Hey, Houston Texans fans, welcome to Rock Bottom of the NFL.
And yes, it can still get worse come Sunday on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
A once-promising football team that had goals of making the Super Bowl now looks to pick up its first win of the year, dating back to the preseason, against a winless Tennessee Titans roster. And if the Texans lose that game, one might as well start preparing for the 2027 NFL Draft and find which prospect is a can't-miss to fix the offense.
Behind a career-high 17 catches, CeeDee Lamb found his way into the end zone for a 22-yard game-sealing touchdown with 34 seconds left as the Dallas Cowboys overcame a 10-point comeback to secure the 34-30 win at Reliant Stadium.
For the first time in the DeMeco Ryans
era and the second time since 2020, Houston will begin the year 0-4.
Most weeks, 30 points would seem like enough to win a football game. Initially, as the offense took a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter, it did seem like plenty.C.J. Stroud once again delivered a performance to be proud of, throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. With the return of Nico Collins, there was life in the passing game, as the Pro Bowl receiver finished with seven receptions for 118 yards, making up for lost time after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
But the lack of a run game and careless penalties cost Houston a chance to finish drives. Houston was flagged 13 times for 90 yards, including four holding calls on the offensive line. For the third straight week, the combination of David Montgomery and Woody Marks rushed for under 60 yards and combined for less than 4.0 yards per carry.
Even after the Cowboys took the lead, Houston responded. Stroud found Jaylin Noel and Xaiver Hutchinson for big-time games, setting Houston up outside the red zone. On third down, tight end Dalton Schultz lateralled a pass to David Montgomery, who turned upfield for a gain of 16 and a first down.
Prescott, who was held in check for most of the first half, threw for 335 yards, setting up three different scoring drives for running back Javontae Williams. His lone touchdown pass came with 34 seconds remaining, connecting with Lamb to build a four-point lead.
At that point, Houston had a last-chance heave at the end zone from midfield, but Stroud’s desperation pass fell incomplete right at the top of the hands of tight end Dalton Schultz.
Even if Hail Mary had counted, the Texans' defense has consistently let down the offensive production. There's a legit world where Houston should be sitting at 3-1 if the supposed elite defense delivered as fans expected.
Let's take a quick look at where the Texans sit among NFL power rankings throughout the major publications entering Sunday's AFC South matchup at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 27 (Last Week 24)
From Davis: "Even if an 0-4 outfit wanted to wave the white flag, the contracts of players like DE Danielle Hunter and WR Nico Collins are basically untradeable due to their salary cap ramifications."
Pete Prisco,CBS Sports: 26 (Last Week 27)
From Prisco:"They've made the playoffs after opening 0-3. But this year it's 0-4. Can they climb out from that hole to make the playoffs? Good luck."
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: 26 (Last Week 24)
From Schwab: "With 2:23 left on Sunday, the Texans scored to take a 30-27 lead. A defense that was expected to be one of the best in the NFL could win the game with one stop, or at least make sure the game went to overtime by holding Dallas to a field goal. The Cowboys went downfield and scored a touchdown."
Nick Shook, NFL.com: 23 (Last Week 24)
From Shook: "I think it’s safe to remove the “elite” tag from the Texans’ defense. For a second straight week, C.J. Stroud gave Houston a late lead, and the defense failed to protect it. Kamari Lassiter had an especially terrible day, giving up eight receptions for 136 yards on 11 targets as the closest defender, per Next Gen Stats. Houston’s defense didn’t generate organic pressure, resorting to blitzes against a quarterback (Dak Prescott) you certainly should not blitz often. The Texans paid the price and have wasted a rather strong stretch from Stroud, who is no longer the problem in Houston."
The Score: 26 (Last Week 22)
From The Score: "Kai Kroeger: You know things aren't going well when your best offseason acquisition is ... a punter. Traded from the Saints to the Texans in March, Kroeger has been solid this season, ranking top 10 in average yards per punt (49.1)."
Josh Kendall, The Athletic:17 (Last Week 9)
From Kendall: "It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Houston fans and C.J. Stroud. In his first 23 games, Stroud was 15-8 with 26 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 101.7 passer rating. In the next 21 games, he was 9-12 with 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 86.2 passer rating. Then another climb, seven straight wins that included nine touchdowns and four interceptions and a 91.5 passer rating. But now, Stroud has lost four straight games, and the Texans have started a second straight season 0-3."
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report:28 (Last Week 27)
From Sobleski: "What makes Houston's situation particularly concerning is the team could rely on its defense last season. This year is a different story. Houston went from fielding the league's best defense to sitting outside of the Top 20. Houston currently ranks among the bottom five pass defenses. Derek Stingley Jr. and the Texans' secondary couldn't slow CeeDee Lamb. Instead, Lamb set a new Dallas Cowboys franchise record Sunday with 17 receptions in a single game. Ironically, Houston's offense was the bigger concern entering the 2026 campaign. It's currently ranked sixth overall."
Ralph Vacchiano,FOX Sports: 26 (Last Week 22)
Super Bowl odds: +4500
From Vacchiano:"The DeMeco Ryans-C.J. Stroud era in Houston has been wildly successful. So what’s gone wrong in 2026? The defense, mostly. It has just three takeaways this season — a stark drop from when the Texans had 29 last year (third in the NFL). Given they get good pressure (14 sacks, including 4.5 from DE Will Anderson), that’s ridiculously low. "
Conor Orr, Sports Illustrated: 20 (Last Week 16)
From Orr: "Of the teams whose seasons are theoretically dead in the water, Houston provides the faintest glimmer of hope. Braden Smith, Tank Dell and Kayden McDonald are on the way, the Titans are up next on the schedule and 1–4 looks far better (with three examples of playoff teams in the last 25 years, by the way). "
D.J. Bien-Aime, ESPN: 24(Last Week 21)
From Bien-Aime: "The Texans' pass defense has fallen off a cliff in 2026. Last season, Houston was fifth in passing yards allowed (179 per game). So far in 2026, it's 28th (260). For a team with three Pro Bowlers in the secondary, that's inexcusable. There are a bunch of reasons, but a noteworthy one is that Houston hasn't pressed as much as last season. The Texans have the second-lowest press rate (25%), per ESPN Research, compared to the 12th highest in 2025 (56%). That has been a little confusing, as All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter are best when pressing."
Cole Thompson, Texans Wire: 27 (Last Week 16)
From Thompson: "There is a light at the end of the dark, depressing tunnel and most Texans fans won't believe this. Houston enters its winless affair against the Titans, ranked sixth in passing offense. C.J. Stroud is a top-five passer in terms of yards and he's yet to throw an interception. Even with a lowly run game, the Texans are averaging more yards than contenders like Buffalo, Baltimore and Seattle.
The problem? The secondary has to improve. Kamari Lassiter's regression in Year 3 isn't being discussed enough entering October and a defensive backfield filled with Pro Bowlers is allowing 260 yards per contest on average. Something has to change this week or you might as well begin the tank for Jeremiah Smith to come in and save the franchise."
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL power rankings round-up 2026: How do Texans fare entering Week 5?
