Tag: Houston Texans 2024 Season

Texans vs. Jaguars: RB Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce out

The Houston Texans will have their top receiver but will be down a few starters in their meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Houston Texans offense will have its No. 1 wide receiver.

Nico Collins, who leads the league in receiving yards, will play Sunday, despite popping up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring injury. Collins told media he would be playing after logging a full practice on Friday.

Houston was already without Tank Dell, who suffered bruised ribs in last week’s contest against the Minnesota Vikings.

With Dell sidelined former second-round pick John Metchie III will make his season debut. Metchie hauled in 10 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in the preseason.

Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods have been the only other receivers to rotate in on offense in place of Stefon Diggs, Dell or Collins this season. It’s unclear, who will play the most in three wide receiver sets.

Veteran safety Jimmie Ward failed to practice on Thursday and Friday, eventually leading the team to rule him out. Rookie safety Calen Bullock, who’s playing time was increasing, will make his first NFL start.

Houston’s defense received a boost with the active status of interior defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi, who was limited throughout the week with a shoulder injury. Fatukasi was a member of the Jaguars last season and will get a chance to play his former team.

Other players unavailable for Sunday’s game include sixth-round pick Jamal Hill and depth offensive lineman Nick Broeker.

Texans-Vikings Week 3: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

Here’s how many snaps C.J. Stroud, Jalen Pitre and the rest of the Houston Texans saw in Sunday’s loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Houston Texans’ offense was expected to be one of the league’s finest with the arrival of Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs.

So far, the pedestrian results have led to the downfall of dominance over three weeks.

The Minnesota Vikings secured a 34-7 victory over Houston thanks to a four-touchdown day from Sam Darnold. The former No. 3 overall pick sliced and diced the Texans’ secondary to help Minnesota keep its undefeated season alive.

C.J. Stroud never got in a rhythm after tossing his first interception in 278 pass attempts on his first throw. The offensive line was marred by penalties, including five against Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Former Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard made the most of his afternoon, totaling three sacks and two tackles for loss. Kanu Grugier-Hill, Houston’s leading tackler in 2021, intercepted Stroud to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to Justin Jefferson in the first quarter.

Diggs, a former Vikings star best known for his ‘Minneapolis Miracle’ catch,  might have been the lone bright spot on offense thanks to his six first-down receptions. Not only did Diggs lead Houston’s passing game with 90 receiving yards, but his 10 catches marked a season-high by any Texans’ receiver.

“We’re still a force to be reckoned with. and we’re still very dangerous,” Stroud said postgame. “We’ve built a foundation solid on rock. We’re not going to act like everything was perfect out there, but we’re not going to act like there wasn’t some positives.”

Here are the snap counts for every player that contributed to the Texans’ Week 3 loss.

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Offensive snaps: 67
Defensive snaps: 63
Special teams snaps: 14

Diggs and tight end Dalton Schultz led Houston’s skill players in reps and were the only two to record more than 56 snaps. Nico Collins, who finished with four catches for 86 yards, played 82 percent of snaps.

Without Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce, Cam Akers was expected to take over as the new lead back. That actually wasn’t the case since Dare Ogunbowale totaled 28 reps as the No. 2 option.

Akers, who scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Stroud in the third quarter, finished with 29.

Safety Jimmie Ward was the only player to play 100 percent of the reps on defense. Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jalen Pitre finished with 62 reps after being pulled on one play.

The Texans return to NRG Stadium for their first divisional matchup of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Instant analysis: Texans struggle to find offensive consistency in loss to Vikings

The Houston Texans stumble on offense en route to their first loss of the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline

They don’t call it the Frozen Thundra for nothing.

The Houston Texans’ offense remained cold as C.J. Stroud threw a pair of interceptions en route to a 34-7 loss against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Davis Mills replaced Stroud in the final five minutes to ensure he remained healthy for next week’s divisional matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In a game with countless history between both sides, Minnesota (3-0) set the standard thanks to a pair of former Texans. Jonathan Greenard, who led the Texans in sacks last year, pressured Stroud into throwing a tad late on the opening drive.

His pass was batted at the line of scrimmage and landed in the arms of former Texans linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill for an interception.

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Stroud, who was 20 of 31 for 215 yards, was sacked four times. The rhythm between the Pro Bowl quarterback and go-to receiver Nico Collins was off, minus a 34-yard gain in the third quarter.

That set up a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cam Akers, who recorded his first start since Week 1 of the 2023 season in place of the injured Joe Mixon.

Defensively, Houston couldn’t slow down former first-round pick Sam Darnold’s connection with Justin Jefferson in the first half. Following Stroud’s first interception, the duo connected on an 8-yard pass to take an early 7-0 lead.

