Here are 11 observations from the loss.

1. This is one of the more disappointing losses under DeMeco Ryans. This was not a good New York Giants football team, but they looked better in every facet of the game save kicking field goals. They were better coached. Their offense was better. Their defense was better. Their stars played better. Their role players played better. The Giants showed what good coaching can accomplish. The Giants worked hard to minimize and hide their weaknesses. The Texans plowed forward as the flawed, deficiency-riddled mess they’ve been for most of the season. They seemed to lack energy early and competency throughout. Penalties, again, sunk offensive drives. They shouldn’t have made it to overtime, as the Giants left six points out there with missed kicks.

2. Overtime was putrid. The offense got nothing. A run to nowhere gave way to two pressured throws and a punt. Oh, and there was a holding call that got declined. After the punt, the Giants were winning three plays later. Cam Skattebo blasted through a hole the size of an 18-wheeler for 42 yards. He went down, but former Texans running back Devin Singletary picked him up on the next play. He scampered 30 yards for a game-winning score after multiple Texans couldn’t tackle him. It was an exclamation point on another poor defensive performance.

Read more

There was plenty to like about last week’s win, but lots to clean up.

The Texans can lean on the offense, specifically C.J. Stroud. He’s been excellent. His foes this week are down two of their best defensive backs. This team spent an offseason building a run-first offense. They’ve smartly abandoned that in favor of making Stroud the focal point. They added Marvin Harrison Jr., and Tank Dell is back. Jaylin Noel has never been more dangerous. Nico Collins is still excellent. The rushing attack showed signs of life last week. That hopefully is here to stay.

The defense could use a solid day. Any quarterback with a pulse has given them trouble. J.J. McCarthy isn’t exactly a daunting foe. He lit up the New Orleans Saints in a comeback bid, but his NFL career hasn’t been good. McCarthy has some decent weapons. The offensive line isn’t bad. The defense can’t let the Giants light them up.

If the Texans want to get back into any playoff conversation, they’ll need the defense. This is a great chance to regain confidence. Momentum might be tough with the bye week next week, but feeling something close to last year’s defensive dominance would go a long way. When you’re struggling like that group, anything would help.

If they win today, they’ve staved off disaster for a third week and kept playoff chances alive. They shouldn’t have been 0-4, but getting to 3-4 ahead of their bye week would mean the Texans started to turn things around.

Leave a comment

One Player to Watch

Arvell Reese has been everything the New York Giants could’ve hoped for when they drafted him. He is all over the field for them. He plays traditional linebacker. He can cover. He is an excellent rusher. Reese is the type of player that can take over a game if you don’t account for him. It will be interesting to see if the Giants add to his pass-rush workload to offset some missing pieces in the secondary.

One Matchup to Watch

Malik Nabers is an absolute monster. The New York Giants target him a ton. He’s rattled off 23 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown. That’s with 35 targets. They will go to him. He is the main way they can move the ball. The Texans haven’t exactly put the lid on opposing top wideouts. They need a better plan for Nabers, or he will keep the Giants in this game.

One Stat to Watch

Two running backs are the “stat” to watch this week. The Texans only have Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale active at running back. This is a pass-first team, but they still have to do some work on the ground. Marks has to hold up. He’s been solid this year, but last year as the lead back he got a little banged up. Ogunbowale hasn’t been a productive offensive player. It’s a risk to have just two running backs. Marks has to be as solid as ever in this one.

Subscribe now

Score Prediction

The Houston Texans win 34-13. C.J. Stroud and the passing attack should have a good day against a depleted New York Giants secondary. This offense has put up points when they have Nico Collins, and they have Nico Collins. Nick Caley is in a zone as the offensive coordinator. The defense for the Texans draws an easy quarterback opponent in J.J. McCarthy. For the first time in a long time, the Texans can cruise in the second half.

Read more

The Texans got their biggest win of the season in a must-win against the Jaguars. The defense was carried by the offense, which might be the new norm.

Despite starting with four straight losses, the Texans could get to .500 earlier than last season, when it took them 10 games. The competition is about to get easier. If the offense continues to play at this level and the defense starts looking anywhere close to how it should, then this could end up being an extremely exciting season.

The season is very much alive. There are a lot of reasons for hope for this football team, with the main reason being elite quarterback play.

Here are the week six Land Lock grades.

Quarterback: A+

C.J. Stroud has continued to bail out the defense. He should have four game-winning fourth-quarter drives if the defense could hold late leads. Fortunately, the offense had the ball last in London. He was elite and has been all season long.

This is the best Stroud has ever looked. It’s hard to imagine him playing much better than he has. What’s even scarier is that his offensive surroundings appear to be improving, which is a scary thought for the remaining opponents.

Running Backs: A+

Woody Marks was the first running back to rush for over 40 yards against the Jaguars this season. Shortly afterwards, Jawhar Jordan became the second. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The Texans staff was forced to use Jordan when an underperforming veteran got hurt for the second straight season, and for the second time, Jordan was a major contributor in the game. That’s funny and frustrating.

Jordan had a huge touchdown run and a run to set up the game-winner. Marks best play was the third-down reception on that same drive.

This was the best the backs have looked all season, and it’s not a coincidence. It will be very interesting to see how the rotation is handled moving forward, especially when Montgomery is healthy.

Jordan also has a history of getting banged up after the team displays confidence in him, which will be something else to monitor.

Wide Receivers: A

Jaylin Noel had the best game of his career and was still a major factor on offense despite the arrival of Marvin Harrison Jr.

One of the most intriguing formations was the one where Caley lined Noel and Harrison up on the same side of the field. It’s going to be fun to see how this looks as the season goes on.

Kayshon Boutte had his spectacular sideline catch of the game. He’s obviously not DeAndre Hopkins, but like Hopkins, he has at least one of those per Sunday. It’s hard to complain about his usage because things are gelling so well. It feels like Boutte is due for a really, really big play in the next couple of weeks.

Harrison was sprinkled in appropriately. He was able to get chemistry going with Stroud after a Jacksonville penalty to start the third quarter. It’s going to be fun to see how Caley sprinkles him into the mix.

Nico Collins still made all the plays he was required to help and appears to have a supporting cast that will allow him to do what he does and not carry the whole load.

Tight Ends: A

Foster Moreau had two touchdowns and a solo tackle on punt coverage in the first half.

Dalton Schultz was clearly having issues with sliding on the turf and appears to be banged up, but made some plays throughout the day.

Cade Stover continued to block well and also was called upon for a couple of quarterback sneaks, moving the chains on one and centering the ball for the game-winning field goal for the other.

The only bad moment for the tight ends was the unnecessary swing pass to Brevin Jordan, but that was a very small thing.

This was a complete effort at the tight end position, the most complete of the season.

Offensive Line: A-

The offensive line looked a lot better in run blocking with Montgomery out of the rotation. They led the way for the first two running backs to rush for 40 yards against the Jacksonville defense.

They also didn’t allow a sack, which was aided by Stroud’s ability to make plays, but they held up nicely.

There were a few penalties, but that’s expected, and they weren’t too costly.

You would take this offensive line performance every single game, no questions asked.

Defensive Line: D

The Texans defensive line was physically dominated and didn’t have a single sack or tackle for a loss in the game.

Will Anderson Jr. did not wreck the game as expected against a backup tackle, and Danielle Hunter didn’t do anything spectacular either.

There’s a lot of chatter that we are beginning to see the inevitable decline in Hunter playing at a consistently elite level, which isn’t crazy given where he is in his career. Giving him an unnecessary one-year extension at an elite price tag may be crazy, but that’s a completely different conversation.

