Landry Locker grades the Texans' performance. Here are the grades for the loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Follow Landry on YouTube.
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-.
Well it is Monday. Caley is still OC. Pretty disappointing.
I love the candor, what the hell are the McNairs thinking? They are watching this catastrophe.
All of the above is so obvious. Start of the season; we could not be in a worse position.
One positive- Turns out we are lucky to have CJ. He has stepped up unlike the coaching staff.
Why do we continue to select guys like Kaley rather than a proven OC?
Fire Nicks worthless ass. Ryan’s needs to have him
watch how other teams are running an offense against good defenses - rather than the obvious stuff going right or into the teeth of the strength of the opponents defense.
Yes, he is really positive, really upbeat and a really bad OC. ( full of BS- talks a goods game but no substance- proof in the pudding )
So hard to be a Texans fan when watching the inept coaching and further exacerbated by the simple blunders that cost games.