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Darnold, who was 17 of 28 for 181 yards, connected with Aaron Jones for scores in the first quarter to extend the lead to 14. In the second half, he delivered a touchdown to Jalen Nailor for the third straight game and before tying his career-high in touchdown passes on a 4-yard pass to tight end Johnny Mundt in the fourth.

Houston’s defense recorded four sacks but allowed four explosive plays of 20-plus yards.

The Texans never capitalized and were clearly off-balance between a blend of crowd noise and pressure generated by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Last week against the 49ers, Flores forced Brock Prudy into throwing two interceptions because of his pressure rate.

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Greenard finished with three sacks against his former teammate. Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was flagged five times, including three for false starts, bringing his season total to seven through three games.

Stefon Diggs, who returned to Minneapolis for the first time since being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2020, led the Texans with 10 catches for 94 yards. Collins, who entered Sunday as the NFL’s leading receiver, finished with 86 yards on four catches.

The Vikings improved to 6-0 all-time against the Texans and 3-0 on the season for the first time since 2016.

The Texans return home to take on the Jaguars next Sunday at noon CT.

Texans RB Joe Mixon tweets out frustation on tackle in Bears game

Joe Mixon tweeted out his frustration after officials missed a hip-drop tackle during Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

The NFL made a rule to protect players by penalizing defenders for using the hip-drop tackle technique in the open field.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon felt like officials missed that during the third quarter of Sunday night’s game.

Mixon tried to push out of bounds after hauling in a pass from C.J. Stroud in the closing seconds of the third quarter, but Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards came in with the stop. When looking at the initial film, Edwards drops his weight to make Mixon collapse under the pressure.

Mixon tweeted out his frustration and clarified he reached out to officials for a further response, but they didn’t think it was enough to call a penalty.

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The 2021 Pro Bowl was listed as questionable with an ankle injury and entered the medical blue tent. He then left the field to head back to the locker room for further evaluation. And while Mixon did return, it was only for seven plays in the final three series.

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“Joe got rolled up,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “The guy’s weight definitely came down on his ankle. It didn’t look good from my view. We’ll evaluate Joe throughout the week. Hopefully, he’s OK. I’ll have to see the film to see if it really was a hip-drop tackle.”

While the Texans secured a 19-13 victory, penalties — both called and uncalled — were a problem. Houston committed 12 penalties for 115 yards while Chicago was flagged nine times for 60 yards.

But the referees also missed plays beyond Mixon’s hip-drop offense. Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair threw a punch at Bears running back Roschon Johnson, though remained in the game despite NFL rules stating a player should be ejected once a physical altercation is present.

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This isn’t the first time referees have been coy letting potential hip-drop tackles be ignored. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen thought Arizona Cardinals cornerback Kei’Trel Clark delivered one last week and argued with the officials after the play.

Just before kickoff in Houston, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase argued with officials after Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie made an open-field tackle. He ended up getting a 15-yard penalty and clearly was upset that a hip drop penalty wasn’t called.

Mixon’s departure didn’t hurt the Texans’ outcome, but it kept things interesting over the final 15 minutes. Houston needs Mixon as its lead back entering Week 3’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, so his status is crucial to keeping the team afloat.

Watch: J.J. Watt narrates epic Texans 2024 hype video

The legendary J.J. Watt might not be taking the field for the Houston Texans, but he knows how to hype up a city.

Can you feel that?

Can you smell the sweet lingering of victory?

If so, you probably just watched the most recent Houston Texans hype video entering the new season.

Voiced by three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, the Texans media team put together a two-minute clip, hyping up the city for what looks to be a promising campaign headlined by potential MVP candidate C.J. Stroud.

“Sometimes that silence can be deafening,” Watt said in the video. “But in that void, there’s a whisper of what’s to come. A pulse reverberating through the city that grows stronger by the second. You can feel it in the air, a rumbling, an anxiety, that feeling in the pit of your stomach, echoes of expectations. It’s an earned sensation and you can’t shake it. I’ve felt it before. I know what it’s like. The energy, the speculation, the expectations. But listen, the hype? That’s just chatter. Because around here, success isn’t owned, it’s leased. And rent? That sh-t’s due every damn day.”

While Watt might not be ready to return to the gridiron, he knows how to pump up fans entering the year. There are legitimate expectations for Houston to not only compete for a conference title but also potentially a Lombardi Trophy.

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Watt, who will debut on The NFL on CBS this Sunday, still hasn’t entirely ruled out returning for a Super Bowl run. His stance remains the same as it was back in May at his annual softball tournament: If the defensive line is missing talent, he’ll suit for DeMeco Ryans.

