HOUSTON TEXANS 2021 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

If there was an award for the worst possible offseason, the Houston Texans would have won it hands down. First, quarterback Deshaun Watson, arguably (and I don’t know who’s arguing) one of the Top Five QBs in the NFL demanded a trade, which the team refused. Then, Watson got into a ton of off the field legal trouble which actually made the team want to trade him, only to see his trade value tank.

In the midst of this, they were trying to hire a head coach, but since no one in the league wanted to dive head first into Houston’s dumpster fire, the team was stuck with David Culley as its new head coach. The guy who ran the Baltmore Ravens (checks notes) No. 32-ranked passing offense in a league with (checks notes again) 32 teams. Aand I’ve not even mentioned the fact that they’ve turned over a lot of the their team’s head office operation to a Jim Jones-y religious cult weirdo nutjob, Jack Easterby.

It’s been a nightmare, but the bad dream is just getting started as the team will have to deal Watson for something and be stuck with Culley, Tyrod Taylor at QB and Easterby for at least a season.

And they cut J.J. Watt too.

HOUSTON TEXANS

Last season: 4-12, 3^rd place, AFC South

2021 odds: over 4 wins -130, under 4 wins +100

2021 NFL Draft: Davis Mills, QB, Stanford – Round 3, Nico Collins, WR, Michigan – Round 3, Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami – Round 5, Garrett Wallow, LB, TCU – Round 5, Roy Lopez, DT, Arizona – Round 6

UDFAs: Ryan McCullum, C – Texas A&M, Carson Green, OT – Texas A&M, Marlon Williams, WR – UCF, Damon Hazelton, WR – Missouri

Acquisitions: Shaq Laweson, Edge – Trade, Marcus Cannon, RT – Trade, Tyrod Taylor, QB – Free Agent, Mark Ingram, RB – Free Agent, Jordan Jenkins, LB – Free Agent, Terrance Mitchell, CB – Free Agent, Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB – Free Agent, Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB – Free Agent, Jeff Driskel, QB – Free Agent, Chris Conley, WR – Free Agent, Alex Erickson, WR – Free Agent, Neville Hewitt, LB – Free Agent, Rex Burkhead, RB – Free Agent, Chris Moore, WR – Free Agent, Terrence Brooks, Safety – Free Agent, Lane Taylor, LG – Free Agent, Andre Robers, WR – Free Agent, DeMarcus Walker, DL – Free Agent, Antony Auclair, TE – Free Agent, Joe Thomas, TE – Free Agent, Justin McCray, LG – Free Agent, Geron Christian, LT – Free Agent, Donte Moncrief, WR – Free Agent, Derek Rivers, Edge – Free Agent, Hardy Nickerson, LB – Free Agent, Taywan Taylor, WR – Free Agent, Jaleel Johnson, DL – Free Agent, Tremon Smith, CB – Free Agent, Cameron Johnston, P – Free Agent, Cole Toner, RG – Free Agent, Vincent Taylor, DL – Free Agent, Desmon King, CB – Free Agent, Ryan Izzo, TE – Free Agent, Phillip Lindsay, RB – Free Agent, Tavierre Thomas, CB – Free Agent, Tae Davis, LB – Free Agent

Key Losses: J.J. Watt – DL, Bernardrick McKinney – LB, Duke Johnson – RB, A.J. McCarron – QB, Zach Fulton – LG, Brennan Scarlett – LB, Darren Fells – TE, Bryan Anger – P, Gareon Conley – CB, Will Fuller – WR, Josh McCown – QB, Michael Thomas – Safety, Phillip Gaines – CB, – Free Agent Tyrell Adams – LB, Eddie Vanderdoes – DL, Duke Ejiofor – DL, Peter Kalambayi –Edge, Geno Stone – Safety, Greg Mancz – C

PRESUMED STARTERS

QB: Tyrod Taylor

RB: David Johnson

WR: Brandin Cooks

WR: Randall Cobb

WR: Keke Coutee

TE: Jordan Akins

LT: Laremy Tunsil

LG: Max Scharping

C: Justin Britt

RG: Marcus Cannon

RT: Tytus Howard

LDE: Vincent Taylor

NT: Maliek Collins

RDE: Charles Omenihu

OLB: Whitney Mercilus

LILB: Christian Kirksey

RILB: Zach Cunningham

OLB: Jacob Martin

CB: Bradley Roby

CB: Terrance Mtichell

SS: Eric Murray

FS: Justin Reid

K: Ka’imi Fairbairn

P: Cameron Johnston

FORECAST

There is every reason to believe that this Texans team could hold the inglorious distinction of being the NFL’s first 0-17 franchise. There is not a single game on their schedule which they should be favored and that includes the opener when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (currently -2.5). They face the NFC West this season, the best division in football and are in a division themselves that saw two teams make the playoffs last year. Their final three games of the season are the Los Angeles Chargers, at the San Francisco 49ers and then hosting the Tennessee Titans. There’s a chance the Titans will be playing for nothing on Jan. 9 and already have their postseason plans clinched. Houston better hope so.

This team got a Top Four QB performance from Watson last year and still went 4-12. They were that bad then. My prediction below is generous to say the least.

Final Record Prediction: 2-15

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