The Jaguars offensive line and running backs won the battle at the line of scrimmage. Chris Rodriguez looked like Earl Campbell running through the Texans’ defensive front at times.

It wasn’t all bad, and there were times when the defensive line made Trevor Lawrence uncomfortable, but it wasn’t the best outing for this unit.

Linebackers and Safeties: C-

There are a lot of holes in the middle of this defense, especially against the pass. These holes are hard to hide against good teams.

The Jaguars created problems for the middle of the defense on the ground and in the air.

With Jalen Pitre out of the lineup, the Texans started the game with three linebackers on the field. Pitre was most missed against the run.

Henry To’oTo’o was in the mix like he never left and clearly is an upgrade over his backups. He’s still a liability in coverage, but that is what it is, and he’s not alone.

Azeez Al-Shaair had to leave the game briefly, but returned. He had an up-and-down day, with the low points being in coverage and keeping up with the Jags’ running backs.

Calen Bullock had his first interception of the season, capitalizing on a phantom holding call on the Jaguars that negated a touchdown. He also nearly had another.

M.J. Stewart held up nicely and had one play where he had perfect coverage on a deep ball to Parker Washington. He was as good as you should expect.

Reed Blankenship left the game with a concussion, but the Blankenship coaster was on display while he was on the field. He had a few missed tackles, his vintage missed diving attempt to break up a pass, with a nice tackle for a loss on a recognized screen sprinkled in. Honestly, I thought he looked alright when he was in, but he sticks out when he makes mistakes.

Cornerbacks: C-

Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter are still playing far off the line of scrimmage, and while they haven’t been bad, it’s not the standard they have set in previous seasons.

Lassiter is still very up and down and a shell of what he was in his first two seasons in the league. Stingley made some plays.

Tremon Smith stood his ground at times at cornerback.

I believe the best cornerback play is ahead of us and that these guys will perform closer to the expected level of play. Although the expectations haven’t been met, the competition has been tough, and the best is ahead.

Special Teams: B

Ka’imi Fairbairn did what he does, and it was never in doubt. Kai Kroeger punter well. Wade Woodaz showed flashes as a special teams contributor.

The kick coverage is still up and down at best, and the most stressful time of watching the 2026 Texans is when they kick off.

It was a good enough performance to win the game.

Coaching: B

The Good: Nick Caley’s offense. Just a perfect mix of run and pass, and a perfect job of mixing Harrison in while keeping Noel involved in the game plan. Caley gets an A.

The third-down play call and pass to Marks on the game-winning drive was an absolute gem. Caley has dialed up four game-winning quality drives this season with only two wins to show for it. The offense has performed well enough to win five games this season.

I’ve also got to give some credit to new quarterback coach Jerry Schuplinski, aka John Carroll Jerry, who might not have been a counselor at Stroud’s high school camp like former quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson, but has Stroud looking better than he ever has.

The Good: DeMeco Ryans’ in-game management.

Ryans did an excellent job in clock management at the end of the first half, which made Moreau’s second touchdown possible. It was a perfect response to a poor performance at the end of the second quarter last week.

Ryans also didn’t hesitate to settle for the field goal early in the game, which was the right decision.

This was the best in-game management Ryans has had in a game this season and allowed his football team to overcome his defense.

The Bad: Ryans’ defense, which was questioned throughout the broadcast by ESPN’s Louis Riddick, who described the Texans secondary as conceding first downs while mentioning how soft the defense is in the middle.

Typically, Ryans is very smug when his defense is questioned, including this season when I asked him about the soft spot in the middle. It’s one thing to be smug to fans or media questioning the defense, but when a former NFL defensive back sees the obvious, maybe it hits a little different for the defensive play-caller.

Honestly, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder can see the flaws in this defense. The good news is that there’s still talent on that side of the ball and the competition is about to get much easier in the coming weeks.

The defense was fortunate that their lead on Jacksonville’s final drive was only three points because if the Jags had needed to score a touchdown and had four downs to work with, then let’s be honest, they probably would have done it.

Jacksonville’s offense was having their way with the Texans defense, and every team that has been in that situation against the Texans defense has gotten what they needed late in the game: Buffalo, Indianapolis, Dallas, and the Jags got the field goal they needed.

The Meh: Special teams are still up and down.

Here are 11 observations from the win.

1. The Houston Texans needed this one. And they got it. A victory over the Titans meant little. Beating a good team like the Jacksonville Jaguars meant a lot. Avoiding digging their hole even deeper was the most important element. The Texans are starting to climb out of that awful start. This win also showed the ability to close the game. They got contributions in the last bit from all three phases and won a game that they undoubtedly would’ve lost a few weeks ago. They finished, after failing to do so three previous times this season.

2. C.J. Stroud is lava hot right now. He is locked in. The laser focus is apparent. The Texans have a chance to beat any team left on their schedule with Stroud playing this well. He’s calm in the pocket, but managing it when needed to create more. His accuracy is pinpoint. It’s the best football of his career. Since he stepped on the field in training camp, he has done everything you could’ve hoped for and more. Stroud is using the full range of weaponry on this offense. It’s a great watch each week.

Read more

The Texans are a passing team. Despite their investment in the run game this offseason, Stroud is the way they move the ball. Stroud is the way they score points. While the defense fails to live up to their hype, Stroud is resurrecting his profile among the league’s top signal callers.

Weeks ago, Stroud asked for more aggression. His requests were answered.

Did he ask for his college teammate to help further the ability for the Texans to strike through the air?

“I just asked for them to include me in things like that since I got here,” Stroud said this week. “I was just appreciative that they gave me an opportunity to even explain who I thought he was, the player I thought he was. I really don’t have like that type of push or say so.”

Stroud was modest, but he absolutely has the pull to bring a player like Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston. It would make sense that the franchise quarterback, playing like a franchise quarterback again, would make that request. It was a Stroud-motivated move one way or the other. Specific request or not. Good for him if he did, and well done by the Texans to get a player Stroud thinks can keep him rolling.

The discussion about this year’s Texans, even from yours truly, was that Stroud needed to manage the offense. The defense would handle most of the hard work. Don’t mess it up. If Stroud is good, plan the parade.

Stroud has been excellent. The Texans are 1-4. The rushing attack isn’t there. He’s near the top of numerous passing categories. The defense is nowhere near the top. Stroud has taken leads. The defense has given them away.

It’s well within Stroud's rights to ask for more.

Especially as his play makes it more likely he stays.

The two sides talked about the contract before the season. It would’ve been a number outside the top quarterbacks for Stroud if he signed. The Texans, evidenced by their slow steps to the negotiating table and the offer they were willing to make, were skeptical. Both sides were right to wait.

The Texans had leverage before the season; now it’s Stroud’s. Extending Stroud is getting easier to do by the day.

Speaking of agents, Harrison finally hired one a few weeks ago. While he didn’t hire Stroud’s agent, he did hire agents from the same agency. Surely just a coincidence.

Stroud’s hot start has to continue. He’s the most reliable part of this team. He’s checked every box since he started training camp. Harrison should help him check more. Now if everyone else holds up their end of the bargain, maybe the Texans will go where they were supposed to be headed.

Leave a comment

One Player to Watch

The right tackle for the Texans is the player to watch. Trent Brown has started in every game, but he’s had some shaky moments. This is the first game the Texans have had Braden Smith available. The Jaguars have the best edge rush duo the Texans have faced. While C.J. Stroud has been excellent, there has still been too much pressure. A leaky right side, from Brown or Smith, could ruin the passing attack.

