The Houston Texans are a year ahead of where most predicted entering the season, with a playoff berth on the line Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Houston went all in on the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting C.J. Stroud No. 2 overall and trading up to add edge rusher Will Anderson No. 3 overall. Couple those studs with a Coach of the Year-type season from DeMeco Ryans, young players like Derrick Stingley Jr., Nico Collins and others making massive strides, and the Texans are on the rise.
However, Houston isn’t content with just being ahead of schedule in their rebuild. They are aiming for that postseason bid.
“The time is now,” Stroud said, via the team’s official website. “It’s not next year. It’s not the year after that. It’s right now. We have the opportunity to control our own destiny. I’m excited to do that.”
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Whoever wins the Texans-Colts game on Saturday night is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. They will either secure the AFC South title if Jacksonville loses on Sunday, or they will get a wild-card berth.
No matter the result, the events unfolding in Houston are undoubtedly a huge success.
Naturally, that’s not the focus in the locker room, as it rightly shouldn’t be.
“Our guys made it clear that we didn’t come this far only to stop here,” said Ryans. “There’s still a lot for us to play for in the future.”
Teams that are “ahead of schedule” in a rebuild often falter in subsequent years following an unexpected postseason bid, as evidenced by the 2023 New York Giants. However, considering Stroud’s and other young players’ crucial roles, coupled with Ryans’ leadership, it seems probable that the Texans will maintain their momentum in the upcoming seasons.
