For an injury-riddled, makeshift outfit, the Texans’ offensive line surely delivered an epic blocking performance Sunday against a formidable Pittsburgh Steelers defense headlined by T.J. Watt.
Not only did the Texans allow zero sacks for the second consecutive week as rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud had plenty of time to pass for 306 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but a punishing running game surfaced for the first time this season behind bruising running back Dameon Pierce..
The Texans evened their record at 2-2 in a 30-6 victory at NRG Stadium, and they did so with a third-team left offensive tackle in Austin Deculus, a Cy-Fair graduate making his first NFL start alongside former second-string left guard Kendrick Green, former third-team center Jarrett Patterson, veteran right guard Shaq Mason, the only original starter from training camp, and former second-team right tackle George Fant.
“It’s a testament to the hard work and determination we put in every day, just guys stepping up, we knew the mission we had today and we talked about it all week,” said Fant, who credited how Deculus and practice squad lineman Geron Christian performed as they split up the snaps at left tackle in a rotation. “We stepped up the challenge. Every week we want to get better and better. Anytime you get a win in this league, it’s special. I’ve been in the league long enough to understand wins are hard to come by. This is a young team. I tell the guys to stay humble.”
Thrust into the starting lineup with Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil out for the third game in a row due to a painful knee injury that is improving enough that there’s growing optimism he could play this week against the Atlanta Falcons, per league sources, and backup left tackle Josh Jones out with a hand injury, Deculus held up solidly against the Steelers’ formidable pass rushing tandem of Watt and Alex Highsmith.
“It’s still surreal to me to me right now because growing up watching the game, I played in preseason before getting that first start and getting to be out there and hold my own against a very respected pass rusher like Alex Highsmith and play to the best to my abiltiies and keep C.J. clean, it shows the leaps and bounds I’ve been making,” Deculus said.
Stroud wasn’t sacked after being sacked a combined NFL-high 11 times in the first two games of the season and hit 19 times overall during that span, losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts. Against the Steelers, he was only hit six times.
“Two weeks in a row, man, guys playing solid, guys stepping up,” Stroud said. “This is the league, next man up, and my guy Dec, stepped in, did a great job. K.G. [Green]., J-Pat [Patterson], Shaq [Mason], George. When those guys up front are battling, we’re battling outside, too, to make plays. The tight ends helped the tackles out a lot with the chips and trying to control T.J. and 56 [Highsmith], who are two great players. That defense is a great defense, but I feel like when we’re rolling, we’re going to be hard to stop.”
A former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt, the younger brother of Texans legend J.J. Watt, was limited to two tackles and one quarterback hit. Highsmith had three tackles and three quarterback hits.
What happened?
“I don’t know,” Watt said. “I think every single week you’re going to see different types of things. I don’t want to take any credit away from him [Stroud]. I think he played a great game, was getting the ball out quick, getting the ball in his playmakers’ hands, was able to extend some plays, and they were able to run the ball, too, which controlled the time of possession and the tempo of the whole game.”
The Texans established the run the way they did last year when Pierce was a rookie and earned the NFL’s Angry Run of the Year and was a Pro Bowl alternate.
Pierce rushed for a season-high 81 yards on 24 carries, and the Texans rushed for 139 yards on 38 carries.
Between the upgraded pass protection and a more physical running game, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was pleased with the performance.
“Highsmith and Watt, two of the best edge rushers in the league, so we knew we had our hands full,” Ryans said. “I always go back to it doesn’t matter who is out there. You protect together. All 11 guys. I thought overall collectively as an offensive unit, we played really well in stifling their pass rush. The running game on offense, that’s exactly what we wanted to do, right?
“We knew for us to win this game we had to run the ball efficiently, and it starts with the offensive line, the way they blocked up front, tight ends, the way our backs ran. Especially Dameon. The way he ran, his best game this year, it was awesome to see him just continuing to press forward. When he got the ball, he had a ‘I will not be denied’ mentality, and it showed.”
Pierce averaged 3.4 yards per carry. He also had a 27-yard reception. He played the way he did last season when he burst on the NFL scene after being drafted in the fourth round out of Florida.
“DP has always been like that,” said Deculus, a former LSU starter. “Always hated to play against him. Love having him in the backfield and being able to block for him. When DP is on a run, nobody can stop him.”
For the line to get 38 runs, it was significant.
“It means a lot,” Fant said. “That means trust to the offensive line. That’s where it’s at. It means a lot to us to not be dropping back so much and run downhill.”
Across the locker room Mason had a similar sentiment.
“It means a lot,” he said. “We’ve been harping on getting the run going. When you can complement the pass with the run, it goes hand in hand.”
Texans veteran offensive tackle Tytus Howard is doing great in his recovery after breaking his hand during training camp in two places, undergoing surgery that involved having metal hardware inserted to aid the healing process and is on track to be activated from injured reserve this week, according to league sources.
Barring any unexpected snag, Howard should return to practice in advance of a road game against the Atlanta Falcons, per sources. Howard has maintained his usual exercise routine and has been attending practices and meetings. Whether the Texans have him play immediately against Atlanta is undecided, per sources.
Green injured his left knee, but the initial diagnosis is he has avoided a torn anterior cruciate ligament with imaging being done today to confirm that medical opinion, according to league sources.
For Mason, it felt like the start of something, to win two consecutive games.
“Absolutely, this league is built on confidence,” he said. “Once you get confidence, you can stack wins.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images