Despite entering Week 2 with a record of 0-1, there’s no reason for panic when it comes to the Houston Texans still winning the AFC South. It’s arguably the most wide-open division in the NFL right now.
The Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans aren’t teams that have established themselves as good enough to run away with the division. The Colts looked strong in Week 1, but the Jaguars and Titans still appear to be teams not quite ready to contend. Regardless of what the standings say, it still feels like Houston’s division to win.
The Texans’ Week 1 loss was more about the offense than the defense. While you want all phases of the game firing on all cylinders, there’s reason to feel good about how the defense played. The bigger concern is figuring out the offense, which shouldn’t be alarming with C.J. Stroud leading the way.
Houston’s roster is also deeper than it was last season, which should keep the team competitive even if injuries pile up as the year goes on. In the NFL, what you look like on paper when fully healthy rarely matters.
Injuries happen everywhere. What really matters is having a quality roster late in the season that’s good enough to get you into the playoffs — and healthy enough to win once you’re there.
Another factor in Houston’s favor is coaching. DeMeco Ryans is one of the best coaches in the division, if not the best. That matters in the NFL, where games are often won on the margins. Players are the ones making the plays, but coaches and their staffs have an obvious impact, too. With what Ryans has shown so far, Texans fans should feel encouraged, especially in a division that looks wide open.
It’s also worth noting that the Texans didn’t get blown out in the opener. If they had scored a single touchdown at any point, there’s a real chance they would have won that game. They were held to three field goals, and just one red zone conversion would have completely changed the outcome.
So while Houston doesn’t lead the division now, within a couple of weeks, they could be right back on top — and maybe even start pulling ahead depending on what happens with Indianapolis.
The Colts rely on Daniel Jones, who looked great in Week 1 but has been inconsistent throughout his career. The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence, who, in theory, has everything it takes to make them great, but recent seasons show they haven’t put it all together. The Titans are breaking in an exciting young quarterback in Cam Ward, but they’re still viewed as a rebuilding team and shouldn’t be a real threat.
For all those reasons, there’s no need for concern about Houston’s chances of winning the South again this season. An 0-1 hole isn’t difficult to climb out of. As long as the Texans continue to take care of business, the division is still theirs to win.