'No one gonna cease us': How the Texans are navigating Tremendous Bowl expectations

HOUSTON — Expectations are excessive for the Houston Texans after falling one recreation shy of the AFC Championship Sport final season.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud was a rookie, and DeMeco Ryans was in his first yr as a head coach. So with a yr underneath their belts, there is a buzz for them to construct off for Yr 2.

Within the offseason, the group aggressively overhauled the roster by spending $244.3 million in assured cash, which is the fifth most based on ESPN Stats & Data in an try and construct 2023’s success.

The spending included blockbuster trades — that led to restructured offers and extensions — and signings to bolster the roster round Stroud, who turned the fifth rookie to throw for over 4,000 yards (4,108). Now, the Texans have the fourth-best odds to win the AFC (+750) and seventh greatest odds to win the Tremendous Bowl (+1600), based on ESPN BET.

Stroud acknowledged “it isn’t going to be straightforward” to surpass Yr 1’s accomplishments, however the Texans “have a goal” by way of objectives.

Ryans held a crew assembly earlier than the primary day of coaching camp and addressed the expectations outdoors the constructing. His message was clear: Block out the noise.

“Individuals discuss expectations, and everyone desires to speak about what folks on the skin are saying, however it does not drive what we do inside,” Ryans advised ESPN. “It is the identical. It is no totally different than final yr. … We’ve got excessive expectations internally, and that is all that issues to us.”

THE INTERNAL GOAL is fueled by the roster. The Texans have Professional Bowlers in 5 totally different place teams. Add that with the emergence of Stroud, and it is a huge a part of why they consider a Tremendous Bowl is feasible.

“[Stroud] is particular now. He could make a no-play right into a play,” Texans receiver Nico Collins advised ESPN. “The expectation for us is to get to that Tremendous Bowl. Simply taking it one recreation at a time, one week at a time. For us, it is about simply being dialed in. We obtained the weapons, we obtained the instruments. If all of us purchased in, man, no person gonna cease us.”

Collins is echoing how the crew feels about their probabilities with Stroud. Having that perception from his crew as second-year quarterback is “very honoring” to the previous No. 2 select of Ohio State.

“I do not suppose that’s one thing I essentially got here in right here with final yr,” Stroud stated. “However it’s a new yr, and I feel I put it on the sphere final yr but additionally this camp. I’ve additionally had a good camp. For me, it’s simply having one thing to indicate for it and constructing that belief additionally off the sphere.”

Buying and selling for Professional Bowl working again Joe Mixon and All-Professional huge receiver Stefon Diggs additionally fueled offseason buzz. Diggs (107 receptions, 1,183 yards, eight touchdowns in 2023) teaming with with Collins and Tank Dell (2,006 mixed receiving yards in 2023) is tantalizing on paper. That is a part of why Stroud has the second-best odds (+850) to win MVP.

On protection, the Texans signed All-Professional go rusher Danielle Hunter, who’s coming off a career-high 16.5 sacks, to pair with 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Yr Will Anderson Jr. Within the secondary, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. had a powerful coaching camp and appeared able to construct off final season when he completed with 5 interceptions, which was tied for the fourth most within the league.

“We obtained some ballers throughout — offense, protection, particular groups. This crew is totally stacked,” Hunter advised ESPN. “And never simply that. It is a combination of younger and older guys with quite a lot of expertise.”

THE EXPERIENCE DEALING with the all the buzz is what makes including veterans like Mixon helpful.

Mixon led the Cincinnati Bengals in speeding (1,205 yards) in 2021, once they made a Tremendous Bowl look.

Mixon would not evaluate this Texans crew to his previous groups, however he understands what it takes to make deep playoff runs.

“I have been on this scenario in earlier years, and we prevailed,” Mixon advised ESPN. “That is what we play the sport for. Everyone desires to be the most effective or have the most effective report. This is the reason we do that. Clearly, to attempt to attain the last word objective — which is the Tremendous Bowl.”

First issues first for the Texans, although. They’ve to achieve a spot that they’ve by no means been in franchise historical past — the AFC Championship Sport — earlier than their title aspirations can change into a actuality. However one message that’s constant in Houston is the grind to achieve these objectives.

Security Jalen Pitre believes they have been “pushing one another” in coaching camp to organize for the second.

“There is no restrict for us,” Pitre stated. “However to be trustworthy, the expertise doesn’t suggest something if we do not work. We will have all of those nice gamers, however it does not matter if we do not put the work in, if we do not actually pressure ourselves every day to simulate these recreation time reps. So I feel that is the most important factor, and I feel that is what we’re doing.”

With the roster normal supervisor Nick Caserio has assembled with Ryans main the best way, they know it is as much as them to execute. It additionally does not damage to have Stroud constructing on his historic rookie season.

“[Stroud]’s a man that is able to lead, and he is prepared for the massive second,” Pitre stated. “I really feel like there’s nothing that C.J. cannot do.”

Whether or not Stroud can win a Tremendous Bowl stays to be seen, however with the preseason within the rear and the pyrotechnics looming, the Texans are able to kick off the season on the Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS) on Sept. 8.