Houston Texans

Philadelphia used a big fourth quarter to stun last season's Super Bowl finalists the 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Week 4.

Things got physical between Jalen Ramsey and Golden Tate as the Los Angeles Rams beat the New York Giants 17-9.

There were also wins for the in-form Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts.

EAGLES SHOCK NINERS

After two losses and a draw to open 2020, and with a growing injury list, Philadelphia faced an uphill battle away to the 49ers.

The Eagles (1-2-1) also trailed in the fourth quarter before back-to-back touchdowns lifted Philadelphia past San Francisco.

Carson Wentz threw a 42-yard TD pass to Travis Fulgham with less than six minutes remaining as the Eagles moved ahead 18-14.

With starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined, Nick Mullens then threw an interception that Alex Singleton returned for a TD as the 49ers (2-2) lost at home again.

Mullens, who committed three turnovers, was 18 for 26 for 200 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced by 49ers team-mate C.J. Beathard.

Eagles QB Wentz finished 18-of-28 for 193 yards, a touchdown and interception, while he rushed for 37 yards and a TD as the Eagles moved top of the NFC East.

NO LOVE LOST IN INGLEWOOD

There was not much drama between the Rams and Giants, that was until the game ended.

The Rams (3-1) claimed a hard-fought victory over the winless Giants (0-4) after Jared Goff and Cooper Kupp combined for a 55-yard TD with just under seven minutes left to play at SoFi Stadium.

After grinding out victory, things really heated up as Rams star Ramsey and Giants wide receiver Tate traded punches.

Ramsey, who has two young children with Tate's sister, and the latter were pulled apart by team-mates in chaotic scenes.

"We don't want to have happen at the end of the game what happened," Giants coach Joe Judge said afterwards. "That's not the way we want to be as a team."

BILLS STAY PERFECT

The Bills remain undefeated after seeing off the Las Vegas Raiders 30-23.

Josh Allen led the way, throwing two touchdowns and rushing for another as the Bills improved to 4-0 for the season.

QB Derek Carr was 32 for 44 for 311 yards and a pair of TDs after the Raiders (2-2) lost their second straight game and first at the new Allegiant Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Philip Rivers and the Colts (3-1) took down the Chicago Bears (3-1) 19-11.

Rivers was 16 of 29 for 190 yards and a touchdown as he moved within four completions of joining Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning with 5,000.

Week 4 scores:

Seattle Seahawks 31-23 Miami Dolphins
Cincinnati Bengals 33-25 Jacksonville Jaguars
Minnesota Vikings 31-23 Houston Texans
Cleveland Browns 49-38 Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore Ravens 31-17 Washington Football Team
New Orleans Saints 35-29 Detroit Lions
Carolina Panthers 31-21 Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-31 Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams 17-9 New York Giants
Buffalo Bills 30-23 Las Vegas Raiders
Indianapolis Colts 19-11 Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles 25-20 San Francisco 49ers

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said that Ekeler was "day-to-day" having been placed on the list, along with wide receiver Jalen Guyton

The 26-year-old has 1,347 total yards from 235 touches this season with 17 touchdowns (10 rushing and seven receiving).

The Chargers have been hit the recent COVID-19 surge with star linebacker Joey Bosa and defensive back Kemon Hall also on the reserve/COVID-19 list along with several others.

Bosa is unvaccinated and has been added to the reserve/COVID-19 list for a second time.

Under-fire Dan Quinn saw his men surrender a 16-point lead to lose 30-26 a week after a humiliating last-gasp loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

There were big wins for the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, while the Tennessee Titans once more had Stephen Gostkowski to thank for a narrow victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

The New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers also won, with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals playing out the first tie of the season.

FALCONS FELLED BY FOLES

Falcons coach Quinn looks to be in trouble after another fourth-quarter collapse by Atlanta, this time leading to a four-point loss to the Bears.

Nick Foles threw three touchdown passes in the final quarter, the latter connecting with Anthony Miller with two minutes remaining, as Chicago recovered from 16 points down to move to 3-0 for the season.

The Falcons are the first team in NFL history to blow a lead of 15 points or more in the fourth quarter and lose in back-to-back matches.

Matt Ryan was intercepted by Tashaun Gipson late on as a miserable day for the Falcons was compounded by the losses of Russell Gage (concussion) and Grady Jarrett (hip).

RAMS FALL SHORT IN SPECTACULAR COMEBACK, PATRIOTS SIX IN A ROW AGAINST RAIDERS

The Los Angeles Rams almost completed the third-biggest comeback ever in the regular season, only to be denied by a Tyler Kroft touchdown with 15 seconds remaining.

The Bills had squandered a 25-point advantage but were bailed out by Kroft's second of the game following good work from Josh Allen.

Elsewhere in the East, the Patriots moved to 2-0 at home as three touchdowns from Rex Burkhead led them to a 36-20 defeat of the Las Vegas Raiders.

TITANS BUOYED BY GOSTKOWSKI SIX APPEAL

The Titans downed the winless Minnesota Vikings 31-30 thanks to the boot of Stephen Gostkowski.

