Two weeks into the season, and the Houston Texans are already entering a death spiral on nearly everyone’s power rankings. It’s been a surprisingly difficult onset to the season for Houston, who now has to metaphorically look in the mirror and ask: How much change will be enough to stop this? How many cracks at solving the offensive line does the Texans front office and coaching staff need until it is clearly better than before?
Last week, with last year’s trade acquisition RG Ed Ingram sidelined
due to a groin injury (which may cause him to miss next week’s game), Houston showcased this year’s collection of first-year Texans at the interior o-line: Rookie LG Keylan Rutledge, C Evan Brown, and RG Wyatt Teller. The result of another new offensive line combination was another front-row seat to Texans QB CJ Stroud getting pressured nearly every snap, rolling to his left or right constantly, frantically scanning the field as he looked for somewhere to go with this goofy football that has ordained him with a lifetime of torment. When will this be over? When will all of these changes be enough to grant Houston a reprieve at the offensive line position?
As we keep pining for the line to turn the corner, and as the world keeps waiting for Houston to finally look the part of a Super Bowl contender, they continue to drop down the rankings as pundits lose their patience. Once a top ten team on virtually everyone’s boards, Houston has destroyed all of that goodwill in just two weeks, and are now facing the reality of being on the bubble of the playoff teams until they have undeniably improved, like last season. In fact, many power rankings author’s thoughts on the Texans down below are eerily similar to their criticisms in September of last year, and we all know how the Texans improved down the stretch during that season. Is it possible that we’re in store for another midseason surge? Considering how many players are currently on Houston’s Injury report that are expected to return sometime this season, I’d say a midseason win streak is very possible, IF they can halt this rash of injuries that has only grown in intensity since August. Unlike last year, I believe Houston has experienced starters at every position group that can be relied on, so as long as they stay healthy, their floor should be much higher than 2025.
But that’s just what I think, and I’m often blinded by optimism in these dark moments of the season (worked out for me last year). So, let’s come back down to reality and check out where the Houston Texans are ranked entering Week 3 of the 2026 NFL Season:
NFL.COM:
11. Houston Texans (0-2) (Last Week: 12)
I know the history and likelihood of a team starting 0-2 and reaching the playoffs. For those needing a reminder, just 12.8% of clubs beginning a campaign with that record have made the postseason since 1990. I also think the Texans may have landed the worst draw of any NFL team in the first two weeks. Houston competed with both Buffalo and Cincinnati, and C.J. Stroud looks more like the quarterback we’ve hoped to see. That said, you can’t score six points and expect to win.
ESPN:
15. Houston Texans (0-2)
Week 2 result: Lost to the Bengals 20-6
Week 2 ranking: 11
One thing we know about the QB1: C.J. Stroud just needs a healthy supporting cast.
Stroud has thrown for 627 passing yards in the first two games, third most in the NFL, but that has led to only two touchdowns. The Texans didn’t find the end zone at all in Week 2, as No. 1 option Nico Collins missed the game because of a hamstring injury. Stroud’s play style isn’t necessarily one that can consistently create explosive results when plays break down. He needs the players around him to be healthy so he can produce in structure
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
13. Houston Texans (0–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: lost to Bengals, 20–6
This week: at Colts
The Texans remind me a little of the Chargers. It looks bad right now, but it’s not irreparably broken. Houston is struggling to find the sweet spot in an offense where the tackles are vulnerable in pass protection and not as effective as they need to be in the run game. This is going to take a masterclass from Nick Caley in dressing up his offense while, at the same time, making it easier to grasp for those running it.
BLEACHER REPORT:
16. Houston Texans (0-2)
Last Week: 11
Week 2 Results: Lost vs. Cincinnati 20-6
It’s still too early for the Houston Texans to panic. However, an 0-2 start is obviously not ideal, and there are some legitimate reasons for concern.
Houston’s defense hasn’t looked much like the league-best unit we saw in 2025. Wide receiver depth is still a serious issue, and C.J. Stroud continues to look more like an average starter than a true franchise quarterback. However, it may be wise to give the Texans a few more weeks before writing them off as AFC contenders.
