NFL power rankings: Training camp edition
By Brad Weiss
Houston Texans
, AFC South
The Houston Texans made it all the way to the Divisional Round last season, though they were beaten by a very good New England Patriots team, ending their season. They were able to accomplish all of that despite the fact that they had a terrible starting quarterback, and J.J. Watt, a Defensive Player of the Year, was out for most of the season. They head into the 2017 season with a roster that could make a deep run through the playoffs, but they have to get good quarterback play to do so.
During the 2017 NFL Draft, the team traded up to get Clemson’s DeShaun Watson. The signal-caller will try to beat out Tom Savage for the starting gig this summer, though most believe that head coach Bill O’Brien is going to go with the veteran. If they can get consistent play out of either player, they have the defense to be a force in the AFC this season.
The defense is led by J.J. Watt, who should be back to 100 percent this season. Jadeveon Clowney proved to the world why he was the first overall pick back in 2014, and the combination of Whitney Mercilus and Brian Cushing at linebacker can be devastating at times. The secondary did take a hit by losing A.J. Bouye at cornerback, as the team will have to rely on Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph at the position in 2017.
The AFC South is going to be a great race to watch this season, but the Texans should be able to keep their stranglehold on the division. I expect Watson to be the starter at some point this season, giving the team an exciting option at quarterback. Lamar Miller is a strong runner, and with DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller at wide receiver, this offense could really take off, giving them solid units on both sides of the ball.