C.J. Gardner-Johnson Gets Honest on Texans' Loss vs. Bucs

The Houston Texans were unable to come away with a Week 2 victory vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, dropping in heartbreaking 19-20 fashion, and now dropping to 0-2 early in the new season to rattle off a less-than-expected start for a team fresh off two-straight AFC South wins.

Yet despite the turbulent start to the season, the Texans aren't ready to hit the panic button. Monday night vs. the Buccaneers was certainly within reach up to the final minutes, but with a commanding drive from Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense, Houston ended up on the wrong side of the end result.

For safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, in those late-game situations, the focus has to be better from the Texans to close out games and prevent that from happening.

"We'll get back to the drawing board. Not what I'm used to, but, close game, good team. We've got to just focus in," Gardner-Johnson said after the Texans' loss. "These types of games, you've got to pull off at home, and we beat ourselves."

"As players, we probably got to lock in a little bit more. Coach puts us in position, we've got to go out there and finish those games... It's one of those games that doesn't make or break your team, but it defines you later on down the road, so... it's got to get better."

#Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on 0-2 start, lot of football left, and on competitive game and loss against #Buccaneers Baker Mayfield @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/hbV9ldSTmP
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 16, 2025

Gardner-Johnson finished his night with six total tackles, being on the field for all but three snaps on the defensive side of the ball. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 7th-best Texans defender vs. the Buccaneers with a 63.8, showing a major step forward from last week in LA.

But even with a solid day from Gardner-Johnson, which could even be a claim expanded throughout most of the Texans' defense, sometimes, the final moments of any given game can make or break a team's chances of coming out on top.

That's what happened on Monday night in Houston vs. Tampa Bay, ending with a game-sealing Rashaad White touchdown, a defensive breakdown from the Texans. and now leaves them sitting at two games under .500 heading into Week 3 of the fresh season.

Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Cody Mauch (69) celebrates as Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The unfavorable start won't allow Gardner-Johnson and the Texans to waver, though. It's a long season ahead with an endless slate of opportunities to bounce back, and a challenge that the veteran safety welcomes.

"15 weeks left, right? We gotta keep playing," Gardner-Johnson continued. "The season ain't over. I remember being with a team, we started off 2-2.  Everybody thought the ceiling was falling through. So, continue to play ball, trust the coaches like we've been doing, trust the scheme, and understand that they're here for us.

"We're not getting discouraged. In this locker room, we trust each other. We understand that it was tough all game. Just gotta finish."

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