HOUSTON -- C.J. Stroud boldly stated that the winless Texans will turn their season around after a 19-17 loss to the previously winless Colts on Sunday.
Stroud said the Texans' confidence isn't wavering despite an 0-3 start for a team that has Super Bowl hopes.
"No excuses," Stroud said. "No one cares about what happened. They just want to see if you won or loss. We know who we are in our locker room. We can get this fixed and we will."
The Texans dropped to 0-3 for a second straight year after losing to the Colts on a last-second field goal. Two of the three losses this season have come on the last drive; last season, all three losses came on the final possession of the game.
On Sunday, a questionable decision from coach DeMeco Ryans toward the end of the game cost the Texans potential time for their offense to get into field goal range.
With 1:11 remaining, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had a 5-yard carry on first-and-10 from the Houston 45. When Taylor was tackled, the clock read 1:05, but Ryans didn't call a timeout until 29 seconds remained. Two plays later, the Colts had a run for minus-1 yard and a Keenan Allen reception for 5 yards, forcing a fourth down as Houston called its remaining timeouts.
Spencer Shrader nailed a 53-yard field goal for Indy with 16 seconds left, leaving Houston's offense with almost no time to get into field goal range. Stroud ended the afternoon with a Hail Mary attempt from his own 48-yard line that fell out of bounds.
Ryans didn't provide an explanation into his thought process on the timeout call.
"If I can make a better decision, I'll look at that and try to see where I can make a better decision," he said. "I got multiple people in my ear, but everything starts with me."
The Texans joined the Buccaneers (strike-shortened 1982-83 season) as the only NFL teams to start 0-3 and make the playoffs and then start 0-3 the following season, according to ESPN Research.
On Sunday, the offense was held to a season-low 233 yards. Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins was again out because of a hamstring injury. Stroud finished with 167 passing yards and one touchdown, and the rushing attack produced only 70 yards on 21 carries.
But Collins is close to returning -- a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier Sunday that Collins has "a decent chance" to be back in Week 4 vs. the Dallas Cowboys -- along with other Houston starters, part of why Stroud believes the Texans will save their season.
"We're getting guys back from injury," Stroud said. "I think they'll help. I also like the fight that I've seen with our team. I believe we're not far off, but also it doesn't feel that way because we're 0-3. I have the utmost confidence. You can call me crazy, but I don't care."