HOUSTON — The Houston Texans picked up a win over Tennessee on Sunday without their starting quarterback, but will they have C.J. Stroud back in time for the team’s weekend matchup with the Cleveland Browns?
“We’ll see how the week goes,” Texans head coach Demeco Ryans said when asked about it Monday.
Ryans confirmed that Stroud is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol and, as of Monday evening, hasn’t been cleared to play. Ryans didn't give a timeline for his return.
Houston is now 8-6, tied with Jacksonville and Indianapolis for the lead in the AFC South with three critical games to go, including a showdown with the Colts in Indy.
In Stroud’s absence, veteran quarterback Case Keenum and running back Devin Singletary led the Texans to the 19-16 overtime road win over the Titans.
Keenum, stepping in for Stroud, was 23 for 36 for 229 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and an interception. Running back Devin Singletary rushed for 121 yards on 26 carries for Houston, much to the delight of Ryans.
“Yeah, ‘Motor’ (Devin Singletary) does have this sneaky ability to find space," Ryans said. "He has really good contact balance, so he’s not going down all the time at that first contact. He finds a way to maintain his balance and still find those lanes that the [offensive] line has created. ‘Motor’ is always, always pressing forward. He’s very shifty."
The defense was up to the task, too, limiting Texans nemesis Derrick Henry to 9 yards on 16 carries, a far cry from what he had previously done to the Houston defense. Before Sunday, Henry had racked up four 200+ yard games in the previous five games against the Texans.