Two weeks in, the Texans are struggling to find their perfect offensive combination. In the receiving game, they are 29th in the league after the first two weeks of the season, with 32 receptions for 395 receiving yards and a lone touchdown. With the same number of touchdowns in the rushing game, they are 23rd among 32 teams with 46 catches for 198 yards. However, the AFC South franchise might receive a major boost with the return of its receiver, Christian Kirk.

While talking to reporters after September 17 practice, the WR made a big promise to his QB, CJ Stroud. He said, “I can bring a sense of, there’s just a reliability to be able to win in tight situations, third down, critical downs in the red zone or whatnot, so I’m just gonna go out there and do what I’m best at and do what’s required of me and what the offense is asking of me.” That’s a pretty welcome sign of a turnaround, given the Texans have lost both games and stand at a 0-2 record.

CJ Stroud has been looking for solid options in the receiver department. Their best WR, Nico Collins, stands 68th among the league WRs with 6 receptions for 77 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. So, the 28-year-old Christian Kirk, who has played 7 NFL seasons, can form a solid combination. So, the signal caller can benefit from the wide experience.

After spending enough time in practice, the QB-WR duo is confident of keeping their rivals on their toes. Stroud also showed respect to Kirk after Wednesday’s practice, saying, “He’s very smart, very savvy, fast, runs great routes, great hands, a leader, somebody who loves ball. So, all those things.”  Overall, in his career, the receiver has started 77 games (93 games) and logged 404 receptions for 5,176 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. But this year, he needs to come back from the hamstring injury first.

Christian Kirk is expected to play against his former team

Kirk was a hot property when the Cardinals drafted him 47th overall (2nd round) in the 2018 Draft. He started 41 games (56 games) for them over the next 4 seasons. But his first season with the Jaguars in 2022 was the breakthrough year when he crossed the 1000+ yard barrier for the first time.

As the league expected more from him, the injuries got the upper hand. A groin injury in 2023 forced him to miss 5 games. In 2024, the Jags put him on IR after a season-ending collarbone injury against the Packers. This year, as the Texans hoped for an explosive start, Christian Kirk suffered a hamstring injury. However, the fans have positive news for week 3.

After missing weeks of practice, he practiced on Wednesday, September 17, for the first time. For a team struggling to find its first win, that’s a big development. And there could be no better way to start his 2025 season than with his former team. While he had limited practice, the team is counting on him for the Sunday game on September 21.

He also showed confidence about getting a win and said, “The more practice we get, the more game reps we get. So, definitely feel like we’re close and we’re gonna take the next step here pretty soon.” Earlier, the HC DeMeco Ryans has already said that they are looking forward to having a different result this week.

Overall, it comes down to one simple update. CJ Stroud will be counting on his veteran receiver to lead the attack. Ryans will be hoping for a victory. Can Christian Kirk take the Texans over their divisional rivals? We’ll find out soon.