Stagnant play-calling and a sputtering ground game have Houston reeling at 0-3. With a rivalry matchup looming, Nick Caley must unleash C.J. Stroud or risk losing the city.
Frustration are starting to boil over as we head into week 4. Three games into the 2026 season, Houston Texans fans aren't just frustrated with the offense anymore. They're starting to wonder how much longer offensive coordinator Nick Caley should be given to figure this thing out. A quick scroll on "X.com" tells the sentiments from some fans.
Houston enters Sunday's Week 4 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys sitting at 0-3 after a heartbreaking 19-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The record is bad enough, but the way Houston has arrived here is what has fans questioning the direction of Caley's offense.
The Texans managed only 233 total yards against Indianapolis despite winning the turnover battle 3-0. Houston is also averaging only 84.6 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry through three weeks, ranking near the bottom of the NFL in both categories.
For a fan base that entered the season expecting Houston to compete deep into January, watching the offense struggle to find an identity has become exhausting. But let's be honest, we have been here before.
Fans Want Caley to Take the Handcuffs Off Stroud
The biggest complaint isn't simply that Houston isn't scoring enough. It's how the Texans are trying to score.
Too often, the offense has looked conservative and predictable. Houston has repeatedly tried to establish a running game that simply hasn't been effective enough to dictate games. David Montgomery and Woody Marks have regularly encountered defenders before getting a chance to build momentum. Montgomery has been hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 68% of his carries, according to the Houston Chronicle.
At some point, you have to stop forcing an offensive philosophy that isn't working.
Even C.J. Stroud sounded like someone ready for the offense to become more aggressive following the Colts loss.
"We can't just play conservative," Stroud said. "We've got to be aggressive and attack, and not be the attacked."
That statement probably sounded familiar to Texans fans yelling at their televisions. Houston has a franchise quarterback. Let him play like one.
Stroud has completed 60% of his passes for 794 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through three games. If the running game isn't working, Caley needs to find creative ways to put the football in Stroud's hands and allow him to dictate the offense.
Fourth-and-Short Has Become a Symbol of the Problem
Nothing represents the frustration with Houston's offense better than its recent fourth-and-short failures.
Against Indianapolis, Caley called a stretch run on fourth-and-1. The offensive line was pushed backward, Montgomery was stopped, and Houston turned the ball over on downs.
It marked the second consecutive week the Texans had failed in that situation.
Those plays matter because fans aren't only judging Caley on total yards and points. They're watching how he responds when Houston absolutely needs one yard.
That's where creativity, preparation and understanding your personnel become important. When the same problems continue showing up in critical situations, patience disappears quickly.
Dallas Feels Like Caley's Biggest Test Yet
Sunday isn't just another game. It's the Cowboys. Our I-45 little big brother is coming into town and need to poke our chest out.
Houston is 0-3, Dallas enters at 1-2, and the teams meet Sunday, Oct. 4, at Reliant Stadium. That makes this the perfect opportunity for Caley to change the conversation.
Nico Collins' return could be a major part of that. Houston scored 31 points in the only game Collins played this season, and the Texans have struggled offensively without their No. 1 receiver.
If Collins is available, Houston needs to treat him like the centerpiece of the passing attack. Caley needs move him around, take shots downfield, use motion and create mismatches.
Give Stroud opportunities to attack instead of asking him to constantly operate an offense built around protecting the football and hoping the defense keeps the game close.
DeMeco Ryans has already indicated he's willing to adjust the offensive approach. He acknowledged after the Indianapolis loss that if something isn't getting results, "then you have to adjust." At the same time, Ryans has publicly stood behind his coaching staff rather than signaling an immediate coordinator change.
That puts the responsibility squarely on Caley to show those adjustments Sunday.
Texans Fans Don't Want Another Wasted Defense
Houston has enough defensive talent to keep games within reach. The defense helped create three Indianapolis turnovers, and the Texans still walked away with a loss.
Fans have seen this movie before. Eventually, an offense has to reward its defense.
The Texans can't continue asking the defense to create turnovers, win field position and hold opponents down while the offense struggles to consistently reach 20 points.
Houston doesn't necessarily need 40 points every Sunday. But with Stroud at quarterback and legitimate offensive talent around him, asking for an offense capable of consistently scoring in the mid-to-upper 20s shouldn't feel unreasonable.
My Two Pennies
Texans fans aren't asking Nick Caley to reinvent football against Dallas. They want to see progress. They want aggression. They want creativity.
And most importantly, they want an offense that looks like it understands C.J. Stroud should be the engine, and not merely another piece of the machine.
Three games isn't normally enough time to completely judge an NFL season. They proved that last season, but this isn't simply about three games anymore. Houston's offensive struggles have carried enough similarities from last season that every conservative call, failed short-yardage run and stalled drive adds another layer to the frustration.
Sunday against Dallas gives Caley an opportunity to change that narrative. Open the offense. Let Stroud attack. Get Collins involved early. Stop repeatedly forcing a running game when the defense is begging Houston to throw the football.
Texans fans will probably forgive some growing pains if they can see where this offense is headed. But, what they're quickly losing patience with is watching Houston continue doing the same things while expecting different results.
Against the Cowboys, it's time for Nick Caley's offense to show something different. We don't need our lil big brother/arch nemesis handing us a "loss" on Sunday.
