Tag: Will Anderson Jr.

NFL fines Texans DE Will Anderson for ref comments vs. Chiefs

The Houston Texans star defensive end is being fined by the league office for calling out the refs.

Houston Texans Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon was reissued a $25,000 fine by the NFL on Wednesday for his comments about the officiating in the divisional round loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now, Will Anderson Jr. is getting the same penalty.

According to KRPC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Anderson was fined $25,000 by the NFL for his postgame comments on the controversial officiating calls against the two-time defending champions.

Multiple times, the Texans were slapped with penalties because of supposed late hits against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that led to scoring drives. Anderson was flagged for roughing the passer on third down, eventually leading to a Harrison Butker field goal.

Linebacker Henry To’oTo’o and Anderson were called for an unnecessary roughness play as Mahomes, which led to an 11-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.

The Texans couldn’t catch a break during a frustrating loss despite outplaying Kansas City in nearly every phase.

“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Anderson said postgame.

Perhaps the lone positive of the unheralded calls is that the league will discuss those to be reviewed and later reversed during the offseason.

Anderson also made it clear that Houston didn’t lose because of officiating, but rather self-inflicted wounds.

“At the end of the day, it’s about us,” Anderson said. “We have to do a better job of executing, we have to do a better job of being ready and no matter what the outcome we have to do a better job of handling Texans business on both sides of the ball.”

The Texans finish the 2024 season 11-8 after securing their second AFC South division title. Houston owns the No. 25 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Texans’ Will Anderson: ‘We can’t lose to teams like the Titans’

Houston Texans’ Will Anderson is still haunted by the Week 12 loss to the Tennessee Titans and how it shaped their playoff path.

The Tennessee Titans split their season series with the Houston Texans in 2024, with their Week 12 victory likely being the highlight of the season. 

Matchups with the Texans are always huge games, not only is it a divisional battle, the shared history of the cities will always add motivation to the series. From the ownership to the players, the Titans always want to beat the Texans. 

This season, the Texans took the top spot in the AFC South and finished as the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs. After a win in the Wild Card round, they had to travel to Kansas City, where their season ended in the divisional round. 

That playoff loss left a bad taste, and apparently, that Week 12 loss to the Titans weighs heavily on the minds of some of the Texans. 

Will Anderson Jr. is a tremendous pass rusher who has played a huge role in the Texans’ turnaround in the past two seasons. He is right. The AFC is too competitive to give games away, and going 0-2 in his career against the New York Jets is deflating.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to understand the nature of the Titans/Texans rivalry and why this will always be two of the toughest battles on their schedule, no matter the records. Rivalry games are a different breed and bring out the best in everyone involved. Neither team will go down without a fight. 

The Titans were bad in 2024, and the Texans had their shot and missed. Now, circumstances are not guaranteed to stay this way in the future. The NFL is an ever-changing landscape, and every season is different, but one thing remains certain: the Titans and Texans will always be rivals.

[lawrence-related id=156420,156429,156404]

Will Will Anderson Jr. play vs Chiefs? Injury updates for Texans DL

#Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. is dealing with hand and elbow injuries. Here are the latest updates. 

Starting defensive end Will Anderson Jr. is listed on the Houston Texans injury report ahead of their divisional round tilt against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC playoffs.

Will Anderson’s injury affect his availability in this critical matchup for the Texans?

Will Anderson Jr. injury update

Anderson is dealing with injuries to his hand and elbow. However, Anderson’s conditions did not stop him from fully participating in Houston’s practice schedule this week.

How long will Will Anderson Jr. be out?

Anderson is not expected to miss the Texans’ matchup against Kansas City.  He will almost certainly be in Houston’s starting lineup.

NFL Playoff picks: Unlock exclusive data-driven predictions

Texans DE depth chart

Anderson’s backups at left defensive end are Derek Barnett and Jerry Hughes. While Hughes has seen limited playtime, Barnett logged 26 tackles in 16 regular season games, compared to Anderson’s 37 tackles with 14 games played.

Expect Barnett to get a healthy number of snaps in on Saturday to keep Anderson from overexerting himself.

WATCH: Will Anderson hammers Chargers QB Justin Herbert

Will Anderson Jr. is stepping up for the Texans defense against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers

That’s a way to respond on defense.

Following a fumble against Houston Texans receiver John Metchie III, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. helped out his Alabama teammate by wrapping up Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert for a loss of nine yards.

