Tag: Texans

Will Jeff Okudah play this week? Latest injury updates for Texans CB

Jeff Okudah has been on the injured reserve since he aggravated a hip against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1’s win.

The Houston Texans aren’t back to full strength yet, but they could gain an essential part of their defensive depth in the trenches for Sunday’s matchup against the Detroit Lions on NBC.

Cornerback Jeff Okudah was cleared to return to practice for the first time in months on Monday. Here’s what happened and his current status entering Sunday Night’s matchup at NRG Stadium.

Jeff Okudah injury update

Okudah, one of Houston’s defensive additions this offseason, was placed on injured reserve after he aggravated a hip injury against the Indianapolis Colts. Serving as Houston’s No. 3 cornerback, Okudah was used in multiple formations opposite Derek Stingley Jr. and in place of the young Kamari Lassiter.

Houston elected to activate Okudah’s 21-day window to be restored to the active roster. The team will have until Nov. 25 to decide if they’ll bring him back to the 53-man squad or return him to the injured reserve for the remainder of the regular season.

Jeff Okudah stats

Drafted by the Lions out of Ohio State in 2020, the former No. 3 overall pick only recorded one tackle before being placed on the IR back in Week 1. A former All-American, Okduah played in 13 games last season for the Atlanta Falcons and had 44 tackles and three pass deflections.

Since leaving Columbus, Okudah has played in 38 games and has 31 career starts under his belt. He’s recorded 168 career tackles, two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown.

Texans CB depth chart

With Okudah out, it’s been a rotation of talent behind Lassiter and Stingley. Here’s the rest of the defensive ends on the active roster:

  • Derek Stingley Jr.
  • Kamari Lassiter
  • D’Angleo Ross
  • Kris Boyd
  • Ka’Dar Hollmon

Bills could climb to second in AFC with win vs. Dolphins

Bills could climb to second in AFC with win vs. Dolphins

It’s typically bad for the Buffalo Bills when the divisional-foe New York Jets win a football game.

Thursday night in Week 9 is the exception.

With the Jets’ win over the Houston Texans in primetime, the Bills leapfrogged up past the Texans and currently sit in third place in the American Football Conference standings. The Texans dropped to fourth.

First place in the AFC belongs to the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. For the Bills to catch up to them they would need a few weeks and some things to go in their favor.

Sitting between the Chiefs and Bills are the Pittsburgh Steelers in second place. Given that the Steelers have a bye this week, the Bills could overtake their spot at number two in the AFC by the end of the weekend.

All it would take is a win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

With the Bills favored to win their home game against Miami, there’s a good chance they can move up to second in the conference by just Week 9 of the season. That’s not too shabby for a team that was supposed to be in a “rebuild year.”

Read our three keys for a Bills win on Sunday that would propel them up in the standings.

All 32 NFL quarterbacks (including C.J. Stroud) ranked by Total QBR entering Week 9

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud remains one of the top passers in QBR rankings entering Week 9.

Houston Texans second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud wasn’t perfect in Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, but he did enough to impress the QBR pundits. 

The former Offensive Rookie of the Year completed 25-of-37 pass attempts for 285 yards and a touchdown pass in the second quarter. He completed 66.7% of his throws and connected on four balls over 15 yards downfield. 

With that overall solid performance, Stroud remained idle at No. 12 in ESPN’s Total QBR rankings this week. ESPN gave Stroud a 60.2 QBR rating against Indianapolis, which is the middle of the pack for the 2024 season. 

Stroud’s traditional passer rating against the Colts was 99.5, which marked the fourth-highest rating of the season. He posted a 115.9 rating in a 29-27 win over Indianapolis in Week 1’s victory.  

The Total QBR differs from the traditional passer rating. According to ESPN, the QBR “incorporates all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers and penalties.”

The metric also considers scenarios that a traditional passer rating overlooks and  looks at “a team’s level of success or failure on every play to provide the proper context and then allocates credit to the quarterback and his teammate to produce a clearer measure of quarterback efficiency.”

