NFL Season Predictions: Will Texans struggle to win 9 games in 2017?

Texans Season Win Prediction

Will the Houston Texans struggle to win nine games this upcoming NFL season?

According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI, the Texans' over/under for wins in 2017 has been set at 8.5. Houston is also 40/1 to win the AFC Conference Championship and is 9/5 to win the AFC South Division.

Bet 2017 Houston Texans Season Odds

The Texans were quiet this offseason outside of re-signing tight end Ryan Griffin to a three-year, $9 million contract. They also took one-year fliers on a pair of former Jets players, including safety Marcus Gilchrist (one year, $3 million) and offensive tackle Breno Giacomini (one year, $2.75 million).

Where Houston drew headlines this offseason was in April's draft. They selected Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson with the 12th overall selection in the first round and he could wind up starting as a rookie. In the second round, the Texans took Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham and in the third, they nabbed Texas running back D'Onta Foreman.

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OUR PREDICTION: I'm a big fan of Watson and I believe the reward outweighs the risk when it comes to starting him Week 1. (Watson is mature enough to handle the jump to the NFL and Tom Savage has done nothing in preseason to instill confidence in Bill O'Brien.) The Texans also receive a huge boost with the return of J.J. Watt but I don't think that alone stamps Houston's ticket back to the playoffs. They have a rookie defensive coordinator in Mike Vrabel, they lost a lot of talent in their secondary, and despite my affinity for Watson, he's still a rookie. I like the under.

 

NFL SEASON PREDICTIONS: HOUSTON TEXANS UNDER 8.5