Last year, the Houston Texans were perhaps the biggest surprise in the NFL, and as a result, their present and immediate future are now very bright.
After going 3-13-1 in 2022, little was expected of them in 2023, but instead, they won 10 games, went to the playoffs and advanced to the divisional round after trouncing the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round.
Former star cornerback Richard Sherman isn’t just optimistic about the Texans’ prospects this year — he said on his podcast he would be “very surprised” if they don’t reach the AFC Championship Game.
“I’d be VERY surprised if they’re not there” 👀 #HTownMade
—@RSherman_25 says the Texans will make the AFC Championship Game pic.twitter.com/1WRqWquyfy
— Richard Sherman Podcast (@RShermanPodcast) September 4, 2024
Sherman praised head coach DeMeco Ryans for the job he did as a rookie head coach in 2023, and in addition to citing the talent of quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell, he also thinks highly of their defense.
He feels Derek Stingley Jr. is becoming one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he also feels good about rookie corner Kamari Lassiter, who won two College Football Playoff National Championships at the University of Georgia.
Of course, Houston also brought in four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs and four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter, as well as onetime Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon, who Sherman said will be a “big-time player.”
The rest of the AFC is loaded, so it won’t be easy for the Texans to go as far as Sherman thinks they will, especially with teams such as the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals lurking.
But they’re one of the most talented teams in the league, and perhaps all they need to do is get all that talent to mesh together.
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C.J. Stroud Names 2 ‘Most Competitive Guys’ He’s Been Around