A career-high six field goals, including a 55-yarder with less than two minutes on the clock, helped to banish memories of some wayward kicking in his first two Titans outings.

Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 181 yards and scored for the Vikings, but they are 0-3 for the first time in seven years.

The Steelers are still perfect, though – they moved to 3-0 for the first time since 2010 by defeating the Houston Texans 28-21, Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 237 yards and two touchdowns in a franchise-record 221st appearance.

Week 3 scores:

Atlanta Falcons 26-30 Chicago Bears
Buffalo Bills 35-32 Los Angeles Rams
Cleveland Browns 34-20 Washington Football Team
Minnesota Vikings 30-31 Tennessee Titans
New England Patriots 36-20 Las Vegas Raiders
New York Giants 9-36 San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles 23-23 Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers 28-21 Houston Texans

Smith was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Arkansas in the 2014 draft and spent eight years in the league, representing teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

He last played in the NFL for the Houston Texans in 2021 before signing for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL in March of this year.

Smith's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed his death on Twitter, saying: "Rest in Peace Chris. Condolences to all his family, friends and loved ones. We will miss you."

Smith's cause of death has not been released.

Several former teammates paid tribute, with Browns tight-end David Njoku declaring on Twitter: "Rest in paradise Chris Smith.

"Hometown hero and a brother to everyone. Such a kind soul. This is heartbreaking."

Smith also played for the Las Vegas Raiders and their former quarterback Derek Carr posted a photo of the two together and wrote: "Love you bro."

DeMeco Ryans is returning to Houston after agreeing on Tuesday to become the Texans coach. The deal is reportedly for six years.

Ryans spent the past two seasons as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator, directing a unit that led the NFL in fewest points and fewest yards allowed in the 2022 regular season.

"Being the head coach of the Houston Texans is my dream job and my family is thrilled to be back in H-Town," Ryans said in a statement. "I have been around the game of football my entire life and I've always had a natural ability to lead others. I know what it takes to win and be successful in this league as both a player and coach."

Prior to serving as the Niners' defensive coordinator the 38-year-old coached their linebackers following a 10-year career as a linebacker in the NFL.

Ryans' playing career began in 2006 after he was selected 33rd overall by the Texans in that year's draft.

In six seasons with the Texans, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and to a pair of Pro Bowls. In 2012, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played for four seasons before retiring in 2015.

He now becomes Houston's fifth coach since the start of the 2020 season taking over for the recently fired Lovie Smith.

The Texans have gone 11-38-1 in those three seasons after finishing 2022 with a 3-13-1 record.

"We're going to build a program filled with players who have a special work ethic and relentless mindset," Ryans said. "I understand the responsibility I have to this organisation and to the fans of Houston to build a winner and I can't wait to get to work."

The 49ers are 8-7 in the NFC West and can secure a playoffs berth with victory against the Texans.

Garoppolo, who will be a key part of their postseason bid, only threw under supervision at the team's Wednesday practice but said he was "definitely" a chance to play.

"I played the entire game with it basically, so it's really just about being able to grip the ball and do the things I normally do and we're gonna go test those out today, see how it feels and go from there," Garoppolo told reporters. "But I feel confident in it."

Garoppolo had missed the 49ers' bonus practice on Monday as he waiting for swelling in the thumb to subside.

"We'll see how it looks today," Garoppolo added on Wednesday. "If it looks good, it looks good. If it looks bad, it looks bad.

"It's just one of those things that you have got to test it out and go through it. Until we do that, it will be hard to say. But we'll all be on the same page and we'll do the right thing for the team."

The 49ers QB continued: "It's a torn ligament so it is what it is. The pain, it's not going anywhere so I know what that feels like but it's just about being confident and going out there and being able to do what I normally do with the football. We'll see where it gets us but I feel good right now with it."

Garoppolo has a completion rate of 68 percent this season for 3,494 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions across 14 games.

If Garoppolo is not deemed fit, rookie Trey Lance will be in line to make his second NFL start having filled in against the Arizona Cardinals on October 10.

The 49ers quarterback has been battling a thumb injury which was aggravated in Thursday's 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Garoppolo's status for Sunday's game is unknown but he is considered day-to-day, meaning Trey Lance could deputise for him.

"We knew his thumb was hurting him," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "We thought he jammed it sometime in the game, so he tells us right when he comes to the bench."

He added: "I think this last month of Trey has been his best consecutive four weeks at practice since we've had him.

"He's had a number of good days and he's had some bad days like most guys do, but as far as his consistency and stuff, I feel this last month has been his best."

Shanahan indicated Garoppolo suffered the injury in the second quarter against the Titans when sacked by Denico Autry, with the QB playing on but struggling with two costly interceptions.

The 49ers will re-assess Garoppolo's availability for Sunday's game on Wednesday.

Garoppolo has a completion rate of 68 percent this season for 3,494 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions across 14 games.

The couple, who met shortly before the coronavirus pandemic, announced the news via their social media pages on Tuesday.

"Woke up a fiance," Biles tweeted. "I can't wait to spend forever and ever with you, you're everything I dreamed of and more!"

