They’re back at it, again! Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in!
The Texans have staved off expiration in spectacular fashion yet again, knocking the winless, supposedly cursed Los Angeles Chargers into the stratosphere, 44-22. And, for only the second time this season, it was a complete drubbing of the opponent. Thanks to another MVP-caliber performance from Texans QB CJ Stroud, Houston was able to put their foot down on the hapless Chargers early, scoring a touchdown on their first
drive and never giving up the lead for the rest of the game.
Similar to the Tennessee Titans game as well as Houston’s big win against the Baltimore Ravens last year, this game showcased how deadly the Texans could be when they’re firing on all cylinders. This was the first breakout game from trade acquisition WR Kayshon Boutte, who tore up the Chargers’ pass defense to the tune of four catches on five targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns!
Kayshon Boutte wasn’t the only Texans receiver to ball out last Sunday either: WR Tank Dell, in only his second week back on the field, completely exposed L.A.’s pass coverage, finishing with four catches on nine targets for 105 yards and a touchdown – his first 100-yard game since week nine of the 2024 season!
It could have been an even bigger game from Dell if Stroud had been a touch more accurate on a few passes, too. Dell could have finished the game closer to 150 total yards and two touchdowns if that connection with Stroud was just a hair stronger, which is less of an indictment on Stroud/Dell and more of a strike towards the Chargers’ poor defensive backfield, who simply could not cover Dell. For all of their issues and demerits, the Chargers entered week nine with a pass defense ranked in the top half of the league. CB Tarheeb Still and S Tony Jefferson had been some of the few saving graces for this entire Chargers team, and even they got cooked during this game. CJ Stroud was practically on fire from beginning to end, tearing apart various Chargers’ coverages, making them pay when they tried to blitz him, and finishing the game with five touchdown passes! It was Stroud’s best performance of the year and arguably Nick Caley best game calling plays, and DeMeco Ryans was sure to give him credit postgame:
“Everybody thinks they can call plays,” Ryans said defiantly as he handed the game ball to Caley. With the amount of derision that has been shoveled Caley’s way from Texans fans the world over, he sort of deserves it, too…although, as some were quick to point out on Sunday, a lot of the successful changes that Caley made this game (fewer jumbo packages, more pass attempts on early downs) were exactly what Texans fans were asking him to do.
So, good on Nick Caley and DeMeco Ryans for listening to the noise? I don’t know, the important thing is that they’re happy, the Texans look like they’re getting back on track, and a win like this can send the Texans rocketing back up the power rankings! So, where are the Texans ranked following their big win against the Chargers? Let’s find out:
NFL.COM:
16. Houston Texans (3-5) (Last Week: 19)
A 44-point outburst and dominant win over the lowly Chargers had to be as cathartic as it was enjoyable for these Texans — especially for Tank Dell, who scored his first touchdownsince returning from a lengthy injury absence. It should also remind us that, while 3-5, Houston’s not out of the running for the playoffs yet and might only be just getting started.
ESPN:
17. Houston Texans (3-5)
Week 9 result: Beat the Chargers 44-22
Week 9 ranking: 22
Most important game of the second half: Week 10 vs. the Browns
The Texans are trying to finish the 2026 season like how they ended 2025, when they started slow and still got into the playoffs. A loss to the Browns could mean their season is unofficially done, as they’re currently 3-4 against AFC opponents. Making the postseason would become difficult due to tiebreakers, and losing head-to-head to a team in the wild-card hunt also wouldn’t be ideal. With the Jaguars at 6-2, there’s almost no way for the Texans to reach the playoffs by winning the AFC South.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
16. Houston Texans (3–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: beat Chargers, 44–22
This week: at Browns
Yes, it’s the Chargers. But L.A.’s defense isn’t the problem (and is actually pretty good). So you can take that C.J. Stroud top 10 talk very seriously. Five touchdowns. Three hundred eighty-four yards. Mercy.
BLEACHER REPORT:
19. Houston Texans (3-5)
Last Week: 20
Week 9 Result: Won at Los Angeles Chargers 44-22
The Houston Texans looked like world-beaters against the winless Los Angeles Chargers, and they showed flashes of that dominance in a 26-3 blowout victory over the then-winless Tennessee Titans in Week 5. They followed that outing with a quality win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, but then took a step back in an overtime loss to the New York Giants before their bye week.
The Texans need to string together more quality performances before this panel begins to believe in them again. They could pull it off against the slumping Cleveland Browns, the two-win Indianapolis Colts, and the Baltimore Ravens, who are down to their third-string quarterback, likely Jacoby Brissett, next on the schedule.
