Putting a bow on the Texans 2024 season by getting the writers together for their final thoughts
Texans lose a hard fought game against the Chiefs. Wrap up the season and give me what you think the Texans need to focus on heading into the offseason?
Vballretired:
Offense. Offense. And maybe some offense. I think the defense held their end up and you can always make refinements but this has to be an offensive offseason. I’d start by canning the offensive coordinator. Clearly a new voice needs to coach Stroud and get him to check it down or throw it away more often. 59 sacks in 19 games is unacceptable. I’d get at least two new linemen, at least two new wide receivers, and maybe a new back that can be a change of pace back. That’s a minimum. I think a lot gets fixed in a slightly different system.
L4blitzer:
In one respect, the bottom line narrative for the 2024-25 season ended up the same as 2023-24. The team won the AFC South with a 10-7 record, logged a double-digit home Wild Card win against the top Wild Card in the AFC, and fell on the road in the Divisional Round to the #1 seed. Yet, this season saw the team face the burden of increased expectations. The defense upped it game, becoming a ferocious unit, especially with its defensive ends and corners. The offense, well, not exactly. Stroud regressed, the interior offensive line was horrid and Bobby Slowik went from “gonna miss him” to “we’ll help you pack”. For the off-season, the interior of the offensive line, especially at guard, will/should be the primary focus for improvement. Getting Stroud to play like he can should be a major emphasis for the OC (hopefully a new one). That would likely include a legit, consistent red zone receiving threat. Also, shoring up the interior of the defensive line and some LB/S help should be on the agenda. Future is still looking positive, but there are some significant areas to work on before August.
Patrick.H:
The offensive line should be the first and ultimate thing the Texans address in the offseason. Whether that’s shelling out money for whatever big name free agents are out there or making it the highest priority in the draft, that has to be the first thing the Texans do. Following that up, surrounding Stroud with more weapons, namely a tight end that doesn’t disappear for half the game (lookin’ at you Schultz and Stover). I’m not saying Stover is a bust, it’s entirely too early to make that call yet; but as of yet, we do not have a long-term answer on this team at TE. We also don’t know how long Tank Dell is going to be out, and our vaunted WR corps is definitely thin now with Dell’s status up in the air and no indication whether Stefon Diggs plans to resign with the team.
Kenneth L.:
This season felt like it never got started. Houston’s offense never left the starting line. The early penalties hampered the team early, then came the injuries, then the disappearance of the run game, and by the end of the season the offensive line was in full meltdown mode.
It’s easy to point a finger square at Kenyon Green and say “YOU’RE THE PROBLEM”, but even when he was out for the season the offensive line still had problems. Second-year lineman Juice Scruggs and Jarrett Patterson struggle with any gap penetration. For as good as Nick Caserio has been identifying talent in the draft, his biggest mistakes all have been on the offensive line.
While Bobby Slowik has also received ire from the fanbase, something has to be said for the job he did preparing the offense for the Wild Card round. Let’s call it a sophomore slump for Slowik and reset for a third year under the offense. I don’t think enough credence has been given to potentially completely changing the offense surrounding Stroud and if that’s best for him.
Moving forward, Houston needs legitimate solutions on the offensive line. Can Blake Fisher play guard? Understanding Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs timelines for recovery will impact Texans draft decisions. Texans defense maintains just about everyone, but it needs to level up its interior and secondary depth.