After a resounding victory this past Sunday, the Houston Texans continue to move up the NFL power rankings. According to Yahoo Sports’ latest rankings, the Texans made a significant jump up to 23rd, four positions better than last week’s metrics.
The recent jump is amidst a dominant two-week stretch against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead of Houston having a problem, they were the problem for these two clubs, amassing over 30 points in each contest along with steady strides defensively.
For the season, the Texans stand at 2-2, good for a tie for first place in the AFC South with the Indianapolis Colts. Each team in the division holds a 2-2 record, but tiebreakers are in favor of Houston thus far.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud has been a huge reason for Houston’s early season success as well, amassing over 1,200 yards passing already on the campaign along with six touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Wide receiver Nico Collins is also enjoying a breakout 2023-2024 campaign. Questions about who might be the Texans' number one option in the passing game, with Collins answering the call. The 24-year-old once again recorded over 100 receiving yards on Sunday to go along with two touchdown receptions.
Defensively, the secondary is looking as advertised, with sophomore safety Jalen Pitre picking up right where he left off last season. Fellow safety Jimmie Ward has looked the part of a key veteran contributor and is a key voice in a young Texans’ secondary. The loss of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. for multiple weeks is a tough one to swallow, but the rest of the unit has been holding strong in his absence.
Overall, this Houston Texans team is already showcasing the improvement that many forecasted before the season began. It’s a long journey ahead but the promising early results paint a clear picture of improvement for this young team.