The Houston Texans are stuck in a serious rut, taking a tough 20-6 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 at Reliant Stadium. This isn’t just one bad game; it’s the third time in four years under head coach DeMeco Ryans that the Texans have started the season a dismal 0-2. That’s a brutal way to kick off September, and it tells you everything you need to know about the early struggles.
Stroud Throws a Ton, Gets Nada
Quarterback C.J. Stroud put up some seriously big numbers, slinging it for 353 yards. You’d think that kind of yardage would translate directly to points, right? Wrong. He never once found the end zone. While he did impress when targeting tight end Dalton Schultz, who absolutely led the team with 12 catches for 140 yards, and showed off some solid mobility with two first-down runs for 29 rushing yards, the “clutch factor” was nowhere to be found. Stroud stepped up in the pocket, sure, finding guys like Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson for 20-yard gains. But what good is 353 passing yards when the scoreboard shows zero points from your offense? Yeah, he’s in the top two for passing yards across the league, but when you’re forced to throw the ball 55 times, you pretty much expect those numbers. His B grade on the report card feels mighty generous, all things considered.
Houston’s Run Game Hits Rock Bottom
If Stroud got a B, the run game deserved an F, and frankly, that’s what it got. Where is the juice? After David Montgomery had a two-touchdown performance last week, you’d think there’d be some momentum carrying over. Nope. He averaged less than one yard per carry, finishing with a pathetic 18 yards on 14 attempts. Seriously, 18 yards on 14 carries? Even Stroud and wide receiver Jaylin Noel finished with more rushing yards than Montgomery or Woody Marks, with Stroud actually totaling more than that duo combined! The nail in the coffin? Montgomery getting stuffed on fourth-and-inches by Dexter Lawrence, a play that screamed the run game was officially dead for the afternoon. And the offensive line? They were completely gassed by the end. Six pressures allowed in the first half ballooned to 24 by the fourth quarter, plus four sacks, with three of those coming on the final two drives. Absolutely brutal.
Defense Brings The Heat, Still Not Enough
At least the defensive line came to play. They truly delivered, racking up 27 pressures on Burrow and sacking him five times. Will Anderson Jr. was an absolute beast, grabbing 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss. And Danielle Hunter got his first sack of 2026 in the second quarter, almost jarring the ball loose. They showed flashes of what they can be, but when your offense can’t put up points, even a strong defensive effort isn’t enough to get a win.
The Texans are reeling at 0-2, and while there were some individual bright spots, the team simply isn’t gelling. They’ve got to find a way to finish drives and turn those yards into points, or this season is going to be a long one for Houston fans. You just can’t put up 353 passing yards and walk away with nothing to show for it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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