ClutchPoints
The Houston Texans came into 2025 with cautious optimism. They had a defense that had shown promise and an offense built around a young star quarterback. Three weeks into the season, though, and the optimism has vanished. The Texans are winless after three games, and the same offensive demons that haunted them last year have only grown louder. Right now, Houston already looks like a team teetering on the edge of irrelevance. The focus is shifting squarely to their quarterback, CJ Stroud.
The Texans lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 17-10, in Week 3. That was their third loss in as many outings. Their offense sputtered all afternoon, culminating in three costly fourth-quarter turnovers. Those included two interceptions by Stroud and a fumble by wide receiver Nico Collins. The Jaguars capitalized, with Travis Etienne Jr breaking off a late touchdown run to seal Jacksonville’s first home victory over Houston since 2017.
The defeat dropped the Texans to 0-3, their worst start since 2020. It also left them tied with Tennessee for last in the AFC South. Sure, penalties, shaky play-calling, and injuries all played a role. Howwever,, the reality was clear: Houston had two opportunities late to tie or win. Both drives, though, ended in game-killing mistakes. It’s a story fans have heard before, and patience is wearing thin.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Houston Texans who are most to blame for their Week 3 loss vs. Jaguars.
CJ Stroud’s performance was the talking point afterward, and not for the right reasons. Statistically, he wasn’t disastrous. He had 25-of-38 passing for 204 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown to Collins. Still, the raw numbers mask the damaging moments. Both of his interceptions came in the fourth quarter. The final one effectively ended Houston’s chances. Pressured off the blindside, Stroud’s wobbly throw fluttered into the arms of Antonio Johnson for the game-sealing pick.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated lapse. Through three games, Stroud has failed to elevate the offense. In all, Houston has managed just 38 total points. His passer rating sits at 76.9, his turnover-worthy throw rate at 4.5 percent, and his off-target throw rate at 15.7 percent. Those are all trending toward career lows. These are the kind of numbers that ignite doubt. This is especially true when they need Stroud to compensate for glaring roster flaws.
To be fair, Stroud isn’t operating behind a pristine wall. Left tackle Aireontae Ersery had a forgettable outing against Jacksonville. The latter committed multiple penalties and allowed pressure that stalled drives. Across the board, the line struggled to handle stunts and blitz packages. This forced Stroud into uncomfortable situations.
These self-inflicted penalties repeatedly killed momentum and left Stroud to climb uphill on long down-and-distance scenarios. Third-down efficiency continues to be a glaring weakness, too. They had just four conversions on 15 attempts in Week 3. Those numbers speak to deeper systemic...
