Amid their 0-2 start, the Houston Texans are dealing with injuries at various positions, but that has only intensified the spotlight on offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
That reality was underscored during an interaction with the media on Thursday.
Stoots & Locker co-host Landry Locker posted his “back and forth” with Caley regarding the Texans’ “week-to-week game plan offense (especially this system) and if it can be overthought. Plus, if Sunday was an example of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, a term used multiple times at Caley’s intro presser.”
In his response to the questions, Caley not only denied and pushed back against overthinking the game plan, he also asked Locker to “define” the phrase he used.
“This was the money quote from Caley at his first presser on 2/13/25,” Locker said in another post on X on September 24. “It was also mentioned by the regime before he even spoke. Bizarre he wanted it defined today.”
Caley, who is in his second season with the Texans and as a play-caller, has also drawn criticism from former players on the outside looking in.
Super Bowl Champion Kyle Long Calls Out Texans’ Nick Caley
Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long called Caley and the Texans’ approach to Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals “the definition of insanity” during a recent episode of “Green Light with Chris Long.”
Long cited the Texans running the ball into odd fronts against Bengals among his gripes.
Bengals star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence single-handedly put an end to a couple of plays on the Texans’ final, got-to-have-it drive in the 20-6 loss.
“Caley, it’s Year 2. I gotta see something,” Long said during the episode, lamenting the former Los Angeles Rams assistant’s “stubbornness” in sticking with the run plan and not using lighter personnel to open up the box. “The run game, that was a historically bad performance.
“You have to crack this thing. Know your personnel up front. Know who you’re playing against. You come in with a game plan. It doesn’t work. You gotta flip the script a little bit. You have to adjust. And to me, that was a big failure [against the Bengals], was the lack of adjustment in the run game.”
Long noted things like attempting a field goal at midfield.
C.J. Stroud Gets Vote of Confidence as Texans Struggle
That is more of a decision on the head coach to kick rather than punt or attempt to convert. Long also called out the tight ends’ ineffective run blocking.
Some of Long’s commentary was notably in some contradiction with Locker’s questioning of Caley. Specifically, Locker questioned not leaning into the Texans’ tight end room more in terms of personnel. The coach also said the game dictated going to more 11 personnel.
Long also noted that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud played well enough to win the game.
In the end, Long expressed confidence in Caley and the Texans. He cited their 0-3 start in 2025 and said, “You can call me what you want, but Houston’s gonna be okay.”
The Texans will get healthier at receiver. Nico Collins and Tank Dell are on the mend. Meanwhile, Stroud and Kayshon Boutte continue to build chemistry. That is also yet to become reality, though. Their offensive line also remains a work in progress.
Moreover, none of it will matter if Caley does not find his rhythm as the Texans play-calller.
Texans Coach Makes ‘Bizarre’ Request After Super Bowl Champion Questions Plan