The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are among the odds on favorites to meet in a Super Bowl rematch, but, there is a team with a loaded roster in the AFC capable of playing spoiler to Patrick Mahomes and Co’s bid for a Lombardi three-peat. The Houston Texans have all the pieces to make a legitimate Super Bowl run this fall.
![Why Houston Texans Have Legitimate Chance to Win the Super Bowl in 2024 1 Houston Texans](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/USATSI_22127215_168400517_lowres-1024x742.jpg)
Quarterback C.J. Stroud ran away with the Offensive Rookie of The Year award last season, elevating the Texans’ offense, including dynamic receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell — before Dell suffered a season-ending injury, and prior to Houston pulling off a blockbuster trade to add former Buffalo Bills playmaker Stefon Diggs to Stroud’s arsenal this offseason.
The wunderkind quarterback, and No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns to just five interceptions, while finishing with a 100.8 passer rating.
By season’s end, Stroud capped his rookie campaign as the league’s eighth-leading passer while leading the Texans to the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman suggests the Texans have the pieces in place to mount a legitimate Super Bowl charge this fall.
“Everything changed for the Texans franchise with the selection of C.J. Stroud,” Wasserman writes for PFF. “He had arguably the greatest rookie quarterback season ever. Outside of a couple of tough performances against the Ravens and Jets, he was a top-five signal-caller last season. The Texans are perhaps the best current example of a team taking advantage of possessing an elite quarterback on a rookie contract.
“They already carried excellent weapons like Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Dalton Schultz last season, and they’ve since added Stefon Diggs to form arguably the best-receiving trio in the NFL. Running back Joe Mixon was also acquired to give the team a three-down option it didn’t have last season. The Texans have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and they could ride it to an AFC title and beyond.”
Houston already built a balanced roster teeming with talent on both sides of the ball, largely in the image of head coach and former franchise icon DeMeco Ryans last season.
Then, adding Diggs raised expectations through the roof.
Are Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud and Stefon Diggs the NFL’s Best?
![Why Houston Texans Have Legitimate Chance to Win the Super Bowl in 2024 2 NFL houston texans c.j. stroud](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/USATSI_21946661_168400517_lowres-1024x683.jpg)
Diggs lands in Houston and atop the Texans’ depth chart looking to turn the page from a disappointing closing stretch to the 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills.
However, even after catching 107 passes for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns (Diggs’ fewest scores since 2020), there’s significant optimism that Diggs will make an outsized impact in Houston.
NFL Media’s Kevin Patra put together a list of the league’s top quarterback-receiver duos, with Stroud and Diggs as the No. 1 ranked veteran pairing.
“In walks Stefon Diggs,” Patra writes. “Fresh off his sixth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards. It says something about Diggs that he just generated 1,183 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, yet it was considered a down year. Perhaps the 30-year-old lost a step. Perhaps his focus has waned. Perhaps.
“At the very least, the Texans paid relatively little in their trade for Diggs to find out if he has a fifth straight Pro Bowl in him. When right, Diggs owns the route-running ability to beat any corner. He can threaten any level and has the hands to come down with everything. Diggs provides the Texans with a perfect complement to Collins and Dell and gives Stroud a go-to veteran at key moments.”
Adding Diggs elevates the Texans’ expectations and just might prop Houston’s Super Bowl window around Stroud open even further.
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