Sitting at 2-5, the Houston Texans have gone from the national media's favorite dark horse talking point for the NFL's most underwhelming team in 2026.
Even with the promising play of quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans' defense can't get a stop to save a drive. On Sunday, the Houston's defense once again couldn't get a stop, leading to the fourth loss on a final possession behind former Texans running back Devin Singletary
in a 27-21 walk-off fashion.With the win secured, the Giants were the focal point of a segment on ESPN’s “First Take” Monday morning, but Stephen A. Smith wanted nothing to do with New York's hot start under first-year coach John Harbaugh. Instead, he wanted to spend the segment talking more about the failures of Houston behind
veteran coach DeMeco Ryans.
"DeMeco Ryans is a damn good coach. And the reality is that, you know what, he’s not going to get fired or anything, nor does he deserve it, but I think Houston losing that game yesterday, I think it ruined their season,” Smith said. “I think in order for them to make the playoffs, they had to go like four or five games without losing a game starting off 0-4.”
Now, Houston responding after a winless start isn't shocking. Last season, following an 0-3 record, Houston won nine straight to finish 12-5. After opening this season with a four-game losing streak, the Texans appeared ready for a repeat when they rattled off back-to-back wins over AFC South opponents in Tennessee and Jacksonville.
Nobody wants to be below .500 entering their bye week, but a three-game winning streak is one way to get the public back on your side. All that was flushed down the drain as J.J. McCarthy, in his first start, looked like a Pro Bowler while carving up Houston's secondary.
“What the hell are you doing in the offseason and in training camp and in the preseason to get your boys ready? Why aren’t they ready to play football in September?” Smith said. “This is what is going to cost the Houston Texans. I believe in order for Houston to make a run, they couldn’t lose another game for the next four to five weeks. They had to at least get back to .500. To win two straight, and then to go and lose to J.J. McCarthy and the New York Giants?"
Smith didn't even give the Giants a second to breathe after they beat a playoff team. Instead, Smith questioned whether the Texans are even relevant entering November.
"I don’t know how good the Houston Texans are right now," Smith said.
Houston returns from its bye week for a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Currently, the Bolts remain the only winless team in the NFL for 2026.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: ESPN's Stephen A. Smith calls out Texans, DeMeco Ryans for horrendous start to 2026 season
