There is no time for complacency or entitlement.
Head coach Bill O'Brien met with the Texans on Monday morning and shared his expectations for the squad in between now and mid-April, when the offseason program begins for the players at NRG Stadium.
"I said, 'I would not take too much time off.,'" O'Brien shared, during his Monday press conference. "The more time that you waste on the couch doing nothing, the more time someone else is getting ahead of you.'"
O'Brien and the Texans were bounced from the playoffs after Saturday night's 34-16 defeat in New England. The next three months, according to the head coach, are critical to next autumn's success on the field.
"They have to figure out, 'OK I'm going to take a little time to reconnect with my family, get better, you know heal up, but then I'm going to get back to work and figure out what I need to do to be better," O'Brien said. "How can I improve my skill set, which then improves the team.' "
O'Brien, though, made sure to point out that the Texans are already in the right frame of mind when it comes to preparation.
"We have a very hard working group of guys," O'Brien said.
The Texans went 9-7 for the third straight season, and their 2016 AFC South title was the fourth division crown in the last six years.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL, Mario Addison, #97
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
RB, Eno Benjamin, #20
DL, Thomas Booker, #56
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #96
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
OL, Kenyon Green, #59.
DL, Rasheem Green, #92
FB, Troy Hairston, #34
LB, Jake Hansen, #49
LB, Christian Harris, #48
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
DL, Kurt Hinish, #93
TE, O.J. Howard, #83
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
OL, Justin McCray, #64
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbo Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
DB, Jalen Pitre, #5
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #44
WR, Amari Rodgers, #19
DB, Tremon Smith, #1.
DL, Taylor Stallworth, #90
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
