT: 78 Laremy Tunsil
LG: 71 Tytus Howard
OC: 70 Juice Scruggs
RG: 69 Shaq Mason
RT: 71 Tytus Howard
KR: 31 Dameon Pierce
PK: 15 Ka’imi Fairbairn
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 51 Will Anderson Jr.
DT: 91 Folorunso Fatukasi
DT: 96 Denico Autry
DE: 55 Danielle Hunter
LB: 48 Christian Harris
LB: 0 Azeez Al-Shaair
LB: 39 Henry To’oTo’o
CB: 24 Derek Stingley Jr.
CB: 14 Kamari Lassiter |R|
FS: 20 Jimmie Ward
SS: 5 Jalen Pitre
PR: 82 Steven Sims
PT: 6 Tommy Townsend
(CB Derek Stingley Jr. – Jack Gorman)
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returns: A
Punt Returns: B
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/08 @ Colts | Houston trails the series 11-33-1. The Texans are 7-14 since 2014, and their last series road loss (3-31) was in 2021.
09/15 BEARS | Houston leads the series 4-2. The Texans lost (20-23) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series win (23-14) was in 2016.
09/22 @ Vikings | Houston trails the series 0-5. The Texans lost (23-31) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and they have lost the prior five meetings by an average of 11.2 points per game.
09/29 JAGUARS | Houston leads the series 29-15. The Texans are 16-4 since 2014, and their last series home win (37-21) was in 2021.
10/06 BILLS | Houston leads the series 6-5. The Texans are 3-2 since 2014, and they lost (0-40) the last meeting between teams in 2021.
10/13 @ Patriots | Houston trails the series 3-11. The Texans are 2-6 since restarting the series in 2015, and they lost (22-25) the last meeting between teams in 2021.
10/20 @ Packers | Houston trails the series 1-4. The Texans lost (20-35) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their only series win (24-21) dates back to 2008.
10/27 COLTS | The Texans last series home win (20-17) was in 2019.
10/31 @ Jets | Houston trails the series 3-7. The Texans are 2-2 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (29-22) was in 2018.
11/10 LIONS | Houston leads the series 4-1. The Texans won (41-25) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their only series loss (16-28) was at the inaugural meeting in 2004.
11/18 @ Cowboys | Houston trails the series 2-4. The Texans are 1-2 since 2014, and their last series win (19-16) was in 2018.
11/24 TITANS | Houston trails the series 21-23. The Texans are 12-8 since 2014, and their last series home loss (10-17) was in 2022.
12/01 @ Jaguars | The Texans last series road loss (7-45) was in 2017.
12/15 DOLPHINS | Houston leads the series 8-3. The Texans lost (15-30) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series win (42-23) was in 2018.
12/21 @ Chiefs | Houston trails the series 5-9. The Texans are 2-6 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series regular season win (31-24) was in 2019.
12/25 RAVENS | Houston trails the series 2-12. The Texans are 1-5 since 2014, and their last series win (25-13) was in 2014.
01/05 @ Titans | The Texans last series road loss (36-42) was in 2020.
Prediction:
Home: 6-2
Away: 5-4
South: 5-1
AFC: 9-3
NFC: 2-3
Overall: 11-6 (1st in AFC South/3rd Seed – Eliminated in Conference Game)
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2024, the game will be listed under the 2023 season
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