The Houston Texans are gearing up for their match against the New England Patriots this Sunday, but they’ll be moving forward without their star running back, Joe Mixon, who missed practice on Wednesday.
Mixon has been sidelined since Week 2 due to an ankle injury sustained during a game against the Chicago Bears. Since then, he has only participated in one limited practice, which was during Week 4.
If Mixon isn’t able to return for Sunday’s game, it will mark his fourth straight absence. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed uncertainty about Mixon’s availability, stating, “We don’t know as of right now. He has definitely been improving week to week and doing a great job attacking his rehab.”
Ryans also voiced his concerns regarding the hip-drop tackle technique, which led to Mixon’s injury. “The NFL is actively working on tackling protocols to keep our players safe. While fines are being imposed for illegal tackles, they don’t help when a player is out for an extended time,” Ryans noted.
With Mixon out, the Texans’ running game has struggled. Although Dare Ogunbowale and Cam Akers have stepped up, the absence of Mixon has been felt on the field.
Mixon hasn’t missed much time since he faced a Lisfranc injury in 2020, which forced him to sit out the remainder of that season. He also dealt with a concussion that led to two missed games in 2022.
In addition to Mixon, the Texans are also dealing with the loss of star wide receiver Nico Collins, who was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury after their Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills. Collins was having a breakout season with 567 receiving yards.
Despite the injury setbacks, the Texans still have potential to keep the momentum going as they navigate through this challenging period.