Through eight games, Stroud’s thrown four interceptions and been sacked 23 times. Two turnovers came in the 34-7 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.

Here’s a look at where Stroud stacks up against the NFL’s other starting quarterbacks entering Week 8 when it comes to QBR.

NFL QBs ranked by Total QBR before Week 9

  1. Joe Burrow: 75.4
  2. Lamar Jackson: 74.9
  3. Kyler Murray: 74.4
  4. Josh Allen: 73.7
  5. Jayden Daniels: 73.7
  6. Jalen Hurts: 69.3
  7. Patrick Mahomes: 67.0
  8. Trevor Lawrence: 65.7
  9. Brock Purdy: 62.4
  10. Kirk Cousins:  61.4
  11. Matthew Stafford: 61.4
  12. C.J. Stroud: 60.2
  13. Sam Darnold: 58.7
  14. Geno Smith:  57.3
  15. Justin Herbert: 56.0
  16. Baker Mayfield: 55.8
  17. Jordan Love: 55.6
  18. Andy Dalton: 54.9
  19. Justin Fields: 53.6
  20. Bo Nix: 53.6
  21. Jared Goff: 52.8
  22. Aaron Rodgers: 50.4
  23. Dak Prescott: 47.5
  24. Caleb Williams: 45.8
  25. Jacoby Brissett: 44.7
  26. Daniel Jones: 44.6
  27. Anthony Richardson: 38.4
  28. Gardner Minshew: 38.1
  29. Will Levis: 26.0
  30. Deshaun Watson: 22.8

Stroud and the Texans will take on the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football at MetLife Stadium at 7:15 p.m. CT.

Texans provide update on WR Stefon Diggs

The Texans have a small update on Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said that Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs is being evaluated for a knee injury suffered during a non-contact play in the third quarter of Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

“Unfortunate to see Stef go down there,” Ryans said. “He’s still being evaluated for a knee. We’ll find out further information as the week goes on.”

Diggs, who had taken over as the No. 1 option after Nico Collins was placed on the injured reserve, tried to break open on a route when he pulled up and grabbed at his right knee before falling to the ground.

Trainers checked on him for several minutes before he was able to walk off the field on his own power. He immediately entered the locker room and was ruled out minutes later.

“Prayers go out to Stef. God doesn’t make any mistakes. I hope he’s OK,” Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “I don’t know what’s going on yet. I’m praying and hoping he starts to feel better … Not easy seeing him go down.”

Diggs, who ranks fifth nationally in receptions (47),  is second on the Texans in yards with 496. He was on his way to his first 100-yard outing after hauling in a 49-yard catch in the third quarter.

He finished the afternoon with a team-leading five catches for 81 yards.

“That’s my brother,” Texans receiver Tank Dell said. “I just pray that whatever happens it’s something minor and he can get back out there with us Thursday.”

Houston is already struggling at receiver with Collins on the injured reserve. If Diggs were to miss time, the Texans would be without their top two targets at least through next week’s matchup on “Thursday Night Football” against the New York Jets.

Collins, who previously led the NFL in receiving yards, is progressing well and should be back for Sunday Night Football’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. He was placed on the injured reserve following Week 5’s win over the Bills and would be cleared on Monday, Nov. 4.

If Diggs is sidelined for a significant amount of time, Dell will become the go-to option in the passing attack until Collins returns.

The second-year receiver has struggled to produce like he did in his rookie year, but he did haul in a 7-yard touchdown catch during the second quarter and finished with 32 yards.

Houston will also turn to Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III and Robert Woods in larger roles than perhaps envisioned.

Metchie caught three passes for 29 yards. Woods finished with two catches for 18 yards and Hutchinson finished with one catch for 19 yards.

The Texans could also trade for a potential receiver before the deadline on Nov. 5.

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

Will Azeez Al-Shaair play this week? Latest injury updates for Texans LB

Will Azeez Al-Shaair be back for the Houston Texans in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts?

