Overperforming Houston Texans: 2023's Biggest Surprise?

The future looks bright for the Texans and Sports Illustrated picked the entire team as the NFL's overperforming unit.

The Houston Texans put the NFL on notice after an impressive playoff run that kicked off the new regime of coach DeMeco Ryans.

So impressive, that quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson, Jr. won Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in Las Vegas Thursday night, respectively.

Ryans fell short by one point to Cleveland Browns' Kevin Stefanski for the NFL's AP Coach of the Year. Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik was also a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year.

Stroud

The Texans finished with an 11-8 record and won the AFC South Division. The future looks bright for the Texans and Sports Illustrated picked the entire team as the NFL's overperforming unit. The list is created by comparing the final figures to preseason expectations of specific position groups/units and an entire team has never been selected before. 

"These Texans are not only a great example of how drafting the right quarterback and putting him in a position to immediately succeed can abruptly change everything, but also how adding a number of perfect fits on the defensive front -- guys who suit a new coach's strategy -- can also spawn a remarkable turnaround," writes SI. 

"Houston fielded a complementary team that accentuated roster strengths and minimized weaknesses."

The other overperforming units in the NFL the season? The Detroit Lions offense, Tampa Bay Buccaneers passing offense, Los Angeles Rams offensive/defensive front, and the Kansas City Chiefs defense. 

BREAKING: Texans' C.J. Stroud Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year

On the flip side, the underperforming units: New England Patriots passing offense, Carolina Panthers offensive line, Los Angeles Chargers secondary, Philadelphia Eagles secondary and the Atlanta Falcons passing offense. 

Now, the Texans join the other 29 NFL teams in watching the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers battle to earn the Super Bowl LVIII title on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. 

The Texans have never appeared or won a Super Bowl: A statistic Ryans and Stroud hope to change. The Texans have a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and look for their productive rookie class to make the second-season leap.