No running game. A trade for a top receiver. How the Texans' offensive approach has shifted

LONDON - Before the 2026 season began, the Houston Texans made moves to improve their running game.

Drafting Keylan Rutledge in the first round? Run game.

Signing Foster Moreau, Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith in free agency? Run game.

The Texans wanted to be a team that could run the ball well, take care of the football and let its defense do what it does best - a formula they thought would help them win games.

But the opposite has happened through the first five games of 2026.

The Texans have slowly morphed into a pass-first team by necessity, led by their fourth-year quarterback, C.J. Stroud . And with their latest move - acquiring wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in a trade - the Texans appear to be settling into that newfound identity.

When the Texans traded for Harrison, their receivers were playing their best football, as was their quarterback, who is off to the best five-game stretch of his career.

Harrison's arrival gives Houston the ability to take its passing game to another level and lean heavily into one area of the team that has remained consistent: passing the football.

The Texans rank sixth in the NFL in passing offense.

That doesn't mean the Texans will rely exclusively on the pass and abandon the run. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley still wants to maintain balance in his offense.

But it does mean the Texans know their strengths and how to use them to address their biggest weaknesses.

The Texans have struggled to run the ball for most of the season. They are averaging 3.4 yards per carry, 30th in the NFL.

They have even struggled to gain a yard in fourth-and-inches situations, a task that could become more difficult Sunday against the league's stingiest run defense. The Jaguars allow just 64 rushing yards per game.

But leaning into the passing game, especially on first downs, could open things up in the running game.

Running back Woody Marks rushed for 62 yards on 15 carries - the most rushing yards by a Texans running back this season. He also had a 24-yard touchdown run nullified by a holding penalty.

"You can't sit there and be completely one-dimensional," Caley said. "I think you have to have some level of balance, and I think that goes back to finding the opportune times to be able to consistently, whether it's throwing the ball, whether it's sticking to the runs, whether it's starting with a run-first mentality or a throw-first mentality."

The Texans passed on 16 of their 26 first-down attempts. That led to lighter boxes from the Titans on early downs and more efficient runs by the Texans. Marks had two runs of 12 yards or more on first down in last week's win.

It was also the first time since Week 1 that Marks or David Montgomery averaged more than 4 yards per carry in a game.

Montgomery is out with a groin injury Sunday, so Marks will start. The Texans will also call up running back Jawhar Jordan from the practice squad.

"He's explosive," Caley said of Marks. "He can put his foot in the ground and be a slash runner. He's got good play speed. He does a good job in pass protection as well, not to mention the run game stuff. And in the pass game, he can catch the ball and make people miss."

Harrison's addition also gives the Texans another talented receiver.

Stroud is used to playing with a bevy of top receivers and distributing the ball. That helped make him one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

At Ohio State, he played with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Emeka Egbuka, all of whom have gone on to become star NFL receivers. Harrison was a freshman on that team.

Harrison likely won't contribute much immediately. He still has to learn the playbook, and Caley still has to figure out how to use him.

But the Texans have a few plays for him that they hope to use Sunday against the Jaguars. They see his addition as an enhancement.

"All of our guys are still going out making plays that we expect them to make - (Xavier Hutchinson), Nico (Collins), (Jaylin Noel), (Kayshon Boutte), all those guys that welcomed Marvin in really well. They welcomed him with open arms, and Marvin is fitting in just fine," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "We'll try to get him as much action as he can handle on Sundays, so I'm just excited about the group. Anytime you can add depth to that wide receiver room, it makes it more challenging on defenses, and that's what we want to do."