The Houston Texans are making a switch on the offensive line.
According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Texans plan on moving center Juice Scruggs over to left guard in place of Kenyon Green.
Jarrett Patterson, who replaced Green in Week 8, is expected to start at center on Sunday night when the Texans play host to the Detriot Lions on primetime.
Scruggs, who started eight of nine games this season at center, has experience playing left guard. The second-round pick out of Penn State played seven games at left guard as a rookie while helping the Texans secure their first divisional title in four years.
And Patterson, who cleared concussion protocol earlier this week, was a two-year starter at Notre Dame before switching over to guard his senior season.
Changing of the guard: #Texans shuffle line, moving Juice Scruggs to left guard, inserting Jarrett Patterson at center @KPRC2 https://t.co/U57viuUbBR
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 9, 2024
The goal is simple: protect quarterback C.J. Stroud. The former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has already been sacked 30 times, which is second-most in the league. Last week against the Jets, Stroud was sacked a career-high eight times.
Even after Green was replaced by Kendrick Green, the offensive line was hindered by concerns when defending interior pressure.
Patterson’s experience at center and Scruggs’ past at left guard could benefit Houston defending the Lions’ front seven, which has struggled to create pressure since the loss of Aidan Hutchinson.
According to NetGenStats, the Texans lead the NFL with 151 pressures allowed.
Excited to see how this impacts the O, glad big changes are truly on the table
Also, this speaks to the team having concerns with how the Center (Scruggs) was calling protections imo
Otherwise it would make more sense to put Patterson at LG and not make Scruggs move https://t.co/dojkMMuvZb
— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) November 9, 2024
“We just have to be better at every level,” Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said. “Upfront there are technique and fundamental stuff and just execution of what we are doing, but it goes beyond upfront it is every position in the pass game right now.
“We have really fallen off the last five weeks, so we have kind of honed in on ourselves with what we have to do to grow fundamentally, technique wise. We are where we need to be, we just have to execute it better.”
Kickoff from NRG Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.