In January last year, Owens said the enforced shutdown of sport caused by COVID-19 allowed him and Biles to spend time getting to know one another.

"It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn't do anything," he told Texas Monthly. "So we used it to get to know each other - really get to know each other. It created our bond and made it stronger. Now I'm so thankful."

Biles, 24, is a four-time Olympic gold medallist and is regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts in the history of the sport.

She holds a record 25 world championship medals, 19 of which are gold, and is the only female gymnast with five world all-around titles.

At the Tokyo Olympics last year, Biles withdrew from four individual events for which she had qualified after pulling out of the women's team competition after just one rotation.

The United States star cited the need to focus on her mental health as she chose not to contest the individual all-round, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise finals.

Biles returned for the balance beam final, winning bronze, after which she described her pride in bringing greater attention to mental health concerns.

Owens, 26, was signed by the Texans after spending a year with the Arizona Cardinals. He played seven times in the NFL last season.

Much was expected of the Broncos this year after trading for quarterback Russell Wilson and handing him a huge new contract.

The calendar looked kind through two weeks, starting against Wilson's former team the Seattle Seahawks and then welcoming the Texans.

But Denver, under first-time coach Hackett, lost in farcical fashion in Seattle and only scraped past the Texans 16-9 to recover to 1-1.

The crowd were far from happy with what they saw from their team in Week 2, and those sentiments were echoed by Hackett, the subject of boos.

"I would be booing myself," Hackett said. "I was getting very frustrated.

"We get down to the red zone two times, don't get another touchdown, which is unbelievably frustrating. I don't think we have scored in there yet.

"That's something where all of our guys have to step it up. Whether we run the ball more, whatever we're doing, we just have to execute at a higher level."

The Broncos inexplicably ran down the clock against the Seahawks before sending on kicker Brandon McManus to miss a vital field goal rather than putting the ball in Wilson's hands on fourth and five.

And timekeeping was again an issue against the Texans, with slow play-calling prompting the Denver fans to count down the play clock in a loud chant.

"I think I just need to be sure I clean up exactly what I'm hearing, where I'm going with it, and make sure I'm on the same page for Russ," Hackett explained. "I think that will make us more efficient."

Wilson, who completed just 14 of 31 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception, was reticent to criticise the crowd as he skirted around the issue.

"I guess [the countdown] was helpful if needed," he said. "I guess they do that in basketball sometimes.

"This crowd was amazing tonight. Once again, how they were especially when the defense was out there with the game on the line... I know how hard that is as a quarterback hearing all of that noise and all that tenacity.

"That was great that our fans were really into it and just a great football crowd, for sure."

The season has so far been defined by close finishes. Through three weeks, there have been 18 games decided by three points or fewer this season, the most such games through the first three weeks of a season in NFL history. 

A packed crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will hope to see another tight game as the NFL returns to London with the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings facing off.

The Washington Commanders travel to face the Dallas Cowboys in a fierce rivalry and the Philadelphia Eagles will look to extend their winning streak against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

With plenty more on the agenda, Stats Perform has used its data to preview this week's games.

Minnesota Vikings (1-2) @ New Orleans Saints (1-2)

A high-scoring affair should be on the cards in London, as the Vikings and Saints have put up 700 points (53.8 per game) over their last 13 regular season matchups dating back to 1995 – more than any other game with at least a dozen meetings.

The Vikings are in very capable hands with Kirk Cousins, who has a career passer rating of 126.7 against the Saints in the regular season, the highest by any QB against a single opponent in the Super Bowl era (minimum 125 attempts).

However, they face a Saints defense that has held opponents to fewer than 250 passing yards and one touchdown pass for nine straight games, a franchise record, while the only team in the last 10 years to enjoy a longer streak was the New England Patriots in 2019.

Chris Olave boasts 268 receiving yards in his first three career games but is yet to score a touchdown, a record which stands as the most since Charlie Wade's 315 yards without a TD in his first three games for the Chicago Bears in 1974.

Washington Commanders (1-2) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

The Cowboys host the Commanders having won both matchups last season, including a 56-14 triumph in Week 14 that stands as the highest margin of victory for either team in the all-time series.

With six sacks in the Week 2 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals and five sacks last weekend against the New York Giants, the Cowboys have recorded five or more sacks in consecutive games for the first time since a four-game streak in November/December 2008.

That will be of particular concern to Carson Wentz, who was sacked a career-high nine times in the Commanders' home loss to the Eagles last week – the most of any QB for the franchise since John Beck was sacked 10 times by the Buffalo Bills in 2011.

Fourth-quarter offense has been a highlight for Washington, though, totalling 455 scrimmage yards (342 passing, 113 rushing) and standing third in the NFL for the most fourth-quarter yards in 2022 behind the Saints (541) and the Indianapolis Colts (456).

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)

The only 3-0 side to play on Sunday, the Eagles have held the Jaguars to under 20 points in the last four matchups between the two sides stretching back to 2006, tied for the second-longest active such run for Philadelphia behind the six-game streak against the Jets.

In the past two weeks, the Eagles have kept their opponents to under 10 points (8 vs Washington, 7 vs Minnesota) and are the only NFL team this season to achieve the feat in consecutive games, while Philadelphia last went three in a row in that regard in 1980.

