LOS ANGELES – In the hours and days before kickoff, before the first bull rush and speed moves of a strong opponent, the Texans’ overhauled offensive line was already in scramble mode.
After kickoff of the season-opener against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, the scrambling continued as personnel changes triggered by injuries contributed to quarterback C.J. Stroud running a lot under heavy duress in the pocket.
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Stroud was pressured on 42.1 percent of his dropbacks during a 14-9 defeat at SoFi Stadium, according to NextGen Stats. He was sacked three times, one of which was on him for rolling directly into the arms of Rams defensive lineman Tyler Davis. Another sack came on an overload on a blitz by safety Leland McCullough. The third was yielded by rookie offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, who got manhandled by Byron Young and shoved into Stroud.
The Texans’ new-look offense was limited to three Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals, limited to 265 yards of net offense, 151 yards of net passing, 2 of 9 third down efficiency with Stroud intercepted once. There were 11 penalties overall for 80 yards, seven on offense, four on defense.
The most effective play calls: running the football for 114 yards and a 4.2 average per run.
“Our offensive line was our offensive line,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We had five guys we had out there that were up. Injuries unfortunately happened throughout the week, so shuffling will take place.
“That’s the NFL. This is the nature of the league. Guys go down, you have to move guys around and we don’t complain about it. You show up and just get your job done.”
The reasons behind the struggles of a retooled unit were complex, but also simple in nature.
The Texans traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil during the offseason to the Washington Commanders and instituted a dramatic reset with four brand-new starters and one returning starter, Tytus Howard, moving to a different position.
It was a lot of change under the leadership of offensive line coach-run game coordinator Cole Popovich, all at once.
Further complicating the situation: health issues.
With starting right guard Ed Ingram ruled out with an abdomen injury after he traveled with the team to the West Coast and had hoped to play, they went back to a previous offensive line configuration.
Rookie offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery moved back to right tackle. Tytus Howard replaced Ingram at right guard, which is where he began training camp. Cam Robinson, who lost his left tackle job to Ersery when he injured his lower leg and Ersery impressed during the preseason, was back as the first-team left tackle next to former Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson and center Jake Andrews. The Texans had backup guard Juice Scruggs active, but didn’t insert him into the lineup
When Robinson briefly left the game before returning, the Texans moved Ersery played left tackle and Blake Fisher went in at right tackle for four plays and committed a facemask penalty. Andrews suffered a high-ankle sprain, per league sources and is out indefinitely. He was replaced by Jarrett Patterson for the final 18 offensive snaps of the game.
Injuries happen, guys go down all the time,“ Ryans said. ”Do we not show up? Do we put the ball away and go home? We compete. It doesn’t matter who’s out there. Whatever the job is, whatever the assignment is called for, man, we’re NFL players. You got to man up and be able to do your job. We don’t complain. We don’t make excuses for guys having to be shuffled or injuries happening.
“That happens all across the league every year. It’s just about whoever steps up in that spot, how are you owning your opportunity? You should be thankful and grateful to have that opportunity to step in and show that you’re ready for that challenge. So, no complaining, let’s keep pressing forward.”
Last season, the Texans allowed Stroud to be sacked 52 times and his statistics regressed one year after being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was sacked 11 times in the playoffs, including eight sacks and 14 quarterback hits in the playoffs.
Howard expressed confidence that the issues are fixable.
“For sure, penalties and stuff like that, all that’s correctable, man,” Howard told KPRC 2. “We just gotta come out and watch the tape and learn. We got to watch the tape, learn this week, pick up where we came from and just get better. It’s a simple thing.
“I know the offensive line, we just gotta perform better. I already knew the first game was gonna be a challenge. We had a couple of guys go down, our guys switching in and out. But we finished the game, so that’s a start. So, we can watch the film. And see how we can get better."
A second-round draft pick from Minnesota who was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year, Ersery is a talented and massive lineman at 6-foot-6, 331 pounds with 5.01 speed in the 40-yard dash. He was lights-out during the preseason, shutting out pass rushers. In his first NFL game after practicing for the past few weeks at left tackle, he shifted back to right tackle. He allowed five quarterback pressures, two quarterback hits and one sack for a 29.4 pass blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus analytics.
“Aireontae has played both left and right tackle all throughout training camp,” Ryans said when asked if the shift to right tackle was a factor in his NFL regular-season debut. “He’s done a nice job of it.
Stroud still managed to complete 19 of 27 passes for 188 yards and one interception, which could have been prevented by rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins. He had a 74.3 passer rating.
He downplayed a suggestion that the offensive line shuffle was a factor in his performance. The Texans played without wide receivers Christian Kirk and Braxton Berrios due to strained hamstrings.
“Yeah, it’s not easy,” Stroud said. “What are you going to complain about it? Or are you going to lie down? Or are you going to go play? So for me, I just try to compete and try to compete as best as I can and show those guys.
“I don’t care who’s in there, I trust in you. By the way, I try to play as hard as I can to show that I’m there for them, also vocally as well. Even our receivers, we have some guys hopefully coming back soon. It’s not always easy, but that’s why I’m in the position I am to try to solve some of those issues because everybody deals with injuries.
“We did everything we thought we were going do, at least in the passing game. They had the fronts we thought they were going to have and we ID’ed correctly. I think I missed one or two and those are the points in the game so I got to do a better job of being in control up there and helping those guys out to get the IDs correct. First game, first time in the system, we’ll be better and I trust my guys will be.”
Robinson, who signed a one-year, $14.5 million maximum value deal in the offseason, had a 57.8 pass blocking grade.
The highest graded offensive lineman was Howard, who had a 72.5 pass blocking grade.
In a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, the struggles in pass protection were on full, ugly display: eight sacks and 14 quarterback pressures. That was a huge factor in the sixth AFC divisional round playoff defeat in franchise history.
That’s one reason why the Texans drafted Ersery.
After shutting down New York Giants rookie and first-round draft pick Abdul Carter last season against Penn State, Ersery is approaching the NFL the same way as he matches up across from the Rams’ highly-regarded defensive front.
“Just my style of play: physical,” Ersery told KPRC 2. “I heard some of the guys I know across the league when they play me that he gonna bring his lunch. So, we gotta bring our lunch money."
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com