One Matchup to Watch

Woody Marks starts at running back this week. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the best run defense in football. They haven’t allowed a 40-yard rusher this season. Marks has been explosive and decisive when he’s gotten the ball. He’s forcing missed tackles (he has the 17th most missed tackles forced among running backs). Marks averaged over four yards per carry last week. If the Texans can run the football well, in addition to their passing attack, they could really put pressure on a solid Jaguars defense.

One Stat to Watch

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the AFC’s best red zone defense. They allow touchdowns on just a third of the possessions. The Jaguars will allow plenty of yards, but they keep teams out of the end zone. The Texans have struggled in the red zone, but have been slightly better the past three games. They must punch it in against the Jaguars to get the win. C.J. Stroud’s excellent red zone pass to Jaylin Noel last week was a thing of beauty. More of that, and the Texans can get the win in London.

Subscribe now

Score Prediction

The Houston Texans win 24-20. The Jacksonville Jaguars are missing their starting left tackle. That is a terrible thing to be missing when staring down this Houston Texans pass rush. Trevor Lawrence has played well, but C.J. Stroud is better. The Jaguars have the best offensive player in this game with Parker Washington, but even he won’t be enough if the Texans move the ball through the air. It’s a close one, but the Texans make it two in a row.

DeMeco Ryans got the first opportunity on Monday.

“He’s another really great playmaker,” Ryans said when asked about the trade. “He’s crushed a lot of college records. Got multiple thousand-yard receiving seasons in college. All-American, always been a top receiver when he’s been on the field. He has good rapport with C.J. [Stroud] from their time at Ohio State. We’re excited to get him in, add another great player to our group.”

When asked to evaluate Harrison in Arizona and what led to the poor performance, Ryans ignored the question, saying they were excited for Harrison to be himself and the “playmaker that he is.”

Harrison was a prolific college receiver, as Ryans noted. That success is the reason he went fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. If he was that player, he wouldn’t have been on the trade block. Ryans didn’t have to run down everything he saw wrong with Harrison’s situation in Arizona, but acknowledging the player hasn’t lived up to the incredible hype isn’t a bad thing.

The Texans can’t ignore that Harrison’s availability was tied to his performance in Arizona. Obviously, they believe their situation will be better. It can’t be ignored that Harrison will reunite with C.J. Stroud. That’s a unique element not present in previous trades of poor-performing top picks.

Arizona’s return for Harrison was unprecedented for a struggling receiver. Ryans, again, ignored Harrison’s inconsistent time with his former team.

“You want good players,” he said, “it has to cost whatever it is. The guy is a really good player, so we’re excited to get him here.”

Harrison hasn’t shown flashes of being a good player since his rookie season. The Texans saw a path to getting that player, so they were willing to pay the price. Harrison is also under contract for the 2027 season, and the 2028 season if the Texans pick up his fifth-year option. That’s a massive positive should the highly-touted version of Harrison make an appearance.

Integrating Harrison should take time. Numerous coaches and players have explained how much this style of offense demands from wide receivers.

Not a huge concern for Ryans when it comes to Harrison.

“The thing that I’ve heard from a lot of people speaking about Marvin [Harrison Jr.] is he’s one of the hardest workers,” Ryans said. “That’s the common theme that I’ve heard from multiple people: how hard of a worker he is. I’m not concerned about him picking up the offense and what he can be able to run for us, the things that he’ll be able to do for us offensively. I’m not concerned about it because the kid is a hard worker.”

Harrison’s work ethic, seemingly never in question in Arizona, will steward him through the complicated system.

That sounds like a player who can help sooner rather than later.

Read more

Quarterback: A

C.J. Stroud is playing at an elite level. His game looks more complete than it ever has.

He is using his legs to extend plays and even had a touchdown on a designed run. He is spreading the ball to multiple receivers. The accuracy has returned. He’s also doing this with an inconsistent offensive line and run game.

Despite the 1-4 start to the season, the quarterback play has been worthy of a win in every single game this season.

Running Backs: B

Woody Marks is the best running back on this team. That was obvious very early in training camp. More Marks means a better offense in every aspect.

Marks had a touchdown taken away by a Brevin Jordan hold, but there’s clearly more juice when he has the ball. He makes the most of the blocking in front of him. He was also more involved in the pass game, but there could still be more.

David Montgomery will miss time with a groin injury, which means more Marks.

The depth behind Marks will be something to monitor, but the backfield could have more juice, like it did last season when the staff was forced to play Jawhar Jordan during Nick Chubb’s absence.

Wide Receivers: A

Nico Collins continues to be reliable when the offense needs it most. He makes tough, physical catches look routine.

Kayshon Boutte doesn’t get a lot of opportunities, but when he does, it feels like it’s always a big play. His sideline catch on the opening drive of the second half was a thing of beauty.

Xavier Hutchinson is playing his best football. It will be interesting to see what that looks like moving forward with the recent trade for Marvin Harrison Jr.

More Jaylin Noel is a good thing for the offense. This hasn’t been a secret to anyone not on the Texans offensive staff.

Anyone who watched practice during training camp saw what Noel was capable of in the red zone. Sometimes things take longer to realize with this staff. He put that on display in a game with a beautiful red zone touchdown from Stroud where he showed off his feel and strong hands.

I would love to say we continue to see this from Noel consistently, but you never know what you’ll see week-to-week from this staff. I wonder if Noel’s talents can continue to be maximized now that the Texans added another receiver to the mix.

Can offensive coordinator Nick Caley and company be trusted to maximize multiple weapons at once, or is that too much to ask?

Regardless, the wide receivers were solid in Nashville.

Tight Ends: C+

Good: Cade Stover picked up two blocks on Stroud’s designed touchdown run.

Bad: The holding call on Jordan that negated the Marks touchdown.

Dalton Schultz had some nice catches. The tight-end blocking was solid.

Foster Moreau did his job.

Offensive Line: B

The offensive line was as solid as you could expect. Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons did not wreck the game.

Stroud had plenty of time to throw, and there were two sacks allowed. One of the sacks was when Stroud scrambled out of bounds. The other sack was a scary one late in the game where Aireontae Ersery got beat badly, and Stroud got lit up from his blind side. Caley probably shouldn’t have had Stroud in that position late in the fourth quarter.

It was a good day for the offensive line and provided some momentum heading into a huge challenge against a solid Jacksonville defensive front in London.

Defensive Line: A

Will Anderson Jr. leads the league in sacks and was moved around more by DeMeco Ryans this week. Anderson has done a lot of productive things that haven’t shown up on the stat sheet and was able to run up the sack total against the Titans.

For the second time this season, Danielle Hunter forced an interception, this one to linebacker Jake Hansen for his first career interception.

Kayden McDonald looked really good in his NFL debut. Way better than he did at any point in practice during camp. It was interesting to hear Ryans say that McDonald had some struggles in practice earlier in the week, but played well in the game. It’s not an effort thing, but maybe McDonald is just one of those guys that performs better in games. He looked solid against the run.

Jadeveon Clowney offsides penalties are just part of the package, but the defense is way better when he is in the rotation. McDonald allowed Logan Hall to be more of a hybrid with limited reps in run situations.

Linebackers and Safeties: B

Azeez Al-Shaair makes everything better at the linebacker position. Things should get even better when Henry To’oTo’o returns.

Hansen has a really good game with his first career interception and a consistent presence in the trenches.

Calen Bullock saved a touchdown late in the second quarter when Jalen Pitre got beaten by Tate on a deep Ward pass. Pitre was also beaten for a likely touchdown on the opening drive, but fortunately for him, Ward was playing quarterback.

Reed Blankenship played his best game. It will be interesting to see how he’s used if Pitre misses time.

There will be a huge increase in competition this week against the Jaguars, but it feels like this unit will be up for the challenge, even without Pitre.