The Jaguars are 2-1 at the start of the season for the first time since 2018 and have scored 84 points, the third-most by the team in the opening three games of the season in franchise history (98 in 1997 and 89 in 2017).

Both teams rank in the top five in the NFL for total first downs this season, with the Eagles (73) third and the Jaguars (70) fifth.

Elsewhere…

The Los Angeles Chargers travel to face the Houston Texans having being held to just 26 yards on the ground against the Jaguars last week and have 177 rushing yards in the NFL this season, the fewest in three games in team history.

A total of 572 rushing yards this season places the Cleveland Browns as the NFL's best on the ground this season and they visit the Atlanta Falcons having amassed their highest total through their first three games of a campaign since 1963.

The Seattle Seahawks tackle the Lions boasting seven wins in the last eight matchups against Detroit dating back to 2003, the third-best record by an NFC team against a conference opponent over the past 20 seasons.

The Titans have won each of the last three games against the Colts, including a 34-31 win in overtime last season. A victory this weekend would make this Tennessee's outright longest winning streak against Indianapolis (also three straight wins between 1988 and 1992).

Hopkins was stunningly traded to the Cardinals last month for the paltry return of a second-round pick and running back David Johnson.

The former first-round pick has three successive 1,000-yard campaigns and five overall in his seven seasons in the NFL.

In the aftermath, it was claimed the relationship between Hopkins and O'Brien deteriorated in the wake of a meeting in which the coach brought up former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez.

Hopkins was blunt in his response when asked about O'Brien during an interview with Sports Illustrated.

"There was no relationship," Hopkins said. "Make sure you put that in there. There's not a lot to speak about."

The three-time first-team All-Pro revealed he knew that "asking for a little raise" would lead to O'Brien, who acts as the Texans' de-facto general manager, trying to trade him.

"Which is the outcome that I wanted," he explained.

In moving to Arizona, Hopkins will go from one talented young dual-threat quarterback to another.

He will hope to form the same connection with Kyler Murray, last year's number one overall pick, that he had with Deshaun Watson.

Hopkins is confident, though, that Watson will continue to play at a high level, adding: "Deshaun is going to be amazing without me."

Smith was promoted in February after spending one season as the Texans' associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

In a rebuilding season following the trade of franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans appeared destined all season for the worst record in the league and the top overall pick in the coming NFL Draft.

They produced a stirring late comeback in Sunday's 32-31 win against the Indianapolis Colts to finish the campaign 3-13-1, handing the first pick in the draft to the Chicago Bears (3-14) in the process.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Smith said it is ridiculous to propose intentionally losing a game at this level.

"This is an option that I had," he said. "So you say, 'hey guys... all that you've been working for your life, you play to win, forget that. Lose the game on purpose.

"That will be a hard one to get by. They won't expect me to say that. I didn't. What we work on each week, our game plan, has been to win the game. It's kind of simple as that. That's what we follow through on the day.

"It's pretty simple – we play to win the game. It's kind of simple as that." 

When asked about if he expected to return for a second season at the helm, he said: "Do I expect to be back? Yes, I expect to be back."

That notion was shot down hours later, with Texans general manager Nick Caserio announcing he personally had made the decision to fire Smith, and would instead hire a new head coach for the third time during his three years in charge, and the fourth consecutive year overall with a new head coach for the franchise.

The statement read: "On behalf of the entire organisation, I would like to thank Lovie Smith for everything he has contributed to our team over the last two seasons as a coach and leader.

"I'm constantly evaluating our football operation and believe this is the best decision for us at this time. It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time.

"We aren't there right now. However, with the support of the McNair family and the resources available to us, I'm confident in the direction of the program moving forward."

O'Brien was this week relieved of his duties as head coach and general manager of the Texans after an 0-4 start, which followed on from a series of questionable personnel moves.  

Only one team, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, has started 0-4 and gone on to make the playoffs, meaning the Texans are likely playing for pride under interim head coach Romeo Crennel. 

Jack Easterby has taken on the GM role in an interim capacity, but what will O'Brien's long-term replacement in the front office have on his docket? 

Here we look at the tasks that await the new GM in the 2021 offseason.

Replace DeAndre Hopkins

O'Brien's decision to trade Hopkins for a second-round pick this year, a 2021 fourth and running back David Johnson was a move that played a significant role in sealing his fate. 

While quarterback Deshaun Watson's play has not really dropped off without Hopkins - his 8.5 yards per attempt average through four games is the highest of his career - the Texans' offense is predictably worse off without the All-Pro wide receiver. 

The Texans were 52-42 in games with Hopkins and are now 0-6 without him. They averaged 22.1 points in the 94 games Hopkins played for the franchise, but have put up just 17.8 points per game minus his services.

Hopkins helped the Texans rack up 343.8 total yards per game during his time in Houston, with their production in that regard dropping to 304.3 yards per game when he has not featured. 

As one of the game's top young quarterbacks, Watson can mask plenty of the Texans' failings, but the impact of losing a receiver of Hopkins' calibre was always going to be significant. They must repair the damage from a needless trade next offseason.