Looking to remain undefeated in divisional play, the Houston Texans return to NRG Stadium for a Week 8 showdown against the Indianapolis Colts. 

The winner of Sunday’s game will have not just bragging rights, but also a slight lead in the race for the AFC South division title at 2-1. The Texans enter Sunday’s matchup as a 6.5-point favorite and should be healthier than they were last week at Lambeau Field. 

But will star linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair be among those suiting up for Week 8’s showdown? Here’s what fans need to know heading into Sunday’s matchup. 

Azeez Al-Shaair injury update

Al-Shaair suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of the team’s Week 6 win over the New England Patriots. While he returned for several drives, the veteran did not play in the fourth quarter.

Houston elected to let Al-Shaair rest up in Week 7, but he hasn’t participated in practice over the past two weeks. Houston officially ruled out the linebacker and will turn to newcomer Devin White, who recently signed a one-year deal earlier this week. 

Al-Shaair has been an essential member of Houston’s front seven and remains the captain on the field. He’s second in total tackles (40), third in tackles for loss (4.5), fourth in pass breakups (4) and has a sack in six games. 

How long will Azeez Al-Shaair be out?

There’s no timetable for Al-Shaair’s injury, but he could be out at least two more games should he not practice on Tuesday. The Texans have a quick turnaround following Sunday’s game as they’ll travel to MetLife Stadium to face off against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. 

If Al-Shaair is out because of the short week, he’ll more than likely be cleared to return for Week 10’s matchup against the Detriot Lions on Sunday Night Football. 

Texans linebacker depth chart

Linebacker remains a question mark entering Sunday’s contest among starters. While Al-Shaair was ruled out, second-year starter and leading tackler Henry To’oTo’o was listed as questionable with a concussion. He missed Week 7 after leaving with a concussion during the fourth quarter against New England. 

Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen started last week and flashed. Hewitt led the team with eight tackles and recorded an interception. Hansen recorded seven stops. 

White, a former All-Pro for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, isn’t expected to start but could see prominent reps as the No. 3 option. If Al-Shaair misses next week’s game, it wouldn’t be shocking to see an expanded role for the former first-round defender. 

Last season with the Buccaneers, White had 83 tackles, six pass deflections and two interceptions. 

C.J. Stroud shares funny story of new Texans teammate Devin White

C.J. Stroud has a fun story to tell on how he met his new teammate Devin White.

Plenty of Houston Texans fans probably remember linebacker Devin White best for his fundamental tackling and love of horses during his five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud remembers White for a different reason. The former Pro Bowler gave the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year an “it’s big boy football” memory during the 2023 season when the two met at NRG Stadium in Week 9.

As Stroud took the snap, White bulldozed through the interior of Houston’s offensive line and met the quarterback head-on. Stroud was smart enough to dodge the defender and throw the ball away before being taken down for a sack, but it certainly was something that nearly altered the game’s outlook.

“He is a heck of a football player, he’s really fast,” Stroud said nearly a year later after the Texans agreed to terms with White on a one-year deal Wednesday. “I feel like I got up a little bit, but I got out of bounds too, I am not trying to get hit by him.”

As the linebacker room deals with injuries, White hopes to be the solution. He signed a one-year deal earlier this offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles but never played a down during the first five games before being released earlier this month.

At his peak, the former first-rounder has the potential to be a three-down player and the next revival project under DeMeco Ryans.

“It’s no secret that Devin has been an All-pro, top linebacker in this League coming out of college,” Ryans said. “He was a no-miss player. He went top 10 in the Draft, I mean, he was an exceptional talent.”

@brgridiron The sound effects when he’s running 😂 #nfl #micahparsons #cjstroud @The Edge with Micah Parsons ♬ original sound – B/R Gridiron

As for Stroud, he’s yet to talk to White about the incident, but he’s glad to call the former LSU star a teammate instead of an opponent.