Cornerbacks: B-

I’m not ready to eliminate the standard and expectations Kamari Lassiter set in his first two seasons. He has played below the expectations that he set. Even in a dominant victory, there were glimpses of Lassiter’s 2026 struggles.

Lassiter just hasn’t made plays when given the opportunity and continues to get penalties. This week Lassiter whiffed on a perfectly dialed-up third-down blitz, allowing Ward to escape. Fortunately for him, it was Ward at quarterback and the pass was incomplete, but Lassiter should be expected to make that play. Against better competition, this mistake could be more costly.

Derek Stingley Jr. was fine and held it down on his side of the field.

Titans rookie wideout Carnell Tate was a complete non-factor.

Special Teams: A

Ka’imi Fairbairn provided enough points to win the game in the first half. There was no clear gap in the return game. The third phase carried their weight in Nashville.

Coaching: B-

Ryans did a good job in his return to calling the defense with some nice wrinkles, including the movement of Anderson and some blitzes. Caley did a good job of being appropriately conservative early in the game and then dialing up the kill shot to start the third quarter.

However, there were two coaching decisions that could have been costly against better competition, and I don’t want to ignore in victory what would not be ignored in defeat. Contrary to Ryans’ beliefs, coaching decisions aren’t judged by result.

Decision One: The bizarre use of timeouts at the end of the second quarter.

After the Texans took a 12-3 lead in the second quarter, the Titans seemed content with taking it to the locker room on a third down from their own 30. In the moment, I praised the decision to comfortably take the 12-3 lead and head into the locker room with a two-possession lead and the ball to start the second half.

However, Ryans took a timeout with 53 seconds left rather than taking the two-possession lead to the locker room. On the next play, the Titans converted on third-down and then decided to be more aggressive.

The Titans then used their first timeout and took a deep shot in the end zone that would have been a touchdown if Bullock hadn’t bailed out Pitre. This would have made this a two-point game rather than a nine-point game heading into the half.

Ryans then took a timeout with 16 seconds left to force the Titans to punt to Noel, who has struggled to consistently field punts inside the 20. After Noel unnecessarily fielded the punt, the Texans then decided to take it to the locker room with the lead, which is what they should have done from the beginning.

There ended up being no harm, but the whole process was unnecessary, not worth the risk, and could have been a disaster.

Decision Two: Putting Stroud in harm’s way in a blowout against a frustrated team.

Caley isn’t always aggressive, but it seems like he loves to get aggressive late in games against bad teams during blowouts. Last year it was the Ravens. This year it was in Nashville against the Titans.

In a 26-3 game with 6:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, Stroud took a free shot from his blind side when he dropped back to pass, and Ersery got beat by Titans defensive end Jacob Martin. This could have been a season-ending decision if Stroud had gotten hurt.

In this situation, the Titans are likely looking to take out their frustration on whichever Texans player has the football. Putting the franchise quarterback in that situation isn’t ideal or smart. Stroud was clearly shaken up after the hit, but disaster was avoided.

What made the decision even more dumb is that the Texans were at the 29-yard-line and the sack took them out of field goal range. A field goal would have made it a four-possession game, which is a small nugget compared to the obvious foolishness. You can make a case that Stroud shouldn’t have even been out there in this situation.

Leave a comment

Here are 11 observations from the win.

1. C.J. Stroud was excellent. He never appeared rattled. He was in full control the entire time. He moved the pocket to avoid pressure. Stroud trusted his wide receivers to make plays. It was one of the more complete games he has played for the Texans. The box score is going to look unimpressive, but the performance was fantastic. He’s now put together at least a solid performance in every game this year.

Read more

When the ball is kicked off, the players need to play better.

DeMeco Ryans and his adjustments to defensive calls will help, but guys have to play better, flat-out. That will help more than anything.

The defensive backs have to cover better. They’ve been more disappointing than anything on this team. When the ball comes their way, they can’t drop interceptions as they have so often in the losses. Everyone behind the defensive line needs to tackle better. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter have been excellent. That must still be the case.

The offense isn’t escaping criticism. The blocking has been bad. It must get better. Nico Collins has to remain a force on offense. Nick Caley was dialed in, but it can be better. No three-and-outs late in the game to put this defense in tougher spots. Touchdowns, not field goals.

This game isn’t about the opponent. The only way the Tennessee Titans beat the Houston Texans is with help from the Texans.

Start building the momentum necessary to turn this season around by playing to the level of talent these players have previously shown.

One Player to Watch

Jeffery Simmons can destroy this game. He is one of the best players the Texans will face all year. He can manhandle this underperforming interior offensive line. You can’t stop Simmons, but you must contain him. He will make plays, but he can’t take over. The Texans were drawn to Dexter Lawrence in week two like the massive defensive tackle had a magnet on him. Don’t fall into Simmons’ gravity and let him spark a better-than-you-think Titans defense.

One Matchup to Watch

Wan’Dale Robinson has to be licking his chops to see Jalen Pitre in coverage. The Texans can’t let the diminutive slot receiver torture Pitre. This isn’t a cover matchup that favors the Texans. Robinson has a touchdown in back-to-back games. The statistics aren’t overwhelming, but after last week, the Titans have to think about attacking Pitre with their slot weapon.

One Stat to Watch

The Tennessee Titans have cut their sack percentage in half. They’re also allowing less pressure than last season. It’s impressive, because the offensive line was one of the worst parts of last year’s abysmal team. Tennessee has allowed one sack in the last two games. Cam Ward doesn’t handle pressure particularly well, but he is using his legs more to try to escape pressure. The Texans must make Ward uncomfortable and get home for sacks.

Leave a comment

Score Prediction

The Houston Texans win 24-9. The Houston Texans have scored plenty when Nico Collins has been on the field. The Tennessee Titans haven’t played amazing offenses, but they have limited opponents from lighting them up. The Texans should be able to put up plenty of points. As for the defense, now led by DeMeco Ryans? Last year, it was a shutout of the Titans when the play-calling duties were passed. This year, the Titans sneak a few field goals onto the board. The Texans get win number one.

ESPN and NFL Network reported the Cardinals are trading Harrison. Numerous outlets reported the Texans as a potential landing spot for the wideout.

Pro Football Talk reported the Texans offered a second-round pick in the 2028 draft. The Cardinals reportedly want a second-round pick in the 2027 draft and more. The leaks to insiders feel like a negotiating tactic to drive up the price or get the Texans to up their offer.

If the Texans meet the price, it’s a horrible trade.

Harrison hasn’t been a consistently useful player in the NFL. He was a “can’t miss” prospect, but he’s been the definition of a draft bust. A somewhat productive rookie season gave way to a disappointing second season. He quit on routes, and some of them led to interceptions. He had trouble catching the ball. The mentality and approach haven’t been that of a big-time wideout. He’s played slowly and lacked the explosion he showed in college.

Harrison played in college with C.J. Stroud. Reuniting with a college teammate who had a hand in his success might reignite Harrison’s passion, but that doesn’t solve every issue that’s led to his disappointing NFL career.

Over his last 16 games, Harrison has 46 catches for 693 yards and five touchdowns. As a reference point, Kayshon Boutte has 35 catches for 547 yards and five touchdowns in his last 16 games.

The Texans traded a 2028 seventh-round pick and former sixth-round pick Jaylen Reed for Boutte earlier this year.

Parting with a premium asset for Harrison is roster mismanagement.

Nico Collins returned from his injury with fury. The passing attack has looked good when he’s been healthy. Sure, Collins has that injury history, but Harrison isn’t a Collins-level replacement. Harrison is more talented than the depth on paper, but what’s the use if he can’t show it on the field?

