Texans get worse lining on controversial Joe Mixon injury with two more sidelined ahead of their weekend clash
The Houston Texans saw running back Joe Mixon suffer a worrying ankle injury after a hip drop tackle in Week 2. While Mixon is poised to spend some time on the shelf, the Texans’ latest injury update should allow Houston to breathe a sigh of relief.
The Texans don’t believe that Mixon has suffered a season-ending injury, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. There is still no timetable for his return as his work in practice will give Houston a better understanding. Ultimately, while Mixon could miss a game or two, the Texans seem to have avoided a long-term injury to their star running back.
When he does make his return, Mixon will go back to working in a featured role for Houston. The team was involved in Saquon Barkley’s free agency before trading for Mixon, all in an effort to add explosiveness to their roster. The Texans have been pleased with what Mixon has brought and think he is a strong fit in their offense.
While Mixon is out, Cam Akers is expected to get a larger role out of the backfield. But he would mainly be keeping Mixon’s seat warm. The Texans are comfortable with him in their backfield and will continually monitor his injury. Barring an unforeseen setback, Houston caught a major break when it comes to Joe Mixon’s injury.
In 2023, the Texans ended their campaign ranked 22nd in the league by averaging 96.9 rushing yards per game. They knew they needed a spark to lead their backfield and landed on Mixon.
Through his first two games in Houston, Mixon has run for 184 yards and a touchdown. With his injury essentially eliminating him from Week 2, most of Mixon’s numbers come from Week 1. But they’re mighty impressive as he ran for 159 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.
In that game, the Texans gave Mixon 30 carries, showing how valuable he is to the offense. While CJ Stroud now has a plethora of weapons to throw to, Mixon is still expected to control things on the ground. In their one week as a full offense, he proved he can do just that.
Joe Mixon came to Houston after spending the first seven years of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. There, he ran for 6,598 yards and 50 touchdowns. He was named a Pro Bowler in 2021.
Perhaps Mixon can get his second Pro Bowl nod with a strong Texans debut. But the first step will be getting back on the field. It may not be in Week 3, but Houston remains confident that their running back won’t be off the field too long.
Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist covering NFL and MLB news for ClutchPoints. He has a degree from Central Connecticut State and previously wrote at Shore Publishing.
