The final result wasn't what we hoped for but it was a tough ask to have the Houston Texans travel to take on one of the better AFC teams and get the upset. Still, despite the final score of 25 - 9, there were some bright spots but also some areas the team will need to try to address in some way.
The Texans held their own throughout the first half, going into the locker room with a one-point deficit, down 7 - 6. Houston actually outgained the Ravens in total yardage, 268 yards to the Ravens 265. Both teams converted 18 first downs too.
In the second half, the Texans' defense could not stop the Ravens' offense and was outscored 18 - 3, with Baltimore scoring 15 unanswered in the third quarter. The Texans could not ever get their offense moving and sustaining drives. There would be a couple of nice plays, then untimely penalties or sacks brought drives to a screeching halt.
As I said, there were some good points in this game and some not-so-good. We're going to get into those points now but there is hope for this team. I previously predicted the Texans would win eight games this season, this was not one of them, and what I saw, leads me to believe the Texans could pull it off.
C.J. Stroud looked like he belonged
Stroud was 28 of 44, completing nearly 64% of his passes, for 242 yards. He didn't throw any picks but he did have the one fumble. I can't really fault him for the fumble given the pressure that was applied from the Ravens.
Stroud looked composed throughout the game and stood in the pocket. He moved around and bought himself some time, finding the open guy. He showed poise in the pocket too, despite the lack of consistent pass protection.
Stroud targeted Nico Collins 11 times and Robert Woods 10. They had 12 receptions between the two of them. Surprisingly, he only targeted rookie Tank Dell three times. It was clear in this first game that Stroud was putting his trust in the vets on the team.
Houston Texans need to find a solution to the offensive line immediately
This was a major concern all week long and even throughout training camp and the preseason. To be fair, Houston is dealing with a lot of injuries along the offensive line but giving up five sacks is never a good thing and the combo of Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary managed only 53 yards on 18 carries. As a team, the Texans averaged 3.1 yards per carry.
If the Texans can't get things figured out very soon with their offensive line, it will be a long season for Stroud and the Houston offense. The problem is I don't know that there is much the team can do to address this issue. Do they want to part with more draft assets in a trade, which is not likely. The best we can hope for is the players get healthy soon and the line can improve.
Too many times Stroud was running to get away from the pressure. He was hit ten times, and the Texans were tackled for a loss six times. Not a good recipe for winning a football game but hopefully the Texans can get it figured out next week.
Houston Texans have a solid defense
The defense kept Houston in the game through the first half but couldn't keep the Ravens out of the endzone in the third quarter. The Ravens needed only 42 yards for their second third quarter touchdown after another failed fourth-down attempt by the Texans.
The Ravens rebuilt their receiving corps and brought in a new offensive coordinator. It was promised the Ravens offense would be more explosive, but Houston held them to only 265 yards of offense and kept Lamar Jackson in check, with only 38 yards rushing and 168 through the air.
Will Anderson Jr. recorded his first of what will be many career sacks. As a team, Houston had four sacks, seven quarterbacks, and another five tackles for a loss. If the Texans' defense shows up like this week in and week out, Houston will have a chance to pick up a win every week.