While he didn’t wear his essentially retired No. 99 jersey, Watt did don the new H-Town Blue shirt while getting Houston amped for its first matchup on Sunday against AFC South rival Indianapolis.

“We’re relentlessly focused on one thing: Building this foundation our way. But not only for this team,” Watt continued. “No, this is for all of H-Town. The heartbeat of this city is what drives this team forward each and every day. So now, it’s time to finally break that silence and make noise the only way we know how … on the damn field. H’s up, H-Town.”

Kickoff against the Colts is scheduled for noon. Their first home game is next Sunday night game against the Bears.

Texans: DE Will Anderson Jr. ‘good to go’ vs. Colts

Will Anderson Jr. might have missed a month of practice, but the second-year defensive end is “good to go” for Sunday’s contest.

Will Anderson Jr. doesn’t need a medical report to confirm what he already knows. The Houston Texans’ second-year defensive end is back at practice for the first time in over a month.

He’s back for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, too.

“Of course, of course, of course,” Anderson assured reporters when asked if he planned to play at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Anderson, who had been dealing with an ankle injury, was a full participant in practice. His name didn’t appear on the injury report, meaning he’s medically cleared to go full speed through drills.

As a roster, only defensive back M.J. Stewart remains absent from practice in any capacity. It’s a sign that Houston should be about at 99.9 percent full strength when the team takes on their AFC South foe.

“Excited about all our guys out there available working,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Excited about the work that we put in today.”

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Anderson’s impact differs from most. The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year is a staple of a potent Houston pass rush that looks to improve after totaling a franchise-record 46 sacks in 2023.

Anderson, who led all rookies in pressures (64) and quarterback hits (22), was responsible for seven sacks, though that number could have been higher if he hadn’t missed two games. The Texans are expecting a breakout season from their J.J. Watt heir-apparent entering Year 2 opposite of four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter.

When at its peak, Ryans believes the duo has an opportunity to consistently “wreak havoc” on Sundays.

“In any passing situations, their ability to disrupt the pocket, disrupt the quarterback, that’s what excites me. If we want to play really good on defense when they’re passing the football, those two guys have to impact the game for us. If they show up and impact the game, it’ll be easier for our guys on the back end.”

Anderson would tend to agree with the second-year coach and fellow Alabama graduate.

“That’s why (Danielle’s) here. That’s why I’m here,” Anderson said. “I know he’s going to wreak havoc. He’s going to do his thing. I’m gonna have his back, and I’m gonna go out there and do the same thing.”

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Is DeMeco Ryans vs. Shane Steichen the NFL’s best young HC rivalry?

The Houston Texans open the season against the Indianapolis Colts, yet another duel for DeMeco Ryans’ defense and Shane Steichen’s offense.

The Houston Texans begin the regular season in the same place where last year’s ended: Lucas Oil Stadium, where they will take on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Both teams selected quarterbacks in the top five of the 2023 NFL Draft. Both saw surprising turnarounds under first-year head coaches that culminated in a winner-take-all AFC South title Week 18 matchup.

Houston won the contest, 23-19, sending itself to the postseason and Indianapolis into the offseason.

“New year, not worried about last year. Last year was last year. We’re fully focused on 2024 we’re a completely different team,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Money. “They’re a different team as well. So for me, last year has nothing to do with this year going into their place.”

Ryans and Colts head coach Shane Steichen each received votes to be the NFL’s Coach of the Year, albeit Ryans’ with significantly more, 165 votes, than Steichen’s four.

The two coaches’ successful debut campaigns lead to heightened expectations in year two and perhaps the birth or continuation of the best young coaching rivalry in the sport.

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“Really respect him as a coach,” Ryans said. “For me, it’s we got to do the same. Just have our guys prepared, ready to go, ready for anything that they may throw at us.”

While the second-year coach prefers the attention stay on the players, Sunday’s matchup between Ryans and Steichen has been a frequent battle over the past three seasons.

Before arriving in Indianapolis, Steichen was the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator. In both years, the Eagles ranked among the top 13 in points per game and the top eight in yards.

The Eagles reached the Super Bowl after beating the 49ers in the NFC Conference Championship. Ryans. who called plays for San Francisco’s defense, allowed Steichen’s offense to score the most points in regulation against his unit with 31.

During the regular season, the 49ers led the league in the fewest points per game at 16.3.

The year prior, Ryans won the matchup as the Eagles scored 11 points in a 17-11 Week 2 loss. Philadelphia’s 11 points were the second-fewest scored in a game that season.

