Texans vs. Seahawks Week 7: Two must-know storylines for 'Monday Night Football' doubleheader

Houston is looking to get back to their ways after coming off a bye week, as the Texans visit the Seahawks to close out Week 7 action.

The Texans had a rough start to the season but are winners of their last two games. In the Week 5 win, Houston took care of business against a Lamar Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens squad. During the Texans' winning streak, Houston's offense has scored a season-high in points in its victories (26 points versus the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, 44 points versus the Ravens).

Seattle had an impressive win last week over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is already showing off his familiarity in Mike Macdonald's offense. Entering Week 7, Darnold and Seattle lead the NFL with 6.3 yards per play in 2025.

Can DeMeco Ryans' Texans contain Darnold and the Seahawks on Monday Night Football?

Two must-know storylines

1) Texans offense ready to lift off in Seattle?

In the last two wins for the Texans, third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud appears to be back to his stardom form in Nick Caley's offense. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has thrown for six touchdowns, 477 passing yards and zero interceptions in Houston's last two games. This season, Stroud is completing a career-high 70.8 percent of his passes, and has found his No. 1 receiver in Nico Collins in the last couple of weeks. Collins, who leads the Texans with 22 catches, 312 receiving yards and three receiving TDs, has recorded at least 50-plus receiving yards in the last four games. Unfortunately for the Texans, they'll be without veteran wideout Christian Kirk in Seattle due to a hamstring injury. Stroud could lean more on Collins on Monday night. Since Stroud's arrival to Houston in 2023, Collins has averaged 81.7 receiving yards, which ranks sixth-most. Stroud and Co. will have a tough task ahead of them against Seattle's defense.

2) New team, no problem for Darnold

Since Sam Darnold has joined the Seahawks, Seattle's offense has had big-play potential. The emergence, third-year jump from wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been crucial not only to Darnold's success but Seattle's, too. Smith-Njigba, who played with C.J. Stroud in Ohio State, has catapulted himself into one the the top receivers in the NFL. The Seahawks WR leads the NFL with 696 receiving yards. The last Seattle player to lead the league in the same category was Hall of Famer Steve Largent in 1985, per NFL Research. Smith-Njigba, however, will line up against one of the top corners in the league with Derek Stingley Jr., who's most likely to cover the Seahawks WR; the two former first-round picks have yet to face one another in college or the NFL. With Stingley on JSN, the Seahawks and Darnold could lean more on the running game. Running back Kenneth Walker III is averaging a career-high 4.7 yards per carry. The Seahawks may rely on Walker early on in the game to open up the passing game for their star wideout.

Texans' Week 7 injury report

Seahawks' Week 7 injury report