Welcome to the post-bye week power rankings! Since the mild boost up the rankings last week following their win over the Ravens, the Texans had the opportunity to put it in neutral for their bye week.
Under normal circumstances, most teams don’t move much at all on the power rankings during the bye week, but the Texans are anything but normal. They are wild, unpredictable, wavy, and of course, a little spunky. Some teams can “win” the bye week, just as others can “lose” it, and it has always been my attestation that the Texans always win their bye week, because simply by existing, the Texans are doing something right.
But, do the pundits agree with me? Are the Houston Texans a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, or are they a pall hanging over the AFC South throne? Here’s where the Houston Texans are ranked entering Week 7 of the 2025 NFL Season:
NFL.COM:
20. Houston Texans (2-3) (Last Week: 17)
The Texans’ 2-3 record is still the bottom line, but they seemingly turned the corner offensively prior to their Week 6 bye while maintaining their defensive excellence. They allowed only one TD over the course of back-to-back wins following an 0-3 start and haven’t given up more than 20 points in a game all season. Speaking of that proverbial corner, C.J. Stroud also appeared to round it on a personal level, producing six TDs and no turnovers in those statement victories. The Texans will head to Seattle for an excellent measuring-stick contest that kicks off a very competitive four-game stretch. Houston probably needs to emerge with a record of .500 or better. There is work to be done, but this team might be hitting its stride after the tough beginning to 2025.
ESPN:
20. Houston Texans (2-3)
Week 6 result: Bye
Week 6 ranking: 18
Lesson learned: The Texans have a premier defense.
They have the No. 1 scoring defense — allowing 12.2 points per game — and it’s not as if they’ve played offensive bottom-feeders. Houston earned that ranking after playing the Buccaneers (sixth in points per game), Rams (16th) and Jaguars (17th). Those teams are a combined 13-5 on the season, so the Texans have faced respectable competition en route to their No. 1 status. They are also third best in the league in pass rush win rate (47.1%), behind the Steelers and Browns.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:
20. Houston Texans (2–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Seahawks
Houston’s get-right campaign saw wins over the now coachless Titans and banged-up Ravens. Now, in a 7 p.m. local start time road game against Seattle on Monday, Houston gets to truly measure itself.
BLEACHER REPORT:
20. Houston Texans (2-3)
Last Week: 21
Week 6 Result: Bye Week
It’ll be interesting to see if the Week 5 bye helps or hinders the Houston Texans.
On one hand, it’ll give Houston an extra week to prepare for a very good Seattle Seahawks team. On the other, it puts a pause on any momentum the Texans picked up during blowout wins over the Titans and Ravens.
Of course, the Titans and Ravens haven’t been good this season. Upcoming games against the Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos will tell us a lot more about where the 2-3 Texans actually stand.
CBS SPORTS:
20. Texans (2-3) (Last Week: 18)
Coming off their bye, they face a tough road game at Seattle. Their offensive line, which has struggled, will be challenged in a big way in that one.
USA TODAY:
18. Houston Texans (17): How stingy is this defense? It’s allowing a league-low 1.19 points per drive, a figure that, if maintained, might ultimately propel Houston back atop this division.
YAHOO! SPORTS:
20 (18): Houston Texans (2-3)
How good has the Texans’ defense been? Houston is allowing 12.2 points per game. Since the 1970 merger, the only teams at or better than that mark are the 2000 Ravens, 1986 Bears, 2000 Titans and 1978 Steelers. If the offense comes around, the Texans could get on a roll.
THE ATHLETIC:
20. Houston Texans (2-3)
Last week: 19
Sunday: Bye
Fantasy focus: Nick Chubb
This is just a Chubb appreciation post. His production (130th) is unremarkable and mostly matches his ADP (No. 122), but what he’s doing is remarkable. In his eighth season, Chubb has survived two devastating knee injuries and a broken foot to be the Texans’ most productive back, albeit with a pedestrian 249 yards on 58 carries.
Up next: at Seahawks, Monday, 10 p.m. ET
PRO FOOTBALL TALK:
21. Texans (No. 21; 2-3): Can they catch the Jaguars and the Colts?
Average Ranking: 19.89 (Last Week: 18.56)
Okay, well apparently the pundits don’t get the same vibe about the Texans as I do. Instead of remaining stagnant, the Texans have regressed during a week where they did…nothing! In fact, it looks like nearly every pundit is in agreement that the Houston Texans are the…20th best team in the NFL. This is…not exactly where you’d want your supposed playoff team to be…
Are the Texans really that bad? Even after that Ravens victory, they’re still 20th? Maybe this ranking really has more to do with middling teams nabbing some critical victories at the midseason point than it does with the Texans being disappointing, but hopefully Houston will be able to join those on the come up following their week off. It won’t be easy though, as the mean streets of Seattle are coming next. The Jacksonville Jaguars gave up seven sacks to Seattle’s defense, four of which being attributed to the left tackle, Walker Little. Will Aireontae Ersery be up for the task that may lay ahead of him, or will Seattle try and flood their rushers towards Houston’s interior line? Either way, the left side of Houston’s o-line will likely be under siege all game long, so Nick Caley will need to find a counter to the rush that he wasn’t able to against the Buccaneers in week two.
Personally…I’m a little nervous. I trust the Texans defense to keep Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold grounded, but they’ll need a big game from Stroud if they plan on winning in Seattle. What do you think, though? Are the Texans ready to take on one of the NFC’s best defenses, or are they still not prepared to face the league’s elite? Let us know down in the comments below!
