Three straight winning seasons have changed expectations for the Houston Texans. DeMeco Ryans has taken the Texans from a consistent AFC contender. They went 10-7 in both 2023 and 2024, then improved to 12-5 in 2025, finishing second in the AFC South. The Texans won their 2025 wild-card game 30-6 over the Pittsburgh Steelers before falling 28-16 to the New England Patriots in the divisional round.
The roster is built to win once it gets there. The defense gives Houston a championship-level floor. Houston allowed just 17.4 points and 277.24 yards per game in 2025, ranking second and first in the NFL, respectively. The defense also ranked fourth against the run and sixth against the pass while forcing 29 turnovers, tied for third in the league.
Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. leads the pass rush, Derek Stingley Jr. anchors the secondary, while Azeez Al-Shaair gives the middle of the defense its physical edge. The Texans also added Reed Blankenship and Kayden McDonald and brought back Jadeveon Clowney, giving Ryans more options across the front and secondary.
On the other hand, the offense remains the primary question mark. The Texans ranked 29th in rushing efficiency on first-down runs and finished 30th in red-zone offense. However, Nico Collins remains the primary reason not to write off Houston’s offense.
What is Holding Back the Texans in 2026?
Franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud is still the biggest swing factor. He threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2025, but his postseason performance raised questions after he committed seven turnovers across two playoff games. His four-interception performance against New England ended Houston’s season and exposed the gap between its defense and offense.
Houston knew it had to fix the offensive line, and the front office attacked the problem. Rookie Keylan Rutledge emerged as a potential starting left guard, while the Texans added veteran help and reshaped the unit. But Braden Smith’s injury is a major early setback. He is expected to miss at least the first four to six weeks after being placed on injured reserve.
The receiving corps has already taken a hit after Jayden Higgins’ ACL injury. Tank Dell is expected to return later in the season. That puts more responsibility on Collins and leaves the offensive unit counting on players such as Kayshon Boutte, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel to fill the gaps. The Boutte trade directly addressed the issue, giving Houston another vertical option after the injuries.
Houston’s best-case scenario is not difficult to identify. The Texans already have the defense of a Super Bowl contender. The question is whether Stroud and the offense can finally give that defense enough help when the margin for error disappears in January.
