C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are just two weeks into the lengthy NFL regular season, but the defending AFC South champions are already pulling ahead in the race for the 2024 division title.
In a recent matchup, Stroud and his team defeated the Chicago Bears 19-13 on Sunday Night Football. During this game, Houston’s quarterback recorded 260 passing yards and threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Nico Collins in the first half. As of Sunday night, DeMeco Ryans’ team holds a 2–0 record, having secured a road victory against their division rival, the Indianapolis Colts, in Week 1. The Texans are emerging as serious contenders for the Super Bowl, while their AFC South rivals are struggling significantly at the start of the season. The combined record of the Colts, Jaguars, and Titans stands at a dismal 0–6, giving Houston a substantial two-game lead that could prove insurmountable.
The combined record for the Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans after the first two weeks of 2024 is a dismal 0–6, which gives the Houston Texans a significant two-game advantage over all three teams that they may not lose.
Having three teams at 0–2 is troubling enough, but the way they have lost is even more concerning. The Colts lost their home opener to Houston and then fell to Green Bay’s backup quarterback Malik Willis, who had only recorded 234 passing yards in his previous three starts. Meanwhile, the Jaguars squandered a lead in Week 1 against Miami and then lost their home opener to the Cleveland Browns. The Tennessee Titans, led by Will Levis, suffered a defeat against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in Week 2, although Levis’ performance in the prior game against Chicago was particularly poor.
Who started Bears defense in @NFLFantasy?
📺: #TENvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/vkW77Dtnxx— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
I’m not ready to declare the Texans as the AFC champions based on their two victories against imperfect teams. However, I do believe they are on track to secure the AFC South title. This team has a real chance of remaining undefeated until Halloween, particularly if Jordan Love is still sidelined for Green Bay throughout October.
November presents a challenging schedule for Houston, and December could become particularly tough as they vie for the conference’s top seed. In the meantime, expect the Texans to pull ahead significantly in the coming weeks, clinching the AFC South much sooner than last year’s dramatic Week 18 win-and-in game in Indianapolis.
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