Jaylin Noel is coming off his most productive game. Kayshon Boutte has caught most everything thrown his way. Xavier Hutchinson just played a productive game in his proper spot in the wideout pecking order. Stroud has been good through the air with this group, and there’s room for more. They’ve not maximized the passing attack yet.

The Texans can’t run the football. Their pass protection is shaky. Their depth on defense has evaporated. Harrison doesn’t help any of those issues.

The reported price is extremely high. The 2027 NFL draft is expected to be one of the deepest classes in years. The Texans need cost-controlled talent as their huge contracts hit the books. Sending a top-60 selection for an unproductive receiver is malpractice.

The Texans would have Harrison under contract in 2027, but Harrison’s projected $17 million fifth-year option would be a necessary offseason decision. He’s shown no reason to commit beyond next season. A highly valuable draft pick for maybe 30 games of one of the biggest underachievers at wide receiver is a terrible return. At least when Nick Caserio overpaid for Stefon Diggs, there was a track record of success.

If the price decreased, say to the reported 2028 second-round pick, it still feels high for the depreciated asset that is Harrison.

Spare me your quip about Caserio burning second-round selections. There’s no guarantee Caserio is making the picks in 2027. Even if he is, he’s provided more hope than hell in the second round.

If the Texans believe the 2026 season is salvageable, investing a premium asset in Harrison doesn’t maximize the opportunity to right the ship. It hurts their spending power to shore up weaker spots. Pass on Harrison at these rumored prices. Let some other team trade an asset for hope.

Leave a comment

Sunday Doesn’t Define the Decision by DeMeco Ryans

Read more

This was a painful one to watch and, unfortunately, looked a lot like the season's opening week.

The defense didn’t do their part in a must-win game against the Dallas Cowboys. For the second straight week, the opposing head coach was better than the one on the Texans’ sideline.

Nick Caley’s offense has outperformed the defense of DeMeco Ryans.

Let that sink in.

Are we heading towards a world where the defense being the weakest link is the norm? Maybe not. Sadly, this team has displayed the ability to lose games in multiple ways. It’s as week-to-week as Nick Caley’s Patriots offensive game plans.

Here are the week four Land Lock grades…

Quarterback: A

C.J. Stroud is playing at a high level despite a poor run game and facing heavy pressure.

For the second straight week, Stroud gave the defense a lead and an opportunity to close the game out. For the second time, the defense failed.

Running Backs: D

Statistically, David Montgomery is worse than Nick Chubb was last season. There’s clearly more upside with Woody Marks despite the usage by the coaching staff not showing it.

Wide Receivers: A

Nico Collins was awesome. As Cody Stoots has pointed out, the Texans are a top-five offense statistically with him in the lineup.

Jaylin Noel is a bigger part of the game plan when Collins plays.

Kayshon Boutte made the most of his limited opportunities. Xavier Hutchinson made some plays.

The Collins impact was clear. The WR room had a solid day.

Tight Ends: Incomplete

It was an unimpactful day for the tight ends, which you can live with if the receivers play as well as the Texans did. The problem is that there was a lot invested in the position. Not making a major impact is a further reflection of a poor offseason by the front office.

Marlin Klein was inactive for Brevin Jordan’s one-catch return.

Offensive Line: D

The expectations for the offensive line are so low that if it’s not completely horrible, then it seems alright. The problems appear to be a mixture of personnel and coaching.

This is one of the worst run-blocking lines in Texans history, which is saying a lot. The pass-blocking is up and down, with the quarterback masking a lot of the mistakes by avoiding sacks and extending plays.

Trent Brown is on the back end of his career and doesn’t have it anymore. Braden Smith could relieve him soon. Evan Brown does not look like a significant upgrade over Jake Andrews. The rest of the guys on the offensive line, including rookie Keylan Rutledge, are up and down with way too many downs.

Leave a comment

Defensive Line: A

Will Anderson Jr. was his usual awesome self. After the game, Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Anderson prevented even more big plays by the Cowboys offense.

The defensive line continues to do a good job against the run. There’s a clear next level when Clowney is available.

Linebackers and Safeties: F

Whoever has been in charge of strong safety evaluation in free agency needs to either:

1. Stop only looking in Philadelphia or

2. Not be allowed to do it anymore.

Reed Blankenship is just not good, and he needs to be demoted, at the bare minimum. Blankenship, at the very most, should be an overpriced situational player.

M.J. Stewart should be back this week. Rookie Kamari Ramsey made a big play on third-down late in the game. Both should see the field more than Blankenship. It cannot be worse.

Jalen Pitre got dissected like a science project by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. While Lamb won’t be on the opposing team every week, it’s obvious (and smart) that opposing offenses are now sniffing Pitre out in coverage. The only thing he avoided more than Lamb on Sunday was the media, which the team captain dodged after the game.

It feels like Calen Bullock is having to babysit the poor-performing defensive backs around him. It’s holding him back from doing what he does best. Ramsey actually credited Bullock for telling him what the play was going to be on the play he made.

The linebackers weren’t great, but not much was expected. The most disappointing thing about the short-handed linebacker group is how much of a non-factor Wade Woodaz is even when the top of the depth chart is depleted.

Cornerbacks: F

Derek Stingley Jr. wasn’t bad, but Kamari Lassiter was so bad during and after the game that this group earned their grade.

Per Next Gen Stats, Lassiter allowed eight receptions for 136 yards on 50 snaps with three penalties. There’s likely some nuance to this, and what the defensive back is asked to do isn’t always clear in these types of stats, which Lassiter mentioned during his media availability Monday.

Side Note: Lassiter met with the media Monday because he refused to after the game despite being approached and always talking when things were going well. In fact, the entire defensive back room left Stingley by himself to answer the questions.

It has been an extremely surprising and disappointing start to the season for Lassiter. There’s a lot of season left. It will be interesting to see how he holds up.

Special Teams: C

A solid return by Jaylin Noel and a field goal block by Anderson were the highlights of the day. It was enough to give the special teams a passing grade for the first time in a long time.

Coaching: D

The defense seems incapable or too stubborn to make adjustments.

It was confusing this week when Ryans and Matt Burke appeared to disagree with the notion that the middle of the defense was vulnerable against the pass, but it made perfect sense once you saw them call the game.

I wasn’t as disappointed in the in-game management as some. However, I didn’t quite understand the timeout usage at the end of the game and also didn’t think the timeouts used at the end of the first half were as brilliant as the television broadcast did, despite it leading to points after Dallas’s decision to kick a long field goal rather than punt.

Caley called a good game, including an absolute gem of a go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter. There are still issues, but four games into the season, Caley has been better at his job than the defensive play-callers have been at theirs.

Here are 11 observations from the loss.

1. The defense failed again. After a successful first half, the Cowboys rattled off four touchdown drives in the second half. The defense again failed to protect the lead. It is the third time this season the offense has done enough, and the defense has failed to close the game out. The Texans are now 0-4, which is their worst start since 2020. Bill O’Brien was fired after the lackluster start. The Texans aren’t firing DeMeco Ryans, but business as usual isn’t going to cut it.

Read more

The Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans have both underachieved based on expectations. The Cowboys are 1-2 coming off a miserable finish against the Baltimore Ravens in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Texans are 0-3 again after the same winless start last year.

The winner will be the best of a bad duo, but never apologize for winning. Especially when the season has started so poorly.

DeMeco Ryans has preached togetherness in his locker room. The messaging has been to stay the course. They have the coaches and players to succeed. A win would drive home his words.

A loss might render them hollow.

