HOUSTON – Hunched over the football, Jarrett Patterson delivered a shotgun snap adeptly to quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Their communication was a familiar and routine one. And that dovetails with how Patterson and Stroud have built a strong relationship.

Patterson has started 16 of 23 games since being drafted in the sixth round out of Notre Dame, overlapping with Stroud for the past three seasons.

Now, he steps in as the starting center again Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Jake Andrews out with a high-ankle sprain.

“It’s always good,” Patterson said. “The center-quarterback exchange, obviously, that starts the whole play, the whole process of the offense. Been there with C.J. a few times, we worked together really well.

“You know how to communicate with each other. S

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