Despite a frustrating end to their 2025 campaign, the Houston Texans offense quietly put together one of the more resilient seasons in the league. Yes, the Divisional Round loss stung-28-16 to close the door on a promising run-but the numbers tell a more complete story. Under first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley, the Texans battled through injuries, inconsistency, and growing pains, yet still carved out a place among the league’s better offensive units.
Let’s dig into five key areas where Houston’s offense stood tall-and why the foundation is there for something even bigger in 2026.
Scoring: A Return to Respectability
After finishing 19th in scoring in 2024, the Texans jumped up to 13th in 2025, averaging 23.8 points per game. That’s their best scoring output since 2023-and they did it despite a bumpy start and a midseason quarterback injury.
Consider this: Houston didn’t find the end zone from the red zone until Week 4 against the Titans. And when C.J.
Stroud went down with a concussion in Week 9 against Denver, the offense was forced to adapt on the fly without its leader for three games. Still, they kept the scoreboard moving.
That speaks not just to the talent on the roster, but to the adaptability of Caley’s scheme and the grit of the players executing it.
Passing Game: Better Than You Think
Statistically, the Texans finished 14th in the NFL in passing yards per game (218.1), which may not jump off the page-until you look at the context.
They outpaced playoff teams like the Bills, Packers, Chargers, Steelers, and Eagles. And they did it while breaking in a rookie trio of pass-catchers-Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and Woody Marks-who were thrust into significant roles. That’s not easy in a league where timing and chemistry are everything.
Veteran contributors like Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, and tight end Dalton Schultz helped steady the ship, but credit is due to Caley for keeping the air attack functional and competitive through the ups and downs. Navigating that kind of personnel turnover without losing efficiency is no small feat.
Dalton Schultz: A Season to Remember
Speaking of Schultz-he quietly had one of the best seasons of any tight end in the league. His 777 receiving yards placed him fifth among all tight ends, trailing only Trey McBride, Kyle Pitts Sr., Juwan Johnson, and Travis Kelce. He also ranked sixth in first downs converted (39), and led the Texans in receptions.
In a year where the Texans were learning a brand-new offense, Schultz became a security blanket for Stroud, helping move the chains and stabilize drives. His rapport with Stroud has been building for three seasons now, and this year it truly flourished.
On a Super Bowl week appearance on Sports Radio 610’s The Drive, Schultz summed up his comfort level in the offense: “It’s a new offense but it’s stuff I’ve been doing my whole career. I do feel like I was more ahead of the curve than everybody else. I was like ‘I see the coverage, I know the read, here’s where I’m sitting, ball.’”
That kind of confidence and chemistry doesn’t happen overnight. And it’s a big reason why Schultz posted the second-best season of his career (trailing only his 2021 campaign with Dallas).
Time of Possession: Owning the Clock
Houston ranked fourth in the NFL in time of possession, averaging 31 minutes and 38 seconds per game. That’s elite territory-trailing only the Bills, Chargers, and Buccaneers.
Sustaining drives has been a hallmark of successful offenses for years, and while the Texans weren’t always cashing in with touchdowns, they were keeping opposing offenses off the field. That’s a winning formula, especially when you’re trying to protect a young quarterback and a defense that’s still developing.
The ability to control tempo and chew clock gave Houston a fighting chance in games where explosive plays were hard to come by. It also speaks to the offensive line’s ability to win enough battles in the trenches to keep drives alive-even if penalties and red zone issues occasionally got in the way.
Turnover Battle: Elite Ball Security
One area where the Texans truly excelled? Protecting the football.
They finished the season with just 12 giveaways-second-best in the NFL behind the Bears (11). That’s their best mark since leading the league in 2023 with 14 turnovers.
Turnovers are often the difference between winning and losing, especially in tight games. While the offense had its share of missed chances, they rarely shot themselves in the foot with costly mistakes. That discipline, especially with a young QB and new offensive system, is impressive.
The Bottom Line
When you zoom out, Houston’s offensive performance in 2025 looks a lot more impressive than the final loss might suggest. They finished top-15 in scoring, top-14 in passing, top-four in time of possession, and top-two in giveaways-all while weathering injuries, integrating rookies, and adjusting to a new play-caller.
There’s still work to be done. The red zone struggles, the penalties, and the inconsistent execution in key moments all need to be cleaned up. But the bones of a top-tier offense are already in place.
With a full offseason to build continuity and retool where needed, the Texans have every reason to believe they’re just getting started.