Texans earn first victory, prove they are finally on the right path
The (1-2) Houston Texans did more than just win their first game of the season on Sunday, they proved that this is finally a new team, and one you don't want to overlook. If you watched the first two weeks of the season for the Texans, this weekend's outcome was expected to arrive sooner than […]
The (1-2) Houston Texans did more than just win their first game of the season on Sunday, they proved that this is finally a new team, and one you don't want to overlook.
If you watched the first two weeks of the season for the Texans, this weekend's outcome was expected to arrive sooner than later.
This Texans team is no longer the push-over of the NFL. No longer are they the easy win you chalk up on schedule. This team is quickly becoming one that's firing on all cylinders while overcoming the loss of multiple key players.
The credit easily goes to head coach DeMeco Ryans. After a long search spanning multiple years, Houston has finally found the head coach who's sense of pride in the Texans can turn around the whole community before his first season even ends.
"I asked our guys before we went out, play makers have to step up and make plays for us to win game games in this league," Ryans said to reporters after the game. "And that's what our guys did today. We had a lot of playmakers, a lot of different guys stepping up at different spots, and making plays."
The play of their rookie quarterback has also given the Texans fans a newfound sense of pride. CJ Stroud has dominated since Week 1, even though the wins weren’t coming his way until this past weekend.
Stroud is averaging 300+ passing yards a game and has four passing touchdowns in his first three games. He only trails Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (939) with the most passing yards without an interception this season. Stroud's 909 passing yards also ranks third all-time in a player's first three career games.
The play of their quarterback is inspiring more than just the team. The Texans second-overall pick has fully captivated the Texans community and former franchise greats while overcoming the loss of 4 out of 5 starters on the offensive line this season.
Wide receiver Tank Dell was another player on Sunday who stole the show against the Jaguars. The Texans third-round pick totaled 5 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown in his return to Houston, where he played in college.
One of the first moves Stroud made once being selected by the Texans was advocating for the team to select Dell. His recommendation is already proving to be worth it.
"I think it's just shows the connection me and him actually have," Stroud said after the win on Sunday. "We put in a lot of extra work and it's good to see it pay off and now it's time to go do it again and be consistent with it."
The rookies are showing a lot of promise early this season and a big reason why this franchise is beginning to move forward. The 37-17 victory over the reigning AFC South Champions should be a warning to the rest of the league. The Texans will get a chance to start stacking the win at home next week against the (2-1) Pittsburgh Steelers.
Texans score one of the most unlikely kick return touchdowns ever against the Jaguars
Nobody saw this coming.
Featured image: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
