NFL power rankings: Who is biggest threat to Patriots?
By Brad Weiss
Houston Texans
, AFC South
Prior to the 2016 NFL season, the Houston Texans went out and spent a ton of money on quarterback Brock Osweiler. The thought was that Osweiler would be the team’s franchise quarterback for years to come, but that really did not work out. One year later, Osweiler is in Cleveland, and his backup, Tom Savage, is in line to be the team’s starter in Week 1.
However, the Texans are a playoff-ready team, so Savage may not be the answer at the position. The Texans traded up in the 2017 NFL Draft to take Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was a coming off a national title-winning season with the Tigers. He has done everything possible to win the starting job for the Texans, and while he may not win it out of camp, he could be the one leading the team if they make it back to the playoffs in 2017.
Despite not having J.J. Watt for much of last season, the Texans actually finished with the top-ranked defense in the league. While they lost A.J. Bouye at cornerback this offseason, they do return Watt, who will team with Jadeveon Clowney to give the team incredible edge rush at the defensive end positions. This is a team to watch, and if things fall into place, they could be hosting a home game in the playoffs.
Head coach Bill O’Brien is not going to be afraid to go with a rookie quarterback, and he has had rave reviews for Watson this preseason. Lamar Miller was a great signing to play running back last year, and the DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best wide receivers in the game. The team suffered a crushing blow when Will Fuller broke his collarbones, as he is out 2-3 months, so keep an eye on who steps up in his absence.