“He is a great player, great addition so shoutout to [general manager] Nick [Caserio] for doing his thing once again,” Stroud said. “I am in love with that choice Nick made and I think he will be a great addition to this defense.”

The Texans return to NRG Stadium to take on the Indianapolis Colts this Saturday at noon CT.

Colts vs. Texans injury report: Latest updates, news for Wednesday

Here are the latest updates and news on the Houston Texans injury report ahead of Week 8’s game against the Indianapolis Colts

For the first time in two weeks, Kamari Lassiter looked healthy.

The Houston Texans rookie cornerback returned to practice as a limited participant Wednesday in preparation for Week 8’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.

Lassiter, the Texans’ second-round pick out of Georgia, had been dealing with a scapula fracture, a rare football injury involving the back of the shoulder blade suffered during an offensive pass interference infraction against the Buffalo Bills.

While there’s still a chance he could miss Sunday’s outing, practicing is a sign in the right direction that he could be cleared.

https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2024/10/23/texans-deandre-hopkins-chiefs-patrick-mahomes/ 

This season, Lassiter has been one of the better rookie cornerbacks. He’s recorded 15 tackles, two for losses, three pass deflections and an interception. According to Pro Football Focus, opposing quarterbacks have completed 9 of 24 passes against Lassiter for 193 yards.

Linebacker Henry To’oTo’o also returned to practice as a limited participant after suffering a concussion in Week 6’s win over the New England Patriots. He didn’t play last week but could be cleared to return by Thursday afternoon.

Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and defensive back Jimmie Ward (groin) missed practice for the fourth consecutive day. According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Ward is expected to miss his third consecutive game due to injury.

Rookie Calen Bullock, who totaled his third interception in Week 7, is expected to start opposite Eric Murray.

Al-Shaair, who left in Week 6 during the third quarter, could be a game-time decision. Earlier Wednesday, Houston signed former first-round pick Devin White to the active roster for depth purposes.

Receivers Robert Woods (foot) and Steven Sims (back) also missed Wednesday’s practice. Woods hasn’t played since Week 5’s win over the Buffalo Bills.

Here’s a look at the injury report for the Texans and Colts after Wednesday’s practice. With a win on Sunday, the Texans would finish with at least a .500 record in divisional play for 2024.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT. The game will be televised on CBS.

Packers 24, Texans 22: Game balls, play of the game

Here’s the Texans’ Player of the Game following Week 7’s loss on the road to the Green Bay Packers.

For the first time in 2024, the Houston Texans have been on the opposing side of a game-winning kick. 

Brandon McManus, who signed earlier this week with the Green Bay Packers, drilled a 45-yard field goal as time expired to secure a 24-22 victory at Lambeau Field. 

Houston’s offense barely had life. The defense created two turnovers and the special teams were special, especially M.J. Stewart’s fumble recovery inside Green Bay’s red zone.

Not all is terrible for the Texans as they fall to 5-2 entering Week 8’s matchup at home against the Indianapolis Colts. 

It’s time to hand out game balls and pick the play of the game:

Game balls

Offense: RB Joe Mixon — This is the only correct answer because Mixon was the only consistent player Sunday. He averaged 4.9 yards per attempt, capitalized on several third-and-short runs and pushed ahead for two touchdowns in the first half.

When Mixon is healthy, the Texans’ offense could be considered one of the league’s best. Sunday marked the third 100-yard rushing performance for the former Bengals’ star and the third game where he’s averaged over 22 carries and 4.5 yards per attempt. Last season, the Texans were one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL.

Entering Week 8, they rank 16th in yards per attempt, 15th in rushing yards per game and 11th in rushing touchdowns.  That’s mainly because of Mixon’s ability to win at the point of attack and explosive runs in space. 

Defense: LB Neville Hewitt — Thrust into a full-time role after Azeez Al-Shaair left last week’s win over New England, Hewitt has been a tackling machine. He also showed off his hands with an early interception after Jordan Love’s pass was broken up by Jalen Pitre to set up a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal in the first quarter. Hewitt finished with eight tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. He also helped force two thrid-down stops that led to a punt from Daniel Whelan. 

