Texans secondary decimated; also lose key wide receiver
Injuries pile up during loss to Eagles
Dec 23, 2018, 3:40 pm
Demaryius Thomas was carted off. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
The Texans lost more than just the game against the Eagles in Philidelphia on Sunday. Injuries mounted before and during the game helping the Eagles best the Texans in the closing moments with a field goal.
No injury will sting as much as the loss of Demaryius Thomas. He went down without contact on a screen play in the fourth quarter. He was then carted off the field, unable to put weight on his injured leg. He was officially ruled out with an Achilles injury. It is the second Achilles injury in Thomas' career. He was traded for earlier in the season to replace Will Fuller who was lost for the season due to injury.
Rookie wideout Vyncint Smith caught a touchdown in Thomas' absence hauling in a 35-yard perfectly placed pass from Deshaun Watson. Smith is the only outside receiver besides DeAndre Hopkins as the team released Sammie Coates earlier in the week.
The secondary didn't fare well either. Johnathan Joseph left the game in the second half with a neck injury and was questionable to return (though he later did). Earlier in the game Kareem Jackson left with a knee injury and didn't return to the game. Kayvon Webster, who was recently activated for this game off the Reserve/Injured list, didn't finish the game. He hurt his thigh. Earlier in the season Webster made his debut and lasted just two plays before heading to the previously mentioned list.
Starting left guard Senio Kelemete missed the game due to illness. Martinas Rankin started in his place allowing a few pressures and committing a couple of false start penalties.
Lamar Miller, the team's leading rusher, and rookie pass catcher Keke Coutee didn't make the trip to Philadelphia. Miller has an ankle injury while Coutee has been missing time with a hamstring injury.
The injuries in the secondary are very concerning as they all seem to be things that could linger beyond the week. It is safe to assume Thomas will be done for the year meaning Smith will have to step up or the team will need to find help in free agency.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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