Why the Raiders Must Adjust Their Approach Against the Texans

The Las Vegas Raiders must approach their matchup against the Houston Texans differently than their other matchups this season.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on the field prior to a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' season has gone awry, but there are still three games remaining. This includes Sunday's road matchup with the red-hot Houston Texans. Houston has won six straight, while the Raiders have lost eight straight. There is little reason for optimism heading into Sunday.

Las Vegas has struggled to do much of anything well, especially on offense. The Raiders' offense is the worst in the league. The Texans' defense is the best, as it ranks at or near the top of several critical statistical categories. Sunday will likely be a tale of two very different football teams.

The Raiders' Mismatch

Las Vegas will need things to go nearly perfect for them to beat the Texans. One week after facing the Philadelphia Eagles' defense, the Raiders will face an even more formidable Texans defense. The Raiders will have an uphill battle, much like they have every other week this season.

Brooke Cersosimo of NFL.com recently explained why she believes the Texans will beat the Raiders on Sunday. The statistics say this is not a favorable matchup for the Raiders. Of course, at 2-12, there have been few favorable matchups for the Raiders this season, but this time is different.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) stands in the pocket against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Props to DeMeco Ryans for turning this ship around in the second half of the season after starting 3-5. A six-game win streak has the Texans sitting pretty in terms of the playoff picture heading into Week 16. Ryans' squad should have no problem making it seven in a row on Sunday,"
Cersosimo said.

"The championship-caliber defense leads the NFL in both scoring (16.3 PPG allowed) and total D (269.2 YPG allowed) and faces a floundering Raiders offense that ranks last in scoring (14 PPG), total offense (244.1 YPG), rushing (70.8 YPG), and sacks allowed (54).

Cersosimo noted that Smith's expected return will likely not mean much for the Raiders, as their shortcomings across the board will be too much to overcome. Las Vegas must do something differently than it has over the first 14 games, or Sunday's results will be rather similar.

"Geno Smith could return after missing Week 15, but it likely won't matter on the scoreboard, as the Raiders have few consistent bright spots (Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers) on this current roster. Expect C.J. Stroud and Co. to cruise at home," Cersosimo said.

As the Raiders look to end their eight-game losing streak, they will need better coaching, better execution, and a lot more luck. Although anything can happen on any given Sunday, this Raiders team has not given much reason to believe that is the case for them.

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