HOUSTON (AP) 鈥 The Houston Texans have played well enough defensively to win this season.
The offense? Not even close.
The Texans fell to 0-3 Sunday where their offense continued to sputter. Houston has scored just three touchdowns combined this season and has only been in the red zone four times.
They rank last in the NFL in scoring with 12.7 points per game and the 267.3 yards their offense is averaging ranks 29th. So far new offensive coordinator Nick Caley and a retooled offensive line have done nothing to improve the team.
In fact, quarterback C.J. Stroud and company seem to have taken a step back this year. Stroud, the 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, has thrown for 599 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions this season. As a rookie, he had a quarterback rating of 100.8. It fell to 87 last year and as the Texans have limped out to their terrible start this year it鈥檚 just 76.9 as he鈥檚 dealt with near-constant pressure.
Despite this, the strong play of their defense gave the Texans chances to win late Sunday before key mistakes sealed their fate.
The Texans tied it at 10-10 on Stroud鈥檚 50-yard TD pass to Nico Collins early in the fourth quarter. Houston stopped the Jaguars on fourth-and-2 to get the ball back and was driving and Jacksonville recovered.
Travis Etienne put the Jaguars on top with a 10-yard run with just under two minutes to go. The Texans were driving after that when Stroud鈥檚 pass was tipped by Josh Hines-Allen and intercepted by Antonio Johnson to end it.
Stroud has taken responsibility for the team鈥檚 poor start and believes he can do more to turn things around.
鈥淲e can play a lot better,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 can play a lot better. Our defense has been holding up. We鈥檝e got to be able to help them. It鈥檚 not easy but we鈥檝e just got to do better.鈥
Coach DeMeco Ryans doesn鈥檛 care that the Texans have had chances to win each of their games late and says they must find a way to close games out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not encouraging to be ... close,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e want to win games. It鈥檚 not about being close. That鈥檚 just stating the facts or stating the obvious of how the three games have played out, how those games have happened for us. But, we鈥檙e not here to just be close, we鈥檙e here to win the football game.鈥
What鈥檚 working
Entering Monday, the Texans are tied for sixth in the NFL by allowing 17 points a game. Their run defense bounced back after allowing 169 rushing in Monday鈥檚 loss to Tampa Bay by holding the Jaguars to 86 yards rushing, including just 11 in the first half. Houston had two sacks Sunday to give the team nine this season, which is the third most through three games in franchise history.
What needs help
There鈥檚 a lot to choose from here, but the biggest issue is the struggles of the offensive line, which has four new starters this season. Stroud has been sacked eight times, which is the seventh most in the NFL and when he鈥檚 not being hit, he鈥檚 under near-constant pressure with no time to operate the offense.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to find a way to protect better,鈥 Ryans said.
The group hasn鈥檛 been any better in run blocking and the Texans are averaging just 95 yards rushing a game.
Stock up
S Jalen Pitre had three tackles, three passes defensed and an interception Sunday. The fourth-year player鈥檚 23 career passes defensed are the most by a safety in franchise history and his seven interceptions are tied with Quintin Demps and Justin Reid for second most by a safety in team history.
Stock down
LT Aireontae Ersery had a tough time dealing with Hines-Allen on Sunday. The rookie second-round pick got beat on the play where Hines-Allen tipped the ball that led to Stroud鈥檚 last interception and allowed a sack earlier in the game. In addition, Ersery was called for two holding penalties and a facemask as he struggled to contain Hines-Allen.
Injuries
All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley sustained an oblique injury against the Jaguars and Ryans said he鈥檒l be day to day with the injury this week.
Key number
The Texans are the 81st team since 1995 to score 38 points or fewer combined in their first three games of the season. Of those teams, only the 2003 Eagles made the playoffs.
Next steps
The Texans look to clean up their play on Sunday when they host the Tennessee Titans, who are also winless, where they鈥檒l need a victory to avoid their first 0-4 start since 2020.
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