Houston enters the season with a familiar kind of buzz, but this one comes with a sharper edge. The Texans have a top-ranked defense, real expectations and, according to one national ranking, a place among the NFL’s top five teams.
The question hanging over all of it is simple: can C.J. Stroud get back to the level that made him look like the future?
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport put Houston in his Top 5 heading into the season and made clear where the pressure sits.
"Last year, the Texans rode one of the NFL's best defenses to 12 wins, a postseason trip and a playoff win. But after a pair of atrocious performances from C.J. Stroud in the playoffs, all eyes are on the fourth-year quarterback entering what is a make-or-break season for the 2023 second overall pick.
Outwardly, the Texans have expressed every confidence in the 24-year-old, but they have also made no effort to extend Stroud. There's no sugar-coating things: the Ohio State product hasn't been able to recapture his rookie success over the last couple of seasons, and last year's playoffs were poor.
If Stroud can turn back the clock and avoid turnovers this year, the Texans could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But if his 2026 looks like the end of his 2025 campaign, the next offseason in Houston will be awkward."
That’s the heart of the story. Houston’s defense should keep the team in the hunt, but the offense has to do more than just survive. The Texans need more from the receiver group behind Nico Collins, and they need noticeable improvement from the offensive line in both run blocking and pass protection.
The defense, though, gives Houston a real foundation. It loses just one starter from last year’s No. 1 unit, which is why the Texans can be counted on to stay in the mix with the league’s other contenders.
For a city that has spent years waiting for another major title run, the Texans may have as good a shot at an AFC title game as they’ve had since the NFL returned to Houston in 2002. The path starts with Week 1 and a strong opening stretch, but the bigger answer still comes down to Stroud.
In Other News...
Texans Rookie Woody Marks Hosts Meaningful Camp For Military Kids
Houston running back Joquavious Woody Marks spent part of his offseason giving back in a way that felt personal, hosting a free two-day youth football camp at Phantom Warrior Stadium in Fort Hood. The event was aimed at military children and drew on Marks own upbringing around military life, with the focus extending beyond footwork and drills to the kind of support that can matter just as much to kids who are constantly adapting.
Marks wanted the camp to be a place where military dependents could feel seen, build confidence and connect with one another through shared experiences. About 150 children took part, and the setting fit the message: a football camp built around resilience, community and the understanding that for many of these families, change is part of everyday life. [Read more 🡒]
NFL Just Sent C.J. Stroud A Message Texans Fans Will Hate
ESPNs latest survey of NFL executives, coaches and scouts did not exactly flatter C.J. Stroud, even if it did confirm he still belongs in the conversation at the position. The Texans quarterback landed outside the top 15 in the leagues preseason quarterback hierarchy for 2026, a notable slide for a player who was once viewed as one of the sports fastest-rising young passers.
The dip reflects a third season that never quite found a steady rhythm, with injuries, uneven team play and a passing attack that often had to fight uphill. Still, Stroud enters the next year with reasons to think the arrow can point back up, from a better overall supporting cast to a second season working with Nick Caley, and Houston has plenty riding on whether he can turn that external skepticism into a rebound. [Read more 🡒]