Top surprises, wildcards, award candidates for 2024 Houston Texans season
TEXANS ON TAP
30 August
The Houston Texans season starts a week from Sunday. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Texans season is right around the corner, and now we officially know what the roster looks like in 2024.
One of the surprise cuts was receiver Noah Brown, who has struggled to stay healthy. The Texans elected to go with one veteran receiver for depth, Robert Woods.
Which makes sense, if you're going to roll with one older receiver, go ahead and pick the one who has been more healthy, and has a much better career resume overall.
However, it didn't take long for Brown to find another team, he's already signed with the Commanders and might be their second-best receiver behind Terry McLaurin, pending health.
Running back Cam Akers was the fan favorite to make the team, and the fans got their wish. If Dameon Pierce continues to struggle, the Texans shouldn't hesitate to give Akers some opportunities.
Another positive development on offense is the depth on the o-line. Nick Broeker, Kendrick Green, Jarrett Patterson, and Blake Fisher inspire more confidence should the Texans need them this year.
What about defense?
It really looks like the Texans nailed their first two defensive draft picks. Both Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock are expected to start for the team.
Lassiter is already penciled in as the No. 2 corner, and Bullock should get reps at safety with Jimmie Ward when Jalen Pitre lines up as the nickel defender.
Pitre's ability to play nickel this year certainly gave DeMeco and company the confidence to let Desmond King go. King didn't make the team last season either, but joined later in the season due to poor play and injuries at the position.
Finally, one big disappointment has to be linebacker Christian Harris being placed on short-term IR, which means he'll miss at least the first four games.
Predictions
When looking at the Texans schedule, we see the team finishing with either a 10-7 or 11-6 record. Either way, we believe the Texans win the division and head back to the playoffs.
Could CJ Stroud win MVP?
It's a real possibility. He's only behind Patrick Mahomes according to the odds in Vegas. If not Stroud or Mahomes, Josh Allen could get the nod if he has another big season after losing receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason.
What about DeMeco?
Most Texans fans feel like DeMeco Ryans was robbed for Coach of the Year last season. Do the Texans have to take another massive step forward for him to bring home the hardware in 2024?
Be sure to watch the video above for the full conversation!
How Houston Texans pick up pieces following Ravens thrashing
Dec 25, 2024, 7:15 pm
Lamar Jackson broke the NFL career rushing record for quarterbacks in Baltimore's 31-2 victory over the Houston Texans on Wednesday, bolstering his case for MVP as the Ravens moved closer to the AFC North title.
*Don't miss the video below as the guys from Texans on Tap react to the game live on YouTube!
Jackson threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 87 yards and another score. He pushed his career rushing total to 6,110 to move past Michael Vick, who had 6,109 in his 13-year career.
The Ravens (11-5) have already wrapped up their third straight playoff berth and need a victory over Cleveland next week to win the division over Pittsburgh. The Steelers dropped a third straight with a loss to Kansas City on Wednesday.
Jackson, the MVP last season and in 2019, put on a show rivaled only by the spectacular Super Bowl-caliber halftime performance by Beyoncé to give Baltimore its third straight win. And he needed just more than three quarters to do it, giving way to Josh Johnson with about 10 minutes left and the game long decided.
Jackson threw 9- and 1-yard TD passes and was not touched on a 48-yard scoring scamper that made it 24-2 in the third quarter.
Derrick Henry ran for 147 yards and set the Ravens season record with his 16th touchdown on a 2-yard run in the first quarter. He eclipsed Ray Rice (2011) and Mark Ingram (2019).
Baltimore dominated a Houston team reeling after losing dynamic receiver Tank Dell to a season-ending knee injury Saturday.
The AFC South champs struggled to finish drives and got their only points on a safety in the second quarter. C.J. Stroud threw for 185 yards, but was sacked five times and threw an interception and Joe Mixon managed just 26 yards rushing as the Texans (9-7) lost a second straight.
Rookie Kamari Lassiter dropped Henry for a 4-yard loss for the safety with about 10 minutes left in the first half to cut the lead to 10-2.
Dameon Pierce then returned the kickoff 45 yards to get the Texans to their 43. But they came away empty when Mixon was stopped on the 1 after grabbing a short pass on fourth-and-3.
Jackson then orchestrated a 99-yard drive to pad the lead. He scrambled to evade the rush and found Mark Andrews for a 67-yard gain to get the Ravens in the red zone with just more than two minutes left in the first half.
Isaiah Likely’s 9-yard TD reception two plays later made it 17-2. It was the first 17-2 halftime score in NFL history.
Kyle Hamilton intercepted Stroud's pass on the first drive of the second half. Two plays later, Jackson’s long TD run made it 24-2.
He set the rushing record on a 6-yard run on Baltimore’s next drive. Later in the drive, he scrambled to escape several defenders before finding Andrews for a 1-yard score to leave Baltimore up 31-2.
Injuries
Ravens RB Rasheen Ali injured his hip in the third quarter and didn’t return. … Texans TE Cade Stover returned after missing two games following an emergency appendectomy.
Up next
The Ravens host the Browns, and the Texans visit the Titans next weekend. The game dates have yet to be determined.
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