The Houston Texans may be 0-2, but the vibes are much different than they were a season ago. 

The 0-2 Texans played the Baltimore Ravens tough in the first half of the opener before being overmatched in the second half. Against the Colts, Stroud had a fantastic game with 384 passing yards, 2 TDs, and no INTs. Unfortunately, the Colts were able to run all over this defense and it proved to be the difference.

The team will learn how to play a complete game soon enough. Now, let's identify three positives from the 0-2 start.

 

CJ Stroud’s performance has been stellar

Stroud looked rattled at times during the opener at Baltimore, but that’s to be expected. The rookie didn’t turn the ball over, though, and he gave the team a chance to win. Unfortunately, the run game couldn’t get going and the Ravens made the big plays when needed. 

Against the Colts, however, Stroud had his coming out party. The rookie completed 30/47 passes for 384 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. Asking a rookie to throw almost 50 times is usually not a recipe for success. With Stroud, though, he seemed in control and looked poised. The QB was decisive and didn't make the typical rookie mistakes. 

If you're a Texans fan hankering for a franchise QB, you should be excited. It hasn't translated to wins yet, but it will. 

The pass defense is good

The Texans could very well end the season with a top-10 pass defense. The unit is currently ranked 11th in passing yards allowed per game with 191. Steven Nelson had a nice INT on Lamar Jackson in Week 1 and the Colts’ best receiver Michael Pittman was held under 60 yards and didn’t score. 

The Texans have several upcoming games against teams with less-than-stellar passing attacks, so expect this unit to continue to shine. Veteran Steven Nelson has been one of the best corners in the league this season, admittingly in a small sample size. 

If the unit can figure out how to stop the run, this will not be a fun defense to play against. 

Nico Collins WR1

Much was said this summer about the Texans adding “guys”, but not adding a true No. 1 receiver. Well, Nico Collins could be changing that narrative. It’s early, but Collins also looked impressive before getting hurt in 2022. The receiver already has chemistry with his rookie QB and the duo are putting up big numbers. 

Texans’ mid-round draft selection looks like the real deal

The Texans had an impressive performance from one of the rookies to open the preseason.

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