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The Houston Texans finally have a win, and the national media has started to take notice. Houston crushed the Tennessee Titans 26-3 in Week 5, snapping a four-game losing streak.
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The victory was a welcome change after a frustrating start to the 2026 NFL season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 26 of 34 passes for 261 yards, threw a touchdown to Jaylin Noel and rushed for a touchdown. On defense, Will Anderson Jr. recorded three sacks, and Houston forced two turnovers while holding Tennessee to just three points.
Still, one win does not erase Houston’s problems. The Texans remain 1-4, their running game has struggled to find consistency, and their offensive line has not provided enough support. Several national outlets have moved Houston up their Week 6 power rankings.
Where Do the Texans Rank in Week 6 Power Rankings?
USA Today: 26(+1)
Yahoo Sports: 24(+2)
FOX Sports: 23(+3)
Pro Football Network: 24(+3)
Bleacher Report: 26(+2)
What Do Experts Say About the Texans?
“Beating the Titans this season doesn’t mean a whole lot. But at least the Texans looked good doing it. Their defense gave up a 58-yard drive and a field goal on Tennessee’s first possession of the game. The rest of the day, the Texans allowed no points, 129 yards and no drive longer than 27 yards. C.J. Stroud played well, and while the running game still lagged at 2.9 yards per carry, it was good enough on offense,” Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports
” Just noting DE Will Anderson Jr. is on pace for 25 1/2 sacks, which would break Myles Garrett’s nine-month-old record. Of course, Anderson couldn’t have expected his Texans to be as bad as Garrett’s Browns were,” Nate Davis, USA today
“It says a lot about parity in the NFL that the Texans think they’re still in the race enough to trade a second-round pick for WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Yeah, they’ve got their eyes on the future too, but doing the deal now suggests they think they can climb out of their 0-4 hole this year. Blowing out the Titans on Sunday isn’t enough to convince anyone that they can. This week’s game against the Jaguars in London will be a much bigger test. The sooner DeMeco Ryans and QB C.J. Stroud figure out how to tap Harrison’s old potential, the better,” Ralph Vacchiano, FOX Sports
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“The Houston Texans’ nightmare is finally over. With their resounding 26-3 victory over the Titans on Sunday, they’ve ended their losing streak to begin the 2026-27 NFL season. Though their 1-4 record still gives them a steep hill to climb to get back into the playoff picture, it’s certainly better than 0-5,” Jacob Infante, Pro Football Network
Houston Must Maintain few Aspects to Keep Climbing
Houston’s next opponent is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who enter Week 6 at 4-1 after beating the Philadelphia Eagles 19-17 in London. The Texans will face Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 18. The matchup will test whether Houston’s defense can repeat its dominant performance against a more dangerous offense.
Houston recently traded for Marvin Harrison Jr., reuniting Stroud with his former Ohio State teammate. That connection could give the offense a boost, but the Texans still need better production from their running game and offensive line. At 1-4, the Texans have little room for error. Their defense has shown it can dominate, but the offense has not consistently matched that level.
Alongside Stroud, wide receiver Nico Collins gives him a proven target. The Texans will likely need to win most of their remaining games to put themselves in a strong playoff position. A victory over Jacksonville would be a major step, while another loss would leave them facing an even steeper climb.
Houston has finally moved in the right direction in the power rankings. Now it must prove that the improvement is real.
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More on the Houston Texans
- Marvin Harrison Jr. Gives Texans a Receiver Problem They Wanted
- Texans’ 2026 Draft Class Receives a D+ After Week 5 With Top-100 Pick Marlin Klein Scratched
- Texans Position Group Report Card Following Win Over Titans
- 5 Overreactions to Texans’ Win Over Titans in Week 5, Including Will Anderson Jr.’s DPOY Case
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This story was originally published October 13, 2026 at 12:25 AM.