The first three weeks of this season have been a horror for the Houston Texans and their fandom. Three losses in the first three weeks weren’t what the Texans, and the fans hoped for. But here we are. Though quarterback CJ Stroud and the squad found a way out with a 26-0 win over the Tennessee Titans, there’s room for improvement in the offense. At least that’s what former quarterback Kurt Warner believes.

The former QB was equally shocked by the team’s record, and he couldn’t forget the last three weeks. But he shared a few words of advice for Stroud and the team’s offense. “I thought it (offense) would be more explosive than it was,” Warner questioned during his interview on The Rich Eisen Show. He admitted that while the stats looked good but there were issues in the system.

“CJ just doesn’t look like the same player that he was as a rookie. Just awareness, seeing things, getting the ball out of his hands. So I’m not ready to say that they’ve turned a corner quite yet. I think they played a Titans team that really struggles offensively and that’s why it looked like it did. I’m going to need to see some of that against a better football team.” Warner said about CJ  and his struggles this season.

Stroud completed 22 of 28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. The Texans scored three touchdowns in the second half, an impressive feat. But that’s not enough.

As Warner pointed out, the QB hasn’t been his old self in the game. Stroud is seen as one of the best quarterbacks. But he has clearly hit a rough patch. He’s gone seven straight games without multiple touchdown passes before the Titans game. Unfortunately, this is the longest drought for a Texans QB since David Carr faced one in 2006. He also lost four games in a row before this game. He voiced his frustration after their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While he believes that part of these troubles has emerged due to a lack of solid players in the passing game, apart from wide receiver Nico Collins, his passer rating has dropped to 76.9. That said, he is behind now-benched 36-year-old quarterback Russell Wilson.

The issue also seemed to be with the offensive line. The Texans came into the offseason with some holes to fill up front. Their first moves included trading offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders and guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles, plus releasing guard Shaq Mason, among other changes.

To fill those spots, they brought in center Jake Andrews, guard Laken Tomlinson, and tackle Cam Robinson, traded for guard Ed Ingram, and drafted tackle Aireontae Ersery.

The Titans consistently pressured Stroud, even if the final score didn’t fully reflect it. Against a more reliable offense, that level of pressure could become an actual issue, especially if Houston is forced into a scoring battle. Before this game, the Texans hadn’t managed more than 20 points in a single outing. The offense has to put up better numbers and protect its quarterback if it wishes to win games.

But there’s another aspect where the veteran QB Warner might be right about Stroud.

CJ Stroud opened up about losing quickness

The Texans quarterback made the most shocking confession in one of the videos doing the rounds on social media. He feels like he’s lost some of his quickness. At just 23, Stroud reflected on his high school days during his recent press conference, joking that he used to be faster and more explosive.

“I feel like I’m getting old,” Stroud admitted when reflecting on his game. “I’m not as quick as I used to be. I was watching my high school stuff a couple days ago. I was 180, and I was rolling. I’m not no more.” His comments surfaced in a clip shared on social media by an account called Houston Stressans.

It’s not every day that a QB of his age comes up in front of the media and claims that he no longer feels as quick as he was in his high school days. At just 23, saying he has lost his speed looks like more of a mental issue than a physical one. But then he would know it better than anyone. Shocking, a young QB could lose speed and accuracy just like that in a league where 40-year-olds are playing.

While not just Stroud, the entire team’s roster looked nothing like last season’s Texans. The Texans rank near the bottom offensively, sitting eighth worst in total yards, 10th worst in passing, and fourth worst in points per game. Stroud and the offense must find answers quickly if they hope to stay competitive.

Despite this, the team has managed to secure its first win. The Texans will clearly look to continue their success, and to that end, the team must secure wins in the coming games. As the calendar flips to October, Houston has a chance to treat it as a clean slate. Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens will be a key test of how the Texans respond to their early struggles. Whether the young quarterback can regain that extra burst and lead Houston to a turnaround remains to be seen.