On Sunday, the Houston Texans dropped to a ghastly record of 0-4 with a narrow home loss to the in-state friend Dallas Cowboys. The Texans were in control of this game at one point in the first half but ultimately watched Dallas battle back and secure the win with a late touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb torched the Texans for 17 catches and nearly 200 yards on the afternoon, continuing an alarming trend of the Texans' defensive ineptitude so far this year, and recently, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky stopped by ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show and broke down what he thinks the problem has been.
“I think the Houston Texans defense has become predictable for offenses.. They know what coverage they're gonna get and they attack that coverage,” said Orlovsky, per Pat McAfee on X, formerly Twitter.
Whatever the culprit is, there's no denying that Demeco Ryans' squad has been very disappointing on the defensive side of the ball so far in 2026. The Texans entered this year with one of the most feared defensive units in the league, having been elite on that side throughout last season, and bringing back most of their key players from a year ago, headlined by star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Article Continues BelowHowever, the Texans have routinely given up big games to opposing receivers throughout this year so far, including Ja'Marr Chase in Week 2 and now Lamb in Week 4.
While they're not mathematically eliminated, it's safe to say the Texans' playoff chances are now on life support amid their 0-4 start, and they need to start stacking wins in a hurry to give themselves any hope of a turnaround.
The Texans will next hit the field next Sunday for a seemingly winnable road game vs the Tennessee Titans.