“I don’t look at it as a history between me and Steichen. It’s about the players playing the game. Our players – Shane is a really good coach. He always has his guys prepared, ready to go,” Ryans said.

The two coaches, separated in age by 287 days, both entered the 2023 coaching cycle as two of the top options, ultimately ending in the same division.

Ryans and Steichen met for the first time as head coaches in Week 2, with the Colts racing out to a 14-0 lead behind a pair of Anthony Richardson rushing touchdowns.

The 2023 fourth overall pick sustained a concussion on the second score and left the game, but even as the Colts transitioned to backup Gardner Minshew, they continued to move the ball efficiently, leading to a 31-20 victory.

Steichen proved to be one of the best young offensive minds. Despite Richardson’s season ending in the coming weeks, Indianapolis scored the 10th-most points (396) and pushed the Texans for the division crown.

Not to be outdone, Ryans’ unit ranked in the top half of the league in most defensive categories.

“It’s not about me or Shane, it’s about the players who strap it up on the field,” Ryans said.

What’s the current state of Houston’s offensive line entering 2024?

Protecting C.J. Stroud is the Houston Texans’ top priority, but how does its offensive line look ahead of training camp?

The Houston Texans displayed confidence in one position group during an offseason full of roster-altering moves.

Without any significant additions to the offensive line, Houston will attempt to trot out the starting five it envisioned last season: Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, Juice Scruggs, Shaq Mason and Tytus Howard.

That group never played a snap together last year since Green suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the final week of the preseason. And Houston’s trenches were inconsistent at best since it was a revolving door of offensive line combinations due to injury.

According to SumerSports, all six combinations played less than 229 snaps together. Still, they must prove their elevation status if they hope to enter the contender conversation. 

Still, they must prove their elevation status if they hope to enter the contender conversation. 

Green debuted a noticeably slimmer frame at OTA’s after spending time away from the facility. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans praised the former first-round pick’s work ethic ahead of the season.

“Now we get to see what type of football player he is,” Ryans said.

Green started 14 games with little success during his rookie season. He drew 12 penalties and was graded as one of the lowest offensive linemen in the league by PFF. However, Houston’s improved offensive environment should benefit Green, whose pedigree as a mauler in the run game should help lift the ground-and-pound attack.

Howard and Scruggs played out of position last season because of necessity. With Green back in competition for the left guard spot, they can return to tackle and center, respectively.

Entering Year 1 of his three-year, $56 million extension, Howard played six games at left guard and one at left tackle before an injury ended his season. He’s openly admitted to being happy about returning to his original position for the 2024 season, posting to his X account ‘RIGHT TACKLE ONLY.’

Tunsil and Howard are one of the league’s top tackle tandems, landing in the top five of most rankings a year ago, including No. 3 in Touchdown Wire’s. 

“It feels like forever ago that we saw Laremy Tunsil enter a draft freefall after a certain video was leaked by who knows who, and fans watched in amazement as a surefire franchise tackle plummeted down draft boards. Now entering his seventh season, Tunsil is in the conversation for the best tackle in the game alongside San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams, and has become a franchise centerpiece after the Texans traded for him in 2018. Alongside Tunsil is an unsung product of Alabama State, who also was a bit of a controversial selection on draft day, having not competed in a bigger conference during his time in college. Both Tunsil and Howard have proven they are much more than their draft day experience, and have turned into a fantastic pair of blockers for their new potential franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud.”

It turned out that Stroud would become a franchise quarterback, and he has a pair of bookend tackles. Tunsil remains one of the game’s best despite falling out of some top-10 rankings, but that should only add more fuel to the fire.

The entire offensive line seems to have a chip on their shoulder ahead of the season. Mason took note of the Pro Football Focus top 10 AFC offensive line rankings, which notably left the Texans off the list.

Mason, who joined Houston via trade last offseason, remains steady at right guard as he enters his age 31 season. He allowed three sacks last year, marking seven straight seasons with three sacks or less allowed. 

That leaves Scruggs, who did not get an opportunity to play center after being forced to fill in at left guard once Howard went down in Week 12. He’s still a work in progress after starting one season at Penn State.

Houston has some young players for depth purposes. Jarrett Patterson played center for the first six weeks of the season. Kendrick Green returns from injury to potentially push Kenyon Green for first-team reps.

“I think it’s going to be fun, I’m excited.” Kendrick Green told KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson. “I know a lot of other guys are excited. So, we’re going to get after it and see how it comes out.”

The Texans further addressed their depth in the draft by selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher. Considered by analysts as a raw prospect with future Pro Bowl potential, Fisher should be a depth piece this season as he develops into a long-term option to replace Howard or Tunsil.

