Tag: Texans 2024 Season

Where are the Texans picking in the 2025 NFL draft after Week 9?

Where do the Houston Texans fall in the draft order entering Week 10’s matchup against the Detroit Lions?

The Houston Texans are thinking of the postseason, but some fans are looking toward the 2025 NFL draft for their next hopeful franchise guard.

With Kenyon Green suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 9’s 21-13 loss against the New York Jets, it’s clear his time with the Texans has reached its end. Now, Houston must look for a long-term replacement in either free agency or the draft.

Interior offensive linemen usually fall in the draft, given their value compared to tackles. Barring a trade of four-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil, Houston should be content with its book ends. Either second-round pick Blake Fisher or veteran Tytus Howard should take over at right tackle in 2025.

Howard, who inked a three-year extension before the 2023 season, could also shift inside to guard, leaving a hole at right guard in place of the struggling Shaq Mason. Houston could part ways with the veteran lineman since he’ll be paid up on all his guaranteed money from the extension signed in 2023.

If the Texans target a lineman in the draft, defensive tackle, safety and receiver could all be options in the first round.

Here’s a look at where the Texans are listed and after the Week 9 loss and the full draft order projection from Talkathon:

  • Round 1, No. 25 overall
  • Round 2, No. 57 overall
  • Round 3, No. 89 overall
  • Round 4, No. 126 overall
  • Round 5, No. 166 overall (via BUF)
  • Round 7, No. 240 overall

All those numbers could improve if the Texans can respond on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions later this week. Houston remains the favorite to win the AFC South and could be in line for the No. 2 if they finish with the same record as the Buffalo Bills or Baltimore Ravens, given their head-to-head wins.

Houston should look better on offense with the return of receiver Nico Collins, who is expected to be elevated off the injured reserve this week. The Texans will be without Stefon Diggs, however, after his torn ACL suffered in Week 8’s win over the Colts.

Kickoff from NRG Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CT.

Watch: Texans RB Joe Mixon scores touchdown vs. Jets

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon found the end zone for the seventh time this season, capping off a 14-play, 98-yard drive.

On a drive that started at the New York Jets‘ two-yard-line, the Houston Texans marched 98 yards to score the game’s opening points.

Texans running back Joe Mixon was the star of the drive and he capped it off with a three-yard touchdown run.

Mixon totaled nine carries for 44 yards on the 14-play, 98-yard drive that ran 8:23 off the clock. For the game, Mixon has 85 yards on 15 carries. He has seven touchdowns this season.

Kendrick Green replaced Kenyon Green, who left with a shoulder injury, at left guard at the start of the drive. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 3-of-4 passes for 51 yards, with the longest being a 32-yard connection with Robert Woods along the sideline.

Stroud also scrambled twice for 16 yards. He hooked up with Tank Dell for a 14-yard gain to convert a 3rd-and-12 to keep the drive alive.

Mixon is 15 yards away from his fifth 100-yard game of the season. He has crossed the century mark in each game he’s fully played. Mixon had just one 100-yard game in 17 contests with the Bengals last season.

The Jets will start the third quarter on offense.

Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. making a case for Defensive Player of Year

Will Anderson Jr. very well could be on his way to winning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award if he keeps up his production.

(This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.)

C.J. Stroud has already proven to be one of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his second season with the Houston Texans.

Will Anderson Jr. is holding up his end of the bargain on defense, too.

The former No. 3 overall pick continues to trend upward toward All-Pro honors as the 2024 season reaches the halfway point. Anderson delivered another strong outing in Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts, adding two more sacks to his season total on 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson.

Last season, Anderson finished with seven sacks in 15 games en route to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Through eight games, he posted 7.5 to go along with 11 tackles for loss.

To quantify those numbers, Anderson is third overall in sacks behind New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and New York Jets defensive end Will McDonald. He’s first in TFLs, with Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt still two behind him.

Houston was mocked for trading away a future first-round pick to move up nine spots for a defensive end. With Richardson being benched, plus the inconsistent play from Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson, it seems like the Texans made the right call.

At 6-2, Houston remains in the hunt for the No. 1 seed as they take on the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.

Anderson could add to his sack total with another promising outing against an underwhelming Jets offensive line that’s allowed Aaron Rodgers to be sacked 23 times.

Kickoff from MetLife Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CT.

Who is inactive for the Houston Texans in Week 8 vs. Colts?

Here’s who is out for the Houston Texans in Week 8’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Who is out for the Houston Texans in Week 8’s showdown against the Indianapolis Colts?

Surprisingly, no one surprising.

Six players were listed inactive for Sunday’s AFC South showdown, including linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o. Defensive back Jimmie Ward was out for the third straight week with a groin injury.

Nickel defender Myles Bryant, offensive lineman Nick Broeker and receiver Steven Sims also were ruled out.

Sims has been dealing with a back injury and missed a game earlier this month. Bryant and Broeker were healthy scratches for the 46-man cutdown.

Al-Shaair and Ward were ruled out earlier this week but To’oTo’o was expected to be a game-time decision after returning to practice from his concussion.

The Texans have a short week ahead with a road trip to New York to take on the Jets on Thursday Night Football, so To’oTo’o could be cleared before kickoff.

With a win, Houston will secure a .500 or better season in division play. The Texans would also improve to 6-2, marking their best start since 2012.

All 32 NFL teams (including the Texans) ranked by FPI ratings

Here’s where all 32 teams stand entering Week 8, including the Houston Texans, per the ESPN FPI ranking system.

Heading into what could be the matchup of Week 8, the Houston Texans (5-2) currently have a -1.5 Football Power Index (FPI) rating from ESPN.com, which currently ranks 11th in the NFL.