The stop ended up becoming critical to the drive since it forced Los Angeles to try and connect on a third-and-9. The Chargers were stalled, leading to a 39-yard field goal from kicker Cameron Dicker.

The Texans (10-7) currently trail 6-0. They will start the second half on offense.

Key things to know about Chargers’ wild-card opponent: Texans

Here are some key things to know about the Los Angeles Chargers’ opponent ahead of the wild-card round matchup.

The Chargers face off against the Texans in the wild-card round on Saturday afternoon.

To preview the matchup, here are some key things to know about Houston.

How Houston finished the regular season

The Texans finished as champions of the AFC South with a 10-7 record. Houston struggled down the stretch, losing three of its final five games.

Stroud’s struggles

Quarterback C.J. Stroud was outstanding in his first year as a pro, winning 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, Stroud took a step back in Year 2. Some of it involved losing wide receiver Stefon Diggs early in the season, missing Nico Collins for a few games, and then losing Tank Dell last month. But he wasn’t as accurate as he was in his rookie campaign and was often under pressure. He was sacked 52 times (second-most in the NFL) and threw 12 interceptions.

Gotta slow Joe

The Chargers have been stout against the run recently, ranking fourth in the past three weeks as they’ve allowed just 81.7 rushing yards per game. They must remain stout against running back Joe Mixon. Mixon finished the regular season with 1,016 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an average of 4.1 yards per carry.

Beware of the pressure

The Chargers’ offensive line must be on its A-game against a Texans defensive line that has lived in opposing backfields this season. Houston has a franchise-best 49 sacks this year, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will be accounting for edge defenders Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson, Jr., who have 12 and 11 sacks, respectively.

Other notes

  • The Texans are 26th in red zone offense and 27th in red zone defense.
  • Houston has the sixth-best passing defense, allowing 201.0 yards per game.
  • The Texans have the fifth-most takeaways (29).
  • Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and safety Calen Bullock each have five interceptions.
  • Wide receiver Nico Collins topped 1,000 receiving yards.

Texans vs. Titans inactives: Is Will Anderson Jr. out?

Here’s who’s NOT playing for the Houston Texans in Week 18’s regular-season finale.

The Houston Texans (9-7) have released their inactive list ahead of Week 18’s showdown against the Tennessee Titans (3-13). With a win, Houston would secure its second double-digit win season under DeMeco Ryans.

Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. is a healthy scratch after dealing with a hand injury in Week 17’s battle against the Baltimore Ravens. Third-year linebacker Christian Harris also is a healthy scratch, though he was listed as questionable coming into Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.

Here’s a look at the full inactive for both the Texans and Titans.

Texans inactives

  • DE Will Anderson Jr.
  • LB Christian Harris
  • CB Jeff Okudah
  • DL Denico Autry
  • DL Foley Fatukasi
  • OL Shaq Mason
  • OL Nick Broeker

Titans inactives

  • WR Tyler Boyd
  • OT Jaelyn Duncan
  • S Amani Hooker
  • OLB Arden Key
  • RB Tyjae Spears
  • K Nick Folk
  • WR Jha’Quan Jackson

Kickoff from Nissan Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

Is Will Anderson Jr. playing today? Latest updates for Texans DE

Will Anderson Jr. will see action on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Houston Texans are at a crossroads entering Week 18 of the regular season.

Starters are expected to play against the Tennessee Titans, but the question is for how long? Texans coach DeMeco Ryans initially didn’t plan on playing starters, but plans changed after an abysmal outing against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day.

“For us right now, we’ve got to go play better,” Ryans said. “Our last outing on the field was not good enough. It was not representative of who we are. Defensively, offensively, just not a good representation of our team entirely. So we’ve got to go out and play better football.”

Among those who could miss the second half is defensive end Will Anderson Jr. The Pro Bowl alternate hasn’t been at 100% for weeks, so having him rest for perhaps with a lead isn’t the worst idea.

Players, however, want to end their season on a high note en route to a 10-win campaign.

“You can never take that for granted,” Texans running back Joe Mixon said. “You got people after this week that are going home. You’ve got 14 teams left and from there, it’s time to put your best stuff on tape. I think that we have a great opportunity in front of us to go out there against Tennessee to try and do whatever we can to go into the playoffs with a great taste.”

Will Anderson Jr. update

Initially thought to play after a strong week of practice, Anderson will not play on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Houston plans on resting him for next week’s wild-card round matchup at NRG Stadium.

