Texans predictions: Best case and worst case scenarios in 2023-24 NFL season

The Houston Texans enter 2023 with a new coach, quarterback and vibe. After going 3-13-1 last season under Lovie Smith, the team hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as their head coach, drafted Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud to be their quarterback of the future and shored up their leaky defense with the signing of plenty of impact veterans.

The Texans are +800 to win the AFC South, +10000 to win the AFC and +20000 to win the Super Bowl.

Texans best-case scenario for 2023

Stroud looks like the quarterback of the future, the Texans revamped defense wreaks havoc on opposing offenses, and the Texans are in the hunt for a postseason berth at the end of the season.

But even if the Texans' record isn’t that good, a true win would be if Stroud comes out and looks the part. He’ll start on Week 1 and should have plenty of runway to prove himself as a franchise quarterback. For this season to be successful for the Texans, they’ll need their young core to take a step forward. If that ends up happening, it’ll matter much more than wins and losses.

Texans worst-case scenario for 2023

Stroud struggles, the new-look defense can’t keep up and the Texans look as rudderless as they’ve looked over the past two seasons. The Texans invested a lot of resources into difference-makers on both sides of the ball in Dalton Schultz and Jimmie Ward, but there’s a chance they don’t end up being the difference-makers they envisioned when they signed them. The lack of a true playmaker on the outside and depth on the offensive line hinder Stroud’s development, and some of the younger playmakers on the defense take a step back