‘We’re gelling,’ Texans’ starters to make preseason debut against Steelers

PITTSBURGH – For a Texans team with heavy ambitions and a ton of talent, this preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers carries increased interest.

There’s a ton of expectations and curiosity surrounding the defending AFC South champions.

This game, albeit in limited action, likely one to two series, will represent the first look at the starting offense and defense in an actual game situation.

Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud is slated to make his preseason debut one year after being named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. And he’ll operate behind a makeshift offensive line that will be missing both starting tackles as Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil hasn’t started practicing yet and is being ramped up from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery with right tackle Tytus Howard set to miss this game with a relatively minor knee injury suffered in practice Tuesday.

Rookie Blake Fisher, a second-round pick from Notre Dame, will start at left tackle after a strong Hall of Fame game. And Nick Broeker is expected to step in for Howard at right tackle with veteran Shaq Mason lining up next to him, Juice Scruggs at center and Kenyon Green at left guard to protect Stroud and block for backup running back Dameon Pierce with Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon remaining sidelined with a strained quadriceps for the past few weeks.

New Texans offensive lineman Cameron Erving, signed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with a $985,000 salary cap figure under the veteran salary benefit, is expected to see his first action with the team. Erving can play tackle or guard.

The Texans are eager to get out there against another opponent and are feeling good about the progress they’ve made in training camp

“Training camp has been a grind, it’s been great,” Mason said. “Everybody is coming together, we’re gelling. Everybody is working, trying to get to that common goal.”

Yes, the Texans are well aware of the high expectations. No, they aren’t consumed by them. Mason earned two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. That doesn’t happen without a daily application of work ethic and focus.

“Great potential, but potential is only that,” Mason said. “It’s just potential. We actually have to put in the work and put it on the field. We know the talent that we have. We have to block out the noise, keep your head down and just work. Once you look up, if you do the right things, you’ll be where you want to be.”

The Texans’ offensive line performed well against the Chicago Bears as quarterbacks Davis Mills and Case Keenum had plenty of time to operate. Younger players like Fisher, who allowed no pressures, showed what they can do.

“Those guys are definitely stepping up,” Mason said. “A lot is asked of them this year. They’re accepting the challenge and putting their best foot forward. They ask a lot of questions. They pick my brain.”

All of the Texans’ starters are currently expected to be ready for a Sept. 8 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

“Absolutely, that’s the sport of football,” Mason said. “Next man up. Those guys are getting the opportunities to showcase what they can do. It’s training camp. It’s unfortunate guys are banged-up, but it’s a big opportunity for those other guys.”

Starters are expected to play sparingly, in most cases.

The Texans are expected to have several players miss this game, including Howard, Tunsil, cornerback Kamari Lassiter (ankle), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle), defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr. (calf), nickel Desmond King (groin), linebacker Christian Harris (calf), offensive tackle Charlie Heck (plantar fasciitis in foot), tight end Teagan Quitoriano (strained calf), wide receiver Noah Brown (strained shoulder), cornerback Jeff Okudah, tight end Brevin Jordan and offensive guard Kendrick Green (leg), offensive lineman Deiter Eiselen and suspended defensive lineman Denico Autry. Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs was held out of practice Wednesday after getting dinged in a collision with safety Jimmie Ward on Tuesday, leaving the field, and continuing to practice.

“Tytus is good,” Ryans said.

Lassiter and Anderson’s injuries are not regarded as long-term, Brown is close to returning, as is Mixon, per league sources. Harris is expected to return later in the preseason and get ready for the Colts game, per a source.

And Ryans reiterated he’s not deviating from a plan to play the starters against a Steelers team that is holding out T.J. Watt

“No, it doesn’t change at all,” Ryans said. “We keep going with our offensive line. We’re always moving guys around, having guys play different positions, so it doesn’t. Whoever’s available and ready to go, they’ll be out there for preseason.”

Meanwhile, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin indicated that Russell Wilson, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward, Minka Fitzpatrick, Patrick Queen and Isaac Seumal won’t play against the Texans.

Dameon Pierce, a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie honored with the NFL’s Angriest Run of the Year award, was replaced as a starter last season by Motor Singletary.

This year, he’s working behind Mixon.

Pierce has shown more explosiveness and a greater understanding of the zone scheme.

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik s encouraged by Pierce’s progress and the backfield in general, including Cam Akers, who caught a touchdown against the Bears.

“It is a fun group to coach,” Slowik said. “Joe kind of leads the way, even though he hasn’t been practicing, his energy is always there. He is always around. Even when we are on the field, he is running around the huddle getting people hyped up. So he is the driving force for sure. The rest of the crew kind of feeds off that.

“Dameon is feeding off of that, he is putting his head down and working. He has made huge strides from where he was at last year and what he has grown in and what he has shown he is trying to do. Cam is obviously the newest to the crew but he has been running a lot of similar stuff in L.A. for a long time and then in Minnesota it was pretty similar as well. It is not completely new to him, he picked it up quick. You can see the talent and the vision and the cutting ability, which is impressive coming off of the two injuries he had. He has been fun.”

Ryans is pacing the Texans through their progression. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, with the Texans having started training camp in the middle of July before the rest of the NFL.

“Yeah, we’ve been rolling in camp for a while now,” Ryans said. “It seems like a long time and I look ahead like, ‘Wow, we still have a good amount of time to go, probably a month left before the true regular season kicks off. So, when we look at reps, I’m monitoring reps every day. I’m seeing where we are, keeping track of it just making sure we’re smart with how we’re loading our guys with the reps and making sure we’re peaking at the right time because when you start camp as early as we have with the Hall of Fame game, I don’t want guys to come in and we’re peaking at preseason Week Two.

“That’s not the time to be at your peak. So, we’re always monitoring it and our sports performance staff, they’ve done a great job of being on it as well. So, just working with them and we’re all in sync with making sure at the end of the day, making sure we take care of our guys the right way. Just want to be as healthy as possible going into the season.”

Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, the Morton Ranch graduate signed to a two-year, $51 million deal, is eager to get on the field with his new teammates.

“I’m just looking to go out there and just apply the defense that I’ve learned going against my opponent with my keys that I’ve learned,” Hunter said. “Just getting the rust off from the offseason. Just go out there and playing fast.

“It’s been amazing so far. Just playing fast, don’t have to think about anything, just playing my position, ultimately. Defensive end, you’re not supposed to think about too much but just playing fast. I think they’ve simplified it here. And I’ve done a really good job of just applying that on the field.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com