Despite aggressive offseason overhauls, Houston's stagnant rushing attack managed only 18 yards against Cincinnati, threatening to derail the offense and leave C.J. Stroud without crucial backfield support.
The Houston Texans spent the entire offseason trying to fix their running game. After a disappointing 2025 season on the ground, the organization made significant changes with the hope of creating a more physical and efficient rushing attack that could take some pressure off C.J. Stroud.
Two weeks into the season, that familiar problem is still hanging around. Houston's running game struggled badly in Sunday's 20-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, finishing with just 18 rushing yards. David Montgomery and Woody Marks combined for 14 carries, but the duo managed only 18 yards. It was another inefficient performance from a rushing attack that was supposed to look much different after the offseason changes.
ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime pointed directly at both the running backs and the offensive line when breaking down Houston's struggles, "Houston's running backs have struggled with efficiency, but its offensive line hasn't given the push needed to create holes. Against the Bengals, David Montgomery and Woody Marks had 14 carries for 18 yards. In Week 1, the duo averaged 3.5 yards a carry."
That makes the issue bigger than simply blaming the running backs. Montgomery showed in Week 1 that he can still be a valuable part of the offense, rushing for 60 yards and three total touchdowns against Buffalo. Marks also had his moments. The bigger concern is that Houston hasn't consistently created enough room for either player to operate.
The Texans entered the offseason knowing this needed to change. Houston ranked 22nd in the NFL in rushing yards per game last season, and the front office responded by bringing in Montgomery while continuing to develop Marks. The organization also invested in the offensive line, hoping a revamped group could establish a stronger identity in the trenches.
Instead, the results through two games have been inconsistent at best. The rushing attack has been completely inefficient, which only makes things harder for the rest of the offense.
That is particularly concerning because the running game was supposed to be one of the ways Houston could make life easier for Stroud. The Texans don't need to become one of the league's most dominant rushing teams overnight, but they need to be able to consistently gain positive yardage and stay ahead of the chains.
After two weeks, that hasn't happened often enough. The offseason changes are still relatively new, but the Texans cannot afford for last year's rushing issues to become a recurring storyline throughout another season.
