Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Travis Register-Imagn Images

Should Texans Hit Panic Button After Loss vs. Jaguars?

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Houston Texans are 0-3 for the first time since 2020 after a 17-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3.

While the Texans are still winless as the team approaches the end of September, it might not be time to hit the panic button just yet. Head coach DeMeco Ryans certainly isn't despite the poor start.

“I am not discouraged by my team," Ryans said in his postgame press conference. "We played with outstanding effort today. We played with the resolve to give ourselves a chance to come back and win the game. Again, it's another fourth-quarter drive, and that's the first three games. So am I discouraged? No. We've been in all three ball games."

"We've had opportunities in the fourth quarter. Two times offensively to go and end the game. One time defensively, and we didn't make those plays to win the game, so our team is right there, despite how it looks, how it feels."

"Do we want to be 0-3? No, we don't want to be 0-3, but until we play cleaner ball and we find a way to finish and get on the winning side in the fourth quarter, that's when we'll get in the win column.”

Ryans has a point. The Texans could easily be 3-0 instead of 0-3.

In the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, the team was driving for a touchdown with a chance to win inside the red zone. However, a costly turnover put those chances to zero as the Texans picked up their first loss of the season.

Then, in Week 2, the Texans were leading with just seconds to go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Texans defense had Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield tackled in the pocket on fourth down, but his Houdini-like escape allowed Tampa to pick up a first down that eventually led to a game-winning score from running back Rachaad White.

Then, the Texans had another chance to tie or win the game driving deep into Jaguars territory, but a C.J. Stroud interception ended those hopes.

"We're really close. That's the problem is we just keep reiterating that we're close, and now it's time to fix the issues and be honest with one another. You know, his message is just we're going to keep having these results if we don't finish and we don't, you know, take care of the ball and just do the small things. The effort is there, the physicality. Now it's just the execution," Stroud said postgame.

The Texans have the look of a team that shouldn't be 0-3, but that is the reality of the results. The Texans are still searching for their first win. When games are as close as they have been, it comes down to the small details.

If the Texans can fix those details, they can turn the ship around. If not, it could be a very long season coming up.