Shore up the protection

Another of O'Brien's headline moves was the 2019 deal for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, which saw Houston send two first-round picks, a second-rounder and a pair of players to the Miami Dolphins. 

Tunsil, widely regarded as one of the league's top players at the position, was signed to a three-year, $66million extension in April. Yet the numbers suggest the Texans' offensive line has actually declined since his arrival. 

Indeed, between 2014-2018 the Texans rushed for 120.2 yards a game (fifth in the NFL) and gave up an average of 2.63 sacks (24th in the NFL). 

Since 2019, however, the Texans' rush yardage average has dipped to 115.2 (15th), while they are conceding 3.25 sacks per game (31st). 

Tunsil is also the most penalised player in the league since 2019, having been flagged 16 times. Yet it is unlikely the Texans will give up on a player in whom they have invested so much, both financially and in terms of draft capital. 

The challenge for whoever is running the Texans in the offseason is to identify the key weaknesses in the trenches and ensure Watson has the protection to realise his MVP potential.

Reverse the defensive decline

The 2019 offseason also saw the trade of Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks.

A first overall pick in 2014, Clowney has never quite lived up to the billing as a pass rusher, but the drop-off by the Texans' defense following his exit has been stark.

Between 2014 and 2018, the Texans ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in opponent points per game (21.3), opponent total yards per game (329.9), opponent rush yards per game (99.3) and opponent passing yards per game (230.6). 

In the 20 regular-season games they have played since the start of the 2019 campaign, the Texans have allowed opponents to average 25.6 points, 389.3 total yards, 133.2 rushing yards and 256.1 passing yards. They rank in the bottom half of the league in all four categories. 

Whether Clowney would have prevented that decline is open for debate but, with J.J. Watt struggling to stay healthy in recent years, this is a defense that lacks difference-makers - something that must be addressed in 2021.

Acquire draft capital

The list of tasks for the next general manager of the Texans is lengthy, but O'Brien's replacement in that role will not be able to succeed in repairing the roster without acquiring draft capital. 

Perhaps the most damaging result of O'Brien's tenure as personnel chief is the lack of draft picks he has left them. 

The Texans do not have a pick in either of the first two rounds of the 2021 draft as a result of their trade with the Dolphins, which looks particularly costly given their first-round pick would be fourth overall if the season ended now. 

Houston needs to supplement an ageing and - outside of Watson - mediocre roster with premium young talent. The best way to do that is to acquire picks.

After the mess O'Brien has left them, it will take some creative roster reconstruction from his successor to put the Texans in contention for a first NFL title. 

The Texans stunningly traded All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins last March and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt has already departed this year.

But the biggest move might be yet to come.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out and, although Houston insist they will not facilitate a move, the current impasse – with the 25-year-old seemingly prepared to sit if not granted an exit – suits nobody.

Watson's lack of input in the team's search for head coach Bill O'Brien's successor was said to be the largest contributing factor when he first pushed for a trade in January.

But the Texans had issues last year beyond the process that eventually led to the hiring of David Culley, crashing to 4-12 in 2020 as results on the field accurately depicted the overall direction of the franchise.

A study of Stats Perform data shows the vast work to be done whether Watson stays or goes.

Offense

Hopkins had been Houston's leading receiver in each of the five seasons prior to his departure, including 104 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.

His shock trade to the Arizona Cardinals - which came under a year after the franchise had given up a boatload of draft capital to acquire star tackle Laremy Tunsil - meant a rethink.

Will Fuller, second on that list with 49 receptions, was the obvious candidate to step up and he had 53 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns through 11 games.

But a six-game suspension – one week of which remains – for breaching the NFL's drug policy ended his season early. Former Green Bay stalwart Randall Cobb, who started only two games, also missed the end of the year due to a toe injury.

Meanwhile, the running game – led by David Johnson, who made up part of the Hopkins trade – scarcely registered.

Houston ranked 31st for rushing yards per game (91.6), 26th for rushing plays of 10 yards or more (38) and tied-30th for plays of 20 yards or more (five).

And yet despite losing Hopkins, leaving Brandin Cooks as his top target, having no run game to turn to and playing behind a bad offensive line – he was sacked 49 times, second-most among all QBs – Watson remained one of the league's best.

He topped the charts for overall passing yards (4,823), yards per attempt (8.87) and big plays of 25 yards or more (42). His passer rating of 112.4 trailed only MVP Aaron Rodgers.

Defense

Unfortunately, as Watson did all he could on offense to almost singlehandedly keep the Texans competitive, the defense also let him down.

Houston ranked 30th for opponent yards per game (416.8) and per play (6.24).

They were dead last for opponent rushing yards per game (160.3), where the failure to slow opponents over the ground could be attributed to D.J. Reader's departure in free agency and a shoulder injury to Benardrick McKinney that restricted him to four games and 19 tackles.

Meanwhile, the Texans were 24th for opponent net passing yards per game (256.5). Whitney Mercilus and Watt were each another year older and saw their numbers decline as a result, although the latter still led the team in sacks (5.0), QB hits (17) and defensive TDs (one).

