Texans’ offensive crisis hits alarming low after week 3

Last season it took the Texans until Halloween night to suffer their third defeat. In 2025, it’s taken all of twelve quarters.

On paper, Sunday should have looked different. Nico Collins found the end zone and eclipsed 100 yards receiving. C.J. Stroud spread the ball to eight different targets, including the long-absent Dalton Schultz. Those numbers usually hint at success, but this offense continues to sputter. Three games in, Houston has managed just 38 total points — an indictment on a unit supposedly rejuvenated by a new offensive coordinator.

The questions pile up with no easy answers. How can an offense led by Stroud be this inefficient? Are Texans fans staring at 14 more weeks of the same? Why does Dameon Pierce remain on the roster, only to sit inactive on game day? And how is it that Tommy Townsend, the punter, was arguably Houston’s most valuable player in the first half?

Nico Collins fumble. Tyson Campbell gets his hand in and Lloyd recovers pic.twitter.com/DrbRZSHdpE

For a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations, the unraveling is hard to watch. Stroud’s poise remains, but he can’t overcome a stagnant run game and play-calling that lacks rhythm. The frustration is amplified by the memories of last year’s quick start, when Houston didn’t stumble until late October. This fall, the stumble has become a freefall.

The lone consolation? The Titans await next week. But in a city where anticipation is already shifting toward Kevin Durant and the Rockets, the Texans’ margin for error is shrinking fast.

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