The Houston Texans have a dominant defense, and thus, are one of the teams in the mix as a legitimate contender to the New England Patriots’ throne in the AFC. However, for the Texans to actually win the conference and advance to the Super Bowl, the offense has to improve. Houston made the postseason last year but didn’t waste any time in jettisoning Brock Osweiler out of town, and now the team’s quarterbacks will be in the spotlight. There is a lot to like about this Houston club, but without a good signal-caller the ceiling on the potential won’t be too high. The Texans addressed the weakness in the draft with Deshaun Watson. Can he be this year’s Dak Prescott? It’s a tall order because the learning curve for a a rookie in the NFL is steep.
AFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
New England Patriots +190
Pittsburgh Steelers +675
Oakland Raiders +700
Kansas City Chiefs +1000
Houston Texans +1200
Denver Broncos +1300
Indianapolis Colts +1500
Baltimore Ravens +1700
Tennessee Titans +2000
Cincinnati Bengals +2300
Miami Dolphins +2500
Los Angeles Chargers +3500
Jacksonville Jaguars +3500
Buffalo Bills +4500
Cleveland Browns +15000
New York Jets +15000
Key Players for Winning the AFC
J.J. Watt - The Texans’ game-wrecking defensive end is arguably the most fearsome defender in the NFL. However, he missed all but three games last season with a back injury and must prove that he can remain healthy for the entirety of the season. Watt has led the NFL in sacks twice and is equally great against the run. It was impressive with how well the Texans played last season without their superstar, but they hope he is healthy and ultra-effective throughout this campaign as well.
Jadeveon Clowney - The former No. 1 overall pick in the draft started his career slowly but looked really good in 2016. It’s a scary thing for offensive coordinators to know that both Watt and Clowney will be rushing the quarterback this year. Clowney racked up 52 tackles and six sacks a season ago but the sack total wasn’t indicative of the pressure he got on opposing quarterbacks. A double-digit sack total would not be a surprise for Clowney this year, especially since offensive lines will once again have to focus on slowing down Watt.
Deshaun Watson- The former Clemson star comes into the NFL with a good deal of experience, but it’s still going to be a transition. He has an impressive blend of arm talent and speed, so Watson could be tough on defenses when plays break down. However, he isn’t on pace to be the starter quite yet and it’s unknown when he will eventually take over the offense. Watson has the highest ceiling among the Houston quarterbacks, but if he is mistake-prone that could really cost the club. It will be interesting to see when he becomes the starter.
DeAndre Hopkins- Hopkins is one of the better wideouts in the NFL, but he was underutilized a year ago as Osweiler had trouble getting him the ball. Houston needs to do a better job of putting Hopkins in advantageous positions to succeed. With as good as the defense is, the Texans don’t need to win shootouts every game. Many times they only need a few scores, and force-feeding the ball to Hopkins is a good idea as he is a star.
Lamar Miller- The Dolphins signed Miller in free agency from the Dolphins a season ago and he surpassed 1,000 yards rushing but had only 181 receiving yards, It was a bit of a down year for the versatile running back and he should improve this season. Miller has a career yards-per-carry average of 4.4 and if he can get back up to that number he will really help the offense. The Texans have a lot of good pieces and they are taking aim at another playoff berth in 2017. However, winning the AFC will be determinant on the quarterback play.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go.
Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
