HOUSTON -- Cal McNair and his wife, Hannah, had a different feeling following another Houston Texans playoff defeat last January.
The 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs marked the sixth time in franchise history -- and second straight year -- that Houston had fallen in the divisional round, a place in the playoffs that they had not been beyond. But the Texans' owners had a contrasting feeling from the previous year when they were battered by the Baltimore Ravens -- a 34-10 loss where the offense failed to score a touchdown.
Cal McNair believed Houston was a ways away following the loss to Baltimore, but after "playing more competitively against Kansas City," he says he felt they were on the doorstep.
"What makes us feel good is the past two years we've had good results," Cal McNair told ESPN. "And we're expecting, hopefully, that these roster and [offseason] decisions turn into something along those lines."
Against the Chiefs, Houston trailed 20-12 in the fourth quarter and had two possessions to try to tie the game but came up just short. Some controversial penalties would bring scrutiny after the game, but the Texans know it comes down to more than the refs.
Cal McNair offered words of encouragement, telling ESPN in August at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia that "we hope to see us get a little better this year."
Then, Hannah McNair grinned and swiftly interjected a subtle three-word haymaker: "A lot better."
THE TEXANS AREN'T running from the goal. They're not necessarily shouting about it, either, but if you ask members of Houston's brass, the sentiment is consistent across the board.
Even coach DeMeco Ryans, who prefers keeping expectations inhouse to prevent national headlines, made it clear at the end of last season that "getting over the hump" is the next target, the expectation.
Ryans elevated his stance at minicamp in June, saying the goal is to "win it all."
When asked about the changed public approach during training camp earlier this month in West Virginia, Ryans doubled down.
"I think at that moment, I said what I said," Ryans told ESPN. "But that's how I always feel. Everything that I've always done in life is to be the best. So how can you go to work, and it's like, 'Oh, I'm OK just giving it a good shot?' I just never understood that."
It's a mentality that coincides with Hannah McNair's words of things being "a lot better" in 2025. It's not enough for Houston to just add another divisional banner to the rafters in NRG Stadium after earning back-to-back AFC South titles. Or to be among the final eight left in the playoffs.
Houston hopes 2025 can be the season it at least leaps over that proverbial wall, and its offseason reflected that.
General manager Nick Caserio and Ryans left the No. 6-ranked total defense mainly intact outside of adding safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson from Philadelphia. But they completely revamped the 22nd-ranked offense and replaced offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik with Nick Caley, who spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and eight prior with the New England Patriots.
So the hope is an improved offensive unit led by third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud -- along with a stout defense -- can get them to where they've never been.
Protecting Stroud better was priority No. 1, but the receivers room was altered tremendously, as well. Stefon Diggs and Robert Woods left in free agency, and John Metchie III was traded 10 days ago.
Houston brought in veterans Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios, then drafted Iowa State rookies Jayden Higgins (No. 34) and Jaylin Noel (No.79) -- opting to use their first and third draft picks on receivers. They join a room with Nico Collins and Xavier Hutchinson. Tank Dell, a 2023 third-round pick, is coming off a serious knee injury he sustained in December and his status for the season is uncertain.
In Caley's offense, Stroud will have more ownership on the field by making audibles and settingpass protections -- unlike his first two years in the league.
"It's exciting, it's very great," Stroud said of the new offense. "[Caley] comes from a different style than I'm used to, at least in the NFL. So, it's cool just to learn something new and put another tool in my toolbox.
"Being able to see things that maybe coaches don't see. Being on the field, I'm able to have a different point of view. I think that'll be helpful for our guys."
HANNAH McNAIR DIDN'T hold back her thoughts on what could have swung the outcome of the Chiefs game. Neither did the players.
"With those types of calls, if that goes the other way, [we're] winning that game, in my opinion," Hannah told ESPN.
The Texans were penalized eight times for 82 yards in the divisional-round loss, but two flags were game changers. Both involved Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes -- as defensive end Will Anderson Jr. was flagged for roughing the passer on third down in the first quarter and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and linebacker Henry To'oTo'o collided with Mahomes as he slid at the end of a scramble, drawing an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Both extended drives and led to 10 points. In a game where the Texans outgained Kansas City in yards (336-212), had more first downs (18-14) and had the edge in time of possession (33:26-26:34), those two penalties had massive implications.
"We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game," a disappointed Anderson said after the game.
