You won’t find the Houston Texans at the top of many power rankings ahead of Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. In fact, most talking heads project them to finish last in the AFC South but this isn’t precisely breaking news. After all, the Texans are coming off a 4-13 season and are currently in the early stages of a rebuild, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them once again pick in the top 5 of the draft next year.
Having said that, Houston has a few talented pieces in place and precisely because the bar is set so low, they could end up exceeding expectations in 2022. And here are three reasons why they might do precisely that.
3. Houston Texans HC Lovie Smith has a solid track record
David Culley did an admirable job coaching the Texans in 2021, especially when you take into account that he inherited a mess at the quarterback position and a roster devoid of talent. That he was able to lead Houston to four wins is kind of impressive in retrospect. Nevertheless, he was just a temporary fixture and was given the boot after the conclusion of the season.
While the Texans flirted with the idea of hiring Josh McCown to fill their head-coaching vacancy, they ultimately gave the job to Lovie Smith, who has a proven track record and experience at the position.
Smith left Illinois with a subpar 17-39 record and his two-year tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t go well. However, he guided the Chicago Bears to two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl appearance. Moreover, he was responsible for often fielding top 10 defenses during his stint in the Windy City.
Sure, that was more than 10 years ago but Smith is the kind of head coach that will find a way to get the most out of his players and is always ready to play on Sundays. It won’t be any different in H-Town.