Texans vs Saints in Super Bowl 54? ESPN's way-too-early prediction

HOUSTON – Now that the Super Bowl is over, and before we start worrying over the Astros' WHIP and OPS and WAR, let's take a way-too-early look at the predictions for the Houston Texans in 2019.

While we know next year's Super Bowl LIV will be played on Feb. 2, 2020, we obviously don't know the teams yet. But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun speculating.

Our favorite prediction so far? An ESPN article predicting the Texans will meet the New Orleans Saints in the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami. Road trip! 

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Here's what Dan Graziano of ESPN.com wrote:

"Yeah, it's crazy not to pick the Patriots to win the AFC at this point, but a way-too-early predictions column isn't the place to take the easy way out. As for the Saints, we're doubling down here. I thought last year that they'd rebound from the heartbreaking end to their 2017 season and reach the Super Bowl, and I was painfully close to being right. More heartbreak this time, same stacked roster and Hall of Fame quarterback. Drew Brees finally gets that second ring after being oh-so-close two years in a row."

Graziano also predicted the Texans will be the landing spot for disgruntled former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell. He notes the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers are also in the market for Bell.

It should be noted that most of the oddsmakers favor the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Rams, the New England Patriots and the Saints as Super Bowl favorites, followed by the Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears and Steelers.

As for the Texans and Saints, the teams have split their four games during the regular season, with the home team winning all games.

The teams will meet again during the 2019 regular season, this time in New Orleans. An exact date will be released in the spring when the full NFL schedule is released.

Here's a look at the regular-season matchups between the two teams:

  • 2019 regular season: Date TBD
  • Nov. 29, 2015: Texans beat Saints, 24-6, in Houston.
  • Sept. 25, 2011: Texans lost to Saints, 40-33, in New Orleans.
  • Nov. 18, 2007: Texans beat Saints, 23-10, in Houston.
  • Sept. 14, 2003: Texans lost to Saints, 31-10, in New Orleans.

The teams have met 10 times during the preseason, and have also split those matchups, with the most recent game occurring in 2017.

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