The Houston Texans begin their most important season in franchise history Sunday.
As the team celebrates its 25th season, it is the best roster they’ve ever assembled. This mix of players gives the Texans their best chance in years to contend for a Super Bowl. They begin the season with true Super Bowl expectations, which hasn’t happened much in this team’s short history.
The talent on defense is overwhelming. It was one of the league’s best last year and has the chance to be even better. Will Anderson Jr. is a Defensive Player of the Year Candidate. Derek Stingley Jr. begins his bid for a third straight All-Pro designation. Pro Bowl-caliber players pepper the depth chart.
Defense is the specialty of DeMeco Ryans. He’s coached that side of the ball to a level worthy of a Super Bowl appearance two years in a row. It’s been the offense that’s held his defense back.
This offense, with plenty to prove, determines where the season ends.
“I expect our defense, again, to be the strength of our team,” Ryans said. “And I expect our offense to come right along with us. For us to be a good team and make it where we want to go, we have to have great defense, and we have to have great offense.”
Failure at this juncture on offense would create a multitude of questions. Who should the quarterback be going forward? Should they wipe out the offensive staff? Is this the fatal flaw of a head coach with a defensive background? That’s just the start.
Success, on the other hand, likely means championship contention.
