The Houston Texans enter Week 2 with a short list of fixes after dropping a 36-31 home game to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. They had moments that worked, but the mistakes were costly, and now the task is simple: clean it up fast or risk another rough Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
A lot of this matchup circles back to Joe Burrow. If Houston is going to get back on track, the Texans have to make life harder on him in every phase. That means protecting the football, getting more heat on the quarterback, and making the ground game matter.
The biggest starting point is ball security. The Texans coughed up two fumbles in Week 1, both from quarterback CJ Stroud, and one came on the final possession.
Those giveaways helped hand Buffalo extra chances, and that kind of mistake is exactly the sort that can swing a game against an offense like Cincinnati’s. Burrow and the Bengals are not the type of opponent Houston can afford to feed with short fields and bonus possessions.
From there, the pass rush has to show up more consistently. Houston sacked Josh Allen twice, but the bigger issue was only getting four hits on him overall.
That wasn’t enough to keep him from extending plays, and those broken-down snaps turned into explosive runs and explosive passes. Against Cincinnati, the Texans need more from the edge, especially from Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, so Burrow can’t comfortably set his feet and find JaMar Chase and Tee Higgins.
The Texans also need the run game to do some real work, particularly in tight situations. In Week 1, David Montgomery carried 20 times for 60 yards, averaging three yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns.
That kind of steady production matters because it helps Houston stay on schedule, finish drives, and keep its defense fresh. If the Texans can move the chains on the ground and handle short-yardage chances, they can bleed clock and keep Burrow on the sideline.
That’s the thread running through all three keys: control Burrow’s impact. Keep him from getting extra possessions.
Hit him more often. Limit how many times he gets to dictate the game.
If Houston can pull that off, the Texans have a real path to a win and a chance to even their record at 1-1.
In Other News...
Nico Collins Absence Leaves Texans Facing A Bigger Passing Game Problem
Nico Collins practice injury has quickly turned into a real issue for Houstons passing game. The Texans wide receiver suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain and has already been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals, with his recovery expected to stretch beyond that and into the next matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. After a strong Week 1 performance, Collins had become a key part of the offense, so his absence leaves a noticeable hole at a position where the Texans were counting on steady production.
The burden now shifts to the rest of the receiving group, along with tight end Dalton Schultz, to absorb a bigger share of the passing workload. For Houston, the concern is not just replacing one player for one week, but figuring out how the offense functions if Collins is sidelined for multiple games. The early test comes immediately against Cincinnati, and the bigger question is how well the Texans can keep the passing game on track until Collins is back. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Face A Rougher Week Than That Loss Alone Suggests
C.J. Stroud has taken plenty of heat for the turnovers that have crept into his recent games, but his showing against the Bills offered a reminder of why the Texans have stayed invested in him. The broader concern in Houston goes beyond one rough night, though, because the conversation around the quarterback has started to spill into his demeanor and the way the team carries itself in the aftermath of adversity.
Andre Johnson added to that scrutiny with a public critique of Strouds body language and leadership, even as the Texans continue to back their young passer. Houston is also navigating a separate distraction with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair fined by the NFL over a political message on his eye tape, a penalty Kyrie Irving has offered to pay, and the injury list is growing at the wrong time with another game ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Quietly Address Two Problem Areas Before Bengals Showdown
With the Bengals waiting in Week 2, the Texans made a couple of low-key roster moves to shore up depth before kickoff, elevating safety George Odum and wide receiver Lewis Bond from the practice squad to the active roster. Odum is up for a second straight week after finishing with two tackles in the opener, while Bond gets his first shot on the 53-man roster after being brought along mainly for special teams work.
Bonds elevation also comes with a possible offensive wrinkle, since Houston could need another body at receiver because of an injury elsewhere in the room. Odum gives the Texans a familiar special teams piece and some back-end insurance, but the bigger question is whether Bonds presence ends up being limited to coverage units or if the Texans have a little more in mind for him against Cincinnati. [Read more 🡒]