And so with Watt's exit, the defense continues to lose talent just as it has in years past with Jadeveon Clowney and Tyrann Mathieu, both of whom left after a 2018 season in which Houston finished 11-5 and had six Pro Bowlers – including three on defense.

Offseason

Despite this grave picture, the Texans' reluctance to deal Watson suggests they have not given up just yet.

But with so much to fix – arguably every aspect of the team besides the outstanding QB – the offer of a substantial trade package for an unhappy player might start to appeal.

In another offseason in which a number of teams are looking for a new star under center, Watson, at 25, is the most valuable option on the table.

Perhaps a franchise like the Chicago Bears – potentially a Watson away from being a major contender – would make sense as a trade partner, desperate enough to give Houston the sort of assets that could allow for a rebuild.

But it may only be a team like the Miami Dolphins or New York Jets - with extra draft picks and young QB options to throw into the mix - who can come close to providing the sort of offer Houston would contemplate.

The Texans are projected to have around $33million in cap space, assuming a $185m cap, but there simply appears to be too much to do even if they can convince Watson to stay and play.

Moving on prematurely from the four-year, $156m deal Watson signed last year would provide room to manoeuvre in the years to come, too.

Houston's decision is unlikely to prove popular whichever way they go.

News of Watson's trade request prompted plans for a protest that the player himself had to call off.

But keeping their talisman might condemn the Texans to many more years like 2020, without a talented roster to support one of the NFL's most valuable assets.

Despite boasting one of the best QBs in the game, they are in an unenviable position of their own making.  

Jalen Hurts claimed his 11th straight regular-season win, which is the longest streak in franchise history, completing 21 of 27 passes for two touchdowns and 243 yards with no interceptions.

Hurts has multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, but the Eagles also did damage with their rushing game.

Running backs Miles Sanders, 17 carries for 93 yards, and Kenneth Gainwell both scored touchdowns. The latter's TD was the Eagles' 16th rushing TD of the season, which is the franchise's most through eight games since 1949.

The Texans pushed the Eagles in the first half, with quarterback Davis Mills finding Teagan Quitoriano for their first opening drive score of the season, but the visitors hit back, with Sanders scoring after Hurts and tight end Dallas Goedert had combined for a 16-yard gain.

Sanders' 25-yard gain led to Gainwell's touchdown  in the second quarter, with a huge run by impressive Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce, who made a career-high 139 yards on 27 carries, leading to Chris Moore squaring the game up at half-time with a TD.

Mills, who made 13 of 22 passes for 154 yards, threw one of two interceptions to C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the third quarter, leading to A.J. Brown's TD when wide open from Hurts' 17-yard pass.

Hurts and Goedert combined twice in the same drive leading to the latter's fourth-quarter TD. Goedert finished the game with 100 yards on eight receptions.

Any one team can beat another, and that means at this stage of the season, with the first snap still to be taken, every team can have Super Bowl aspirations.

Sort of.

The Cincinnati Bengals, for example, may have been slightly surprising contenders in 2021, but there remain some teams whose title hopes are so remote as to be non-existent.

For some, this is because they have missed their shot at glory in recent years; for others, the plan is to challenge in seasons to come.

So, this leads us to draw up a preseason tier system, ranking all 32 teams by their Super Bowl windows with the help of Stats Perform AI predictions...

Nowhere near

This is unlikely to be a season to remember for the teams grouped in this category, for a variety of reasons.

The Houston Texans won the AFC South in 2018 and 2019, but the Deshaun Watson saga and two down years have them looking at a rebuild, with the data forecasting just 4.8 wins this year. That at least ranks them ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (3.6 projected wins) and the New York Giants (4.2), while the Texans did gain draft assets in the Watson trade.

The Chicago Bears are the fourth and final team projected to earn fewer than six wins (4.9), with second-year quarterback Justin Fields receiving little help on offense and playing behind an offensive line ranked 31st in pass protection.

Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders rank 31st in terms of skill players – better only than the Falcons – with faith in Carson Wentz long since having diminished. In Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, the Carolina Panthers have two high-draft-pick QBs unlikely to trouble the postseason. The New York Jets are in a similar boat, even if Zach Wilson is still young.

The Detroit Lions might argue they do not deserve to keep such company after a 3-3 finish to last season, but nobody could seriously argue they are title contenders.

Entering contention

If that first group was a mixed bag, so too is the second.

Anyone who has paid any attention to the New England Patriots' preseason would suggest they are very fortunate to be given any hope of success in the near future, but they finished with 10 wins in 2021 – even if that number is projected to shrink to 7.7. Despite a trade for Tyreek Hill, that still ranks the Patriots comfortably ahead of the Miami Dolphins (7.0), although the losing team in their Week 1 meeting will face a long slog of a season.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Philadelphia Eagles are forecast to have 11.9 wins – the second-most in the NFL – after a very strong offseason. But Jalen Hurts, for now, is unproven in the postseason, so Philly fans may have to stay patient.

The San Francisco 49ers are even younger at QB after promoting Trey Lance to a starting role, which explains why the prediction model looks so unfavourably on a team many consider contenders right now. Just 7.1 projected wins speaks to the potentially low floor Lance brings.

