Tag: Nico Collins 2024

Texans ready for return of WR Nico Collins for season’s second half

Nico Collins is back for the first time in five games for the Houston Texans.

The Houston Texans are eight quarters and counting without a touchdown in the second half.

That should change with the return or Nico Collins.

The Texans will have their leading man back on the sidelines for the first time since Week 5 in Monday’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Collins isn’t looking to ease his way back in, either.
There’s reasons to believe that No. 12 will be the No. 1 talking point of the Tuesday morning talk show circuits.

“In order to pick back up, I got to ball out when the ball touches my hands,” Collins said earlier this week. “When the ball is in the air, I have to do something with it.”

It’s a tale of two halves for Houston this season. With Collins in the lineup, the Texans sit at 4-1. With him out, they’re 2-3. They’ve also been outscored 74-39 in the second half since Week 6.

It’s also affected C.J. Stroud’s stat line. Before Collins’ injury, the Texans were sixth in total offense (376.6 yards per game) and fourth in passing. Stroud ranked third in passing yards (1,385), tied for 10th in touchdowns (seven) and 10th in QBR (66.2).

Over the past five games, the Texans rank 24th in total offense (299 yards per game) and 16th in scoring (20 points per contest). Stroud currently ranks 13th in passing (2,371) and 22nd in QBR (54.7).

“I am very excited to have my guy back,” Stroud said. “I am just happy for him to be back with the team, be a part of the locker room again. They are in solitude, when players are injured, they are on their own. So I am glad he is just able to be around the guys again and be able to do the sport that he loves to play.”

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said earlier this week that Stroud needs to “cut it loose” on Monday night. That should be easier with the return of his No. 1 receiver.

Prior to the injury, Collins led the NFL with 567 receiving yards and ranked third in receptions with 32. By missing five games, his 113.4 yards per contest remains among the league’s best.

“Getting Nico back is always very great for all of us,” Ryans said. “Nico’s been one of our best players when he was healthy, so it’s great to have him back, great to have his presence and the energy that he brings and also the playmaking ability that he brings.”

Collins and Stroud’s connection could be the x-factor down the stretch for Houston before the bye week. After traveling to Arlington, the Texans return home for an AFC South showdown against the Tennessee Titans. After that, they hit the road to take on the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars.

With three wins, the Texans would be back at 9-3 in the hunt for a top-three seed in the AFC, but everything starts with a win on Monday.

Everything ends with Collins crossing the goal line for the first time in a month.

“I feel like myself,” Collins said. “I’m feeling good.”

Texans offense should turn corner with return of WR Nico Collins

The Texans are expecting to see wide receiver Nico Collins practice this week in preparation for their Lone Star showdown against the Cowboys.

Nico Collins should be ready on Monday night when the Houston Texans travel to Arlington to take on the Dallas Cowboys.

That’s perhaps the best news fans of the AFC South franchise could get after suffering a 26-23 loss in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. Collins was cleared to return after being elevated off the injury report, but the Texans chose to leave him inactive.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said everything is fine with Collins’ progression and that the move was made at the final hour.

“No setback with Nico,” Ryans said Tuesday. “It was just a game-time decision.

Sitting at 6-4, the Texans need Collins. John Metchie III and Tank Dell have stepped up as the new top weapon in place of the injured Stefon Diggs over the past two games, but they are better served as secondary options.

Collins is a legitimate top threat in the pros. He’s coming off a nearly 1,300-yard season in 2023 while forming a bond with the rising Stroud.

Before suffering a hamstring strain that sidelined him for five games, the 6-foot-4 Collins was on pace for a record-setting season in franchise history. His 567 receiving yards led the NFL by a deep margin. He also ranked third nationally in catches with 32.

The Texans are expecting Collins not only back, but at full speed during practice this week. He was designated to return from injured reserve Friday and practiced for the first time in over a month, but the walk-through wasn’t enough to show Houston’s medical staff to clear him.

Ryans said Collins’ comeback isn’t just welcomed, but it’s impactful. The Texans are 2-3 without the 25-year-old in the lineup. Stroud’s passing numbers have also taken a hit, dropping from a 69% completion rate to 55% over the past five games.

“Before he was out, he was the top receiver in the league,” Ryans said. “I think any time you get him back, it’s going to help everybody.”

Kickoff from AT&T Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.

Will Texans WR Nico Collins play on Sunday vs. Lions?

Nico Collins is inching closer back to playing and recently received a positive update surrounding his hamstring.

Nico Collins is eligible to come off the injured reserve just in time for the Houston Texans’ Week 10 showdown against the Detroit Lions.

Will he? According to one report, it’s possible.

According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Collins has passed multiple tests for his hamstring injury suffered against the Buffalo Bills with zero setbacks. He’s also regained his speed and mobility, running up to 20 mph on the treadmill.

Houston, which is coming off a 21-13 loss against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, needs to find a stable No. 2 weapon.

