Changing of the Guard: Kasey Studdard in for the Injured Chester Pitts

Let me start by saying that I've never been a real fan of Chester Pitts.  I will, however, give him credit for starting every Houston Texans game in team history.  That streak will come to an end this Sunday when the Texans host divisional rival Jacksonville as Pitts has suffered an MCL injury.  He is expected to miss three to four weeks.  (Update, Pitts has been placed on IR and is out for the entire 2009 season)

When he played left tackle, it appeared Pitts was in over his head.  Perhaps some of that blame can be placed on the perpetually gun shy David Carr (that is, if Texans fans can even remember the dark days when Carr "led" the team).  After moving inside, Pitts plays a solid if not spectacular left guard.

But Pitts is (seemingly) a nice guy.  He played the oboe in his younger days.  He smiles.  I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this, but this is not stereotypical of a junkyard dog offensive lineman.

The Texans have a lot of nice guys on the team.  Andre Johnson, while arguably the best or second best WR in the NFL, is a nice, quiet guy.  Owen Daniels is a nice guy.  Matt Schaub is a nice guy.  I'm proud to be a fan of guys who are not getting into trouble with the law. Usually, nice guys don't finish first in the NFL.

Sometimes, however, in football, good guys can finish first.  A prime example is Tony Dungy.  Dungy was successful as a head coach in both Tampa Bay and Indianapolis.  But Dungy is rare.

More conventionally, tough guys like Bill Parcells and Bill Cowher are successful in the NFL.  Players like Dick Butkus, Lawrence Taylor and Ronnie Lott are successful.  The Texans do not have a player with a dominant personality like Ray Lewis or James Harrison to lead them.  Of course, players like that are rare.

At the expense of Pitts and his injured knee, perhaps Kasey Studdard being inserted into the lineup for a few weeks can turn into a positive.  It's unfortunate a good guy such as Pitts has to get hurt in order for the former Longhorn to get onto the field, but this can turn in the Texans favor.

Studdard is tough.  He might not be the most physically talented or athletic player to ever line up, but he will give his all on ever play.  If you go back to the Longhorns' Championship Game in the Rose Bowl, when Vince Young fumbled, Studdard fell on the ball that kept that memorable game alive.

Studdard finds his way into scraps and scrums all over the field.  Studdard, unlike Pitts, is a hard hat wearing junkyard dog.  He plays with an attitude, something that this Texans team too often plays without.

After Week One, the Jets' Bart Scott called the Texans a "finesse team."  There is nothing finesse about the way Studdard plays.  Maybe he can put a little more fire into left tackle Duane Brown's belly.  Maybe Studdard can help the lethargic and pedestrian running game and help Steve Slaton break out of his (hopefully mini) sophomore slump.

Again, it is a tough break for the Texans to lose Pitts, a dependable guard, to a knee injury.  But maybe dealing with a little adversity can steer the Texans toward more success.  Maybe Studdard is the shot in the arm the running game, and the Texans, so sorely needs.