C.J. Stroud, Texans Searching for Answers After 0-3 Start

The Houston Texans’ early season struggles continued Sunday with a 17-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, dropping them to 0-3 and keeping them tied for last place in the AFC South.

For quarterback C.J. Stroud, the message after the game was simple: the offense isn’t holding up its end of the bargain.

“Penalties are part of us knowing that we’re better, but also, we can play a lot better. I could play a lot better,” Stroud said following the loss. “Our defense has been holding up. We gotta be able to help them. It’s not easy. But, yeah, we just gotta do better.”

The Texans’ defense has kept them competitive through three weeks, but offensive breakdowns continue to overshadow their effort. Against Jacksonville, Stroud completed 25 of 38 passes for 204 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown strike to Nico Collins — their second scoring connection of the season. But Houston also gave the ball away three times: two Stroud interceptions and a Collins fumble.

Mistakes didn’t stop there. The Texans were flagged seven times for 66 yards, extending drives for the Jaguars and killing their own momentum. That kind of sloppiness has become a pattern, as Houston has struggled with penalties in every game so far.

The bigger concern is the offense’s inability to finish drives. Through three games, the Texans have scored just 10 points or fewer twice, leaving their defense to shoulder the load. Even with solid showings on that side of the ball, the lack of offensive execution has left Houston winless.

Heading into Week 4, the Texans face mounting pressure to turn things around. Stroud insists better football is within reach, but unless the offense finds consistency, Houston’s promising young quarterback and its stout defense may not be enough to keep the season from slipping away.