Special teams: DB M.J. Stewart — Situational awareness was essential in Sunday’s outing for Houston to put up points. Seventeen of the Texans’ 22 points came off turnovers, with perhaps the game-changer being on a muffed punt recovered by M.J. Stewart. The ball hit Corey Ballentine’s leg and became live. Perfectly, Stewart pounced on the ball to set up a 4-yard touchdown run from Mixon later in the drive. 

Play of the game

After starting off the final drive with a few conservative runs, the Texans were facing a 3rd-and-10 and just were pushed out of field goal range. Stroud barely had time to survey the field before a pair of Packers defenders were in his face. 

On the run, Stroud found an open Xavier Hutchinson near the sideline and delivered a strike. The ball was low, so Hutchinson dove to avoid contact with the defenders and secured the ball. 

A fresh of downs and three plays later, Houston led by two with just under two minutes remaining in the game. If the play-calling was a bit more aggressive, perhaps the Texans would be up by five, thus forcing Jordan Love and the Packers to go for the end zone. 


Still, it was a quality reception for Hutchinson as the de facto No. 3 target. 

Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from win over Texans in Week 7

Based on grades from PFF, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans.

The grades at Pro Football Focus support what was suspected: the Green Bay Packers didn’t play anywhere near their best game but still managed to beat the AFC South-leading Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Per PFF, the Packers overall grade in Week 7 was the team’s second lowest of the season, ahead of only the Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. But a pressure-packed performance from Jeff Hafley’s defense against C.J. Stroud and a couple of clutch plays from Jordan Love got the job done against a contender from the AFC.

Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 7 win over the Texans:

Top 5 offense

1. WR Bo Melton: 81.2
2. WR Romeo Doubs: 76.4
3. RT Zach Tom: 72.6
4. QB Jordan Love: 72.2
5. TE Ben Sims: 69.6

Melton caught a third down pass to extend a scoring drive. Doubs caught eight of 10 targets, averaged 2.97 yards per route run and made four of five contested catches. Tom gave up two pressures but earned the line’s top run-blocking grade. Love made three big-time throws and was excellent when kept clean. Sims was the team’s highest graded run blocker, and he made one catch.

Top 5 defense

1. LB Eric Wilson: 82.7
2. LB Quay Walker: 76.8
3. DE Rashan Gary: 74.0
4. S Xavier McKinney: 69.1
5. S Javon Bullard: 66.1

Wilson produced a team-high four stops, including two sacks and two other tackles for loss, and he broke up a pass on third down. Walker had a tackle and was solid in coverage over 13 snaps before exiting with a concussion. Gary produced a team-high six pressures, including two quarterback hits and his first sack since Week 1. He also had two run stops. McKinney got home on both of his blitz attempts, including one ending in a third-down sack. Bullard was solid against the run and finished with three stops.

Bottom 5 offense

1. WR Jayden Reed: 40.1
2. WR Christian Watson: 53.3
3. LT Rasheed Walker: 55.6
4. RG Sean Rhyan: 56.0
5. TE Tucker Kraft: 56.8

Reed dropped two passes and produced only 10 receiving yards on 32 routes run. Watson caught only one pass and was stopped for a loss on his lone rushing attempt, and he graded out poorly as a run blocker. Walker gave up three pressures, including a sack, and struggled in the run game. Rhyan gave up a sack and was only average in the run game. Kraft caught three passes, including a touchdown, but he averaged 0.92 yards per route run on 36 routes.

Bottom 5 defense

1. DE Lukas Van Ness: 30.2
2. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 34.4
3. DL TJ Slaton: 35.1
4. DE Preston Smith: 37.5
5. DL Colby Wooden: 55.5

Van Ness played 32 snaps, including 22 as a pass-rushers, but wasn’t credited with a pressure. He also missed two tackles. Cooper missed two tackles, gave up two completions into his coverage and earned a poor run defense grade. Slaton played 22 snaps against the run but missed two tackles and earned a poor run defense grade. Smith was on the field for a season low 28 snaps, and he didn’t register a single pressure. Wooden had a quarterback hit but wasn’t effective against the run.

