Over the last two weeks, the Houston Texans have been in “Win or Go Home” situations. They needed a Week 18 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium to secure a berth in the NFL playoffs. In front of a national audience, Houston was able to grind out a 23-19 win and secure a spot in the postseason.
With a loss by the Jacksonville Jaguars the next day, the Texans moved up from the seventh seed to the fourth seed and were named the 2023 AFC South Champions, which meant a home game at NRG Stadium in the first round. What awaited them was a rematch with the Cleveland Browns, who had embarrassed the Texans two weeks prior with a 36-22 victory.
Of course, Cleveland had the confidence and swagger heading into the game, remembering what had transpired the last time the two teams met. For Houston, it was another one of those games where their backs were against the wall, and many people outside of the city did not give them a chance to win and advance.
They shocked everyone but themselves in ending the Browns’ season with a 45-14 defeat in the same stadium they had been embarrassed in less than a month ago.
All the accolades thrown toward rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who combined for 538 yards passing and five touchdowns while not having a single turnover in those two games, are well deserved.
Yet, there is another crucial component that has allowed Stroud and the rest of the offensive skill players to be successful in those games as well as the season, and that is the play of the offensive line led by four-time Pro Bowl starter Laremy Tunsil, who has been a fortified brick wall in protecting the blindside of Stroud this season. This comes as no surprise since you can’t get to Stroud’s locker without passing by Tunsil’s, which is right next to his, and he also protects that.
What has gone unnoticed by many is how easily Stroud has operated in the pocket, and that is due to the play of Tunsil, rookie Juice Scruggs, Michael Dieter, Shaq Mason, and George Fant. All have done a solid job over the last month and a half to help the Texans advance to the AFC divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens.
“They’ve understood and taken to heart that we’re going to do everything we can to make sure our quarterback doesn’t get hit. They care a lot about each other. They care a lot about the quarterback,” said Texans OC Bobby Slowik about the offensive line play this season. #Sarge pic.twitter.com/jnaVkND7TA
— #SARGE…
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