The Texans will be celebrating their 25th season during this game. The Cowboys were, of course, the team’s first victory in franchise history. An embarrassing loss to finish a winless quarter of the season during the celebration might carry more weight than a typical loss for some. Regardless of the pomp and circumstance, 0-4 is decidedly awful. It must be avoided.

As for the game on the field, the Texans match up well. The defense has started to kick into gear. They’re getting their best offensive weapon back. The quarterback has played well through the losses. The opponent isn’t daunting. Dallas has their own warts. They’re banged up on defense. Their expensive defensive line has been terrible. Their rushing attack has been poor.

This winless start is already more difficult than last season. Just five home games remain after this one. Tiebreakers are already stacking up against Houston. Climbing into playoff relevance won’t be easy, but it will be nearly impossible if the Texans can’t get this one.

Leave a comment

One Player to Watch

Several backup linebackers are set to play in this one. Pick one as the player to watch. Jake Hansen will fill in for Azeez Al-Shaair. Hansen hasn’t played a ton of defense for the Texans; he’s mostly been on special teams. Rookie Wade Woodaz is going to play next to Hansen. He got picked on when he entered the game last week. Woodaz also has an injured thumb and ankle to play through. Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham has been one of the bright spots for a disappointing defense.

One Matchup to Watch

It won’t always be as simple and obvious as the trenches, but in this matchup it certainly is that simple. The Cowboys have just two sacks this season. No defense has allowed more rushes of 10+ yards through three games. The offensive line for the Texans has been disappointing. They haven’t protected C.J. Stroud well enough. The run blocking has been bad, especially in the short-yardage situations. Something has to give.

One Stat to Watch

Neither of these teams has put the ball in danger in the air. Dak Prescott hasn’t thrown an interception since week one. C.J. Stroud hasn’t thrown one this season. The two quarterbacks have combined for five turnover-worthy plays according to Pro Football Focus. Someone is due to make a mistake. The Cowboys are one of four teams that haven’t intercepted a pass this season.

Score Prediction

The Houston Texans win 21-20. Nico Collins brings elements back to the offense that were dearly missing. The defense has been building closer to what we expect them to be. That should be enough for the Texans to get the win against the Cowboys. Dallas has firepower, but hopefully Houston gets way more than the offense provided the past two weeks. The Texans need better offensive line play. They can’t be the “get right” team for a struggling Dallas defense. A 1-3 record still isn’t good, but it feels a lot better than 0-4.

“We’ve got to be aggressive and attack, and not be the attacked,” Stroud said, also noting that they can’t be conservative.

DeMeco Ryans wants the offense to move the ball. He doesn’t care how it gets done.

“For me, it’s just to move the football efficiently up and down the field,” Ryans said. “However that looks, you can get explosive runs. If we block it the right way, run it the right way, you can get explosive passes. When we hold up in protection, give C.J. time, the routes are on time. Everybody’s in the right position they need to be in. There are multiple ways to move the football. There’s not just one way you have to do it.”

While Ryans kept it outcome-oriented, Stroud got specific about how the offense can execute his aggressive request.

“I think getting Nico [Collins] back is going to be helpful,” he said. “I think just using our guys that we have the right way. I think just being explosive with the ball in your hands. If that’s running the ball, if that’s getting a short pass and making RAC [run after catch] or YAC [yards after catch], whatever you want to call it. Just making sure that when we get the ball in our hands, we’re making plays, and it’s my job to distribute it.”

Stroud laid it out perfectly.

Read more

The Texans are 0-3 for the second consecutive season. DeMeco Ryans is 3-9 in the first three weeks of the season. This loss to the Colts is the worst he has ever looked as a head coach.

A lot of things look familiar in the first three weeks of the season, and a lot of new questions have emerged.

The head coach doesn’t hesitate to blame players, but this week was more about the coaches than the players.

Here are this week’s Land Lock grades.

Quarterback: A

I don’t know what more C.J. Stroud is supposed to do.

He used his legs to extend drives and make plays. He led what should have been a gutsy game-winning drive.

It’s not far-fetched to think that Stroud could’ve led a game-winning field goal drive with the extra time his head coach wasted away with his poor clock management.

Running Backs: B

The production isn’t good, but what do you expect?

The running backs have no space to operate. There is no creativity in the run game. They are a non-factor in the passing game, which is the most maddening thing of all.

Woody Marks was one of the most productive receiving running backs in recent college football history, but the Texans don’t seem to notice or care.

The one time offensive coordinator Nick Caley attempted to quickly get the ball in the hands of Marks, it resulted in a six-yard gain that felt like a 60-yard gain in this offensive operation. It’s mind-boggling that getting the ball in the hands of Marks in the passing game isn’t something Caley is committed to, but maybe it shouldn’t be surprising given the way in which this play-caller senselessly operates.

David Montgomery fought very hard for his yards, even if they came moderately.

There were a lot of instances in training camp where Marks and Montgomery were on the field at the same time. This has been non-existent during actual games. Maybe Caley is the John Carroll version of Rudy, a practice hero who leaves it all on the practice field, and this is why he constantly praises their practices even when they lay eggs during games.

Instead of worrying about protecting the team and banning fans from recording plays during training camp, Nick Caserio and Ryans should have sent the tape to opponents. This would have likely confused them because what they run in games is nothing like what they practiced during camp.

Wide Receivers: C

The wide receiver performance wasn’t great, but it wasn’t all bad.

It’s time to accept the fact that whoever makes the decisions just doesn’t think Jaylin Noel is that good of a player. Kayshon Boutte played more, but the opportunities were limited.

Jared Wayne and Xavier Hutchinson were the roller coaster ride that you’d expect, but at least they made some big plays during the ride. It’s unfair to expect too much from these two, and they’ve both maximized all their abilities, but it feels like the opportunities shouldn’t be what they are, even with Nico Collins hurt.

Tight Ends: C

Despite the investment in the position, the tight ends are a moderate part of the offense with minimal impact early in the season.

Contrary to what the CBS C-Team broadcast crew thought, Dalton Schultz isn’t Travis Kelce in his prime. With that said, he was less of a factor than you’d expect in a game like this.

Foster Moreau had a touchdown and could have had another if he and Stroud had been able to connect.

Marlin Klein was selected in the second round, but the decision-makers don’t look at him as a contributor at the moment. He played four snaps and has played 22 snaps in three games.

Offensive Line: F

Rookie Keylan Rutledge had a bad game and wasn’t alone. Stroud was running for his life all game.

I cannot figure out which No. 75 looks more past their prime: 2025 Laken Tomlinson or 2026 Wyatt Teller. Ed Ingram needs to hurry back because even with his struggles, there’s a HUGE dip with Teller on the field.

It’s just bad all around, and there’s a clear talent issue, especially on the interior, but you also have to wonder how much bad coaching factors into it.

Cole Popovich can scream and grow a beard, but can he coach offensive linemen? EVERY coach on this staff should be questioned at this point.

Defensive Line: A+

The great: Will Anderson was the best player on the field, and Danielle Hunter may have been the second best. The duo combined to have a major hand in forcing three turnovers. They were there for the team when they were needed most. Unfortunately, the effort was wasted, but they were awesome.

The good: Jonathan Taylor was kept in check. Defensive tackles Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins played well and made some big plays.

The meh: There is still a depth concern on the defensive line. Logan Hall leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the run game and finishing plays in general, but the best edge duo in football played at such a high level that the defensive line gets an A+.

Linebackers and Safeties: D

I’m combining these two position groups because it’s impossible without full context to single out why the middle of the defense is so vulnerable against the pass. It’s the clear weakness and a major problem for a defense that is supposed to carry the load for this ballclub. This is why a team like Indianapolis can struggle to run the football but still dominate time of possession.

