Do not overlook the Houston Texans in AFC South race

The AFC South is normally certainly one of the most wide-open divisions in the NFL, and the lack of a persistently dominant staff all the time leaves the door open for any person sudden to sneak by on high.

A yr in the past we noticed the Jacksonville Jaguars go from worst to first and even make their method by to the divisional spherical of the NFL playoffs.

Through 4 weeks the Houston Texans are giving their followers some purpose for optimism that they could be capable of comply with in their footsteps.

Thanks to their 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Texans have now received two video games in a row (in a completely convincing vogue) and are actually coming into a stretch of their schedule the place they’ve an opportunity to doubtlessly stack some wins.

Their subsequent 4 video games are towards the 4 NFC South groups, none of which have actually stood out as imposing opponents. That stretch is adopted by a sport towards a Cincinnati Bengals staff that has badly underachieved this season with an injured Joe Burrow, after which three straight dwelling video games towards Arizona, Jacksonville and Denver. 

That stretch is a part of a season-long schedule that has fallen dramatically in Houston’s favor. Of their remaining 13 opponents, solely two of them (Cincinnati and the rematch with Jacksonville) have been playoff groups a yr in the past, and outdoors of these video games with Burrow and Trevor Lawrence, they do not actually face one other top-tier quarterback the remainder of the method. 

But Houston’s likelihood is not nearly different staff’s weaknesses. The Texans are additionally a considerably improved staff in their very own proper underneath first-year head coach Demeco Ryans, and that enchancment begins at quarterback the place rookie C.J. Stroud is already wanting like a star.

Stroud has been about as spectacular as a rookie quarterback may be by the first 4 video games of the season, already throwing for six touchdowns and not throwing a single interception. His emergence has helped veteran receiver Nico Collins begin to have a breakout season, whereas fellow rookie Tank Dell has made an instantaneous influence. 

As of Tuesday each staff in the AFC South is 2-2 making it a whole free-for-all as soon as once more. Every staff is in it, and the Texans have as a lot of an opportunity as anyone.