Like… did Bellinger have a stroke or something?

So hey… we have a preseason game this weekend.

I asked ChatGPT, “Why will the Houston Texans win the Super Bowl this year?” Here’s what it said…

Here’s why some people believe the Houston Texans could win the Super Bowl this year—but keep in mind, the odds are long and skeptics remain:

Reasons for Optimism

• Super Bowl Veteran Leadership Added
  Safety C. J. Gardner-Johnson joined from the Eagles, bringing both a championship mindset and leadership qualities. “Championship or nothing,” he declared—and he truly believes, “This is a Super Bowl‑caliber team.”
• Strong Leadership Under Coach DeMeco Ryans
  Head coach DeMeco Ryans has guided the Texans to consecutive 10–7 seasons and back‑to‑back playoff berths. He’s now aiming to take them further—beyond just winning the AFC South.
• Defensive Backbone and New Additions
  The defense remains a strength, and with upgrades—like Gardner‑Johnson—there’s optimism that this side of the ball could carry them deep. Fans on Reddit are hopeful too: “Caley and DeMeco are going to revitalize our O Line, CJ Stroud enters the MVP conversation… and we play in the AFCCG for the first time in franchise history.”

The Roadblocks

• Low Super Bowl Odds
  Most sportsbooks list the Texans at long odds—around +3500, which implies roughly a 2.8% chance, putting them 15th in the league. Some lines go as low as +5000 (about 1.8%).
• Offensive Line Concerns
  Analytics rate Houston’s offensive line as the worst in the NFL entering the season. They gave up 54 sacks last year and rank near the bottom in both pass and run blocking. Improvements are needed fast.
• Haven’t Broken the Divisional Round Ceiling
  The Texans have never advanced past the AFC Divisional Round. Despite progress, they remain the only NFL team yet to reach a Conference Championship.
• Media Skepticism
  In a recent league-wide analysis, SB Nation labeled the Texans a “CAN’T” contender—citing poor offseason priorities and doubting their ability to take the next step.

[insert witty comment here]

And now for something completely different…

Happy weekend, folks! Sorry the thread is a little late. Just to follow up from my comment on Friday: I figured pre-season would be a good time to remind everyone that it costs about $500 annually to keep this site running, so any donations are appreciated (you can check the “Support Us” page for details). And thanks for your generosity to all those who have already donated!

Per an article in USA Today…

The Astros, after learning that third baseman Isaac Paredes will be out the rest of the season, made a telephone call that triggered the most stunning trade of the day. They called the Minnesota Twins to tell them they were interested in acquiring shortstop Carlos Correa. The Twins, who are up for sale, listened but had no interest. The Astros told the Twins that they’d help them financially by taking Correa off their hands. The only catch is that they wanted the Twins to pay half of the remaining $103 million he is owed, and asked for an outfielder in return. The Twins hung up the phone, called the proposal laughable and figured that was the end of it.

Owner Jim Crane, knowing the Twins are more than $400 million in debt, took over. He called Twins chairman Joe Pohlad, and let him know that he could take a big financial burden off his hand by moving Correa. In the meantime, Correa went to the front office and informed them that if they are selling, he’d gladly waive his no-trade clause for Houston. Crane and Pohlad talked, and talked, and talked some more. By the end of the day, the Twins agreed to send Correa to Houston, pay $33 million of his remaining contract, and got only minor league lefty Matt Mikulsi in return. The Astros have their third baseman for $70 million through 2028.

The Astros didn’t stop there, with GM Dana Brown grabbing left-handed hitting outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Miamai Marlins and utility infielder Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles. He nearly traded for Padres starter Dylan Cease until balking at the demand of pitcher Spencer Arrighetti and three prospects.

At the end of the day, no one obtained more talent, and gave up less, than the Astros.