The Houston Texans are looking good in the second quarter of their matchup against the Cleveland Browns but may be without the services of their fullback Troy Hairston after he left the game with an injury to his ribs. He is considered questionable at this juncture, and his status for the rest of the game is unknown.
Hairston was targeted by quarterback Kyle Allen on a passing play near the goalline in the second quarter and took a hard hit as the defensive coverage collapsed on him. The play took place on a fourth down, and Houston would later score a safety on the ensuing possession by Cleveland.
The loss of their fullback could be a crushing blow to Houston’s offense if they intend to run the ball more in the second half. Hairston is a capable lead blocker, and would usually serve as an extra body to clear a path for Dameon Pierce on running plays.
Without him, Houston will need to sub a tight end at the position in sets that would usually feature fullbacks, or opt to only run in formations that do not involve designated lead blockers in the backfield.
