The Houston Texans are off to a winless start to the 2025 NFL season after falling 14-9 to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. Nine points and 265 total yards will result in a loss more often than not, but the Texans can't dwell on their defeat forever. Week 2's meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be here before they know it, meaning head coach DeMeco Ryans must get his team back on track as soon as possible.
One of the biggest moments that stood out in Houston's loss came during the fourth quarter.
Down five points with just under 10 minutes to go in the game, Ryans brought on the punting unit on a 4th-and-1 instead of leaving the offense on. Video (h/t @JeremyBranham) showed quarterback C.J. Stroud and offensive tackle Tytus Howard seemingly disagreeing with the Texans head coach's decision, which, naturally, sparked a lot of discussion online.
Keeping a team's QB1 happy is important for all head coaches, which is why Ryans did his best to smooth things over with Stroud after the game.
Texans HC DeMeco Ryans Offers Olive Branch to CJ Stroud After Week 1 Loss
Ryans went out of his way after the game to ensure Houston's offense (mainly Stroud) wasn't at fault for the loss to the Rams. According to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime, the Texans HC told reporters that Stroud's performance was "pretty nice" and that he's "proud of how he played."
Stroud's Week 1 stat line was forgettable, as he finished 19-of-27 (70.4%) in the pocket for 188 passing yards and an interception, adding 32 rushing yards on five carries. It was far from the third-year QB's best performance, but it also wasn't his fault, much like Ryans said.
Stroud was under fire throughout the game as the Texans' offensive line did their best Swiss cheese impersonation. The Rams were pressuring the 23-year-old signal-caller all day, resulting in seven QB hits and a trio of sacks.
On one hand, Ryans' decision not to go for it on fourth down makes sense given the Houston offensive line's struggles. On the other hand, Ryans needs to trust Stroud in game-breaking decisions, and even if they came up short on the attempt, it would've at least been a learning experience for the franchise gunslinger.
Hopefully, Ryans and Stroud continue to smooth things over so that the offensive line can get back to giving the latter the time and space he deserves in the pocket. If not, and the Texans' O-line woes bleed into Week 2, it's safe to say that Houston fans will be in for a long season.