Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans kept preaching patience. Quarterback C.J. Stroud kept mentioning getting on the same page. First-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley kept saying things were improving.
But many of us weren’t buying it.
Now, after the recent 44-10 thrashing of AFC nemesis Baltimore, there is some currency on the table that should have all thinking that maybe Caley’s offense can work. We can finally see some of the vision coming together.
We saw from the Texans offense what we had been looking for since Bobby Slowik was sent packing last season. The Caley offense moved methodically, strategically and without many setbacks in dominating the Ravens.
The much-maligned offense actually established the franchise record for points scored in a road game after looking like a complete disaster a couple of weeks ago.
Stroud, the Texans’ star third-year franchise quarterback, looked as good and as decisive as we’ve seen him in a while as he sat back in the pocket and connected with nine different receivers against the Ravens’ secondary. At the same time, the much-criticized offense kept Stroud clean in Baltimore for most of the afternoon. Stroud completed a super-efficient 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns, while taking just two sacks.
But as clutch as some of his completions were to receivers Christian Kirk, Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel, Stroud’s most memorable moment may have been his rare pull-down and scramble with the entire Ravens defense not paying him any attention. That was a sign of just how locked in Stroud is right now.
We also saw, for the second week in a row, the Texans’ ground attack threatening the opposing defense and serving as a spark to the offense. Against the Ravens, it was veteran running back Nick Chubb showing some flashes of his Cleveland Browns’ greatness in gaining 61 yards, which included a 27-yard burst for a touchdown, on 11 carries.
Given that the Ravens have the second-worst defense in the NFL and that star quarterback Lamar Jackson didn’t play because of injury, it might be tempting to temper the excitement over this as we did the previous week when the Texans won the battle of 0-3 teams against AFC South rival Tennessee.
But kind of like in golf, the gauge isn’t so much about the opposition as it is themselves.
The Texans’ offense is showing real signs of progress and growth as they head into the bye week. The unit has now scored points in five straight quarters, dating back to the win over the Titans. Sure, the Ravens came in wounded with Jackson and others out, but DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Henry were healthy and making plays, as were other Ravens players. What mattered the most was that the Texans’ offense was dominant for the second straight week.
Caley’s offense outgained the Ravens 417 yards to 207 yards. The Texans also won the all-important time of possession battle 36:33 to 23:37. Some of that credit must go to the Texans’ defense, which has been consistently elite all season. And this week was no different as the unit pitched a virtual shutout following the opening series.
Although the first three games were concerning, there is a sigh of relief that we can see the framework of how this offense should work. This is also significant for the Texans as an organization, marking a critical step in the offensive remake while also turning the tables on a Baltimore team that had won six straight against them and hadn’t allowed an offensive touchdown in the previous two games.
