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If the Houston Texans want the sequel to their 2023 season to be a smash hit, they must put their trust into their best scriptwriter, offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who is vital to the team’s success.
His additions to the manuscript helped the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud, lead the Texans to the AFC South title and advance to the divisional round of the playoffs while orchestrating one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history.
The former Ohio State signal caller completed 319-of-499 passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 100.8. His 4,557 passing yards, including the postseason, finished as the second-most passing yards by a rookie in NFL history.
Stroud also finished the regular season as the leader in pass yards per game (273.9) and TD-INT ratio (4.60). He joined Tom Brady (2007) and Joe Montana (1989) as the only quarterbacks through the last 50 seasons to have led the NFL in pass yards per game and TD-INT ratio.
Implementing a new system was a challenge heading into training camp last season. Slowik spent six years with the San Francisco 49ers before getting his first opportunity as a play-caller for Houston, joining head coach DeMeco Ryans, who had also been with the 49ers.
His designed plays helped the Texans finish second in the NFL in pass plays over 25 yards (41) and seventh in passing yards per game (245.4) while also registering the fewest giveaways (14).
Heading into his second season, Slowik knows that it is his job to help Stroud and the rest of the offense reach the next level, and that has been very rough at times during the 2024 training camp.
“Truthfully, training camp and preseason, we kind of emphasize, the starting point of our scheme,” said Slowik. “That goes back to what I preached about fundamentals and really hammering and drilling those in. In training camp, you are not always going to be in a great position to do what you need to do.
“We want it to be hard, and they embrace that. They know that. There are days where it gets frustrating for all of us and there are days where we really are on our game, and we go out and we perform like we believe we should. Training camp you are focused on, this is what we need to do every week no matter what we are doing schematically to go win a game.”
The first three weeks of camp were not enjoyable for Slowik as he watched the defense led by Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke rewrite scenes in the offensive script as they relentlessly hounded Stroud with pressure from defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter.
Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil was not practicing due to injury, and right tackle Tytus Howard was in and out of the lineup for precautionary reasons as he reacclimates himself back to the offense after missing the final six games and all of the postseason after being placed on injured reserve last season with a left knee injury.
With those bookends out, the Texans’ offense did not look efficient in practice as Slowik continued to script plays for Stroud to go through his progressions even if his first read was open.
“I am not always going to script a great play call for C.J. to go and throw it to number one (receiver),” Slowik said. “I might intentionally script a play where he has to get all the way to last in the progression as an outlet.”
After their first preseason game victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Slowik and Stroud received a gift that changed the script over the next three days of practice. The starting offensive line unit, consisting of Tunsil, Howard, guards Shaq Mason and Kenyon Green, and center Juice Scruggs, was finally back together.
“Scripting definitely plays a factor as far as how the o-line is with everybody back out there,” said Texans OC Bobby Slowik. “Being a cohesive unit up front is a really big deal. Having all the starters out there, all the guys that we want working.” #Texans #BigSargeMedia pic.twitter.com/x1AAiWmEN1
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) August 15, 2024
Texans Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik On Having The Offensive Line Back Healthy
“It’s good to have everybody out there just getting on one accord, practicing together,” said Mason after Tuesday’s practice.The continuity of the offense has picked up with the return of the offensive line, which has allowed Slowik to implement plays that he will use in the regular season. It also gives Stroud more time to develop chemistry with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who the Texans acquired this past offseason via trade with the Buffalo Bills.
“It definitely changes some of the scripting,” Slowik responded when asked about the playcalling over the last three practices. “Once you get guys returning to the field, you really have to make sure they are not missing stuff that you have already hit.
“Scripting definitely plays a factor as far as how the o-line is with everybody back out there. Being a cohesive unit up front is a really big deal. Having all the starters out there, all the guys that we want working, mixing in with the ones really just helped build that cohesion. It builds them getting used to each other on combinations, on where they are going to be in past sets and things like that.”
Houston will play the New York Giants in their second preseason game at NRG Stadium. Kickoff is at noon CST.