Entering the 2026 NFL season, the Houston Texans’ defense was praised and even earned a sports magazine cover. After Sunday’s 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants, it looked like the Texans couldn’t even cover that magazine cover.

Giants running back Cam Skattebo ran wild against the Texans. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy didn’t look like a young player trying to find his way in the NFL. No, the Texans went out there and showed a level of ineptitude that reflects the team’s 2-5 record.

NFL World Criticizes Texans’ Defense After Bad Home Loss

This Giants team is in its first season under head coach John Harbaugh. They looked like the more disciplined team on the field, while the Texans were racking up penalty yards at a breakneck speed.

Marcus Mosher, who hosts the “Locked on Cowboys” podcast and is a senior NFL writer for Fansided, didn’t mince words after seeing what happened at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday. Mosher posted online, “Another embarrassing effort by DeMeco Ryans and this defense.”

Nick Schwager, who covers the Texans for SB Nation and writes for Battle Red Blog, also called out the awful play from that defensive crew.

He wrote, “Texans defense is unfathomably bad this year. Nothing else to say about it. What a fall from the best in then league last year.”

One NFL influencer even added some video evidence of just how awful the Texans’ defense played against the run all game long. The video was from the Giants’ game-winning drive in overtime. The person wrote, “Man, the Texans have to be the most disappointing team so far this season. What has this defense turned into?”

Super Bowl champion Jason McCourty, who now works for ESPN, called the effort from the Texans’ defense “disappointing.” McCourty also had more to say than just that single word. He posted online after the game, “The Texans defense might be the most disappointing unit this season. Expected them to be at the very top of the league in every defensive statistic this year.”

This NFL influencer didn’t hold back on the criticism, either. In fact, some rather harsh language was used in this online post: “The Houston Texans defense is the most lied about unit in NFL history. These [expletive] ARE [expletive].”

James Roy, who also hosts a Texans-focused podcast, tossed a few barbs at Ryans, who took over the defensive playcalling duties recently. Ryans is a defensive-minded head coach, but that squad’s efforts have not been anything to write home about at all.

Roy posted this online: “Nothing I’ve seen from this Texans defense since DeMeco took over play calling makes me feel particularly great about employing a defensive minded head coach.”

Yes, there is plenty of more angst online against the Texans, whether it’s on defense for Ryans or on offense against offensive coordinator Jeff Caley. Houston has now played seven games in the 2026 NFL season and ranks 21st on PFN’s Defense Impact Metric with a 72.9 grade.

Some are now even questioning whether Ryans will remain the Texans’ head coach after this season ends.

The drama is picking up around the Texans, and not in a good way.