CBS SPORTS:
19. Texans (3-5) (Last Week: 23)
With a soft schedule the next few weeks, they can get back into playoff contention. They aren’t dead yet. C.J. Stroud is playing great football.
– Pete Prisco`
USA TODAY:
22. Houston Texans (26): Their 3-5 start has been anything but pretty. But the upcoming schedule very much suggests the Texans could be above .500 by the time December arrives.
YAHOO! SPORTS:
15. Houston Texans (3-5, LW: 19)
The Texans’ playoff odds are up to 43.9%, according to DVOA, and they’d be a team that nobody would want to face in the postseason. Their defense hasn’t been great but the talent is there and it could emerge as a top-five unit in the second half. The real difference in the overall team is quarterback C.J. Stroud playing like he did as a rookie.
Stroud had five touchdowns Sunday, and even if that came against the Chargers, he has mostly had a good season. He’s up to 10th among quarterbacks in adjusted EPA per play. The next three QBs on the list are Caleb Williams, Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford.
“I beat myself up a lot when I don’t do great, so I’m going to enjoy this and celebrate with my friends, family and teammates because I know what it feels like to throw a couple interceptions,” Stroud said, via Texans Wire. “So, you need to be positive towards yourself.”
THE ATHLETIC:
22. Houston Texans (3-5)
Last week: 24
Sunday: Beat Chargers 44-22
Midseason grade: C-
Even after an easy win against the Chargers, it’s hard to give the Texans too many flowers because of their 0-4 start. Since then, however, the Texans have the second-best offense in the league based on EPA per play, behind only the Bengals. C.J. Stroud lit up the Chargers for 384 yards and five touchdowns on Sunday.
Up next: at Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
PRO FOOTBALL TALK:
20. Texans (No. 23; 3-5): C.J. Stroud is earning millions by the week.
Average Ranking: 18.44 (Last Week: 22.33)
Wow, there’s a lot of variance in the rankings this week! Some have the Texans as low as #22, while others have them as high as #15. It looks like a lot of pundits still remain bearish on the Texans – and I don’t blame them, as the Texans are still 3-5 and several games out of even the wildcard race in the AFC. But, other pundits seem to be treating the Chargers’ game as a vindication of the offseason hype around Houston, and I can understand where they’re coming from, too. I may have showered a lot of praise onto the offense earlier, but the defense deserves just as much attention – especially for tallying EIGHT sacks on Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert! That’s two sacks apiece for DE Will Anderson Jr., DT Sheldon Rankins, and DE Jadeveon Clowney (and one sack for S M.J. Stewart and DL Logan Hall), who collectively make up for their less-than-stellar showings two weeks ago against the New York Giants.
And there-in lies a bit of the suspicion the Texans still have not shaken, even after a game like this. Yes, it was a big win, but against one of the worst teams in professional football, and Houston’s successes in this were notably absent in their last game. It’s a work of art when the Texans’ defensive line is playing to its athletic ceiling all game long, but the inconsistency that they (and the rest of the defensive cast) have shown this season is still going to create trepidation among the Texans faithful, that are undoubtedly a little calloused from being burnt one too many times by their favorite team. As NFL Analyst and Texans fan Brett Kollman once exclaimed in the thumbnail of Bootleg Football’s Texans season preview video a few months ago, “Why can’t you just be normal?”
If there’s one thing you can expect from the Texans every year, it’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Although, I also believe Mike Florio had one of the most prescient quotes this week, with his single-sentence blurb, “C.J. Stroud is earning millions by the week.” I don’t want to rain on the Texans parade right now, but general manager Nick Caserio’s failure to sign Stroud to an extension last offseason could end casting a long shadow over next year’s roster and likely even further. Part of the reason “Super Bowl windows” close is due to the franchise simply running out of cap space, and if Stroud continues to play at this MVP level for the rest of the season, we can count on Houston’s future cap space being A LOT smaller than it would have been if a deal had been made in August. Still, if Houston makes another unlikely midseason comeback that carries them back into the playoffs this season, it will all be water under the bridge.
What do you think, though? Are the Texans primed for a resurgence in the second half of the season, or are they just delaying their demise? Next week will provide a big test for them, as they travel up north to face the 5-4 Cleveland Browns, who are smarting after an overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints. Cleveland’s defense – led by LB Carson Schwesinger, CBs Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, and (former Texan) DT Maliek Collins – will give the Texans’ all they can handle following a feel-good weekend in sunny Los Angeles, so CJ Stroud better be ready to put on another show if he’s fixing for a win streak. Will he rise to the occasion, or will we witness another Giants game? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!
Go Texans!
