We are days away from the Houston Texans’ 2025 campaign. They face a tough combination of NFC and AFC West along with three other divisional winners. This slog of a schedule, a new offensive line, and an unproven offensive coordinator make for a highly volatile prediction of the season ahead.
And that’s exactly why I proposed a list of questions to the writers to assess their excitement before the season officially kicks off Sunday.
What do you predict for the Texans this season?
- What is the Texans record?
- If they make the playoffs, far do the Texans go?
- Who is the player you are most looking forward to watching this season?
- Who is one name everyone should make sure to know before the season starts?
VBallRetired:
Okay, in order:
1) I
think the Texans go 11-6 this season based on a stronger defense and a slightly better offense.
2) I think they make the divisional round again and lose to the Chiefs or Ravens.
3) I think Will Anderson is ready to take the next step and become one of the league’s top five edge rushers.
4) I’ll go Nick Chubb here. If Mixon misses the bulk of the season he could return to the land of 1000 yard rushers.
Patrick Haughton:
After long consideration (about six minutes) I have concluded that the Houston Texans will…
1) Finish with a 13-4 record, which is entirely possible if the offensive line makes the leap to just “average” and we avoid the injury bug that seems to bite the Astros every 15 minutes.
2) This is the year they get to the AFC Championship game. The ambitious side of me would say this is the year they get all the way but I’ve been a Texans fan too long to reach too far.
3) The first few games I always keep an eye and ear out for the rookies. So Aireontay Ersery, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel those are the names I’m most interested in watching early on. I also want to see Henry To’oTo’o since he had such a good training camp, I want to see if he’s taken another step up in his game. I also want to see how our secondary performs with all the key parts healthy and ready to go.
4) At this point, it’s hard to think of one name everyone should keep an eye on, but for me, I think it’s Calen Bullock or Kamari Lassiter, I can’t decide. They’ve looked really good in preseason and the secondary will only be as good as the performance of these two players.
L4Blitzer:
1) With so many questions about the offensive line and a rough schedule, give me the Stroud/Ryans 10-7 special (with +2/-3 variance). If that line solidifies, they can actually get a top 2 seed, but if it doesn’t, a losing record is in play.
2) Until otherwise proven, Houston wins the South and hosts their usual Saturday afternoon Wild Card game. However, until otherwise proven, Houston’s ceiling is the Divisional Round.
3) I’m excited for Anderson/Stingley/CJGJ/Lassiter and the rest of that defense. Might be the best in Texans history, and that is saying something. Yet, I really want to see what we have at the TE position. Can Schultz live up to his contract and can someone at that position actually become the red zone threat this squad desperately needs?
4) I think as the season progresses, watch out for the Iowa State Alumni of Noel and Higgins. Especially if coverages shift toward Collins, those two should get the chance to show out, and if they can build chemistry with Stroud and he gets a bit of time…worth the watch.
(The new guy) Clayton A:
1) I’m on record with a 12-5 prediction. I’m very bullish on the ceiling of this new Caley offense/the Cyclone Twins/Chubb & Woody. Plus, top 5 DEF at worst incoming.,
2) I agree with Patrick on an AFC Championship berth. I think they are top-5 in the AFC at worst, with a hunger to show they can overcome the bottle neck at the top of the conference.
3) I’m most looking forward to C.J. Gardner Johnson’s impact on this already loaded secondary/Defense. Between Sting, Lock, Kamari, Pitre, etc. that secondary is going to be down right disgusting.
4) I’m torn between Jaylen Reed and Jaylin Noel. I look at Noel like a better built Tank Dell. Reed would be my dark house secondary pick to capitalize on more opportunities given his surrounding cast.,
Joe Critz:
1) I’m gonna follow Clayton here and say 12-5. I think this new offense (along with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks) will really help out the rushing attack, and the I think Stroud will be aided with the quick-pass offense, keeping him out of so many third-and-longs.,
2) I’m going to damper the mood a little but and say the AFC Divisional Round will be their peak this season. The Texans are a very good team this year, but there’s too much reliance on unproven prospects at important positions on offense for them to be considered a “top four team.” I have a hard time believing all of these rookies Houston is relying on are all going to hit the ground running this season.
3) I’m really looking forward to Aireontae Ersery this season. I wasn’t a big fan of the Laremy Tunsil trade at all, so his incoming replacement is going to be under a microscope. Free agent signee Cam Robinson was supposed to be the starting left tackle, but Ersery has performed so well in training camp and during the preseason that he’s taken the #1 LT spot on the depth chart. This is encouraging, but we won’t see what he’s really capable of until the regular season is underway. This season will hinge on the performance of Ersery.
4) I’m torn between LB Henry To’oTo’o and CB Kamari Lassiter. Both players are young Texans draftees that had breakout seasons in 2024 – and for Lassiter, it was only his rookie year! To’oTo’o ended up filling in for an injured Christian Harris for nearly all of last year, and was one of the most consistent defenders on the team last year. Lassiter immediately became the #2 CB for the Texans and made plays in coverage every single game last year. If they both improve upon their breakout years, the Texans defense might literally enter the 2025 season without a weakness. Their improvement could be the difference between AFC South champion Houston Texans, and Super Bowl champion Houston Texans.
Kenneth Levy:
1) 10-7 feels right. 11-6 if they can go 5-1 in the division and claim victories playoff-worthy teams such as the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. I don’t think people realize how difficult our schedule is… we play seven other playoff teams.
2) It all depends on who we play. I always think we matchup well against the Chiefs better than the Ravens and Bills. If there is a year to make it to the AFC Championship game before getting boat raced by one of the aforementioned teams, that would be fantastic.
3) I cannot wait to watch Kamari Lassiter. I cannot tell you how fun it was to watch him become a Texan. The fact the first player I watched two drafts ago turned into a Texan is eerie. His development can ascend this defense to the next level. Throwing a shoutout to Woody Marks who could be the most novel RB in Texans history with his pass game acumen.
4) Get to know E.J. Speed. Former Colts LB joins Houston to round out a stellar group of tacklers. He’s tenacious and fits the mold of a Texans linebacker. I believe he will start next to Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’0To’o early on as the Texans shift out of Nickel packages until the secondary is fully healthy.
