Week 1 showed what the Houston Texans did well, and also where they could stand some correction.
The offense showed promise as the Texans generated a game-high 268 yards. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud went 28-of-44 for 242 yards. While the No. 2 overall pick was spotless regarding turnovers through the air, Stroud did lose a fumble on a 9-yard sack, one of his five sacks taken throughout the 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Giveaways aside, the Texans weren’t playing at a pace coach DeMeco Ryans liked at M&T Bank Stadium.
As the Texans get ready for the Indianapolis Colts for Week 2 at NRG Stadium, the rookie coach knows where he would like to see the offense take a positive step.
“I think the biggest thing, the biggest improvement that I would like to see from the offense is their tempo, just in and out of the huddle,” said Ryans. “Just getting the play-calls, getting in and out of the huddle faster and just playing faster. That’s what I expect to see this week.”
Due to being unable to get the play-call in, the Texans used their first timeout of the second half after a touchback on a kickoff.
While there were points of concern, Ryans pointed to a broader picture regarding Stroud’s decision-making.
“I think we did some really good things and it’s very encouraging to see what C.J. did when it comes to throwing the football,” said Ryans. “He’s very talented, we just have to play better around him and we can play better around him just by increasing the tempo and playing with more urgency.”
Houston has not lost a home opener since Week 2 in 2020 when they played host to the Ravens.
[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601914802]