There is a recent trend in the NFL of teams finishing with the worst record in their division, only to claim the best record in their division the very next season.
In fact, it has happened 19 times dating back to the 2003 season.
Of those 19 teams that have achieved the feat, four of them — the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, 2009 New Orleans Saints, and 2003 Carolina Panthers — even reached the Super Bowl.
A Twitter post by NFL GameDay pointed this out and questioned whether the 10-7 Houston Texans could become the fifth such team this year.
Are the Texans next in line for a Super Bowl run? 👀 pic.twitter.com/NdE1vWEQm2
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) January 8, 2024
Last season, the Texans were a disaster, as they went 3-13-1 in their first season following the departure of star quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Their troubles earned them the No. 2 pick in last April’s draft, which they used to select quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Not much improvement was expected from them this year, but they started surging at midseason as Stroud started to show that he is a special player who may possess the clutch gene.
On Saturday, Stroud completed 20 of 26 pass attempts for 264 yards and two touchdowns as Houston defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 23-19, to claim the AFC South title.
They will play the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, and while the Browns will be a tough matchup for them, they’re eminently capable of winning this contest.
The AFC seems somewhat wide open this year, and while the Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, they aren’t iron-clad favorites.
However, the one thing that has seriously dented the Texans’ chances of winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy is the fibula injury to stud rookie wide receiver Tank Dell that prematurely ended his season about a month ago.
NEXT:
Rex Ryan Makes A Bold Statement About C.J. Stroud