Will Anderson was called for roughing the passer on Patrick Mahomes on this play.#HOUvsKC | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/bTn7Z5XoLZ
— ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2025
Months later, Hannah McNair still feels the sting, but she's also taking a positive approach.
"We had them on the other side of the field, and multiple times you would have penalties -- we got to clean that up -- but it took them to the other side of the 50," she said. "So we clean that up, we're pretty close."
The organization hopes for the progression to continue, and it also hopes that the Texans aren't just playing in playoff games, but hosting them.
"Let's play that divisional game at home," Hannah McNair told ESPN. "That's a whole different game when you're in your stadium."
HOUSTON COMPLETELY DISMANTLED its offensive line in the offseason and fired offensive line coach Chris Strausser, promoting assistant coach Cole Popovich to the role.
Last season, Stroud was pressured on 38.6% of his dropbacks -- third most according to Next Gen Stats -- which resulted in him being sacked 52 times, second most. Against the Chiefs, Stroud was sacked eight times and pressured on 56% of his dropbacks -- the second highest in an NFL playoff game since ESPN began tracking pressure rates in 2009, trailing only former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (63%) in 2011.
Houston traded Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and left guard Kenyon Green, also releasing right guard Shaq Mason. The organization brought in Minnesota Vikings left tackle Cam Robinson, Seattle Seahawks left guard Laken Tomlinson, former Vikings right guard Ed Ingram and second-round left tackle Aireontae Ersery. The Texans also claimed former Patriots center Jake Andrews off waivers following the draft.
The lone remaining starting offensive lineman is utility man Tytus Howard, who has played left tackle, right tackle and left guard for Houston since being drafted in 2019.
This season, Howard probably will play right tackle to start, and Ersery seems to have edged out Robinson -- who's been a part of trade rumors -- for the starting left tackle spot after the second-rounder out of Minnesota had a solid camp.
"I think we brought in a lot of great pieces," Stroud said on ESPN's "First Take" when asked about the offensive line. "Of course we traded Laremy, but I felt we brought in a rookie who's hungry, who wants to get better, who's doing great in camp, and Tytus is back at tackle -- he looks great. We have a lot of good pieces."
Under Caley and Popovich, Howard believes the offense fits "us the best."
"The biggest difference is our mentality," Howard told ESPN. "This type of offense fits a lot of the guys that we have in the room. Being able to start the game off strong as an offensive line and be able to finish games. Also running the ball and then using the run game to open up the pass game. Not coming out getting f---ing negative yards on outside zone runs plays. Stuff that didn't really fit us."
Houston had 248 carries to the outside left or right last season, according to Next Gen Stats -- the NFL's 12th most. But 21.8% of those runs resulted in no gain or a loss of yards, eighth highest. Sometimes Slowik leaned heavily into analytics with gameplanning, according to a team source.
One example was against the Titans in Week 12, when Slowik ran outside zone because Tennessee allowed 4.9 yards per attempt through 11 weeks. But come game time, the Titans were ready -- having defenders positioned in running back Joe Mixon's cutback lanes as he totaled 17 yards on 11 carries on outside rush attempts, according to Next Gen Stats. Even though it wasn't working, 78% of his rushes were outside -- as the Texans would go on to lose, 32-27.
Also according to team sources, a few players on the offensive line asked for more gap scheme running plays -- where backs can get downhill between the guards instead of outside the guards and tackles -- with the belief that it would be a better fit and could catch teams off guard.
Houston had success with it -- such as Week 5 against the Patriots when the Texans rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
Ultimately the request wasn't fulfilled until the playoffs -- Houston subsequently totaled 317 yards on the ground in two games with the switch. Under Caley, the Texans plan to focus their rushing attack on gap schemes.
The hope is that the problems of last season are a thing of the past, and so far, Ryans has been impressed with the growth of that unit under Caley.
"The progress has been great," Ryans told ESPN. "From where we started in camp to where we are now, to see the way guys are handling and guys are playing faster ... I think our process has been really good."
The work has been done to assess it all, and the goal is to maximize Stroud and the pieces around him. As Week 1 approaches, Houston will get its chance to hit the road and face its first test against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I don't think anyone was really happy with some of the things going on last year," Cal McNair told ESPN. "So they changed the line, they changed the coaching, they changed the scheme, they changed playcalls. That's what it takes."