After C.J. Stroud faced relentless pressure in a dismal Week 2 loss, DeMeco Ryans considers benching veterans for high-upside youth to ignite Houston’s struggling ground game.
When Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans stepped up to the podium at the Houston Methodist Training Center on Wednesday, the usual calm demeanor of Houston's head coach carried a noticeable edge.
Following a dismal 20–6 home-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday that dropped the Texans to 0–2 for the third time in four seasons, the honeymoon phase of the 2026 campaign is officially over. C.J. Stroud spent much of Sunday running for his life, harassed on a staggering 45.5% of his dropbacks against man coverage, while Houston’s ground game managed an abysmal 18 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Heading into Sunday’s AFC South opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, Ryans faced point-blank questions about his offensive line. His answer made one thing abundantly clear that changes are on the table.
Is It Time to Unleash Blake Fisher at Right Tackle?
The primary source of scrutiny surrounding offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s unit rests on the right side of the trench. Veteran giant Trent Brown struggled laterally against Cincinnati’s pass rush, leading to multiple late breakdowns when Stroud was forced into obvious passing situations.
Calls from media and fans to insert sophomore tackle Blake Fisher into the starting lineup have reached a fever pitch. Fisher, a 2024 second-round pick out of Notre Dame, impressed during training camp with his mobility and physical edge-setting ability.
Inserting Fisher at right tackle and potentially shifting multi-time All-Pro Wyatt Teller into a full-time starting guard role alongside rookie center Keylan Rutledge could give Houston the athletic, physical interior punch it desperately lacked in Week 2.
Catching a Break: Alec Pierce Headed to IR for Indy
While Houston navigates its own offensive line soul-searching and awaits the official Wednesday injury report status of Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins (hamstring), the team received a favorable piece of divisional news from Indianapolis.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen officially confirmed Wednesday that deep-threat wide receiver Alec Pierce has been placed on Injured Reserve with a heel injury. Pierce, who has historically been a thorn in Houston’s secondary with explosive vertical catches, will miss Sunday's matchup.
Indianapolis moved quickly to reinforce the position, signing veteran Darius Slayton this week and adding Eli Pancol to its practice squad Wednesday.
Pierce's absence matters because of his ability to stretch defenses vertically.
But Houston can't relax. Josh Downs, Keenan Allen and rookie tight end Tyler Warren remain part of Indianapolis' passing attack, and Taylor gives Jones an obvious threat underneath.
Why the News Matters
For Houston, an 0–2 start is frustrating, but history proves it isn't a death sentence in the AFC South. In both 2018 and 2023, the Texans rallied from 0–2 starts to capture the division crown.
Because all four AFC South teams enter Week 3 with zero division games under their belt, Sunday's showdown at Lucas Oil Stadium is effectively a clean slate. The winner takes an immediate 1–0 lead in the division tiebreaker standings, while the loser sinks into an agonizing 0–3 hole that only one team in NFL history (the 2018 Texans) has ever overcome to reach the postseason.
If Fisher and Teller get starting nods, expect David Montgomery’s floor to bounce back significantly against an Indianapolis front coming off a physical loss to Kansas City.
