Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans

In the NFL, struggles are inevitable—whether they come in the form of losing streaks, key injuries, or missed playoff opportunities. For the Houston Texans, the 2024 season has included its share of challenges: a three-game losing streak in November, injuries to starters like Derek Stingley Jr. and Tytus Howard, and narrow losses to division rivals that have kept their playoff hopes in limbo. Yet what sets the Texans apart this year is their unwavering focus on growth—turning every setback into a chance to learn, improve, and build a foundation for long-term success. This isn’t a team just “getting through” tough times; it’s a team using tough times to become stronger. Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans isn’t just about resilience—it’s about how intentional, strategic growth can transform a rebuilding team into a sustainable contender, even when wins are hard to come by.

Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans begins with the team’s approach to rookie development, which prioritizes learning over short-term results. Even as the Texans fought to stay in the playoff race, they continued to give critical reps to young players like rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, second-year running back Dameon Pierce, and third-round defensive end Will Anderson Jr.—reps that might have been given to veterans on teams focused solely on winning now. When Stroud threw three interceptions in a Week 9 loss to the Jaguars, the coaching staff didn’t bench him; instead, they spent extra film sessions breaking down his decision-making, focused practice on pre-snap reads, and encouraged him to take ownership of his mistakes. The result? Stroud has thrown just two interceptions in the six games since, with a quarterback rating that jumped from 76.4 to 91.2. “We don’t view rookie mistakes as failures—we view them as teaching moments,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Our goal isn’t just to win games this season; it’s to build a quarterback who can win games for us for the next decade. Every tough game, every tough throw, every tough decision is part of that process.” This focus on development has paid off beyond Stroud, too: Pierce has improved his yards per carry from 3.8 to 4.5 since the losing streak, and Anderson has added 4 sacks in his last five games.

A critical component of Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans is the coaching staff’s willingness to adapt and learn from losses, rather than doubling down on ineffective strategies. After the Texans’ Week 10 loss to the Bengals—where they struggled to stop the run (allowing 168 yards)—defensive coordinator Matt Burke overhauled the run defense scheme. He shifted from a 4-3 base to a more flexible 3-4 look that allowed linebackers to flow to the ball faster, added extra reps in practice for defensive linemen on gap discipline, and brought in former NFL defensive tackle Vince Wilfork as a consultant to teach technique. The changes worked: in the next four games, the Texans allowed an average of just 92 rushing yards per game, with two games holding opponents under 70 yards. On offense, after struggling to convert third downs (ranking 26th in the league through Week 8), offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik adjusted the playbook to include more quick-screen passes and run-pass options (RPOs)—plays that played to Stroud’s strengths as a decision-maker and Pierce’s ability to gain yards after contact. Third-down conversion rate improved from 32% to 41% in the weeks following the adjustment. “Struggles 暴露 flaws—and flaws give us a roadmap for improvement,” Burke said. “We don’t get frustrated by losses; we get curious. What didn’t work? Why? How can we fix it? That’s how growth happens.”

Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans is particularly evident in the Houston Texans’ culture of accountability, which encourages players to take ownership of their performance while supporting one another through tough times. After the three-game losing streak, the team held a players-only meeting where veterans like wide receiver Nico Collins and safety Jimmie Ward didn’t point fingers—instead, they asked each player to “look in the mirror” and identify one thing they could do better. Collins, for example, acknowledged he needed to improve his blocking to help the running game; Ward admitted he needed to communicate better with the secondary to avoid coverage lapses. The meeting didn’t just result in promises—it led to action: Collins stayed after practice to work on blocking drills with the offensive line, and Ward organized daily pre-practice meetings with the secondary to review coverage assignments. “Accountability isn’t about blame—it’s about respect,” Collins said. “We respect each other too much to let one another slide. When we struggle, we don’t turn on each other; we lift each other up by being honest about what we need to fix.” For the Houston Texans, this culture has turned individual growth into team growth: when one player improves, it lifts the entire unit, creating a cycle of progress that has helped them bounce back from losses this season.

Another key element of Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans is the front office’s commitment to long-term roster building, even when it means making short-term sacrifices. Unlike teams that trade draft picks for rental players to chase a playoff spot, the Texans have held onto their 2025 draft capital—using midseason struggles as a chance to evaluate young players on the practice squad (like wide receiver John Metchie III and cornerback Ka’dar Hollman) rather than signing aging veterans. When the Texans needed depth at offensive tackle after Howard’s injury, they promoted practice squad tackle Charlie Heck to the active roster instead of signing a free agent—giving Heck valuable game reps that will help him develop into a reliable backup (or potential starter) down the line. “Our rebuild is about sustainability, not quick fixes,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “Struggles test our patience, but they also remind us why we’re doing this: to build a team that can compete year in and year out, not just for one season. Every time we give a young player a rep instead of a veteran, we’re investing in our future.” For the Houston Texans, this approach has paid off in unexpected ways: Metchie, who saw increased snaps in November, caught a game-winning touchdown pass in Week 13 against the Titans, and Hollman has recorded two pass breakups in his last three games.

Finally, Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans wraps up with the long-term impact of this focus—and why it matters even if the Texans don’t make the playoffs this season. Every mistake Stroud learns from, every scheme adjustment Burke makes, every young player who gets a rep—all of these are building blocks for a team that aims to be a consistent playoff contender by 2025. Even the narrow losses (like a 3-point loss to the Chiefs in Week 7 and a 2-point loss to the Bills in Week 11) have value: they’ve taught the Texans how to compete in high-pressure moments, how to close out games, and how to handle disappointment without losing focus. “Success in the NFL isn’t linear,” Ryans said. “You don’t go from 3-13 to 12-4 in one year. You take steps forward, you take steps back, but as long as you’re growing every step of the way, you’re moving in the right direction.” For the Houston Texans, the 2024 season may not end with a playoff berth—but it will end with a team that’s smarter, more resilient, and better prepared to win than it was at the start. Growth Focus Amid Struggles for the Houston Texans ultimately reveals this truth: in football, as in life, the struggles that don’t break you are the ones that make you stronger. And the Texans are proving they’re not just surviving their struggles—they’re using them to build something great.