The Houston Texans’ place in the latest USA TODAY NFL power rankings didn’t change as the defending AFC South champions start the season 0-1.
Though the Texans fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 34-20 on Opening Night at Arrowhead Stadium, the rest of the action from Sunday and Monday night across the league resulted in Nate Davis leaving Houston right where they started.
19. Texans (19): Somebody in league’s scheduling office hates them. After opening at K.C., Houston draws the Ravens, Steelers and Vikings in succession.
Even Davis’ summation of the state of the Texans after one week is pretty drab, but that is because there isn’t really much change from where the Texans started to where they are now after just one week. There wasn’t a horrendous drop-off in production, and the expectations for Houston were 7-9-ish heading into the season. How’s a loss to the defending Super Bowl champions going to affect that?
The Tennessee Titans dropped two spots from No. 5 to No. 7. The Indianapolis Colts dropped all the way from No. 7 to No. 20. Meanwhile the team that was responsible for the Colts’ Week 1 loss and 13-place tumble in the power rankings, the Jacksonville Jaguars, went up from No. 32 to No. 26.
Houston does have an injury with running back Duke Johnson, but the rest of their personnel should be available as they take on the Baltimore Ravens Sunday at 3:25 p.m. at NRG Stadium.
