4 Reasons the Houston Texans Will Win the AFC South

For the past few seasons the Houston Texans have been the darling pick to win the AFC South. Every year, to this point, has led to disappointment for Texans fans. However, 2011 is going to be different. The Texans have all the makings of a playoff team and division winner, and the following explanations just may convince you.

The Offense

While the Texans may not have the best offense in the NFL, they are definitely in the Top Five. They have a very good quarterback in Matt Schaub, an excellent running back in Arian Foster, and the best wide receiver in the NFL in Andre Johnson.

Behind the stars are Owen Daniels, Kevin Walter, Bryant Johnson, Jacoby Jones, Derrick Ward and Ben Tate, arguably the most depth at the skilled positions in the league. Plus, they have a solid offensive line and a system that allows everyone to maximize their potential. Houston's success depends on its offense and with weapons like these, you can't help but like their chances this season.

Wade Phillips

First of all, any defensive coordinator is better than what Houston had last year.

Second, everyone seems down on Philips as a defensive coordinator because he has been consistently unsuccessful as a head coach. He is the defensive version of Norv Turner; he is great at his specialty but should never be in charge of the whole operation. Now that Philips is in his comfort zone as a DC, I expect the Texans to finish, at minimum, in the middle of the pack on defense. They will be more aggressive defensively, cause more turnovers, and will get the Texans offense the ball more often and that will be a recipe for success for Houston.

Mario Williams

Remember when everyone went berserk when the Houston Texans took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush and Vince Young? I guess those people owe Charlie Casserly an apology.

Williams has averaged just under 11 sacks over the past four seasons and is the key to the Houston pass rush. With the Texans switching to the 3-4 this year, Super Mario will be playing linebacker instead of defensive end. If he can make the transition, and take full advantage of his athletic ability, he has the potential to be a defensive player of the year nominee. Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans are important to the defense’s success, but Williams is the most important player on the D because Houston needs to get pressure on the quarterback to protect that fragile secondary.

Peyton Manning's Neck

Similar to how many people believe the '93-94 and '94-95 Houston Rockets only won the NBA Championship because Michael Jordan stepped away from the game (not true but the common belief), many people feel this is the perfect time for the Texans to be opportunistic.

Peyton Manning is most likely out for the year, Luke McCown is the starting quarterback in Jacksonville after David Garrard got cut and Matt Hasselbeck looks like he knows about seven plays of the Tennessee Titans offense.

There is literally no excuse for why the Houston Texans shouldn’t win the AFC South in 2011. For the first time this decade, Matt Schaub is the best quarterback in the division.