Coming off a successful season which included a run to the playoffs and a win in the wild-card round, the Houston Texans have their sights set on bigger things in 2026.
While speaking with the media from Houston’s OTA practices on June 2, star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. confirmed his team’s championship aspirations this year.
When asked if the Texans had goals of reaching and winning the Super Bowl, the Texans’ star pass rusher replied, “Oh, most definitely.”
He added, “I think what we want as a team is right in front of us. I told the guys today when we broke it down, ‘It’s a confidence thing.’ I said, ‘Look, everybody in this circle who believe that this is a Super Bowl team.’ And everybody raised their hand.”
A few likely reasons why Anderson Jr. and his teammates have the utmost belief in their championship potential are some of the moves the team made throughout the offseason. The Texans boosted their running game with a trade for former Lions running back David Montgomery and brought in help for their secondary by signing former Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. Finally, Houston brought in free-agent offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith to bolster its front five.
“I look at this team and we’ve got Super Bowl-caliber players all over the field,” said Anderson. “It’s just about taking that next step. And I thought, since the four years I’ve been here … this has been the best OTAs that we’ve had offensively and defensively.”
With all of those reasons for Houston to believe in its ability to win a championship, if the Texans are to rise to the level of a bona fide title contender this season, they will need their franchise quarterback, CJ Stroud, to return to the form he displayed to start his career during the 2023 campaign, when he was honored as the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. Stroud finished his first season in the NFL with 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns against just five interceptions. However, over the past two seasons, he has averaged just 3,384 passing yards while completing 39 touchdown passes to 20 interceptions.
One thing Houston can count on is top-tier production from Anderson Jr. The 2023 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year recorded 30 sacks over his first three professional seasons, including a 12-sack effort a season ago, when he was honored as a first-team All-Pro.
Houston’s defense performed at a championship level a year ago, allowing the fewest yards per game (277.2) of any team in the league. But if the Texans hope to take another step toward becoming one of the most complete teams in the NFL, they must receive more from their offense, particularly the quarterback position.
Only then will they rise to the status of true Super Bowl contender.
Related Articles
Start your unlimited Newsweek trial
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
