Is Bobby Slowik the reason the Houston Texans Offense is under performing in 2024?

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At times, I have been critical of Bobby Slowik this season, but I don’t think Bobby is as bad as some might believe. Expectations around what this offense would look like with the additions of Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon were sky-high. On top of these weapons, we went into the season expecting to see the ideal starting offensive line that was put together last year. While Bobby is not without fault, I’m going to outline some reasons why the failures of the offense cannot be entirely attributed to him.

First off, I’d like to address the expectations. Bobby was hand-picked by DeMeco Ryans and brought over from the 49ers. He served as the passing game coordinator for the 49ers in 2022 and as a pass-game specialist in 2021. Interestingly, he started on the defensive side of the ball, working in various roles from 2011 to 2018. Coming to the Texans organization was the first time Slowik had the opportunity to call plays as an offensive coordinator.

In 2023, as the Offensive Coordinator, the Texans ranked 13th in points, 5th in passing yards, but only 22nd in rushing yards. The team overachieved behind the arm of rookie C.J. Stroud, and Slowik received a lot of praise because of the unexpected success. So much so that he was considered one of the next great head coaches from the Kyle Shanahan tree. I think this is where part of the issue lies: the hype around him and the coaching tree created unrealistic expectations. Bobby was crowned the next great offensive mind before he had even fully proven it on the field. In 2023, it became clear that the Texans struggled to run the ball. While some of that can be attributed to Dameon Pierce’s monumental drop-off or the offensive line struggles, Slowik must share some of the blame. In hindsight, I think we should have set more realistic expectations for Bobby Slowik during the 2024 season.

After the 2023 season, there was significant buzz that Slowik would be poached from the Texans for a head coaching job in the NFL. He had several interviews and even a few follow-ups regarding vacant head coaching positions. In the end, Bobby stayed put in Houston after getting his contract reworked, which guaranteed him more money to remain with the team. I’m not convinced he was actually offered any head coaching positions, but it was nice that C.J. Stroud would have continuity going into the 2024 season. At the time, I remember an overall sigh of relief from the Texans community—ironic, given the current vibe I sense from fans on this topic now.

Enter 2024. The Texans had a massive offseason, which included the additions of Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon, along with contract extensions for both Dalton Schultz and Nico Collins. Additionally, we finally had the starting five offensive linemen we built last year, but couldn’t get on the field together. The hype going into the season was through the roof. However, I believe the expectations became a bit unrealistic. We were looking at historical statistics from all-time great offenses, hoping to have three 1,000-yard receivers. There was talk of the modern “Greatest Show on Turf” reincarnate. This “rat poison,” as Nick Saban likes to call it, was consumed by both the community and the media alike. When the product on the field didn’t match the expectations, the natural reaction was to find someone to blame.

How bad is the Texans' offense through five weeks? Well, the truth is, it’s not as bad as some might think, but not as good as many had hoped. The Texans are currently 6th in total yards, 1st in passing yards, but 23rd in rushing yards. So, the former passing game coordinator of the 49ers, who managed to get the Texans to the 22nd-best rushing attack in 2023, has regresed the team’s rushing performance to 23rd this year. Throughout his career, Bobby has never shown a particular strength in coaching the running game. Part of this can be tied to Joe Mixon’s absence, but over the last year and a half, it’s become evident that this is not Slowik’s strong suit. There’s also been significant criticism of his play-calling, especially on first down. I’ve heard people say he’s too predictable, always running on first down. However, the Texans currently pass on 54% of first down plays, which is the 10th-highest percentage in the league. When you have a quarterback like C.J. Stroud, you want the ball in his hands more often than not.

In my opinion, while Bobby has had some issues this year, not all of the criticism is warranted. I think we should have anticipated some of these struggles. We have a new offensive line playing together for the first time, a new running back, and a second-year coordinator who’s still finding his footing. My question to everyone is: How did you feel about Bobby after the Colts game last year? What about after the Browns game? While he’s not without his flaws, Bobby will be fine. I do think we need to stop looking at him as the next great head coach and instead see him for what he is—a young offensive mind still figuring things out on the job.