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The Opposing View: An Insider's Look At The Seahawks' Week 7 Opponent, The Houston Texans.

Five questions about this week’s opponent; five answers from Texans reporter and analyst John Harris.

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The Seahawks host the Houston Texans Monday night in a late version of Monday Night Football, with the game serving as the back end of a MNF double header. It will be the latest kickoff time for a regular-season Seahawks home game in franchise history, and will feature a pair of tough defenses looking to make life difficult for their opponents.

The Texans come into the game with a 2-3 record, having won two straight before a Week 6 bye, while the Seahawks are 4-2 after Sunday's win in Jacksonville. To help you learn more about the Texans' season so far and get ready for Monday's game, we reached out to Texans reporter and analyst John Harris with five questions about this week's opponent.

Obviously, rest is always welcome in the NFL, but is there any sense that this early bye for the Texans came right as they were building some momentum with back-to-back wins? And either way, what do they need to do to build off that momentum coming out of the break?

Harris: Given the rhythm the offense started to find over the past two weeks, the bye week wasn't at the most advantageous time, but any rest is good rest. Honestly, it can be spun any number of ways, but finally having some success offensively allowed the offensive staff to go into the bye week, not always searching for answers (as they did in the first three weeks), but the opportunity to build off a foundation of success after the two wins, regardless of who they faced. But, all that bye week rhetoric goes right out the door if we can't block the Seattle defensive front. I shudder at that thought.

The Texans were already good on defense last year, but the numbers say they've taken it to another level this season with the league's No. 1 scoring defense. That has been the key to DeMeco Ryans and company building one of the league's top defenses?

Harris: It's a number of the same names the past two years and it's evident how much that continuity (cohesion and communication are very solid) is allowing them to play faster than I can ever remember. The breakdowns that led to big plays early in the season were alarming, but those mental errors haven't been as prevalent recently. The speed and ferociousness of this defense is a lot like what I remember the Seattle defenses back in the day. The Texans can only hope to match that success, but the tools are certainly there to be that good in the future.

C.J. Stroud appears to have taken a positive turn over the past couple of games, completing 81.8 percent of his passes and throwing six touchdown passes with no interceptions after posting a 2-3 touchdown to interception ratio in the first three games. What has gone into his recent improvement?

Harris: He's learning a new offense and being asked to do a ton more than he did the previous first two seasons, so he's adapting. But this is what he wanted, to be in charge at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line has protected better lately and it's key that the OL has found its starting, and best, five. The non-Nico Collins receivers have stepped up in a major way as well and Nico is still that DUDE. The run game has steadily improved, so the play action has gone up a level as well. But, this will be the biggest test for this offense perhaps all year long. Ultimately (and not shockingly), the key is how the Texans OL can protect against four Seahawks rushers. If the Texans have early success and C.J. has time to throw, it'll force Seattle into making a pressure decision - to blitz or not to blitz? But, if the Seahawks get the pressure they want with four, it's going to be a LONG night for the Texans offense.

Other than the obvious big names, what player(s) could you see being an X-factor in this game for the Texans?

Harris: Nick Chubb and Woody Marks. The two running backs haven't made anyone forget about Joe Mixon around these parts, but the success lately has helped put thoughts on Mixon to the back burner. They've got to continue to find success in the passing game because they can both put pressure on 2nd and 3rd level defenders out in space, in different ways - Chubb's power and Marks' quickness/speed.

What matchup or matchups are you most looking forward to seeing play out on Monday night?

Harris: There's no question in my mind that Derek Stingley Jr. vs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and even Kamari Lassiter v. JSN is worth the price of admission. Maybe better put, Kupp/JSN v. Sting/Kamari is going to be one of the best WR/CB matchups either team will see this year. I hope Sting is fully healthy after a bye week, because then it's a GREAT matchup to watch.

Check out photos of the Seahawks 53-man active roster for the 2025 season.

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