After a potentially ominous start to the week, the Houston Texans’ fortunes have quickly trended in the opposite direction ahead of their regular-season finale against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans are not out of the woods yet, but their roster is in better shape today than yesterday.
The Texans plan on playing their starters against the Colts, but that was threatened by the first injury report of the week.
Much of that changed on the Texans’ second day of practice.
Texans Get Most Starters Back at Practice
GettyKamari Lassiter #4 of the Houston Texans looks on against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Texans listed nine players as non-participants in their first practice of the week, including starters Azeez Al-Shaair, Dalton Schultz, Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, Nico Collins, Sheldon Rankins, and Trent Brown.
On Thursday, all but Lassiter were back on the practice field for the Texans.
That is still good news for C.J. Stroud, who gets his No. 1 wide receiver and right tackle back in addition to seeing his rookie LT, Aireontae Ersery, practice two days straight.
Ersery underwent surgery on his thumb after the Texans’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16. He sat out the team’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17, but returned to practice at the end of last week.
His continued participation is encouraging, with one more session to go this week.
Defensively, the Texans would certainly miss Lassiter, who has battled a foot injury in recent weeks, but injured his knee against the Chargers.
He was able to finish out the game, gutting out the injury, just as Stingley has for several weeks with a balky oblique. Still, the Texans have already reworked their secondary multiple times this season, remaining fortunate to avoid such disruption on the perimeter with Lassiter and Stingley.
Texans Get Back to Preferred Look
GettyK’Von Wallace #38 and Azeez Al-Shaair #0 of the Houston Texans celebrate an interception against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Texans recently added defensive back K’Von Wallace to their 53-man roster, and the decision has sparked another change that could elevate Houston’s top-ranked defense to another level.
Wallace has been named the starting safety, one of six that the Texans have now used in that spot due to injuries and performance.
That includes Jalen Pitre, a safety by trade, but also the Texans’ preferred nickelback.
Pitre, who has battled injuries himself this season, is back in the nickel spot after Wallace turned heads against the Chargers. Wallace had 5 total tackles on the day, including 1 stop for loss in what was his second game of the season with the Texans.
Wallace played a role in the Texans’ Week 15 win over the Arizona Cardinals before cementing his spot against the Chargers.
Texans Face Significant Decision
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Texans’ plan to play their starters in the finale against a Colts team with nothing to play for this season and everything to prove before offseason changes shake up their group
“#Texans face the Colts this week, with their starters playing this week,” The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander posted on X on January 1, setting up a critical question and decision for the team.
“What do yall think? Are you for starters playing or rather rest them?”
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans made it clear that the Texans’ starters will play if they are available.
Of course, that leaves plenty of wiggle room for discretion, both pregame and during a contest that could quickly get out of hand. The Colts are turning to rookie Riley Leonard against the Texans’ defense in the finale.
If the Texans get out to a big lead over the Colts, Ryans’ decision would be easy.
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