Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Houston Texans Week 5 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Below you will find a Week 5 roundup for the Houston Texans in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 20

Biggest issue on defense: Sacking the quarterback

The biggest issue for the Texans' defense is its inability to get sacks. Houston is tied for the fifth-fewest sacks in the NFL with seven. The issue isn't pressuring the quarterbacks, as the Texans have the third-highest pressure rate (44.4%). But they can't turn pressure into sacks. The team leader is defensive end Jonathan Greenard with three sacks, and the pass rush showed potential against the Steelers, sacking their quarterback three times. If this unit wants to reach the next level, it must start making the big plays and sacking quarterbacks. -- DJ Bien-Aime

NFL.com -- Rank: 15

Just like that, football fever is back in Houston, with two stunningly impressive wins following a pair of double-digit losses. DeMeco Ryans appears to have his team believing after the Texans' first home victory since 2021. And why not? Rookie CB C.J. Stroud looks poised -- making 151 straight throws without a pick to start his career -- and dangerous, despite multiple starters on the offensive line (most notably Laremy Tunsil) being out. Houston controlled the clock with a stout run game and zero turnovers, freshening the defense to turn in its best performance of Ryans' early tenure. You'd like to see the Texans avoid getting bogged down so much offensively in and near the red zone, but it's hard to nitpick much after they beat Pittsburgh the way they did.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 12

They have won two straight games, and C.J. Stroud is off to an impressive start. DeMeco Ryans is proving to be a heck of a coach.

USA Today -- Rank: 11

As generally impressive as rookie QB C.J. Stroud has been, especially behind that offensive line, his 151 passes without an INT — an NFL rookie record — are the best testament to his hot start. Houston embarks on a four-game tour through the NFC South having won its past two games by 44 points collectively.

The Athletic -- Rank: 14

After going 11-38 in the last three seasons, the Texans are in the thick of the AFC South race with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud sitting ninth in the league in passer rating (100.6). Despite being the victim of an NFL-high nine drops, Stroud is third in the league in yards per attempt (8).

FOX -- Rank: 14

With the middle of the league looking this muddy, why not defer to the exciting stuff that's happening in Houston? C.J. Stroud is turning heads in a big way, with 1,212 passing yards through his first four games. And after looking overmatched in the first two weeks of the season, the Texans have now beaten down two teams that people viewed as preseason playoff contenders in back-to-back weeks.

Yahoo! -- Rank: 19

Among the top 19 players in passing attempts before Monday night's game, 18 had thrown at least one interception. Of those 18, 16 had more than one interception. The only player without an interception and more than 123 attempts before Monday's game is a rookie, C.J. Stroud. That's impressive. Stroud is tied for third in the NFL in passing attempts, has had a severely injured offensive line in front of him, faced a fierce Steelers pass rush Sunday with standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil out of the lineup, and still has yet to throw an interception. Stroud looks like a home-run pick so far.

PFT -- Rank: 11

Well, now we know why someone was spreading pre-draft BS about C.J. Stroud in the hopes he'd slip.

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