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I tried to stay positive about what the Texans were doing with their O-line this offseason. I really did. After watching C.J. Stroud run for his life on almost every dropback last season, Houston went all-in on rebuilding the trenches with four new starters heading into 2025.
Were these guys household names? Nope. But there was this feeling that anything GM Nick Caserio did with the line had to be better than last year’s disaster. When he basically went bargain shopping to rebuild the protection unit, I bought in. After all, Caserio’s found some defensive gems in the discount bin before. Surely he could work the same magic to fix Houston’s biggest weakness.
Monday’s loss to the Bucs forces us to face facts: the Texans’ O-line is still terrible.
Caserio’s approach hasn’t worked. The Texans are 0-2 and already trailing the surprisingly competent Colts by two games in the AFC South. With no quick fix available for the line issues, it’s hard to see how Houston turns this around quickly.
A Texans Tradition: O-Line Problems
This story feels as old as the franchise itself. From the moment Tony Boselli retired after being the team’s first expansion draft pick, protecting the quarterback has been Houston’s eternal struggle. It’s practically woven into the team’s DNA at this point.
Caserio didn’t break the bank this offseason, but he did bring in several new faces. Week 1 saw four new starters on the line. That’s now down to three after center Jake Andrews got hurt, but the approach was clear — Houston didn’t splurge on elite linemen but made numerous moves hoping something would click.
Nothing has.
Through two games, Stroud has been sacked six times and has lost more yards on sacks than anyone except Cam Ward. Some of that’s on Stroud — he needs to get rid of the ball faster — but that’s tough when your pocket collapses instantly on most plays.
If you’re hunting for positives, rookie left tackle Aireontay Ersery has shown promise. Against Tampa, he didn’t allow any hits and stayed penalty-free. His continued development would be huge since left tackle is such a crucial spot.
The interior is the real nightmare. Laken Tomlinson, Jarrett Patterson, and Ed Ingram have struggled badly, and Houston’s options are limited. Maybe Andrews helps when he returns to center. Perhaps they try Juice Scruggs again at one of the guard spots, though there’s a reason he isn’t starting already. Could they bring Trent Brown up from the practice squad and slide Blake Fisher inside?
Whatever the solution, the clock is ticking.
Stroud doesn’t look like the rookie sensation who took the NFL by storm last year. That’s partly on him, partly on new OC Nick Caley’s questionable playcalling, and largely on the line’s inability to stop rushers. Everyone deserves some blame, but the O-line problems feel most critical because there’s no easy fix. Caley can improve his calls. Stroud has proven he can win games. This line? Houston’s stuck with it until the offseason.
Are the Colts Now AFC South Favorites?
“Favorites” is a strong word when your quarterback is Daniel Jones. He’s been excellent so far, but there’s always the chance he reverts to the Daniel Jones we’ve seen for most of his career, sending Indy’s hot start crashing down.
Right now, though, Indianapolis is playing the best football in the division. For Houston to three-peat as AFC South champs, they’ll need the Colts to stumble. A two-game hole isn’t impossible to climb out of, but it’s not where anyone expected the Texans to be after two weeks.
The Colts’ offense has been ridiculous — they haven’t even punted yet this season. Maybe this is what happens when Jones finally has good weapons around him. Or maybe it’s just a lucky streak. Miami’s defense made Drake Maye look like a Hall of Famer in Week 2, so perhaps Jones just had one easy matchup and carried that momentum into a second good game against Denver.
Two things can be true simultaneously: The Colts have a talented roster that just needs competent QB play, and Jones has rarely shown he can provide that consistently. He might be experiencing a Sam Darnold-style career revival, but I expect the old Jones to show up eventually. The division isn’t decided, but the favorite has definitely shifted from Houston to Indianapolis.
(As for the rest of the South: the 0-2 Titans have too many defensive issues despite Cam Ward’s promising play, while the 1-1 Jaguars remain a complete mystery. They picked off Jake Browning three times and still lost to the Bengals’ backup.)
Predicting Houston’s Season
The Texans should get their first win Sunday against Jacksonville and follow it up by beating Tennessee to reach 2-2.
Then comes Baltimore — Houston’s kryptonite. It’s hard to see that game being close, let alone a Texans win. After that, they visit a Seattle team with a surprisingly effective defense before hosting the 49ers. There’s a real chance Houston sits at 2-4 by mid-October.
I’ve had to revise my preseason expectations significantly. I originally saw the Texans going 11-6. Now? They’re looking at 8-9 or 9-8. If Jones eventually falters in Indy, that might still win the division, but it’s a major letdown for a team that should’ve been ready to join the NFL’s elite contenders if they’d just fixed their offensive line.
