Houston Texans have emerged from purgatory to be a dangerous AFC Playoff team

In 2019, the Houston Texans defeated the Buffalo Bills to move on to a Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs for the right to go to the AFC Championship Game. Head coach Bill O’Brien signed an extension in 2018 and took over personnel before that 2019 season, and it appeared to be working. They had a 24-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback, an All-Pro receiver in his prime, and arguably the best defensive player in football (when healthy).

Between that playoff loss to the Chiefs in January of 2020 and this playoff run in January of 2024, Houston has lived through a nightmare partially of their own making, and turned over the entire team in an effort to get past every misstep.

After signing quarterback DeShaun Watson to a massive four-year deal just before the opener, the 2020 season saw the Texans fall flat, coming out of the gate with four straight losses, leading to the in-season firing of O’Brien. They were 1-6 at the bye, and insiders suggesting they could trade J.J. Watt who was in the final year of his deal. The team finished 4-12 after two straight AFC South titles the previous two seasons and traded receiver DeAndre Hopkins

With rumors swirling about the dislike of Texans’ executive vice president Jack Easterby, who took over managing the team personnel when O’Brien was fired, the Texans were able to hire well-regarded Patriots personnel man Nick Caserio to be their general manager in January 2021. Still, Houston had a difficult time filling their head coaching vacancy, ultimately settling on David Culley, who had never held a coordinator position in the NFL.

A couple months later, Watson was accused of sexual assault by a Houston massage therapist, opening the floodgates for dozens more accusations. Because no criminal charges were brought against Watson, the NFL didn’t suspend him for the 2021 season but the Texans didn’t play Watson. They kept him on the 53-man roster, but did not suit him up for a game.

Without Hopkins, Watson, and the departed Watt, the team went 4-13 with stopgaps at multiple positions. They were 30th in points scored and points against. They fired Culley, who was publicly ineffective in virtually every way a head coach could be evaluated.

After the season, it seemed like the Texans were stuck in reverse, not drive. After going through head coach interviews, they ended up promoting associate head coach/defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, despite his unit’s poor performance in 2021. They held a bidding war for the disgraced Watson, ultimately securing a lucrative package from the Cleveland Browns, but didn’t upgrade at quarterback.

The 2022 NFL Draft class was weak at QB, so they rolled it back and three quarterbacks started games, led by Davis Mills. Unsurprisingly, they finished even worse at 3-13-1 in 2022. They were 30th in points scored and points allowed again. They fired Easterby in October, and when Lovie Smith was fired after the season, the Texans were looking for their fifth head coach in four seasons.

What the heck did the Houston Texans do during the 2023 offseason to get them back to the top of the AFC South and hosting a playoff game?

They added quality people at multiple layers of the organization then utilized the draft haul from the Watson trade to insert high-level players at key spots to finally move past the Watson era.

First, they hired former Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans as head coach. Ryans had spent two years molding the San Francisco 49ers defense after the departure of Robert Saleh, and he brought instant respect, credibility, and accountability. Something Culley and Smith weren’t able to instill.

With the second overall pick, they drafted QB C.J. Stroud to finally bring some stability to the position. Then they pulled off a massive move, coming up from 12 to third overall to draft pass rusher Will Anderson. Receiver Tank Dell was a third-round pickup.

They improved in all aspects of the game, with Stroud leading the way. The rookie QB started 15 games, and would have set a bunch of NFL rookie records if not for a December concussion. Dell was a revelation alongside fellow young receiver Nico Collins, with tight end Dalton Schultz and veteran Robert Woods having solid years. Free agent addition Devin Singletary ran for 53 yards per game and the offense finished 13th in points scored and first in turnovers.

On defense, they also turned it around. Houston finished 11th in points allowed and saw improvements in every stat in what was largely a team effort. Jonathan Greenard set a career high with 12.5 sacks joined by Anderson’s seven. CB Derek Stingley had a solid season with five picks, earning a first alternate spot for the Pro Bowl.

Coupled with a late-season collapse from the Jacksonville Jaguars, who at one point were 8-3 and holding the second-best record in the AFC, the Texans strung together a solid season to win the division at 10-7 and a 4-2 AFC South mark. They’re ahead of schedule iin the grand scheme of things.

Yes, the Texans lost to their Wild Card opponent just a few weeks ago, but they didn’t have Stroud or Anderson when they faced the Cleveland Browns. Both of their first-round rookies are expected to go on Saturday.

The Texans look poised for a string of success beyond this season, too. With their young coaching staff, a franchise quarterback, leaders on offense and defense in place, and the fourth-most cap space in the NFL, they have set the table for what could be a long run in the mix of the AFC playoff picture.

Coming off three straight seasons with four wins or fewer and four head coaches in that span, it’s a welcome development for Texans fans.