NFC West rivals the Arizona Cardinals have to be considered among this group of future hopefuls, with Kyler Murray hugely talented and now committed long term but frustratingly inconsistent, while the Jacksonville Jaguars will hope Trevor Lawrence can follow in the footsteps of the Bengals' Joe Burrow – the number one pick the year before him.

The Los Angeles Chargers, with 9.8 projected wins, have Justin Herbert to lead their charge, while the Cleveland Browns might have been contenders already if not for Watson's suspension, which is enough to limit them to a still strong 9.3-win forecast.

In their prime

The Chargers may have Herbert, but they also have three division rivals who intend to win and intend to win now. Indeed, all four AFC West teams rank in the top half of the league in terms of projected wins, with the Chargers second – behind the Kansas City Chiefs (11.5) and just ahead of the Denver Broncos (9.7) and the Las Vegas Raiders (9.2).

The Chiefs lead the AFC in this regard, although their playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last season came down to a coin flip, and the two are set to be similarly tough to separate this year. Buffalo are down for 11.1 wins.

The two teams coming off a Super Bowl run are of course prominent among the contenders, even if the model has far greater optimism for a Los Angeles Rams repeat than for another Bengals charge. The Rams are backed for a league-leading 12.4 wins and given a 15.3 per cent shot at defending their title, while the Bengals are actually projected to dip below .500 with 8.2 wins.

The Bengals' route to the Super Bowl will be complicated not just by the AFC West and the Bills but also by any return to form for the fit-again Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens, who are counted among nine teams on course for 10 or more wins (10.4).

Also in that group are NFC pair the Dallas Cowboys (11.0) and the Minnesota Vikings (10.9), who may not even be the best teams in their divisions but might be nearing a point when they must seriously challenge or start again, which brings us to...

Last chance saloon

As long as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the QBs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers, those teams are in with a chance. The question is how long that will remain the case.

Brady is 45, briefly retired this offseason and then missed a chunk of the preseason. Rodgers is 38, has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Green Bay and lost top target Davante Adams ahead of the new season. Still, the Buccaneers rank eighth for projected wins (10.7), with the Packers up in third (11.5).

They are not the only ageing teams in the NFL, however.

The Indianapolis Colts hope they have upgraded in moving from Wentz to Matt Ryan, yet the former MVP is now 37 and last played in the postseason in 2017 – when Wentz's Eagles took the title.

Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is a little younger at 34, but of greater concern would be Derrick Henry's durability after the injury that limited to eight games last regular season. The Titans need to make the most of any seasons they have left of the superstar running back going at full tilt.

Missed their chance

Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees won Super Bowls with the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints respectively, but with all three having now moved on, it is difficult to see those teams plotting a path to the title.

For the Seahawks and the Steelers, this will be their first year without their stalwart QBs, even if things had already gone stale in 2021. Wilson dipped below the .500 mark for a season for the first time in his career, while Pittsburgh were attempting to stay competitive in spite of Roethlisberger rather than because of him.

Still, with both gone – Wilson to Denver and Roethlisberger to retirement – there is a void under center that has not been suitably filled. Seattle also rank 32nd in pass protection, likely leaving Geno Smith hopelessly exposed.

The Saints have had another 12 months to come to terms with Brees' exit, albeit they spent it juggling Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill at QB. Winston's season-ending injury doomed the Saints' hopes of contention last year, and New Orleans' outlook for 9.5 wins with the entertaining but erratic former number one pick is at least far more positive than that of the Seahawks (6.2) or the Steelers (7.0).

Regardless, each of these three teams have provided an example in how not to do succession planning. They all could have won additional honours with their departed veterans and now face long waits for further title tilts.

Since becoming the Titans' first-choice quarterback, Tannehill has not missed a game for Tennessee.

However, earlier this week Tannehill was noted as questionable due to an ankle injury sustained against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7 and it was later confirmed he was also struggling with illness.

On Saturday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirmed Tannehill has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team to Texas.

Tannehill has completed 95 of 146 passes and thrown for six touchdowns for a Titans side who are 4-2 and top of the AFC South this season.

Willis will instead start under center for the Titans and he has been rep-heavy in practice with Tannehill unable to train.

His only action in the NFL came during Week 2 when the Titans were hammered 41-7 by the Buffalo Bills, with Willis completing one of four passes.

The 23-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and 86th overall.

Defensive end Watt became a free agent after his request to be released by the Texans - the team who drafted him in the first round back in 2011 - was granted in February.

Speculation over his next destination had been rife since his departure from Houston, but the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has now confirmed his new home for the 2021 season.

Posting a picture while working out in a Cardinals shirt, Watt simply wrote: "Source: me."

According to sources, Watt will sign a two-year, $31million contract with the Cardinals. It is reported that the deal includes $23m in guaranteed money.

Watt, who turns 32 this month, has only previously played in the NFL for the Texans, who selected him with the 11th pick a decade ago. 

He is the franchise's all-time leader for sacks (101), including posting 20.5 in the 2012 season as he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. 