Tank Dell took over as the team’s top weapon, hauling in six passes for 126 yards, but he struggled while working behind Stefon Diggs in Collins’ absence.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said the team would “monitor” Collins throughout the week before determining if he’s ready to come off the injured list. The fourth-year pass-catcher didn’t practice Wednesday.

Once the Texans activate Collins’ 21-day window, they’ll have time to rest the hamstring before reaching a decision. If all goes according to plan, Houston could have Collin back no later than Monday night’s showdown against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

Before leaving against the Bills, Collins was leading the NFL with 567 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He also ranked third in receptions with 32 and was averaging 18.9 yards per catch.

Much like when Joe Mixon was sidelined, Houston’s offense has been built around a consistent focal point. Collins, who signed a three-year extension in the offseason, finished with three outings of at least 100 yards and six catches during Mixon’s absence.

Since his departure, the Texans have leaned on Mixon, who recently became the team’s first running back since Arian Foster to rush for over 100 yards and at least one touchdown in four consecutive games.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on NBC.

How do the Texans respond from losing WR Nico Collins?

Nico Collins will miss four games, but does that mean the Texans’ season is over?

The Houston Texans will be without their star receiver Nico Collins for at least four games.

The team also has 12 more games left on the schedule, including several challenging matchups in November.

Collins, who leads the NFL with 567 receiving yards through five games, won’t suit up until at least Nov. 10, when the Texans play host to the Detriot Lions.

The league’s top threat suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 after catching a 67-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud.

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On Monday, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans changed his stance from “day-to-day” to “week-to-week” after further evaluation. Instead of worrying if Collins can return, Houston will set a date on when those conversations can ramp up again.

“Nico has been the best receiver in the NFL this year. So, do you replace him? No, everybody just steps up and whatever role you’re asked to do, just step up and play your role the proper way,” Ryans said. “Nobody has to be Nico. There is one Nico; he’s done a great job of that. Now, whoever is next, when your number is called, make the plays that you are supposed to make.”

Yes, Collins’ loss stings. His 32 catches rank third among receivers. His six 20-plus yards explosive plays also rank first through September.

But the Texans have two things boding in their favor: schedule and personnel.

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From a receiver standpoint, Houston loses the top trio mantra and must embrace the dynamic duo stance with Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. The Texans also have a reliable tight end in Dalton Schultz and depth with names like Robert Woods and John Metchie III.

Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl target with the Buffalo Bills, currently ranks seventh in receptions (31) and finished Sunday’s game with 82 yards on six catches. He also took over the Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with nine catches for 92 yards.

Dell’s role will increase after having a quiet start to the season. He missed Week 4’s matchup with a chest injury, but the speedy threat has been kept out of the fast lane, averaging 34 yards per game.

Dell’s yet to surpass 65 yards in a game this season after posting three 100-yard outings as a rookie.

“We don’t lack depth at all,” Diggs said Sunday. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can play at a high level.”

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The schedule should keep Houston humble, but also ahead in the AFC South standings, espeically if running back Joe Mixon can return. The Texans take on three secondaries that rank bottom 10 in coverage, allowing at least 231.1 yards per game through the air.

The New York Jets, who recently fired head coach Robert Saleh, are the only team with a top-10 secondary on Houston’s schedule until the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 24.

No one wants to lose a talent like Collins, but it could be worse for the Texans. It will be if no one steps up, but Stroud has faith that the team will be fine without the NFL’s top receiver for the time being.

And yes, he too thinks that Collins plays second fiddle to no one.

Is Texans WR Nico Collins the favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year?

Houston Texans star receiver Nico Collins might find himself in the hunt for more hardware in 2024.

Nico Collins is currently the terrorizing defensive backs on Sunday afternoons as the NFL’s leading receiver. The gap between him and New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers doesn’t even create a conversation. 

But is Collins the top offensive name entering October? According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, he’s in the running. 

The fourth-year Houston Texans’ target was named third in the Offensive Player of the Year list, trailing Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Barnwell sees Collins as a constant security blanket for C.J. Stroud, often factoring in wins more than the quarterback. 

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“Collins has separated from the rest of Houston’s receivers and from everyone else in football. He’s being targeted at the league’s 22nd-highest rate, but what he’s doing with those targets is remarkable,” Barwell wrote. “He is 10 targets behind Nabers for the most of any receiver, but he tops the Giants wideout and everyone else by more than 100 receiving yards. He has four more first downs than anybody else, and the only wideouts converting targets into first downs at a higher rate are Chris Godwin and Chris Olave.”

Through four games, Collins leads all receivers with 489 yards and 30 catches. His yardage also marks the best start of a Texans receiver in franchise history, surpassing DeAndre Hopkins in 2018. 

Barnwell also mentioned that while Nabers remains the top target in volume, it’s moments that separate Collins as the top threat on the outside. 

“He’s also been at his best in key situations, leading the NFL in yards per route run on third down,” Barnwell wrote. “In an offense in which C.J. Stroud is spoiled with options, Collins is the guy the star quarterback invariably looks for when he needs a conversion.” 

Collins will have an opportunity to better his odds as the No. 1 offensive threat when the Texans play host to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at noon CT.