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Right tackle Tytus Howard is out for the next four weeks. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Just when we thought the Houston Texans injury issues couldn't get any worse, news broke on Wednesday revealing another starter will be missing at least 4 weeks of the season.
Texans right tackle Tytus Howard was placed on IR Wednesday.
Just on the offensive line, the Texans have lost left guard Kenyon Green for the season, center Scott Quessenberry for the season, center Juice Scruggs and tackle Tytus Howard for the next four weeks. Ouch.
Howard suffered a broken hand and had surgery on August 7, with an expected return date 4–6 weeks after the surgery.
Howard was practicing with a cast on just yesterday, with many questioning the likelihood of him being available this Sunday against Baltimore.
#Texans Tytus Howard (hand surgery) practicing, in a cast, not practicing: Jimmie Ward (groin, dental procedure), Blake Cashman (strained hamstring), Christian Harris @KPRC2 https://t.co/Xk5mYhXple
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 4, 2023
Now, he's done for the next four weeks. So what happened between yesterday and today? Did Howard aggravate the injury during practice, or was he just out there to make the Ravens think he might be available to play? Hard to know for sure.
This Monday marked four weeks since the surgery, and now we'll have to wait another four weeks before Howard is eligible to return. George Fant, who was signed by the Texans in early August, will start in Howard's place this week.
Fant started 36 games for the Jets over the last three seasons, so he does have some experience. The Texans being cautious with Howard makes a lot of sense. The team signed him to a 3-year, $56 million contact extension in July.
So what's the plan for Sunday against Baltimore?
Aaron Wilson is reporting this could be the starting offensive line:
Laremy Tunsil at left tackle, Josh Jones (recently traded for from the Cardinals) at left guard, rookie Jarrett Patterson at center, Shaq Mason at right guard, and Fant at right tackle.
Not exactly what the Texans envisioned for CJ Stroud's first regular season start.
C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson found themselves in the same spot when they met in Week 2 last season.
Both quarterbacks were top-five draft picks, lost their season openers and seemed to be facing a steep learning curve.
Richardson won Round 1 in Houston, although he didn't finish the game.
Stroud took Round 2 in Indianapolis with the injured Richardson watching from the sideline as Texans clinched the AFC South title and Stroud locked up his runaway selection as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
On Sunday, each QB begins his second pro season — with a lot still to prove.
“I’m excited. First official game back with my guys and my teammates,” said Richardson, who had season-ending shoulder surgery last October. "I want to win. So, whatever I’ve got to do to do that, I’m going to do it.”
Winning a season opener certainly would be a welcome change for a franchise that last started 1-0 in 2013. The 10-game winless streak is easily the NFL's longest active streak.
But that's just a start for Richardson.
He needs to improve his accuracy after completing a pedestrian 59.5% of his throws in 2023 and must demonstrate he can finish games. He missed 13 last season and only finished one of his four starts because of an assortment of injuries, including the concussion that knocked him out of that Week 2 matchup at Houston after he ran for two scores.
Stroud, meanwhile, is coming off one of the most successful rookie seasons in NFL history.
He became just the third player in a half-century to lead the league in yards passing per game (273.9) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6 to 1), won a playoff game and made hist first Pro Bowl appearance.
How can he improve on a season like that? By showing last season was a building block — not a fluke. He has a stronger supporting cast, too, with Joe Mixon, a four-time 1,000-yard rusher, and Stefon Diggs, who has four straight 100-catch seasons, now in the mix.
The long journey begins Sunday in Indianapolis.
“I want to just start fast,” Stroud said. “It doesn't have to do with a certain game, just in general this season. Last year, we started off really slow and just kind of had to build our way back. It's not an easy thing to do, so I would say this year we want to start fast.”
Nico vs. Colts
Houston receiver Nico Collins had two of his biggest games last season against Indy — catching seven passes for 146 yards and one TD in the Week 2 matchup only to outperform those numbers with a 195-yard day that included a 75-yard TD catch in Week 18.
He could play an even bigger role this time with Indy's young secondary trying to match up not only with Collins but also Diggs, Mixon and tight end Dalton Schultz.
“Nico is a playmaker,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Every time I see him, he’s a true playmaker. So, you just have to get Nico the ball in any way, shape or fashion. Just find a way to get him the ball just to see how explosive and how dynamic he is.”
Taylor made
Injuries and a contract dispute prevented Jonathan Taylor from replicating the form he used to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Starting against the Texans could be just what he needs.
In six games against Houston, Taylor has rushed for seven TDs and 135.2 yards per game — his highest average against any team he's faced multiple times. And in that rematch with Houston in Week 18, he finished with 30 carries for 188 yards, the NFL's highest single-game total all season.
Confident Anderson
Houston defensive end Will Anderson, last season’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, will play Sunday after recovering from an ankle injury that limited his training camp snaps.
The No. 3 overall pick in 2023 had 45 tackles, 10 for loss, and 7 1/2 sacks as a rookie. He expects to be even better this season.
“I’m way more comfortable,” he said. “Just going into Year 2 knowing the scheme better, knowing what to expect a little bit more and knowing what’s going to happen gives you more confidence.”
Pass rush
The Colts lost their 2023 sacks leader, Samson Ebukam, with a torn Achilles tendon during training. But they may have the perfect replacement.
Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player taken in April's draft, at No. 15 overall, and he's shown coaches that the moves he used to record 23 1/2 sacks over his last two college seasons can work in the NFL.
“We know that there’s going to be a learning curve there," defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. "We know there are going to be plays that we’re going to come in and say there were some good plays, and there were plays he wishes he had back — we understand that. But just his overall mentality and skill set, we’re very excited to see.”