When it comes to winless teams, early in an NFL season, the Houston Texans have carved out a reputation as a team that is pretty savvy at bouncing back from slow starts. In 2018, Bill O’Brien became the then-only team to come back and make the playoffs after an 0-3 start. DeMeco Ryans matched that feat last season, and that was after overcoming an 0-2 start to 2023, and winning the AFC South.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’d like for my hometown team to be the team that has a reputation for knowing how to win things like, ya know, SUPER BOWLS, but for now, this is what we are. This is what we have. This is what’s relevant once again, because the Texans are 0-2 to start 2026. Making Week 3 even more saucy is the fact that they travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts, who are also 0-2.
Which team is under more pressure in this game is debatable. The Colts don’t have the same lofty Super Bowl hopes as the Texans do, so an 0-3 start for the Texans sinks the Super Bowl ship. (NO team has won a Super Bowl after starting 0-3.) However, the Colts’ head coach (Shane Steichen) and GM (Chris Ballard) are both under ultimatums from ownership to win NOW, so at least on certain individuals, the heat is on in Indy.
The Texans are a small favorite to win on Sunday, and they’ve won five in a row versus the Colts. They’ve won four in a row in Indy. It should be one of the most compelling matchups on the board on Sunday. Here are four things to watch for:
4. Injured wide receiver effect
Alec Pierce has been a Texans killer the last three seasons, with 12 catches for 346 yards and four touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season. Nico Collins, likewise, has destroyed the Indianapolis Colts over that same time frame to the tune of 27 catches for 556 yards and two touchdowns. Neither of them will play in this game, due to injuries. Which team adapts to life without its big play receiver will play a huge role in determining the outcome of this game. For what it’s worth, the Colts might have the three best skill players in this game with RB Jonathan Taylor, TE Tyler Warren, and WR Josh Downs.
3. S.W.A.R.M. Factor
That discrepancy in skill position talent, sans Pierce and Collins in this game, makes it all the more important for the Texans’ defense to be on the small details, buckle down against the run, and harass the ever loving hell out of Daniel Jones. The defense was atrocious against the Bills in Week 1, but was better in Week 2. Still, improvement from one week to the next doesn’t mean it was up to the standard we’ve come to expect from this defense. Will Anderson called a players only meeting this week for the defense, and categorized it as a “reset,” with hopes that the defense would get back to its violent, swarmy ways of 2025.
2. Special teams actually being special
In the Texans’ first game, against Buffalo, the Texans’ offense was tremendous, and the defense was a letdown. In the second game, against the Bengals, it was the opposite, with the defense playing well in the offense scoring a grand total of six points. The one comment thread through both games, though, is that the special teams has been atrocious in each game. Hey, at least they’re consistent! In all seriousness the kit coverage and return units have to be better on Sunday. They can’t give up the generous field position that they were allowing against the Bengals, who started five of their first eight drives at their own 40 yard line or better.
1. Good C.J. Stroud sticking around
On the list of reasons why the Texans are 0-2 so far this year, you’d have to run your finger way down the list to find C.J. Stroud‘s name. Against Buffalo, Stroud was outstanding, engineering four touchdown drives of 75 yards or longer. Against Cincinnati, he threw for 353 yards, but only put up six points. The end results on the scoreboard against the Bengals was certainly disappointing, but Stroud has operated well given the leaky offensive line in front of him. Still, he needs to show that he’s able to elevate his game to overcome bad line play, and the absence of Nico Collins, if he’s gonna feel confident going into contract talks after this season, where he undoubtedly will seek upwards of $60 million per year. This is a huge opportunity for Stroud on Sunday.
SPREAD: Texans -2.5
PREDICTION: Texans 23, Colts 16
SEASON RECORD: 0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS
