The Texans don’t have much time to dwell on Week 1. Cincinnati is next, and Houston is walking into Week 2 with three clear issues worth watching closely: the health of Nico Collins, how this defense answers a rough opener, and whether David Montgomery can keep carrying the offense.
Collins was the first concern to surface during Wednesday’s practice. The Texans wideout tweaked his hamstring and was limited, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the team doesn’t believe the injury is serious, though his status for Sunday against the Bengals is still in doubt.
Texans WR Nico Collins injured his hamstring at Wednesday’s practice, met with doctors after and they “don’t believe it’s serious,” per source. Yet Collins’ status for Sunday’s game vs. the Bengals is in jeopardy. pic.twitter.com/Quo1m4C56H
If Collins can’t go, Houston’s receiver room gets thin in a hurry. Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell are already out of the mix, which would leave the Texans trying to piece together production from a group that currently includes Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Jared Wayne on the 53-man roster. That means every one of those names could matter this weekend, and a practice squad elevation could also come into play.
The Bengals present a very different kind of problem than the one Houston just faced. The Texans’ defense was hit for over 400 yards and 36 points by Buffalo, a level of damage a DeMeco Ryans-led unit hasn’t allowed since 2023. That kind of performance is going to demand a response.
But Cincinnati won’t make the bounce-back easy. Joe Burrow came out hot in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he’s still working with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
On top of that, Burrow is operating behind a much stronger offensive line than the last time the Texans saw him in 2023. For Houston, this is another serious early-season test for a defense that needs to look much more like the one people expect.
Then there’s Montgomery, who gave Houston exactly the kind of debut it was hoping for even in a loss. He handled 20 carries for 60 yards and scored three touchdowns, becoming the first running back to record three scores in a game since Joe Mixon in 2024.
COUNT 'EM 🗣️ That's three TDs for David Montgomery!BUFvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/iUc7FIoNID
The efficiency wasn’t perfect, but the workload and the production told the story. Houston brought Montgomery in to be the bellcow, and after a season in which the Texans struggled badly on the ground, that role matters. Last year’s rushing issues left the offense fighting uphill far too often, and the hope now is that Montgomery helps shift that balance.
So if Collins is limited or unavailable, Montgomery’s importance only grows. A heavy dose of him on Sunday would give Houston a chance to keep the offense on schedule and avoid asking too much of a receiver group already stretched thin.
In Other News...
Texans Just Sent A Telling Signal About Their Week 2 Offense
The Texans made a quiet but telling move ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the Bengals, reshuffling the back end of the roster by parting ways with quarterback Mark Gronkowski from the practice squad and bringing in wide receiver Bryce Oliver. Gronkowski had been serving as Houstons third quarterback, but the addition of Oliver gives the team an extra body at receiver and pushes the practice squad in a different direction.
Oliver arrives with some NFL experience after time on the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns practice squads, and he has appeared in 13 league games. For Houston, the move reads like a small personnel tweak on paper, but it also hints at where the staff wants more flexibility as the offense gets ready for Sundays test against Cincinnati. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Stroud Is Already Fueling A Texans Receiver Storyline
C.J. Stroud did his part to keep the Texans wide receiver conversation moving after Kayshon Bouttes debut, publicly praising the newcomer even after a modest first outing in Houston. The receiver arrived via trade from the New England Patriots and quickly became part of a room that is still taking shape as the Texans settle in for the early part of the season.
With Week 2 against the Bengals on deck, Boutte already looks like a player whose usage bears watching. Houston is still sorting out roles in the passing game, and Strouds endorsement only adds to the sense that Boutte could have a larger footprint soon, even if the first game only offered a brief glimpse of what the Texans may want from him. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Stroud Faces One Texans Problem He Can't Repeat Against Bengals
As the Texans turn from Week 1 to a meeting with the Bengals, C.J. Stroud is already focused on the part of his game that cant carry over. Cincinnati brings a defensive front that should test Houston up front, and Stroud knows the margin for error shrinks quickly when the pressure starts to close in.
Stroud also understands that the Bengals heavy use of man coverage can create chances downfield if Houston handles the protection and the timing properly. The bigger concern, though, is the same one that hurt him in the previous game: ball security, especially fumbles, which he cannot afford to make a habit of if the Texans want to keep the offense on schedule. [Read more 🡒]