Anderson, who’s closing in on a potential All-Pro season, appeared on the injury report with a hand issue but was a full participant at practice this week.

Houston will face either the Pittsburgh Steelers or Los Angeles Chargers, depending on the Chargers’ outing against Las Vegas.

Will Anderson Jr.’s stats

After a breakout rookie season, Anderson has continued to impress. In 14 games, he’s totaled 11 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 36 tackles and two pass breakups.

Texans DE depth chart

Behind Anderson and fellow Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter are Derek Barnett, Dylan Horton, and Solomon Byrd. Denico Autry is out for Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.

Beyonce shines for Netflix on Christmas Day: Top photos from Ravens win over Texans

Top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 31-2 win over the Houston Texans on Christmas Day in front of Beyonce on Netflix

Some thought Baltimore had peaked too soon after its 24-19 loss to the Eagles, but the Ravens have been 3-0 since then, and they have had a much-needed bye week.

A team unsure about their AFC North status can win the division in Week 18 after an impressive 31-2 win over Houston on Christmas Day in front of Beyonce and a monstrous Netflix audience.

Lamar Jackson was 10-15 passing for 168 yards, two touchdowns, and a 143.9 rating.  As a rusher, Jackson carried the ball four times for 87 yards and a touchdown, moving past Michael Vick on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list for a quarterback.

With preparation for the Browns set to begin, we’re looking at the top photos from Christmas Night.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 17-2 lead over Texans on Christmas Day

Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 17-2 lead over Texans on Christmas Day

The Ravens can smell a division title. After watching the Steelers fall to the Chiefs in the earlier game, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry have Baltimore rolling through one half in Houston. With Beyonce and Post Malone in the building, the Ravens jumped out to a 17-2 lead on the back of Jackson’s arm, Henry’s strong running, and a stingy defense that improves each week. Baltimore held Houston to 125 yards of total offense in the first half, and if not for a Texans safety, it would have been on its way to blowing out the host team on Netflix. With the second half set to begin and Beyonce’s incredible performance just finished, here are sights and sounds from the first half. ****

Todd Monken needs a good game plan against Texans’ Will Anderson Jr.

It will be interesting to see how Todd Monken utilizes Lamarr Jackson in a way that counteracts Will Anderson Jr. and Danelle Hunter.

Certain individual NFL players are just so dominant that you label them “game-changers.” The Houston Texans’ defensive end, Will Anderson Jr., is a great example.

In college, he won the Nagurski, Bednarik, and Lott awards, which honor the nation’s best overall defensive player. He also won the Lombardi Award, which recognizes the best overall lineman.

The third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anderson made the Pro Bowl and won the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season. And it feels like he’s only just getting started.

Ravens Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is obviously prepping on how best to try and slow down Anderson, as well as Danielle Hunter, the Texans’ other Pro Bowl defensive end, who plays opposite him.

In a dozen games (he missed the other three with an ankle injury) this season, Anderson has registered 10.5 sacks, 32 tackles, 14 TFLs, and 15 quarterback hits. While he specializes in getting into opposing backfields, he can also change the game with QB hits, hurries, and knockdowns.

“As a rusher, one thing you love is getting sacks, but it’s so much more than just getting in sacks, you know, affecting the quarterback can come in various ways,” Anderson said exclusively to RG. “We are talking about just pushing the pocket. We want to penetrate.”

Anderson stuffs the stat sheet, whether it be traditional or next-generation stats. Pro Football Focus currently grades him at 85.4, ranking him ninth best out of 205 NFL Edges.

This Christmas, we’ll (as long as you have Netflix or a ticket or media credential to the game) all get the gift of seeing Anderson in pursuit of arguably the most outstanding runner the quarterback position has ever seen.

Jackson, who is as mobile a QB as you will ever see, will become the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards for a quarterback on Wednesday if he rushes for 87 or more yards.

It will be interesting to see how Monken utilizes Jackson to counteract Anderson and Hunter. If used effectively and strategically, rollouts can quickly negate the impact of an aggressive blitz.

Of course, the best way to eliminate edge rushers or dominate the run is for Monken to do a lot with Jackson and Derrick Henry’s zone-read pairing.

While Monken isn’t perfect, his work has received much praise this season, and deservedly so. It may not be long before he is in the main seat somewhere.

You cannot doubt that he’s drawn up something special in this week’s game prep.