The Houston Texans will win the AFC South because they have finally brought together all the right pieces at the right time. They have had some nice pieces on offense in the past, and they could have had a better offense had they run across someone like Deshaun Watson sooner. They have filled out their offense while their defense has quietly become one of the best in the NFL. They will take that automatic bid to the playoffs because they have built a team that can coast through its division.
Deshaun Watson matters
We all know that the Texans are happy to have Watson on the roster, and he gives them stability at quarterback that they have never had.
They have tried everything, and now they are relying on this guy to give them the help that they need to score and move the ball consistently. Watson can manage a game well, and he will give the team many chances to score where they might have punted in the past. He will be asked to do very little this season, but that will be enough considering Deandre Hopkins is out there ready to catch his passes.
Watch this defense
This could be the best defense in football, and they will not be run out on the field repeatedly during games because their offense is not scoring. They will have time to do damage to their opponents that was not possible in the past, and they could easily demoralize certain teams that feel like they cannot make any progress with them.
If the defense can score at all, they will bolster a young offense that is learning how to play. The combination of good play by the offense and better play by the defense could be deadly.
Not the Titans
The Titans should be a good team this year, but they are not quite as good as The Texans. The Texans' defense is better, and Marcus Mariotta is not the same level of talent as Deshaun Watson.
He is very good, but he is not special like Watson is. The Titans and the Texans will compete for this division for many years to come, and it could become logjammed if Andrew Luck is ever given the help he needs in Indianapolis. However good the Titans look, there is something magical happening in Houston that cannot be ignored.
The Texans needed this
The Houston Texans looked as if they were ready to throw away the best years of their defense because they could not find a good quarterback. They have finally made their decision in Deshaun Watson, and that is making them look very dangerous going into a season where the Colts and Titans are not up to snuff.
