The Houston Texans came into the 2026 season looking like they had a defense that could carry them.
With DeMeco Ryans steering the unit and Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter headlining the pass rush, Houston had the kind of front that could make quarterbacks miserable and keep the Texans in games even when the offense stalled. Seven games in, though, the picture is a little less intimidating.
Houston is 2-5, and the defense hasn’t looked like the overwhelming force many expected. Through seven games, opponents have piled up 2,394 yards to Houston’s 2,367.
On third down, opposing offenses have converted 36 of 89 tries. Those numbers aren’t disastrous, but they don’t scream dominance either.
What stands out more is how teams are attacking the Texans.
Against the Giants, Houston didn’t force a turnover and came away with only four punts on 11 New York possessions. J.J.
McCarthy worked outside the numbers and completed eight of 13 passes there for 169 yards. Malik Nabers caught seven passes for 111 yards, and Houston’s defense finished with just one pass defended.
That’s the kind of game that makes the “figured out” question feel real.
Offensive coordinators don’t just study talent. They study reactions.
They look at how Ryans answers formations, where the pressure comes from, what Houston does on third-and-long and which matchups can be attacked. Once enough film is on the table, tendencies turn into openings, and teams appear more willing to test Houston’s secondary because they may have found some holes to work with.
Still, this isn’t a defense without teeth.
The Texans have 21 sacks through seven games, with Anderson leading the way at 7.5 and Hunter adding four. That pass rush is still the engine of the whole operation.
When those two are getting home, everything else looks cleaner. Quarterbacks get rushed, receivers have less time to separate and the secondary doesn’t have to survive as long.
Houston showed that version of itself against San Francisco. The Texans generated 22 quarterback pressures, including eight from Anderson, and held Christian McCaffrey to 25 rushing yards on eight carries. That’s the defense everyone expected to see.
So maybe the better question isn’t whether opponents have completely figured out the Texans. Maybe they’ve simply figured out where the soft spots are.
Tackling has been one of the issues Ryans has already stressed this season, especially on plays over the middle. The scheme can change.
The coverage can change. The blitz can change.
But somebody still has to finish the play.
The Texans still have the personnel to clean this up. Anderson remains a problem.
Hunter remains dangerous. Ryans didn’t forget how to coach defense.
But reputation alone won’t get it done. Houston has to adjust, because if the Texans keep asking offenses the same questions, they’re going to keep getting the same answers.
In Other News...
Texans Fans Have A Real Reason To Worry About Cole Popovich
The Saints decision to move on from run-game coordinator T.J. Paganetti is a reminder of how quickly NFL patience can run out when a rushing attack stalls, and it puts a sharper spotlight on the Texans own concerns up front. Houston offensive line coach and run-game coordinator Cole Popovich has been under scrutiny for a unit that has lingered near the bottom of the league in several rushing and blocking categories across the 2025 and 2026 seasons, a stretch that has kept the conversation around the offensive line from going away.
Popovich has earned respect elsewhere in his career, but the Texans have not gotten the kind of consistent line play that would quiet the criticism. Injuries and roster turnover have complicated the picture, yet the results have still left his future with the team in question, especially with the pressure only growing on a staff trying to fix the ground game. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Backfield Shuffle Puts Fresh Focus On Their Depth Plan
The Texans made another quiet tweak to the bottom of their roster as they head into the second half of the regular season, releasing defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy and running back Deuce Vaughn while adding rookie running back Josh Pitsenberger to the practice squad. It is the kind of move that rarely draws much attention on its own, but it does speak to how Houston keeps sorting through depth as the season wears on.
Pitsenbergers return is the most notable part of the shuffle. The undrafted rookie from Yale had already been in the Texans orbit before landing on injured reserve and later being waived with an injury settlement, and now he gets another chance to stick around in the organization. For a team trying to keep its backfield and practice squad flexible, these are the small transactions that can matter later, even if the bigger picture is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Still Waiting On Reed Blankenship For A Bigger Reason
Reed Blankenships absence has become a familiar part of the Texans defensive picture over the past couple of weeks, with the safety still working back from surgery on his left hand and continuing through concussion protocol as the team moves into Week 8. He has already missed multiple games, leaving Houston to adjust its back end while veteran M.J. Stewart has filled in as a replacement starter.
For the Texans, the bigger issue is not just whether Blankenship can get back on the field, but when he can clear the checkpoints that matter most. His availability for the next stretch will hinge on how he holds up in practice and how the medical evaluations go, which leaves Houston waiting on more than just a return date. [Read more 🡒]