Danielle Hunter The Houston Texans’ offseason has been incredibly eventful, generating significant excitement and anticipation. While it’s clear that the spring months don’t determine Super Bowl outcomes, the Texans’ strategic moves have set the stage for what promises to be an intriguing season.
Among the notable acquisitions are defensive standout Danielle Hunter and offensive dynamo Stefon Diggs, both of whom are expected to strengthen their respective units. However, it’s the addition of running back Joe Mixon that could prove to be the most impactful, though opinions on his potential vary widely.
Mixon, who joined the Texans from the Cincinnati Bengals, is a player with a broad spectrum of expectations. Some observers continue to regard him as a top-five running back, and there is belief that he could have a career-best season in the Texans’ offense. Conversely, others, including myself, view Mixon’s arrival as a more lateral move compared to last year’s starting running back, Devin Singletary. In fact, there is a perspective that Mixon might even represent a slight downgrade.
Devin Singletary, who was a key player for the Texans last season, has since signed with the New York Giants. Singletary’s departure was part of the Giants’ strategy to replace Saquon Barkley, a formidable task given that Singletary has had just one standout year. As the two teams face off in the Texans’ third preseason game, it will be interesting to observe how each running back performs under the spotlight.
Mixon is set to make his preseason debut against the Giants, carrying high expectations. Even if not everyone believes he is capable of rushing for 1,500 yards, he is still expected to exceed the production that Singletary delivered last season. Singletary managed to rush for nearly 1,000 yards, despite starting only about half of the games in the previous year.
In contrast, expectations for Singletary are somewhat subdued. Some analysts have even labeled him as one of the less effective starting running backs in the NFL. This perception presents an opportunity for Singletary to prove critics wrong when he lines up against his former team, the Houston Texans.
While the preseason games are unlikely to have a major impact on the overall season if all goes as planned, this matchup offers a valuable glimpse into what the future might hold. The upcoming game is likely to be the last significant appearance for both Singletary and Mixon before the final preseason game next week. Unless there is an injury, the outcome of this game will not dramatically alter their respective roles or standings, but it will provide an early indication of their performance levels.
This game will serve as an initial test to determine whether Mixon is still the star player he’s been portrayed as, and whether Singletary truly deserves the negative labels some have attached to him. While it’s improbable that either extreme of the narrative will fully capture the truth, the game will offer a preliminary sense of how each running back is likely to fare in the upcoming season.
