The Houston Texans have now dropped to 0-2 to begin the 2026 season following their brutal 6-20 Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
And after the Texans’ Week 2 loss, quarterback C.J. Stroud spoke to the media about how Houston’s disappointing result came to be, and what could be in store for the team moving forward.
Let’s sort through four of the most important things Stroud said after the Texans’ Week 2 loss to the Bengals:
How Nico Collins’ Loss Impacted Houston’s Offense
The Texans’ passing offense was without their No. 1 target, Nico Collins, throughout Week 2’s action as he was sidelined with a hamstring injury, which certainly did a number on just how strong this scoring attack could be. Hence, their zero touchdowns on the day and six total points scored.
As to where Stroud saw Collins’ absence present the biggest hurdles though, he saw a few: third downs, and the explosive passing game were among them.
“I’m not sure,” Stroud said of where he felt the offense missed Collins. “I think the obvious: a couple of third downs and then just some explosive passing game, maybe. A person like that, not having him, will affect the offense. It’s not easy not to have him.”
“If you don’t score in the red zone, you probably don’t win the game. We get down there, but we got stuffed on a couple of short yardages. Those are really tough. We have to be able to convert those. I thought I tried my best to handle what I had to do without Nico I thought we threw the ball pretty decently, but it’s those small downs, those downs where it’s just, like ‘Dang, if we would have hit that or if we would have did this.’ I think it’s tough not having a guy like Nico, for sure.”
How the Bengals’ Defense Attacked the Texans
For a Bengals defense that has been often criticized in years past, they put together a really impressive outing against this struggling Texans offense. It was Cincinnati’s first time not allowing a touchdown in a game since 2022 against the New York Jets.
Stroud thought the Bengals’ defense played well, taking advantage of the Texans by using strong pressure packages, but also saw some questionable calls throughout the day as well––even if that’s no excuse.
“They did a good job of changing it up. I thought a couple of times we picked it up, but some of those third downs we have to keep trying to get the ball out, but they had some good pressure packages. They did a good job.”
“They were just playing really man. Our guys were fighting to get off of some calls I think were questionable, but I think we just got to do a better job on the outside of just winning. I think when we started to get in the flow of the game, started motioning, I think ‘Hutch’ [WR Xavier Hutchinson] played great. I thought ‘J-Noel’ [WR Jaylin Noel] did great. I thought ‘J-Wayne’ [WR Jared Wayne] did good as well and of course, [WR Kayshon] Boutte. It’s tough sometimes when you don’t get the call but you feel like you should. Can’t rely on that. We have to be better.”
What Limited the Texans’ Run Game
The Texans’ run game was abysmal on Sunday. Houston’s running backs combined for 14 carries and just 18 yards–– coming out to just 1.4 yards per carry.
Stroud knows the Texans need to be better in the run game if this offense wants any chance of turning around in the right direction, and will address those issues on the ground heading into Week 3.
“I don’t know exactly when, but I know that there was a certain point in the game where we were throwing the ball. Something I think we have to get better at is being able to run the football. It’s something that we’ll visit this week.”
Texans Start 0-2 for Third Time in DeMeco Ryans Era
The Texans now start the season at an 0-2 record once again. It’s an unfavorable start for any team in the NFL, but it certainly isn’t uncharted territory for Houston, who dug themselves as deep as an 0-3 hole last year before climbing into the postseason as they did in 2023.
Stroud is confident the Texans can get things fixed, yet knows there’s a lot of work to do.
“Sadly, we’ve been here before, but I think we just have to hold each other accountable. We have to get better. There are a lot of things that we need to be doing better if we’re going to win. I think we’ll have some conversations this week about that and, you know, get some things fixed.”
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