The middle of the defense is going to be targeted throughout the season. If the opposing offenses continue to take advantage of it, then it will eliminate/cancel out the defense’s effectiveness at stopping the run. This is the reality of where things are.

Depth was a concern heading into the season and still is with all of the injuries, including Azeez Al-Shaair getting banged up.

Reed Blankenship’s interception was made possible because Danielle Hunter hit the quarterback’s arm, and although he was better, Blankenship still looked very average.

Cornerbacks: A

The cornerbacks held up fine and performed how you’d expect them to against a limited group of Colts receivers. Most of the damage was done in the middle of the defense.

Special Teams: F-

It pains me to say it, but it’s time to wonder about Frank Ross’s tenure as special teams coach, at bare minimum beyond this season, maybe even sooner.

His message to his kicker before crucial kickoffs has been poorly presented, not presented at all, or poorly executed. Kicking the ball into the end zone and giving the Colts the ball at the 35-yard line for their final drive was an unforgivable blunder, but sadly expected.

Bone-headed decision-making and execution have been constant with this special teams unit in almost every area. The return game is awful, the blocking is bad, it’s just all bad.

Special teams are a major problem, and it might be time to try something new.

Coaching: F-

Last week Ryans said NFL games come down to players making plays. I wonder where coaches making good decisions factor into his formula because coaching decision-making felt like the difference in this one. Ryans repeated previous mistakes while looking borderline incompetent at the end of the game while managing the clock.

The head coach started the day by bizarrely electing to receive the opening kick so his less-than-mediocre offense could go three-and-out. He ended the day with a clock management blunder and a decision to throw a Hail Mary instead of attempting a 69-yard field goal. The field goal probably would have been missed, but I have personally witnessed Fairbairn make 65-yarders with ease in practice.

Now for the Patriot Way offensive coordinator. Caley is what he is at this point. His offense looks a lot like Bobby Slowik’s offense in 2024. That may be a sign of a bigger problem with the current duo of the head coach and general manager. He might be the worst offensive coordinator of the post-Kubiak Era.

This was as bad as it gets from a head-coaching perspective, and after the game Ryans continued his trend of sounding like former head coach Bill O’Brien by vaguely saying he needed to coach better, with no description or substance.

This performance deserved worse than the John McClain F-.

Here are 11 observations from the loss.

1. DeMeco Ryans contributed heavily to the losing effort. He passed up a field goal in the first quarter. The Texans were stuffed on a fourth-down attempt. It was similar to last week. Why the head coach would pass up points is beyond me. This team has struggled every second Nico Collins hasn’t been on the field. Three points would’ve been big. If the Texans had three more points, the Colts would’ve had to drive for a touchdown. Ryans talked last week about the willingness to get that yard. He doesn’t have the players to get that yard, willingness be damned. They’re not talented enough to consistently run the ball in that spot and get the conversion. Not last week. Not this week. He shouldn’t ever eschew points with this offense.

Read more

This year, 0-3 would have the Texans behind the eight ball. They have already played two of their eight home games. All the opponents would be losses in the AFC. Of course, a loss today means a loss in the AFC South. The tiebreakers would be stacking up against the Texans.

It’s easy to avoid that. Beat the Colts.

Indianapolis has played two good teams, but regardless of the opponent, the Colts aren’t a good team. There are signs they’ve given up yards and been terrible just because of their opponents. There’s evidence this defense flat-out stinks.

They’ve allowed over 400 yards after the catch. That is more than both teams who have played three games. Passing against them nets nearly nine yards per pass play. They have the fifth-worst quarterback pressure percentage.

C.J. Stroud has a chance to stay on a roll. Despite the offensive failures last week, Stroud did well. He should be able to attack this defense, even without Nico Collins. Nick Caley will hopefully have more elements from his successful week one calling offense.

You have to score to win, but you can’t lose a shutout.

Forgive the cliché. The defense is still the portion of this team you should depend on each week. The matchup is not daunting. Jonathan Taylor is fantastic, but the Texans have had success against him since DeMeco Ryans arrived. Alec Pierce, the best wideout for Indianapolis, is missing this game. Daniel Jones hasn’t replicated his hot start from last season.

Getting the first win is almost as important as avoiding a deeper 0-3 hole than last year’s.

Leave a comment

One Player to Watch

Josh Downs can change the game for the Indianapolis Colts. He is a tough cover from the slot. Downs has excellent separation numbers. If he’s matched up with Reed Blankenship or Jalen Pitre, he could make some big plays. With no outside threats due to injury, the Colts have to find ways to get Downs the ball and hope he makes plays. Tyler Warren, the standout tight end, will be dangerous over the middle too.

One Matchup to Watch

The Houston Texans have a massive opportunity with their slot receiver. Indianapolis Colts nickel Justin Walley has been terrible to start the season. He has allowed a perfect passer rating when targeted. He’s allowed the second-most receiving yards in the league, with 204 yards allowed according to Next Gen Stats. This is a huge opportunity for Jaylin Noel. He had the most snaps in the slot last week. He’s been explosive when the ball has been in his hands.

One Stat to Watch

These two teams have combined for one takeaway in the first two weeks. Jalen Pitre has dropped an interception. So has Kamari Lassiter. Danielle Hunter somehow failed to jostle the ball loose from Joe Burrow last week. Daniel Jones has thrown two interceptions deep in his own territory. Both led to touchdowns. He’s been pretty careful with the ball outside of those mistakes. C.J. Stroud played a clean game last week and hasn’t thrown an interception this season. A turnover, or a few turnovers, could easily decide this game.

Score Prediction

The Houston Texans win 17-10. I don’t believe the Texans will look lost on offense like last week. I don’t believe the Colts are actually the worst defense in the league. The Texans need to convert a couple of red zone opportunities and get Ka’imi Fairbairn to put one through the uprights. The defense wasn’t happy giving up 20 points to the Cincinnati Bengals, so I imagine cutting that in half against the Colts isn’t too crazy. No style points, just get the win.

Kayshon Boutte Interview

Kayshon Boutte was fantastic talking with S&L this week. We dove into his football journey, the trade to Houston, and the anatomy of a big play, among other things.

Six quarters into the season, they abandoned the plan to run the football.

Offensive coordinator Nick Caley ran the ball 14 times with his running backs. They gained 18 yards.

“I just felt at the moment when we started in the second quarter,” Caley explained, “throwing it a little bit more, the rhythm, the ability to move the ball, we were playing with a good rhythm. The quarterback was confident.”

The Bengals took a two-score lead with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.

Caley admitted there was room for more runs, but felt like the passing attack was the way to move the ball.

The plan to run the ball didn’t work early. Cincinnati’s Dexter Lawrence disrupted and destroyed what the Texans were attempting to execute. The decision to run at the standout defensive tackle and the failure to double-team him led to the paltry results. Center Evan Brown took the blame this week. So did rookie guard Keylan Rutledge.

Caley’s approach, one week after running the ball well, left a lot to be desired.

The offensive coordinator didn’t condemn his approach. He explained he was confident in it.

“I had confidence going into the game. I wouldn’t put plays in if we didn’t feel that we could go out and execute them, and you get confidence through going out and executing at practice. We have to play fundamentally better. We have to do a better job collectively as an offense, and we own that.”

He bristled at the idea that he was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. He asked for a definition despite Caley being the one to introduce that into the lexicon of talking about the team.

“Really excited to get an opportunity to evolve this scheme,” Caley said at his introductory press conference last year. “It’s not going to be my spin. It’s going to be what’s best for our players and it’s always going to be what’s best for our players. We’re not pounding a square peg into a round hole.”

