The Houston Texans released their final injury report ahead of their Week 9 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. On a short week following their loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, their disclosure on Wednesday indicated that five players will definitively be listed as out, while three others status is up in the air with a questionable designation.
Among the players listed as out for the primetime game are rising star receiver Nico Collins with a groin injury, defensive back Grayland Arnold, linebacker Neville Hewitt, defensive lineman Maliek Collins, and offensive lineman Justin McCray. These key injuries could play a major factor in the Texans’ ability to present a legitimate threat to the undefeated Eagles on Sunday, as it constitutes a fair amount of their first-string roster on both sides of the ball.
The injuries to both Maliek and Nico Collins are of particular note, as they will present Houston with two major gaps to fill in their starting lineup that they are not exceptionally well equipped to replace as things stand now.
Those listed as questionable were rookie linebacker Christian Harris, defensive back Desmond King II, and receiver Brandin Cooks who had a special notation with both a wrist and not-injury-related/personal designation. Rumors swirled over the last few weeks that Cooks was seeking a trade from the Texans’ organization, and a cryptic tweet he put out when the league’s trade deadline passed yesterday seemed to indicate that he was unhappy with his current situation.
Houston would be a major underdog in this matchup even if their injury report was squeaky clean, but the added pressure of so many missing contributors will be a daunting challenge for the team to overcome against such a capable opponent on short rest.
While their outlook for Week 9 is far from favorable, the absence of these talented players could open up a possibility for one of the team’s lesser known prospects to see action in primetime and potentially play themselves into a more meaningful role for the struggling franchise moving forward.
