Grading Houston Texans' offense against the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Houston Texans secured their first victory of the 2023 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and their offense was a huge reason why. 

Their 37 points scored were the highest single-game total in the young season and it was due in large part to a complete team effort. There were some standouts that also deserve praise. 

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud continues to get better and better each week, with his latest encore against Jacksonville being his finest yet. The 21-year-old completed 20 of his 30 passing attempts for 280 yards and two scores. His 118.8 rate is the highest of his career thus far. 

The Texans' leading receiver was another rookie. Third-round pick Tank Dell had his finest day as a pro, tallying five receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown, an astounding 68-yard snag that showcased the budding rapport between the two Houston rookies. 

As a team, the Texans amassed 366 total yards of offense and 15 first downs. However, while the passing game looked the finest it has all season, the same can’t be said about the rushing attack. 

A lack of consistency continues to plague the team’s running back room. Sophomore Dameon Pierce was able to secure his first rushing touchdown of the campaign but was wildly inefficient in his 14 rushing attempts, finishing the contest with 31 total yards, good for 2.2 yards per rush. 

Backfield mate Devin Singletary showed improvement, averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his nine attempts. Despite these efforts, Stroud once again proved to be the team’s most efficient rusher, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. 

As for the offensive line, they were able to keep Stroud upright but struggled once again with penalties, accumulating eight. This combined with the inefficient rushing attack brings down the grade a tad in what was otherwise an excellent performance. 

Grade: A-

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