Texans' Early Struggles Don't Look So Bad Thanks to AFC South

It's been a rough start to the 2026 season for the Houston Texans.

They're on the cusp of Week 3, having put together an 0-2 record to kick things off, multiple injuries have taken place around their roster, and based on their latest 6-20 calamity vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, there's lots of work to do before this group rises to the level they were expected to be going into the season.

As to when the Texans will be able to right the ship to put some wins on the board remains to be seen. Last year, it wasn't until Week 4 that Houston was able to record their first win of the regular season.

However, something that does tend to help the Texans' case moving forward into the year is just how poor the surrounding AFC South has performed in their first two weeks of the season––so much so that tying for the first-seed in the division is still well within play by the end of next weekend.

Where the Texans Stand in the AFC South

When taking a step back to look at what the AFC South has panned out to be through two weeks, you'd see a combined record of 1-7. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars have recorded a win, thanks to their Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The rest of those in the mix, though, haven't exactly shined to open the year. And as a result, it's a big win for the Texans when factoring in their own struggles.

Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Titans have fallen in two straight games despite a solid effort against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, while the Indianapolis Colts have dropped their first two games, as they almost squeezed out an overtime victory against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

So in reality, the Texans are tied for second place in the AFC South, despite not being able to post a win in two tries. Knowing that a long year is ahead of them to get back on the right track from their winless start, it also helps their stock when factoring they're only a game behind first place in their division.

Texans' First AFC South Test Is on the Horizon

While the Texans do sit in a solid spot within the AFC South despite their first two games not going quite as they'd expect, their upcoming Week 3 matchup against the Colts certainly carries a lot of weight for both teams in hopes of climbing up the standings.

These division games are vitally important for the Texans to take advantage of already, and become even more so when they're up against another 0-3 team with their backs against the wall.

If Houston can piece together a victory on the road over the Colts for their first AFC South matchup in the year, that 1-0 edge within the division for their first of six matchups can be huge.

On top of that, if the Jaguars wind up dropping their Week 3 game against the New England Patriots, such a result would then tie Jacksonville with the Texans at 1-2 after three contests.

The tiebreaker between two teams within a division next to head-to-head record? Their record within the division. So in the event that the Jaguars lose and the Texans win this weekend, for the moment, that can lead to Houston shooting to the top of the AFC South after a pretty abysmal start to the year after two weeks.

Bottom Line

So of course, the Texans have work to do before their Week 3 matchup against Indianapolis gets underway. These last two games have looked extremely disjointed, and a loss that pins Houston down to 0-3 would only dig them into a deeper hole than they already find themselves in.

However, if things break in the right direction for the Texans this weekend––both in their own game and those around the division––then Houston might be looking at a first-place spot in the division in no time.

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