C.J. Stroud Preps for Game One While Tytus Howard Mystery Deepens

The Texans will be missing their right tackle for at least four games

It’s not college.

C.J. Stroud wanted to make that clear when he spoke Wednesday about his opportunity to start an NFL game on Sunday. He will head to Baltimore to play in front of a rabid fanbase in a season opener.

Stroud said in college at Ohio State he and his teammates relished big moments at opponent’s stadiums. The Buckeyes wanted to be the villains.

“It’s only y’all in a city, in a town, in a stadium full of opposition,” He said. “It feels kind of cool to be the villain and try to take over the trap – it’s kind of what we say – at least back at Ohio State.”

He quickly noted that he knows the NFL is different. Baltimore will be different. And he’s already thinking about the challenges the fans of the Ravens will present.

“Try to operate at a high level, get in and out of the huddle – if we have to use a silent [count], use silent [count] and just try to operate at a high level and execute – I definitely think that’s the most important.”

It is Stroud’s first start in the NFL regular season but there was a moment of reflection Wednesday. He was asked what he remembered about his first college start and he grinned while saying he didn’t remember much it was so long ago. He remembered it was a hostile Minnesota environment two years ago. He said what he remembers most was working hard to be ready for the game and for his first start.

“Grinding really hard and leaving no stone unturned, and I think I’ve done the same thing this camp,” he said. “[I] kind of try to – not compare – but make it similar so I can just work as hard as I can, so when I get to the season, I just get a good routine, get a good rhythm and just work from there.”

The opportunity for a routine and rhythm starts this weekend like it did almost two years ago in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It’s different though, Stroud wants to remind you.

“So, [there’s] some similarities, but it’s the NFL, man.”

Hopefully, there are some similarities to that first game. Stroud lit up the Golden Gophers for 294 yards and four touchdowns two years ago. That would be one hell of a debut on Sunday.

The Tytus Howard Mystery Intensifies

The Texans will be without Tytus Howard for at least the first four games of this season as he was placed on injured reserve. Howard’s hand injury in the preseason required surgery and he seemingly has had some complications in the recovery.

Initially, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Howard would miss 4-6 weeks with the injury. The most optimistic of that timeframe passed on Monday which was four weeks since his surgery. Six weeks would have had Howard returning for the third game of the season. Now, at best, he will play first in the fifth game of the season.

Howard practiced on Monday before heading to injured reserve on Wednesday. DeMeco Ryans labeled Howard “day-to-day” when he spoke about the right tackle before the news of the IR stint.

It would seem Howard is not recovering well or had a setback. The six weeks worst-case scenario was blown to smithereens. It will be about two months between the surgery and Howard stepping on the field for a game if he is indeed ready to go at the first opportunity.

George Fant will play right tackle while Howard is down.

The Offensive Line Bad Luck for the Texans in Their History

If the Houston Texans didn’t have bad luck on the offensive line they’d have no luck at all. I think back to some of the absolutely devious moments of bad luck this franchise has had on the offensive line.

• Tony Boselli never played a snap for the team after being the team’s top pick in the expansion draft.

• Todd Wade was signed as an expensive free agent and it immediately becomes apparent there isn’t much there

• Charles Spencer looked like a steal in the 2006 draft at left tackle. He and fellow rookie Eric Winston were set to create bookends for years to come. Spencer got injured in his first season and basically never played again.

• Duane Brown was suspended for a banned substance in 2010.

• Xavier Su’a-Filo

• Duane Brown was suspended for a banned substance in 2016 before getting his suspension overturned due to tainted meat from Mexico.

• Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks leave for the Titans and Eagles. Both play exceptionally well on their new teams.

• Jeff Allen played poorly as a free agent.

• Duane Brown missed four games due to a knee injury in 2016.

• Derek Newton, who had turned into a nice right tackle option for the Texans, had both patellar tendons tear in a game basically ending his career.

• Duane Brown wanted a new contract and sat out most of the 2017 season until he was traded. He proceeded to make the Pro Bowl in Seattle.

• Julién Davenport

• Nick Martin is rated by Pro Football Focus as the fifth-best center in the four-team AFC South.

• Breno Giacomini

• Matt Kalil was barely able to play in training camp after being signed as a free agent. The Texans never play Kalil and instead spend a king’s ransom on Laremy Tunsil.

• Justin Britt.

• Kenyon Green was injured before and after his rookie year and won’t play this season.

• Rookie center Juice Scruggs injured his hamstring missing the start to this season.

What am I missing from the offensive line misery history of the Houston Texans?

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