The Houston Texans took one on the chin to the Indianapolis Colts in their Week 7 loss Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium. Not only did they fall to 4-3 on the season and lose the opening tiebreaker with their AFC South rivals, but they also collected a couple more injuries that could have a profound impact on the rest of the season along with their existing problems.
1. cb bradley roby
The Texans had to roll with 35-year-old Johnathan Joseph, who is battling a hamstring injury of his own, along with rookie Lonnie Johnson and veterans Keion Crossen and Phillip Gaines. When Joseph was out of the game, the Texans had to rely on Crossen, Gaines, and Johnson to stop receivers Zach Paschal and T.Y. Hilton. Then, Gaines went down with a season-ending ankle injury. With a gimpy Joseph and inexperience from Johnson and mid-level talent from Crossen, the Texans are in a world of hurt in the secondary. The front office has made efforts to shore up the cornerback group by trading for Gareon Conley and working out sundry cornerbacks.
2. wr will fuller
Fuller was starting to hit his stride with the Texans in 2019 as he produced 450 yards and three touchdowns on 34 catches in seven games. Now, he is sidelined for multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. Much like last season when his seventh game was a Week 8 encounter with the Miami Dolphins on a Thursday night where he tore his ACL after finding his groove with quarterback Deshaun Watson, Fuller has found himself in the infirmary two weeks after the biggest game of his career in the 53-32 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the Texans will have to hope that Kenny Stills can fill in for Fuller as a deep threat and continue to take pressure off of receiver DeAndre Hopkins and be available for Watson.
3. rt tytus howard
Two of quarterback Deshaun Watson’s three sacks against the Colts came from the right side, even the fake sack that referee Tony Corrente ruled Watson was in the grasp though he peeled away and threw a touchdown pass to wideout DeAndre Hopkins. There is a reason the first-round rookie was playing ahead of swing tackle Roderick Johnson, and it isn’t just because of the draft capital invested in the former Alabama State product. The offensive line was finding its cohesion with Howard in the lineup, and now it has reset, though not as far, with Johnson manning the right tackle spot.
4. ls jon weeks
The 10-year veteran from Baylor hurt his leg to conclude the first Texans’ drive of the game after Bryan Anger’s 51-yard punt. The Texans are already working out long snappers, if that is any indication as to how worried they are about Weeks’ availability throughout the season. The Texans’ field goal operation is already suspect enough with Anger, who holds, reportedly placing the laces facing kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, which have been a common factor among his three missed field goals and four missed extra points. It could get worse if the new element of another long snapper is added in there.