Watt went on to win the honour in both 2014 and 2015, while he has also been named first-team All-Pro on five occasions, most recently in 2018. 

The former Wisconsin Badger has endured injury issues in his career, though he played in all 16 games this past season, logging 52 tackles, five sacks and one interception. 

Despite having one year remaining on his deal, Watt and the Texans came to an agreement to mutually part ways as the franchise appears set to go through a rebuilding process. 

Watt will be back on the same roster as Hopkins, the wide receiver having been part of a blockbuster trade between Houston and Arizona almost a year ago. 

Hopkins had 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns as the Cardinals posted an 8-8 record in the highly competitive NFC West, not enough to seal a return to the postseason for the first time in five years.

The decision came at Watt's request and continues an offseason of tremendous turmoil and upheaval for the Texans franchise.

The star defensive lineman, who turns 32 in March, had one year remaining on his contract and did not wish to be part of an extensive rebuild coming to a team that finished 4-12 in 2020. 

"The connection I have with the people of Houston is special, and I will never take that for granted because I know how rare it is. I just want you to know to know that I love you and I appreciate you," Watt told Texans fans in a social media message.

"I want to thank the McNair family for drafting me and giving me my first opportunity in the NFL.

"Thank you, Houston."

Watt had spent his entire NFL career with Houston after being selected by the Texans with the 10th overall pick of the 2011 draft, and his 101 sacks and 172 tackles for loss are far and away the most in team history. 

"Simply put, there has been no person in the past decade who has made a greater impact on the Texans organisation than J.J. Watt," Texans co-founder and Senior Chair Janice S. McNair said in a statement. "J.J.'s dominance on the field was unprecedented and resulted in countless moments that will go down in Texans history."

Watt earned his first NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in his second season after recording a league-leading 20.5 sacks in 2012. He matched that total in 2014 while being named the NFL's top defender that season as well, then repeated the honour in 2015 after again leading the league with 17.5 sacks.

Injuries have lessened Watt's impact in recent years, however. He was limited to three games in 2016 by a herniated disc that required back surgery, and five in 2017 by a fractured left leg. The five-time first team All-Pro rebounded the following season with 16 sacks in 16 games, but missed eight games in 2019 after tearing his pectoral muscle.

Watt returned to play in all 16 games this past season and logged 52 tackles, five sacks and one interception.

The Wisconsin native is also renowned and lauded for his extensive charitable efforts in the Houston community. Watt was named the NFL's Man of the Year in 2017 after he raised over $40million through a social media fundraising effort to assist the city after it was struck by Hurricane Harvey.  

"Change is never easy, especially when it involves the ones you love. J.J.'s impact on not only our organisation, but the entire Houston community, is unlike any player in our franchise's history," Texans CEO Cal McNair said.

"I told J.J. earlier this week that we will forever consider him a Texan. We take solace in knowing that this is not a goodbye but a 'see you soon'." 

Change has been rampant within the Texans' ranks ever since McNair fired coach and general manager Bill O'Brien in October following an 0-4 start. 

Houston hired former Patriots executive Nick Caserio to fill the GM role in January and tabbed ex-Ravens assistant David Culley to be their new head coach, though both moves were not without controversy. 

Deshaun Watson's lack of involvement in the hiring processes prompted the star quarterback to issue a trade request, and longtime team president Jamey Rootes resigned earlier this week to pursue outside opportunities.  

Players from Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans linked arms prior to Thursday's contest, which the Chiefs won 34-20 at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs are among the teams letting supporters into their arena during the coronavirus pandemic and, despite fewer than a quarter of the seats being filled, boos could be heard from pockets of the stands.

"The moment of unity I personally thought was good," Texans defensive end Watt told NFL Media. 

"I mean the booing during that moment was unfortunate. I don't fully understand that. There was no flag involved. There was nothing involved other than two teams coming together to show unity."

The NFL has opted to alter its stance on protests this season, with end zones to bear the words "End Racism" and "It Takes All of Us", while players can display the names of victims of social injustice on their safety helmets.

Houston players stayed in the locker room during the national anthem, while the Chiefs' Alex Okafor took a knee.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said: "[We wanted to] let everyone know that we had their back.

"You can go ahead and whatever you feel is the right decision in your heart, you have your brother's back and you have your brother's support on this team. 

"And we made sure that everybody was comfortable in that area and they weren't gonna get backlash from anybody on this team for doing that.

"And I thought it was a great show of unity amongst both of us, the Chiefs and the Texans.''

Texans coach Bill O'Brien stated he did not hear any booing and pondered whether the jeers may have actually been for his team as the opposing side.

"I thought that that was a nice thing to do, so I'm not sure why they would boo that," O'Brien said. 

"Maybe they were just booing us because we had just come on the field as the visiting team. But yeah, I thought that that was a nice gesture."

Chiefs coach Andy Reid also said he did not hear the boos and added: "I thought that was kind of a neat deal, both sides coming together for a cause and the story was told there. 

"We can all learn from this, and really it's just to make us all better, even a stronger country than we already are. We have a chance to just be completely unstoppable when all hands join together and that's a beautiful thing."