Stroud and Pitre Out for Thursday Night Game
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will not be available for the game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, according to coach DeMeco Ryans announced this Tuesday. Stroud has not yet cleared concussion protocol, although he has shown progress by participating in limited practices on Tuesday. He is expected to be able to play against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13. Safety Jalen Pitre, who also suffered a concussion against the Broncos in Week 9 and has missed the last two games, will also not play. Pitre practiced this week, but was unable to clear the protocol.This will be the third consecutive time that Stroud misses a game after suffering the concussion in Week 9. Backup quarterback Davis Mills has performed outstandingly in Stroud’s absence, with two consecutive victories. The last time Stroud suffered a concussion, in 2023, he missed two games. The Texans will need another effective performance from Mills, who has led the offense to 22.5 points per game in his two starts, throwing three touchdowns and one interception. After a season start with a 0-3 record, the Texans have achieved a 5-5 balance and are firmly in contention for the AFC playoffs. Houston occupies the eighth position, behind the Jaguars (6-4) for the last AFC wildcard spot. The Thursday night game could have significant implications for Houston’s playoffs. A win would give them the direct tiebreaker over the Bills in the wild card race, as Buffalo currently holds the fifth seed in the AFC standings. According to the statistics, the Texans have a 26% chance of making the playoffs; if Houston wins on Thursday, their chances will increase to 37%. A loss would reduce their chances to 15%.Both players are progressing, they are improving. But at this moment, with the short-term game on Thursday, there are simply not enough days for those guys to be available.
DeMeco Ryans
