As the Houston Texans prepare for the 2026 NFL season, everyone knows how elite their defense is when at its peak.
Last season, the Texans won nine straight games, largely because of their ability to win at the line of scrimmage and in coverage. Houston featured the No. 1 defense and ranked second in scoring, allowing less than 18 points per contest.
So are the Texans good enough to win the Super Bowl even with subpar offensive play?
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr listed the Texans as one of 14 teams that could hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season. Even with the offense being a liability last season, Orr believes that the addition of Reed Blankenship and rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald could make the Texans the best defense in over two decades.
“The Texans are my Super Bowl LXI pick,” Orr wrote. “This Houston team was outpacing the 1986 Bears (who allowed fewer points than the ’85 Bears that won the Super Bowl) over the first few weeks of the 2025 season and added the versatile Reed Blankenship to its secondary. There is no team in the NFL that Houston cannot adequately defend and no offensive line capable of turning them inside out. I also believe C.J. Stroud will finally emerge from the football wilderness (and that his “struggles” still had him playing more efficiently on a down-to-down basis than Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert or Lamar Jackson last season). He is not blameless, buthe has shouldered a disproportionate amount of blame for his struggles. The Texans have attacked his development with the best of intentions, and a reworked offensive line full of the right players, along with a workhorse back in David Montgomery, should make a world of difference.”
Everything really comes down to the play of Stroud. Yes, Houston’s defense could take a step back, but the Pro Bowl quarterback’s inconsistencies in the postseason really was the only thing that derailed the franchise from making the Super Bowl last fall.
The criticism of Stroud, who is currently seeking a contract extension entering Year 4, is warranted. On one hand, he cut down on the turnovers last season and upped his completion percentage to 64.5 percent. On the other hand, he did finish with just 19 touchdowns and had seven interceptions in the playoffs.
Orr, however, sees Stroud looking more like his 2023 version. Add that in with a defense that’s missing nothing on paper, and Houston should feel like next season is the year where no one can stand in their way.
To see all 14 contenders, click here.
The Texans begin training camp on July 28.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL analyst believes Texans are ‘team to beat’ in AFC for 2026
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cole Thompson, Texans Wire | USA TODAY Network
