The Houston Texans defeated the Dallas Cowboys to prove who was the top team in Texas for 2024.
That wasn’t a surprise since fans rushed to the exits faster than Cooper Rush went through his progressions.
Fans were taken aback by the limited reps for No. 1 target Nico Collins. After missing five games on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury, many figured the fourth-year pro would be the focal point of the passing attack in Arlington.
Far from it, actually. Collins, who caught four passes for 54 yards, saw action in only 28 of Houston’s 60 offensive snaps, marking a career-low since 2021.
Was Collins on a snap count? According to Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, no, but Houston didn’t want to risk a setback that could derail the season goals further.
Nico Collins takes a screen pass 77 yards for a touchdown on the first play, but it’s called back because the Texans are called for an ineligible man downfield. pic.twitter.com/UdSnRov6FL
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) November 19, 2024
“Anytime you get a player like that back you are taking notes of how do we want to use him and how do we want to make sure we are being smart,” Slowik said Thursday. “If this game becomes a critical game at the end, we want him on the field so how do we make sure we are getting the best version of Nico when that happens?”
Houston, which secured a 34-10 win at AT&T Stadium, was content trusting its ground game. Joe Mixon scored three touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per run en route to finishing with 153 yards of offense.
C.J. Stroud wasn’t perfect, but he found a groove on crucial drives. The second-year passer finished 23-of-34 passing for 257 yards and an interception on a pass intended for Collins during the first quarter.
Houston (7-4) needs Collins for the offensive approach to remain at its peak. Throughout the first five weeks, Stroud and Collins were on a different level of consistency. Since his departure, there’s been evident regression in the passing game, tempo and consistency from the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That should change as Collins continues to get back to full strength. The Texans play host to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has already been ruled out.
#Texans star wide receiver Nico Collins works on his routes @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/kPkqapit1e
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 21, 2024
That should benefit Collins in man coverage, right? Perhaps, but Slowik mentioned that the Texans aren’t changing their approach on rep count until Collins is in direct swing.
“We are always going to approach it as we are going to try to be smart,” Slowik said. “The more often you can get a really good player on the field one hundred percent and not winded and being able to roll, we are going to do that as often as we can.”
Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.
