DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans are searching for answers in what has been an underwhelming season as we approach the midway point. Sitting at 2-4, they’re playing on the back foot after starting the season with a 3-game losing streak.
The offense isn’t producing at the level many expected it would during the offseason, and finding a winning rhythm has been hard. One concern has been a lack of output in the run game, with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks producing “uninspiring” results, as per PFSN’s Sergio Romero. However, all hope is not lost, with options on the trade market available to shore up their backfield.
Rico Dowdle Could Be a Perfect Fit in the Texans’ Offense
Chubb isn’t living up to the high standards he set during the first six years of his career. He set a baseline of crossing 1,000 rushing yards more often than not and averaged five or more yards per carry in each of those seasons.
However, injuries have slowed him down in recent years, a trend that was exacerbated by his move to Texas. While it was supposed to mark the dawn of a new era, he has struggled to average more than four yards per carry this year.
Rookie Marks hasn’t been of much consolation. Six games into the season, he is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry, with one touchdown.
Romero’s point about the Texans acquiring the services of Rico Dowdle is undoubtedly warranted. Not many would’ve expected that the running back has been in the league since 2020, given how he broke out last season with the Dallas Cowboys. He turned into the team’s favorite rusher, ahead of Ezekiel Elliott, by bagging his career-first 1,000-yard season on the ground.
While many thought it was a fluke, Dowdle left Dallas for the Carolina Panthers this year and picked up right where he left off. We haven’t even reached the halfway point of the season yet, and the back already has 551 rushing yards and 121 receiving yards.
This is amplified by the fact that Carolina’s offense ranks 23rd in the league in scoring; Dowdle, with 12 career touchdowns, is producing top-tier numbers playing on a poor offense.
The Texans don’t have much time left before the November 4 trade deadline, so considering their backfield situation could be one of their top priorities right now.
Their upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers could provide some insight into how serious their running back dilemma is.
