5 NFL teams that exceeded expectations in 2023

2. Houston Texans: 10-7

Under rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans massively overachieved in 2023. The fact that Houston finished the regular season with a 10-7 record despite competing in a ultra-competitive AFC conference with a lack of talent across their roster compared to other teams just makes it all the more impressive. The Texans may potentially have the NFL Coach of the Year (DeMeco Ryans), Coordinator of the Year (Bobby Slowik), Offensive Rookie of the Year (C.J. Stroud), and Defensive Rookie of the Year (Will Anderson Jr.) all on the same team. That is pretty ridiculous considering all four of them were in the first years of their respective positions in the NFL.

While their season did fall short of the AFC Championship in the Divisional round vs. the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans proved to the entire world that they will continue to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender for years to come. Winning their division in what many assumed was a "rebuild year" was just the preview to an extremely bright future in Houston.