Texans' Offensive Line Got a 'D' Against the Giants - and Braden Smith's Return Is Becoming Urgent
C.J. Stroud has thrown 11 touchdowns against one interception, but Houston's line ranks near the bottom of the league at center and guard in PFF's grades - which is why the veteran tackle's 25 snaps on Sunday matter more than the box score suggests.
Through seven games, the 2-5 Houston Texans' problems keep starting in the same place. Penalties, inconsistent run blocking and failures in short yardage stalled drives again in Sunday's 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants, and the Houston Chronicle's postgame report gave the offensive line a 'D' grade, citing its struggles to 'convert first downs on third-and-short, when all they needed were a few inches,' Athlon Sports reported Wednesday. That is happening in front of an efficient quarterback: C.J. Stroud has thrown for 1,867 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception through seven games.
The individual grades show where the revamped unit is leaking. PFF's latest figures, as reported by Athlon, put center Evan Brown at a 51.7 overall grade, 30th among 35 qualified centers, with a run-blocking grade of 48.8 that ranks 33rd. Guard Ed Ingram's pass-protection grade of 42.5 ranks 68th among 74 guards - even though his run-blocking grade is an impressive 80.8, a split that captures the line's inconsistency in a single player. Trent Brown has been the relative bright spot at 64.8 overall and 71.8 in pass blocking, but with eight penalties and 17 pressures allowed, and an absence from practice on the Week 7 injury report that raised questions about tackle depth.
That is the case for Braden Smith. The veteran tackle arrived in Houston on a two-year deal after eight seasons in Indianapolis, where he started 105 of his 107 games. The Texans activated him from injured reserve on October 14, and he played in Week 7 against the Giants - 25 snaps, a 74.2 PFF pass-blocking grade, and no sacks or hits allowed, though he did take a penalty. Athlon's argument is that with Trent Brown yielding mixed results, Houston cannot afford continued instability at tackle, and Smith's experience gives Stroud more reliable protection.
The stakes are the season's remaining margin. Houston steadied itself once already this year with back-to-back wins after an 0-4 start, and last season it recovered from 0-3 to finish 12-5 - but both recoveries assumed the offense could stay on schedule. A line that cannot convert third-and-short forces the opposite. Smith's workload in Week 9, after the bye, is the next real read on whether the Texans' most expensive problem is actually getting fixed.
