If the 2026 Houston Texans were a television show, ratings would currently be in the basement. The writer (GM Nick Caserio) and producer (head coach DeMeco Ryans) struck gold with certain talent, but they can't seem to put everything together when the cameras are rolling. They may have already been fired by the production company (Cal and Hannah McNair) if it wasn't for the emergence of a main character in DE Will Anderson Jr.
Anderson appears to be headed for another season of dominance, as he is tied for second in the league with 4.0 sacks. It also marks the most sacks he has ever recorded through the first three games of a season. The Texans are ranked ninth in the NFL with 42 QB pressures, and Anderson accounts for 20 himself (NextGen Stats).
Will Anderson Jr. off to best start of his already accomplished career
2026 isn't going as planned for the Texans (0-3), but Anderson remains a bright spot. Against the Colts in week three, he tallied seven tackles, 2.5 sacks, three TFLs, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Caserio said it's only the tip of the iceberg with the way Anderson works.
"Every year Will has improved and gotten better," Caserio said Wednesday. "... He spends a lot of time in the offseason to try and make himself a better player, and then you're seeing it come to fruition on the field. Practice execution becomes game reality. A lot of the things you see on the field, he does in practice as well, so that's what you want to see."
The defensive line as a whole has been solid, with DTs Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins combining for two sacks and 23 tackles so far this season. Overall, the Texans have six different defensive linemen with at least one sack. The only thing holding the Houston defense back from being elite is its pass coverage.
The Texans allow 6.7 yards per pass play (NGS), which is the ninth-worst in the league. When it comes to rushing yards per play (3.5), they rank as the fourth-best. If Houston's secondary can't improve in coverage, it might waste the best defensive line in the NFL.
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