Here are the key solutions, challenges to finally unlocking Houston Texans offense
UNLEASH!
31 October 2023
During the Texans' game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, center Jarrett Patterson sustained a leg injury that will keep him out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, per Aaron Wilson.
#Texans wide receiver Robert Woods expected to miss another game with foot injury, per sources. And tight end Brevin Jordan's foot issue could take some time as he deals with plantar fasciitis. With center Jarrett Patterson sidelined (fracture in ankle area, per source, Texans… https://t.co/DluZWB3w2y
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 31, 2023
Monday, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was about the health of rookie center Juice Scruggs who has missed the entire regular season to this point with a hamstring injury. Ryans said he didn't have an update on Scruggs when asked if he would be returning to practice this week.
So it looks like the Texans may turn to Michael Dieter at center, who replaced Patterson on Sunday, while they wait for Scruggs to get healthy. The Texans have already dealt with a ton of injuries to their o-line this year. Which is why Tytus Howard is struggling to play left guard instead of lining up at right tackle, the position he was given a hefty contract extension to play before the season.
The coaches have said they want to have their best 5 linemen on the field, which is why Howard is not likely to move back to tackle anytime soon, even though his run blocking has been below average at guard. This also means the Texans inability to run the ball may not get fixed this season.
Houston's running backs have also received criticism for the lackluster running game, but all three backs haven't seen much success, so this feels like a scheme/talent issue on the line. In fact, the Texans' two biggest runs on Sunday came after the backs had to make a defender miss in the backfield.
Houston had a great opportunity to run the ball against one of the worst run defenses in the league against Carolina. But even that matchup couldn't get the Texans run game on track. So where do they go from here? Maybe being less predictable and throwing more on first down could help Stroud and the offense. How they shuffle the line when Scruggs returns could also be an option.
Either way, be sure to watch the video above as we examine all the possibilities to get the ground game going, and protect Stroud in the process.
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Critical levers Astros can pull as health concerns, deadline pressures grow
Jul 10, 2025, 3:46 pm
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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