The Buffalo Bills have looked like the best team in the conference through two weeks, and Houston was a dropped interception away from beating them in Week 1. Star wideout Nico Collins missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury, and his absence changed the complexion of the offense dramatically.
With three divisional matchups in their next four games, the Texans can quickly climb back into the AFC South race.
CBS SPORTS:
24. Texans (0-2) (Last Week: 12)
At 0-2, they are off to a tough start. And both losses are at home. They face an almost must-win at Indianapolis this week.
USA TODAY:
18. Houston Texans (11): What, we worry? They’ve now dropped their first two games in three of QB C.J. Stroud’s four seasons … and recovered to reach postseason in the first two instances.
YAHOO! SPORTS:
19. Houston Texans (0-2, LW: 13)
The Texans‘ run game was dreadful Sunday when it had to carry the offense with receiver Nico Collins out. The Texans had a putrid 6.7% success rate on runs against the Bengals. Only one team has a mark under 20% in a game this season, and that was the Raiders at 18.5% in Week 2. It’s stunning that the Texans have not fixed their offensive line issues over multiple offseasons despite it being an obvious liability.
“For us just collectively as a team, the one key to this victory was controlling the front and from an offensive perspective and we did not control their front,” Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans said, via Texans Wire. “We got outplayed up front. We couldn’t run the ball well. That forced us into a lot of passing situations.”
The Texans bounced back from an 0-3 start to make the playoffs last season, but they’re in a big hole after losing two home games to begin this season.
THE ATHLETIC:
17. Houston Texans (0-2)
Last week: 9
Sunday: Lost to Bengals 20-6
Rookie spotlight: Keylan Rutledge
The Texans took Rutledge in the first round in their seemingly constant attempt to fix the offensive line. It went OK in Week 1, but Rutledge and the rest of the Texans struggled against Dexter Lawrence on Sunday. Overall, things aren’t great in Houston, where C.J. Stroud is being pressured on 40.2 percent of his dropbacks, which ranks 24th in the league.
Up next: at Colts, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
PRO FOOTBALL TALK:
10. Texans (No. 4; 0-2): The offense is letting down the defense.
Average Ranking: 15.89 (Last Week: 10.11)
Yeah…woof. Don’t let these rankings discourage you too much, though, because if last year taught us anything, it’s that this Texans squad can turn their fortunes around on a dime. Although, backup G Wyatt Teller and RT Trent Brown were supposed to be improvements over former RT/LG Tytus Howard and Gs Laken Tomlinson/Jarrett Patterson, and I have yet to see better results. It’s still early in the season, but some of the pressures Stroud had to deal with on Sunday should have been ironed out in the preseason, not during the regular season.
It reminds me of last year, when offensive coordinator Nick Caley and o-line coach Cole Popovich experimented with placing linemen at different positions multiple times until settling on the best lineup roughly halfway through the season. Although, the starting tackles this year (Ersery, Brown) are not expected to be moved around at all this year, so their failures in Sunday’s game can be even more worrying since there are no expectations for either player to be replaced by anyone. They’re simply going to need to play better next week, and every week after that until the sun explodes.
Despite the poor performance from both of them, I’m still cautiously optimistic of Ersery and Brown. They were building blocks to RB Woody Marks’ impressive finish to the 2025 season, and they looked okay in Week 1 for the most part! What do you think, though? Will Houston’s offensive line finally start moving in a positive direction soon, or are we doomed to watch Stroud suffer behind them for another 15 weeks?
Next week, the Houston Yexans travel to Indianapolis to face the 0-2 Colts in a pivotal division battle for both teams. Houston is trying to get over their ugly loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and Indy will want to avenge their heartbreaking overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. Both teams have had an oddly similar start to 2026, and each will be desperately clawing at the other to notch their franchises’ first win this coming Sunday. Fortunately, the Texans are 5-1 against the Colts in the CJ Stroud era, but how do you think this inaugural 2026 division matchup will go? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!
Go Texans!