That number could expand if Houston secures a victory over the Indianapolis Colts (4-3) on Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium. Currently, the Colts rank 23rd on the FPI rating with a -1.2

According to ESPN’s ranking system, FPI represents “a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. The FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule.”

Here’s a look at how all 32 teams stack up based on FPI going into Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season.

  1. Detroit Lions (5-1): 7.1
  2. Baltimore Ravens (5-2): 6.5
  3. Kansas City Chiefs (6-0): 6.2
  4. Buffalo Bills (5-2): 5.6
  5. Green Bay Packers (5-2): 5.0
  6. San Francisco 49ers (3-4): 4.1
  7. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2): 3.3
  8. Minnesota Vikings (5-1): 2.1
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2): 2.1
  10. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2): 1.8
  11. Houston Texans (5-2): 1.5
  12. Chicago Bears (4-2): 1.2
  13. New York Jets (2-5): 0.8
  14. Washington Commanders (5-2): 0.5
  15. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4): 0.4
  16. Atlanta Falcons (4-3): 0.3
  17. Cleveland Browns (1-6): -0.1
  18. Los Angeles Chargers (3-3): -0.6
  19. Seattle Seahawks (4-3): -0.6
  20. Los Angeles Rams (2-4): -0.6
  21. Arizona Cardinals (3-4): -0.7
  22. Dallas Cowboys (3-3): -1.0
  23. Indianapolis Colts (4-3): -1.2
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5): -2.3
  25. Denver Broncos (4-3): -2.7
  26. New Orleans Saints (2-5): -3.0
  27. Tennesee Titans (1-5): -4.1
  28. Miami Dolphins (2-4): -4.6
  29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5): -4.9
  30. New York Giants (2-5): -5.0
  31. Carolina Panthers (1-6): -8.2
  32. New England Patriots (1-6): -8.3

Houston enters Sunday as a 6.5-point home favorite. The game will be televised on CBS.

Watch: Texans M.J. Stewart recover fumble on muffed Packers punt

Houston Texans safety M.J. Stewart was the one to fall on the loose ball, recording the second takeaway against the Green Bay Packers.

The Houston Texans needed to steal possessions to protect its depleted defense from the Green Bay Packers offense.

Special teams call for special plays.

Packers return man Keisean Nixon elected not to catch the ball in the air and it bounced off teammate Corey Ballentine. Multiple players from each team jumped on the live ball, but Texans M.J. Stewart was the one to record the fumble recovery.

Houston has now forced six takeaways in the last six quarters after totaling just three in the first five games.

Stewart’s fumble recovery is Houston’s first special teams takeaway of the season.

Stewart’s fumble recovery is his first since Week 1 of the 2023 season against the Baltimore Ravens.

Both takeaways against the Packers have set Houston’s offense up inside the Packers red zone.

The Texans will start the second half on offense.

Watch: Texans LB Neville Hewitt picks off Packers QB Jordan Love

In his first start in three years, Neville Hewitt has a turnover for the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field.

This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.

For a defense down five starters, the  Houston Texans couldn’t ask for a better start.

The Green Bay Packers had three positive plays on the opening drive before Texans defensive back Jalen Pitre tipped a pass into the air from Jordan Love.

The ball hung in the air, leading to an interception and return by linebacker Neville Hewitt to set up Houston inside the Texans’ red zone.

Hewitt, best known for his skills on special teams, is making his first start since 2021 in place of injured starting linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o.

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Houston is without five starters in total on defense, with Kamari Lassiter, Jimmie Ward and Mario Edwards Jr. also missing Sunday’s game.

Hewitt has been a key player for the Texans on kickoffs and punts. This season, he has 10 tackles.

Houston is 3-0 this season when it wins the turnover battle. Green Bay leads the league in takeaways at 17, which is four more than the next closet team in Chicago.

Houston only three takeaways in its first five games before forcing four last week against the New England Patriots.

Watch: Texans DE Danielle Hunter pulverizes Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye

Danielle Hunter destroyed Drake Maye to give back the ball to the Houston Texans.

After losing momentum at the end of the first half, the Houston Texans regained it three plays into the third quarter.

Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter defeated his block and unloaded on New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, forcing a fumble that eventually would be recovered by Mario Edwards Jr.

The Texans would extend their 14-7 lead with a 3-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Stefon Diggs.

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Hunter recorded his first sack since Week 2’s win against the Chicago Bears. Houston has three sacks against New England, with Will Anderson Jr. providing the other pair in the first quarter.

Hunter has 2.5 sacks for Houston this season after signing a two-year, $49 million contract with the team in free agency. He replaced Jonathan Greenard, who signed on to Hunter’s replacement with the Minnesota Vikings.

The strip sack was the second turnover, Houston created in New England territory.

The first was Calen Bullock’s interception, which resulted in zero points after Kai’imi Fairbairn had a rare missed field goal.

With a win, Houston would start off the season 5-1, marking its best record since 2012.

Watch: Texans Safety Calen Bullock intercepts Patriots QB Drake Maye

Houston Texans rookie safety Calen Bullock records his second interception of the season against fellow first-year starter Drake Maye.

Things are going from bad to worse for the New England Patriots against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye overthrew his intended target on third down. Waiting deep in coverage rookie safety Calen Bullock for the interception.

New England, already in a 14-0 hole, handed Houston possession back in its territory. The Patriots’ offense has eight total yards in two drives.

Bullock earned his second interception of the season, with the first occurring in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Since then, Bullock’s rep count has increased and he’ll be on the field for a majority of Houston’s defensive snaps with veteran Jimmie Ward inactive.

Selected third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye was expected to sit his entire rookie season behind veteran Jacoby Brissett.

After just five games and a 1-4 start, New England opted to trot the rookie out against Houston.

The Patriots will start the second half on offense.

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.