HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans are averaging the fewest points in the NFL with 14 and their 265.5 yards a game rank 28th as they’ve opened the season 0-2.
So far, their revamped offensive line and new coordinator Nick Caley have done nothing to improve a unit led by third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The Texans fell to 0-2 for the second time in three seasons with a 20-19 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night in a game where they didn’t convert either of their red-zone opportunities. They had a second down
at the 1-yard line early in the fourth quarter and came up empty after Nick Chubb was stopped on first down, then Stroud threw incompletions intended for Nico Collins on the next two plays.
Stroud was 13 of 24 for 207 yards and a touchdown on a night when he was sacked three times and hit six other times while often operating under heavy pressure. Coach DeMeco Ryans thought Stroud did some good things but noted that he and everyone else must play better for the offense to be effective.
“It’s a collective effort,” he said. “We go 2 for 9 on third down, what do we expect? If we can’t get the ball in at the goal line, what do we expect is going to happen? Everybody on offense has to make plays.”
Stroud is frustrated with his team’s inability to finish drives and was asked why he thinks the Texans have struggled offensively through the first two games.
“We can say a bunch of different things of what could have went right,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s about winning games and those plays that are in between, those are the plays that you end up winning or losing on in my opinion. In my opinion that’s what we got to get better at, making more plays and sustaining drives.”
Despite the tough start, the Texans aren’t panicking and insist they’ll find a way to get on track. Their optimism is aided by the fact that when they opened the 2023 season 0-2, they bounced back to go 10-7 and win the AFC South.
“It’s no hole. We lost the game. We lost two games, games we should have won,” Ryans said. “To win games you got to play better. You’ve got to coach better. It starts with me. I’ve got to coach better. We’ve got to play better and execute better. You got to go win games. You’re not going to be given games. So, we got to find a way to make those plays.”
The special teams' play gave the Texans a chance to win Monday night despite the struggles on offense. The Texans blocked a punt with about 6 1/2 minutes left and made a field goal on the ensuing drive. Rookie Jaylin Noel returned a punt 53 yards later in the fourth to set up a touchdown that gave the Texans the lead before the Bucs rallied for the win in the final seconds.
Noel had three kick returns and three punt returns for 145 yards, which was the fifth-most total return yards by a rookie in franchise history.
Along with the problems in the passing game, the Texans also have struggled to run the ball with running back Joe Mixon out for at least two more games because of a foot injury. Starting running back Nick Chubb managed just 43 yards on 12 carries and Woody Mark added 14 yards on three carries.
“Overall, just not good enough in the run game,” Ryans said. “We’re getting knocked back at the line of scrimmage, then you can’t get the play started. We’ve got to look at it all and see how we can get it fixed.”
Veteran defensive end Danielle Hunter had two sacks and forced a fumble Monday night to become the first Texans to do so since 2023. His performance gives him 101 1/2 sacks in his 10-year career.
Houston’s offensive line, which has four new starters this season, has failed to effectively protect Stroud or block well in the running game. Ryans said there were some “communication issues” Monday night and that they have to do a much better job of picking up blitzes.
WRs Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios have yet to play this season because of hamstring injuries, and it’s unclear if they’ll return Sunday. … C Jake Andrews missed Monday’s game with an ankle injury.
The Texans have converted just four of 19 third-down opportunities combined in their first two games.
Houston must find a way to get its offense moving and clean up its mistakes as the team prepares for its first AFC South game of the season, a visit to Jacksonville on Sunday.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
