The Houston Texans are one of six 0-3 teams in the NFL at the start of the 2025 season, and no team's slow start has been more surprising. Despite the defense holding up its end of the bargain, the offense has been incredibly disappointing.
While the easy take is to simply blame CJ Stroud as an ineffective quarterback who is starting to regress as teams get more film on him, many believe that the main reason for this team's struggles shouldn't be put on No. 7 or new offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
CBS Sports' Jared Dubin put 40% of the blame for Houston's 0-3 start on the new-look offensive line, while an equal 40% was given to Stroud's newfound turnover problems. The remaining 20% was placed on the skill position players outside of standout top dog Nico Collins.
The Texans are far too talented to have started off this poorly, and unless DeMeco Ryans comes up with a very concrete plan to fix these issues before things get really out of hand, Houston may hand the AFC South over to one of their division rivals on a silver platter.
Texans' biggest issues during 0-3 start are offensive line, wide receivers
Stroud has thrown three interceptions, and the Texans as a team have lost two fumbles on the year. To make matters worse, as exemplified in their Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, those turnovers have often come at the most inopportune times. Stroud doesn't look at all like the player who threw five picks his entire rookie season.
That could be in part due to an offensive line that is reeling from the Laremy Tunsil trade. Rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery is going through some major growing pains, and every member of the interior offensive line has been below-average. Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, and Ed Ingram are all contributing.
Outside of Nico Collins, Houston doesn't have the best collection of players to distribute the ball to. They invested two draft picks in Iowa State rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, but expecting them both to serve as viable pass catchers this early in the season could be a bit unrealistic.
Houston has overcome adversity in the regular season before, and Stroud's talent will eventually get back to the levels we have seen him at in the past. However, the Texans may have dug themselves such a deep hole that they can't salvage a winning season out of it.