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The Houston Texans are in a position to have a challenging season in 2021. Not too long ago, they had a star-studded roster featuring DeAndre Hopkins, JJ Watt, Duane Brown, Jadeveon Clowney, and more. Today, all of these players are gone.
Like every NFL team, the Texans have distinct strengths and weaknesses working for and against them.
Here are five strengths and weaknesses for the Houston Texans in 2021.
Houston Texans strengths
#1 - Running Back
Say what you will about the Houston Texans, but they have a great group at running back. The Houston Texans have David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, and Mark Ingram as their top three running backs. All three rushers have had multiple seasons with 1000 yards or more.
Last season, David Johnson registered 691 yards and six touchdowns. Phillip Lindsay ran for 502 yards and one touchdown. Mark Ingram managed 299 yards and two touchdowns. While they all had sub-par campaigns last season, each player could easily return to providence in 2021.
#2 - Top wide receiver
While the Houston Texans do not have DeAndre Hopkins anymore, they have Brandin Cooks, who is still a good wide receiver. Cooks has registered over 1000 yards in five of his seven seasons in the NFL. Last year, Cooks caught 81 passes for 1150 yards and six touchdowns. He is almost guaranteed to have a great season in 2021.
#3 - Kicker
Ka'imi Fairbairn is quietly one of the best players on the Houston Texans roster. While they have faced instability in seemingly every position over the last several years, Fairbairn has been stable and reliable. Last season, Fairbairn made 27 of his 31 field goals attempts.
#4 - Strength of Schedule
According to Sporting News, the Houston Texans' 2021 schedule is only the 15th-toughest in the NFL. While it won't be easy, they do have some favorable matchups. This could help them eke out a couple of extra wins.
#5 - Element of surprise
The Houston Texans will have a completely fresh group of coaches heading into 2021. David Culley is the team's new head coach, with Tim Kelly and Lovie Smith as the offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.
This relatively unknown group of coaches have the element of surprise on their side in 2021. No team knows what their strategy will be, which could lead to some surprising success early in the season.
Houston Texans' weaknesses
#1 - No Deshaun Watson
While Deshaun Watson is still technically the Houston Texans' starting quarterback, that will likely change before the regular season. Watson is looking to get out of Houston and has openly said he would like to join the Denver Broncos. He is also facing legal lawsuits and is expected to face a suspension this season.
#2 - Lost a lot of talent in recent years
J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, DeAndre Hopkins, Duane Brown and more have left the Houston Texans over the last several seasons. As a result, the Houston Texans have fallen from a perennial playoff team to a 4-12 team. It will be a tall task for the coaches and management to replace these stars in the long run.
The exodus seems to have no end in sight, with Deshaun Watson expected to leave the franchise as well.
#3 - Uninspriring rookie quarterback
The Texans drafted a quarterback knowing they will be without Watson for the foreseeable future. However, the selection of Davis Mills is uninspiring. In college, Mills threw for 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in his best year in 2019. In 2020, his play slipped even further, as he managed just seven touchdowns with three interceptions.
Mills' selection was a head-scratcher. The Texans will likely not field the quarterback unless they decide to tank for the first overall pick in the 2022 draft.
#4 - Lack of exceptional options at quarterback
With Deshaun Watson's exit looming large, the Houston Texans also signed veteran Tyrod Taylor. Taylor's best season came in 2015. He threw for over 3000 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He followed that up with two more seasons with similar numbers, if not slightly worse.
He's been a backup since 2018, bouncing from the Cleveland Browns to the Los Angeles Chargers. The former backup quarterback is expected to step in for Deshaun Watson, which does not inspire much confidence about the upcoming season.
#5 - Top cornerback currently suspended
Bradley Roby won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. His performances in Denver earned him a starting role at cornerback in Houston. However, ESPN currently has Roby listed as suspended.
The Texans will sorely miss their top cornerback in 2021. Without him, depth players will be forced to take on superior talent, making it harder for the offense to keep up.
