Houston’s passing game left DeMeco Ryans with plenty to circle on the film after Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Texans fell to 0-2 in Week 2, and Ryans made it clear after the game that the biggest issue wasn’t just what happened - it was what Houston failed to finish. He pointed directly to the chances the offense had through the air and the plays that never got cashed in.
"The only frustrating part is we had multiple opportunities to make plays. The ball was up.
We pushed the ball downfield. We had opportunities.
We didn't capitalize on those opportunities. So, still, I'm proud of how CJ distributed the ball.
But whoever is out there is your job to come down with the ball," Ryans said.
That message fit the stat sheet. Tight end Dalton Schultz was the clear standout for Houston, finishing with 12 catches for 140 yards.
After that, the production dropped off sharply. No other Texan topped 40 receiving yards, a tough look for an offense trying to stay on schedule and build around CJ Stroud’s ability to get the ball where it needs to go.
Stroud still piled up 353 passing yards, but the efficiency never matched the volume. He completed 30 of 55 attempts, and that kind of return won’t satisfy a quarterback or a coach when the offense had chances to put the game away.
The wide receiver group took another hit before kickoff. Nico Collins missed the game after suffering a hamstring injury on Wednesday, and there’s a real chance he could be out again in Week 3. That would leave even more pressure on the rest of the room to produce.
For Houston, that means someone has to grab hold of the opportunity. Whether it’s Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel, Jared Wayne, or another receiver, the Texans need a reliable option on the perimeter while Collins is sidelined.
Schultz gave Stroud a dependable target on Sunday, but that kind of volume can also change how defenses play him going forward. If opponents start shading more attention toward Schultz, the Texans will need their receivers to answer the bell.
What happens next week will say a lot. If Collins remains out, if Schultz keeps drawing the coverage he earned, and if another pass catcher can finally break through, Houston has a path to 1-2. If not, the Texans could be staring at 0-3.
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For Houston, the questions are all on the offensive side, where C.J. Stroud could be set up for another big passing day if the game script leans that way. There is also the possibility of Woody Marks getting a larger share of the backfield work, along with more chances for tight ends Foster Moreau and Marlin Klein to show up in the personnel mix, giving the Texans a few different ways to search for a spark against a division rival. [Read more 🡒]