The start of training camp next week will unravel the developing offensive line group, but Houston’s front office appears confident it has the right players to protect Stroud.

New Texans TE Cade Stover excited to renuite with QB C.J. Stroud

Cade Stover once served as C.J. Stroud’s security blanket at Ohio State, and plans to do it again with the Houston Texans.

C.J. Stroud silenced the critics with each jaw-dropping performance on Sundays last fall as the Houston Texans’ quarterback en route to winning the AFC South. 

Stroud, the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, was highly criticized throughout the pre-draft process for the S2 score. Some scouts believed his mental processing wasn’t quick enough to withstand NFL defenses and certain coverages. 

Stroud chose not to comment, but rather show doubters why their evaluations were far-fetched by becoming the fifth rookie passer in league history to throw for 4,000-plus yards in their first season. He also led the league in passing yards (274) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (23:5) in the same season, joining Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only passer to accomplish such a feat. 

Fans across the NFL were hypnotized by Stroud’s heroics on his way to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Back in Columbus, tight end Cade Stover expected him to shine the second he arrived in Houston. 

The same goes for everyone inside Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

“It was no surprise to me or anybody in that Ohio State facility,” Stover said. “We knew that dude was special. When he got the chance, got put with the right people and the right coaching staff, the dude is unbelievable.”

Stover, Houston’s fourth-round pick in last month’s draft, knew Stroud before most. He practiced against him while still on defense during the week before transitioning to the offensive side during his junior season. 

At tight end, Stover served as Stroud’s security net en route to a College Football Playoff berth. The two connected for 36 times for 406 yards and five touchdowns. 

Stroud earned a second Heisman nomination while Stover earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. Now, the duo that brought consistency to Ohio Stadium in 2022 will look to do the same in 2024 and beyond off NRG Drive. 

It’s something Stover can’t wait to see unfold once more.

“It’s just such an honor to play with C.J. again,” Stover said. “They’ve got something really special going down there in Houston, so I’m just really, really excited to be a part of it and – a lot of emotion right now, it’s hard to put into words.

New Texans WR Stefon Diggs gives high praise to QB C.J. Stroud

In his first public interview since being traded to the Houston Texans, Stefon Diggs gave high praise to Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.

C.J. Stroud was sleeping back in Los Angeles when the Houston Texans traded for Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs.

He didn’t know until he was washing his face why everyone was sending him text messages asking if he was good. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year is feeling better knowing his dynamic duo of receivers just became a tremendous trio. 

Diggs, one of the league’s top pass-catchers since 2018, feels the same way about coming to H-Town. He knew when he met Stroud back at the Pro Bowl in February that the gunslinger was built differently. 

“He’s a hell of a quarterback, he’s a hell of a leader. As you watched those guys throughout the season last year, you kind of started to see them build something really special,” Diggs said during the NFL draft broadcast on Bleacher Report Thursday evening. “(Stroud) as a quarterback, and as you see him lead his team, it was something that we all kind of got excited about. You kind of noticed it around the league. If you weren’t watching, you heard about it.“

Thursday marked the first public comments from the new Texans’ receiver since the trade earlier this month. Houston sent Buffalo a 2025 second-round pick acquired from the Minnesota Vikings, Diggs’ old team, for the All-Pro target and a sixth-round pick. 

Stroud, who became the fifth passer to throw for 4,000 yards as a rookie, had no idea back at the Pro Bowl that Diggs would later become his teammate. He said their first meeting went well, mostly being centered around Diggs’ kids and his nephew, Aaiden. 

After the Pro Bowl, Stroud and Diggs remained in contact. Here is where the six-time 1,000-yard playmaker saw a different version of the wunderkind found at NRG Stadium.

“In the offseason, the more conversations I had with him on a personal level, it was easy to fall in love with a quarterback like that,” said Diggs. 

Houston’s offense ranked seventh in passing last season with Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz. All three are back looking for better numbers and a chance to claim a conference title. 

The addition of Diggs only fortifies Houston’s passing attack as it moves into a first-place schedule. Diggs, 30, will also be playing for a new contract as the Texans voided the final three years of his deal to make him a free agent. 

It’s hard to imagine the Texans’ regressing with another year of the same personnel. Bobby Slowik is back as offensive coordinator. Houston also bulked up its rushing attack by trading for Pro Bowler Joe Mixon from Cincinnati. 

Diggs, who will wear No. 1 for the first time since college, completes the H-Town trifecta. One shouldn’t be surprised to see No. 7 (Stroud), connecting with No. 1 and No. 3 (Dell) all around The Loop in 2024.