If C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans’ offense want to have a good day, avoiding the Los Angeles Chargers’ pass rush is a fine focal point. That will be more difficult than Stroud and the Texans had hoped, though.
The Texans made a last-minute decision at a critical time that has had a ripple effect at one of the team’s most important position groups: the offensive line.
Stroud will see different players in three of five starting offensive line spots.
C.J. Stroud Sees Texans Shake Up Offensive Line Due to Injuries
GettyAireontae Ersery #79 of the Houston Texans looks on before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Texans announced their inactives for the Week 17 tilt, and Aireontae Ersery’s name stood out amid the discourse around him during the week. He suffered a thumb injury in the Texans’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16.
Ersery underwent surgery and missed the Texans’ first two practices this past week. However, he returned on Friday and was pushing to play against the Chargers.
Instead, Blake Fisher will step in on Stroud’s blindside for the Texans.
Fisher has starting experience at both tackle spots. But having to use him on the left side means the Texans must move starting left guard Tytus Howard over to right tackle. There, he will fill in for the injured Trent Brown, who is dealing with multiple leg injuries.
The Texans shuffled their offensive line multiple times early in the season, including at center and both guard spots.
Injuries have been the most common culprit.
Stroud took sacks at a high rate to begin the season. He has turned that trend around, but Ersery was a key reason why. His absence looms as a significant setback against a Chargers defense that Stroud has commended.
“They play together as one,” Stroud told reporters on December 23. “They’re kind of on a string in coverage, which is a good thing–They rush together. So, they kind of do everything together, which is really challenging. And there’s not one person just doing whatever. So, it’s really sound. And they have great coaching, and they do a really good job of mixing coverage and stuff like that.”
The Texans will try to keep Stroud clean amid their decision on Ersery, which they got a head start on out of necessity.
“#Texans Blake Fisher prepped all week to play left tackle, and sources emphasized he is expected to start against #Chargers with extremely short recovery time for rookie Aireontae Ersery after surgery Tuesday for broken, dislocated thumb with metal hardware inserted,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on December 27.
“Same alignment team ended game in last week in LT Fisher LG Jarrett Patterson, C Jake Andrews, RG Ed Ingram, RT Tytus Howard expected today.”
Texans Rule Out 7 Players for Chargers Game
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos.
Including Ersery and Brown, the Texans ruled out seven players on their inactives list for the Chargers game.
Cornerback Alijah Huzzie, defensive end Solomon Byrd, linebacker Jamal Hill, quarterback Graham Mertz, and wide receiver Braxton Berrios were the others. None of the players in that group are necessarily surprises.
That much is good news for Stroud, who has been able to get ahead of the ruling on Ersery.
The Chargers announced Derius Davis, Benjamin St-Juste, RJ Mickens, Kimani Vidal, Kyle Kennard, Jamaree Salyer, and Tyler Conklin on their list of inactives.
C.J. Stroud Gets Bad News Before Texans’ Matchup Against Chargers