Checking The Pulse: Will The Texans Win The AFC South?

The Texans’ football team looks to have flip-flopped with the loss of J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. A team led by its front seven will now probably be a team led by its offense and rookie superstar, and greatest quarterback of all time, Deshaun Watson. With thise change in team dynamics, it’s hard to know what to think. Nobody has seen a Houston team attempt to win because of its offense since 2010. The replacement players for Watt and Mercilus are pick and pull parts, doors and radiators taken from rusted and scrapped Hondas. There isn’t a set of talented to young players to fill in and take over. Mike Vrabel has had growing pains leading a defense.

In addition to this, the Texans are currently 2-3. In the AFC South standings, the Texans are tied with the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts for second, or last depending on how you view the glass. The Titans should have Marcus Mariota back playing this week, hurting the unintentional comedy Monday Night Football would have offered in a Matt Cassel/Brandon Weeden v. Jacoby Brissett duel. The Colts may get Andrew Luck back soon as well. As long as the Colts stay somewhat competitive, there’s a chance that ogre will move from his cave back to the field.

Surprisingly, the Jaguars are in first place. They have minimized the need for Blake Bortles as much as you possibly can to keep him from Bortling wins away, and they have the best pass defense in the NFL.

Football Outsiders releases their playoff odds every Tuesday night. As of right now, the Jaguars have the best odds to win the division at 63.8%, the Texans second at 19.6%, the Titans third at 14.5%, and the Colts last at 2.1%.

The AFC South is close. The Texans have won the last two division titles, doing so last year without Watt and with the worst quarterback in the NFL. Houston followed a similar blueprint the year before that with a dominant defense and again, an excruciating offense. But now, with all those high draft picks and free agent capital paying off, the rest of the AFC South is better.

Personally, I’m still afraid of the Jags’ defense and he Titans’ offense as long as Mariota is there. The Colts are never done until Luck is cold in a box. I still think the Texans are the favorite to win the division, but by a slim margin.

My question for you is simple. Do you think the Texans will win the AFC South in 2017? Answer the poll and sound off in the comments below.