Special teams

Corey Ballentine was responsible for losing a fumble on the punt return, but he also had a tackle. Matt Orzech had a poor snap on a punt and the final field goal attempt, but he also had a tackle. Eric Wilson had one tackle and one miss. Zayne Anderson had a tackle. Kingsley Enagbare and Arron Mosby were flagged for penalties — Mosby’s holding negated a long kickoff return from Keisean Nixon. Brandon McManus made all four of his kick attempts. Daniel Whelan averaged 51.8 net yards, a season high.

Quarterback play

Jordan Love: 72.2

Love had three big-time throws and two turnover-worthy plays, matching his touchdown and interception total. He completed 80.8 percent of passes and threw three touchdown passes from clean pockets but struggled against pressure. Love connected on only 2-of-7 attempts over 20 yards, but two were touchdowns. When throwing between 0-9 yards, Love was 14-for-15 passing. The Packers used play-action on only six dropbacks.

Stat to know

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was under pressure on 15 of his 29 dropbacks, or 51.7 percent. He completed only three passes for 14 yards and took four sacks while under pressure.

Good, bad and ugly from Packers’ 24-22 win over Texans in Week 7

The good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ 24-22 win over the Texans in Week 7.

The Green Bay Packers trailed the Houston Texans at four different points in the game, but Jordan Love threw three go-ahead touchdown passes and new kicker Brandon McManus put the Packers ahead for good when he connected on a 45-yard field goal as time expired on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The come-from-behind win was the Packers’ third straight victory and improved the team’s record to 5-2 after seven games.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ win over the Texans:

The Good

Pass rush and coverage: The Packers didn’t have a takeaway, but Jeff Hafley’s ascending defense showed how suffocating they can be when they mix coverage and pressure against a top quarterback. Green Bay had C.J. Stroud under pressure on almost half of his dropbacks, and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 finished with only 10 completions and 55 net passing yards — both career lows. The Packers sacked him four times. Receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell combined for five catches on 11 targets for only 23 yards.

Depth shines again: On one drive in the first half, seven different players touched the ball as the Packers marched down the field and scored. Three different players caught touchdown passes from Jordan Love, Romeo Doubs led the team with eight catches and 94 yards and Josh Jacobs turned 17 touches into 92 yards. Even on a day when Christian Watson and Jayden Reed were quiet, the Packers were productive enough on offense to win. Tucker Kraft and Dontayvion Wicks both caught their team-leading fourth touchdown passes. Bo Melton and Emanuel Wilson both had third-down conversions on scoring drives.

The Bad

Two more Jordan Love interceptions: Love threw two more interceptions — one on a deflected ball by Jalen Pitre on the first series and another on an overthrow under pressure. Love now has eight picks — tied with Patrick Mahomes for the NFL lead — in only five starts. What’s the concern level? Turnovers are never a good thing, but Love is a big-game hunter who trusts his arm talent and will always be aggressive. On the first pick, he appeared to make the right read against the coverage but the defender made a terrific individual play, sensing the route combination and coming off coverage on Romeo Doubs. Later, Love drifted against pressure and sailed a throw when he needed an accurate ball to beat the coverage. If anything, these are mistakes Love can learn from moving forward. The Texans scored 10 of their 22 points following Love’s interceptions.

The Ugly

Punt returns: The Packers had big issues returning punts. Keisean Nixon failed to catch one in the first half, and the bouncing ball hit off Corey Ballentine for an avoidable turnover. Later, Nixon had a return blocked up in front of him, but he hesitated after the catch and tried to get outside containment on what amounted to only an 8-yard return. Finally, Jayden Reed caught a punt at the 1-yard line and was stopped inside the 5.