Houston Texans are in an early hole after two home losses, putting Super Bowl hopes under pressure. They fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 20-6 in Week 2 after also losing to Buffalo in the opener. Houston failed to score a touchdown, went 0-for-4 in the red zone and produced only 18 rushing yards.
C.J. Stroud threw for 353 yards, but the offense could not turn those yards into points. Consequently, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is already seeing his Super Bowl pick lose some shine.
“Houston was my Super Bowl pick … not feeling great about that right now, Dan. The Texans sit at 0-2, and three teams in NFL history have lost their first two games and won it all — the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants,” Fowler said.
“It can be done but rarely is. Coach DeMeco Ryans is already challenging his star players publicly to make more plays. The offensive line has struggled.”
The Texans have shuffled their interior line, while injuries have added more pressure to the group. ESPN’s Dan Graziano also said he remains skeptical that Houston has fixed its offensive line and run game.
“I was right there with you on the Texans, and I’m not going to give up on them just yet either, but I’m skeptical that they’ve actually fixed their offensive line and their run game,” Graziano said. “Heck, they were 0-3 last season and still ended up in the divisional round of the playoffs.”
Texans Have a Chance to Change the Story Against Indianapolis
Houston travels to Indianapolis on September 27 for kickoff at 1 p.m. EDT for a game between two 0-2 teams. The Colts also lost their first two games, including a 33-30 overtime defeat to Kansas City. As analyst Graziano said, Houston’s last season provides a reason to not panic yet.
The Texans started 0-3 in 2025 before turning the season around and reaching the AFC Divisional Round. The defense needs to become the foundation again. Houston’s defense showed improvement against Cincinnati compared with the offensive performance, particularly up front. The unit still has not matched the standard it set in previous seasons, but it has enough established talent to keep games within reach while the offense works through its issues.
The offense needs a response, not another statistical tease. Stroud’s 353 passing yards against Cincinnati meant little on the scoreboard. Houston needs better protection, a functional rushing attack and more production from its receiving corps, especially with Nico Collins’ availability affecting the passing game. A divisional win in Indianapolis would give the Texans their first opportunity to stop the early slide.
