Can the Texans Hold Another Team Under 15 Points This Week?
The Houston Texans didn’t look their best in their Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but on the defensive side of the ball there was enough shown to be optimistic moving forward. The explosive offense we’ve seen under C.J. Stroud in previous years wasn't present in that opener, but it was promising to see the defense look better than it has in a while.
While the offense struggled to finish drives and ultimately put points on the board — which is what wins games — DeMeco Ryans’ defense was extremely impressive. That’s the backbone that will carry Houston over the course of the season. There are going to be games where the offense can’t get going, but defense generally travels week to week, whether you’re at home or on the road. You can lean on a good defense and win games, which the Texans almost did last week against the Rams. They only gave up 14 points, but the offense couldn’t get it done.
The Buccaneers present a different challenge. Baker Mayfield is an absolute gamer. He’s a competitor, he takes chances and he can put up points in a hurry. At his best he can extend plays and make all the throws, but on the flip side those same traits also make him turnover-prone. That’s why the Texans’ defensive line, especially with Will Anderson Jr. leading the charge, will be crucial in this Week 2 matchup. If they can speed up Mayfield and force him into risky decisions, Tampa Bay’s offense could get off balance.
Of course, it’s not just about making Mayfield uncomfortable. Tampa Bay's receiving corps is one of the most difficult to contain in the league. Sometimes Mayfield doesn’t need much time to get the ball out and create chunk plays, so the defensive line can't completely dictate the game. That means the Texans’ corners will also have to step up. Mike Evans is one of the best in the league every season, consistently taking over games with his size and physicality. Rookie Emeka Egbuka was phenomenal in Week 1 and already looks like one of the best picks in this draft class. Beyond those two, the Buccaneers stay balanced with Bucky Irving in the backfield. It’s a hard offense to slow down, and it’s going to take a collective team effort. But the defensive line and corners are where it starts.
Truthfully, this will be a measuring-stick game for the Texans’ secondary. The defense already looks like it could be very good this year, but this is one of the more well-rounded receiving groups they’ll face all season. And again, the run game matters. Irving is one of the league’s up-and-coming backs. With his speed and vision, he can wear down a defense with volume and is always a threat to flip the game with a big play. That puts pressure not just on the defensive front to contain him but also on the linebackers to prevent runs from breaking into the second level.
The good news is that Houston’s defense already looks like a unit that can keep this team in games regardless of how the offense performs. It’s physical, it’s resilient and it has the talent to frustrate opponents.
There’s real reason for optimism as the Texans take on Tampa Bay this weekend. If they keep building on what they did well defensively last week and get a little more help from the offense, this defense could be the reason Houston gets its first win of the season on Sunday.