Read more

The week one loss to the Bills was unfamiliar. Sunday’s loss felt all too familiar.

The defense was good, the offense was bad (especially in the red zone), the head coach called out players for not making plays, and for the third time in four seasons, the team fell to 0-2 to start the season. It felt like 2025 all over again.

Whose fault is it?

There’s plenty of blame to go around, but it feels like head coach DeMeco Ryans goes into detail when blaming the players and saying they need to make plays. Then he mentions the coaches needing to do better as almost an afterthought or small, vague bullet point.

There’s plenty of blame to go around and some good things to take away as well. Here are the Land Lock week two grades…

Quarterback: A

C.J. Stroud played very well and made the most of the awful situations the coaching staff put him in.

He used his legs to extend plays and run when necessary. He made some throws that higher-quality receivers catch.

Jared Wayne and Xavier Hutchinson didn’t do him a lot of favors, but that’s to be expected.

With what he had to work with and the game plan that he had to execute, Stroud was great.

Running Backs: C

They bailed on the run game early. They were uncreative or foolish when they attempted to run the ball.

There were a few moments in the passing game from Woody Marks, but it again felt like the backs were underutilized in the pass game.

The running back production wasn’t great, but what were the backs supposed to do?

Wide Receivers: C-

Wayne and Hutchinson are clearly favorites of offensive coordinator Nick Caley. He couldn’t hide his love for them leading up to the game. They’re also limited players despite the fact that they deserve credit for maximizing all their abilities. They made a couple of plays, but failed to make more, which is about what you’d expect.

Jaylin Noel can clearly make plays, but isn’t maximized consistently, for whatever reason. There were some good moments for Kayshon Boutte, but it feels like he’s still getting implemented. Rookie Lewis Bond got on the field as a receiver before Noel, but was a non-factor.

Without Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins, the expectations are low for this group. With Caley in control of the offense, those expectations decrease even more.

Tight Ends: Incomplete

The most alarming statistic of the day was that Wayne (40) had as many offensive snaps as tight ends Foster Moreau (23), Cade Stover (8), and Marlin Klein (9) combined.

It was mind-boggling that the tight ends weren’t used more. It contradicts everything the organization has done, what we have seen, and basic common sense.

The incompetence was laughable.

Dalton Schultz had an impressive day statistically, but if Schultz is ever your most productive receiver, then you likely weren’t very good on offense. Defenses will live with that production from Schultz.

Offensive Line: C

This grade might be surprising to many, but the C is based on the standards I have for this offensive line and what they were asked to do based on realistic expectations.

Realistic expectations are often a factor in my grading system; I don’t expect much.

Furthermore, I think not having multiple tight ends on the field to help the flawed offensive tackles is malpractice by Caley. I will go in more depth when I give out the coaching grades.

Basically, Caley and the offensive staff asked intermediate students to perform at the level of an honor student. I am not going to hold that against them.

I am not saying the offensive linemen are good, and they were obviously AWFUL Sunday, but this grade is about a combination of two things.

The previously mentioned standard/realistic expectation principle. An over-emphasis on how pathetic the offensive game plan was on Sunday.

Leave a comment

Defensive Line: B

Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter were better and played closer to the level that you’d expect them to play. The impact by the defensive tackles remains somewhat moderate, but was solid enough on Sunday.

I still don’t know how Joe Burrow didn’t fumble the ball when Hunter jumped on his back.

Linebackers: B-

Azeez Al-Shaair was fine. Jake Hansen was alright. It was nothing spectacular, but it was good enough.

Safeties: B-

Reed Blankenship still has a perfect opposing passer rating when targeted, but wasn’t as bad as he was last week and had some good moments tackling.

Calen Bullock was what you’d expect.

The Jalen Pitre impact hasn’t been as noticeable early on, and it feels like teams may be sniffing him out in coverage. He was also unable to come up with a potential interception that would have been a tough play. It could have completely changed the game. Maybe that was one of the plays Ryans was talking about after the game, which would make sense.

Overall, the safeties, like the linebackers, were fine, but not spectacular.

Cornerbacks: B

Kamari Lassiter bounced back and looked a lot more like himself.

Derek Stingley Jr. had a deep pass on an underthrown ball completed again with him in coverage, but I’m not sure what more he can do in those situations. Plus, the quarterback and receiver connections won’t be as elite as they have been the last two weeks. Definitely not this week against the Colts. He also had some nice moments.

The corners were okay despite a couple of plays being made by arguably the best WR duo in football.

Special Teams: F

The Texans kick return operation stinks. It’s bad. I don’t know if it’s the blocking, return men, coaching, or a combination of everything, but it’s just not good.

The kick coverage looks even worse when you watch it take place after they try to return a kick.

After an awesome start to the season, Kai Kroeger went back to looking like one of the worst punters in football, which he was last season.

For the first time in Kai’imi Fairbairn’s decade-plus career, the snap operation didn’t even allow him to get his foot on the football, giving away three easy points. This is the same snap operation that was praised and romanticized all offseason.

Fairbairn missed a 58-yarder, but I don’t really hold that against him and, quite frankly, I think he has spoiled the Texans offense and head coach by making those kicks look easy. Fairbairn also told me that there was a mental element to a first-ever botched snap and kicking a field goal afterwards.

I probably should have given the special teams an F- John McClain style, but I will save that for later.

Coaching: F-

I have no doubt Caley wants to win, but if he were trying to sabotage the Texans offense, he had the perfect game plan to do so.

Caley elected to line up in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end) 87% of the time this week compared to only 58% of the time last week against Buffalo.

Think about this for a second.

The Texans invested a lot in the tight end position in the offseason. They have five tight ends on their 53-man roster. They are missing Nico Collins at wide receiver. However, the coaching staff decided to use multiple tight ends LESS, which leaves their limited offensive tackles on more of a one-on-one island and puts MORE wide receivers on the field more often than they did when they had their best player. This is borderline insanity.

Some would argue that the game dictated these percentages, but this was a close game most of the time. It’s very easy to argue that the Texans have a better chance at moving the ball and protecting their quarterback with more tight ends on the field, regardless of the score.

Confession: This could be an overreaction, but I am starting to wonder if Frank Ross is still a good special teams coach.

After a point-saving challenge on the first drive of the game, Ryans had a tough day.

This was the worst in-game coaching of his tenure. Just in case you were wondering, he makes fourth-down decisions. He made this clear when I asked if the decision to kick the long field goal on fourth-and-one was connected to the earlier inability to convert on fourth-and-one. In fairness, the non-answer may make sense because it didn’t appear there was a method to the madness.

The head coach also compared this week’s decision to kick a 58-yard field goal to last week’s. Let’s compare the two…

Last week’s Fairbairn 58-Yard FG Attempt situation:

Score: 30-28 Buffalo

Down/Distance: 4th & 4

Clock: 6:44 remaining in 4th

Yesterday:

Score: 10-3 Bengals

Down/Distance: 4th & 1

Clock: 7:33 remaining in the 3rd quarter

If your head coach feels that these two decisions are similar, that might be a problem.

It was a bad week for the coaching staff, maybe the worst one of the current Era. The good news is the team has been able to make the playoffs the other three times they have started 0-2, but the hope was that the trend wouldn’t continue this season.

Here are 11 observations from the game.

1. This was an organizational loss. Nothing went right. The headsets and the helmets had a bad day. Players signed in free agency had a bad day. The depth was exposed. All three phases of the ball had tough moments, with the offense and special teams totally failing to do their part. Who is to blame? Pretty much everyone. You can let a player here or there slide, but the organization and their approach to the season lost this game.

Read more