Culley: Should’ve taken penalty, not punted
If given a do-over, Texans coach David Culley said he’d reverse his decision to punt when the offense had the opportunity for another third-down try when Sunday’s game was tied at 7 in the second quarter.
On third-and-15 at the Houston 38, Tyrod Taylor’s 13-yard pass to Brandin Cooks reached the Cleveland 49, creating fourthand-2. But Browns defensive end Takkarist McKinley was penalized for being offsides, which gave the Texans the opportunity to try again with a third-and-10 play.
Instead, Culley declined the penalty. The Texans didn’t go for it, either. Culley said after the game that they attempted to pin the Browns deep within their territory with Cam Johnston ,a punter who pinned opponents within their 20 eight times during the preseason and three times in the regular-season opener against the Jaguars.
Culley added Monday that frustration over penalties clouded his judgment and that he was only thinking about field-position factors at the time.
On second-and-7 at the Houston 46, left guard Tytus Howard was penalized for a false start, which backed the Texans to their own 41. That was Houston’s first penalty of the game. Taylor’s swing pass to Cooks was dropped for a 3-yard loss, which set up the third-and-15 play.
The Browns didn’t score on the resulting drive. Justin Reid intercepted Baker Mayfield and returned the pick to the Cleveland 24, a turnover that led to a
Texans touchdown and 14-7 lead. But had the Texans elected to try for another third down, the offense would’ve had the chance to convert the opportunity and continue on a drive that possibly could’ve produced meaningful points.
“If I had to do it over again, I would have taken the penalty,” Culley said. “I’ll tell you as I thought about it, it was more out of frustration than anything. We were second-and-7. We get a false start, I think it was Tytus had a false start. Then we go to secondand-12, then very next play we lose 3 yards on it. So, now we are second-and-15. And then we got the penalty, the first thing that went through my mind, and I was a little frustrated at the time
because I was thinking field position. I did not want to do anything to hurt us. Because Cam as a punter, we had the ball right there at about the 49-yard line. I figured that he has been very, very good at being able to pin them back, and I was thinking that.
“But again, that was just out of frustration on my part because of the series that we were having at that time. But no, if I had to do that again I would take the penalty. And give our offense a chance to get the first down, which I should have done.”
Receiving corps hit with injury bug
Texans starting wide receiver
Nico Collins could miss up to four weeks with a shoulder injury suffered Sunday against the Browns, a person with knowledge of the injury said.
Culley said Collins’ injury “was pretty significant” at his Monday news conference. In the best-case scenario, Collins could be back in two weeks, the source said.
Culley said Collins and slot receiver Danny Amendola are “still being evaluated” for injuries sustained in Sunday’s 31-21 loss to the Browns, and it’s questionable whether Amendola will be available Thursday night against the Panthers at NRG Stadium.
Both receivers were ruled out in Cleveland at halftime. Amendola suffered a hamstring injury, and there is not yet a timetable for his return, a person familiar with the injury confirmed.
The injuries leave the Texans with just four receivers on their active roster, a list that includes starters Cooks and Chris Conley plus reserve slot receiver Anthony Miller, who hasn’t played since dislocating his right shoulder against the Packers on Aug. 14.
Miller, who primarily plays in the slot, returned to practice Sept. 6 and would reasonably fill in if Amendola is not ready to return Thursday.
Last week, Culley and the Texans chose to play Amendola and make Miller inactive, although the receiver was available.
“Obviously, he and Danny both play inside,” Culley said. “We’ll just kind of let the practice play out and kind of see what we do by the end of the week.”
The Texans turned to return specialist Andre Roberts, who hasn’t been a featured receiver since 2018, to be the team’s third receiver in the second half against the Browns. Roberts had one catch for 25 yards.
General manager Nick Caserio could also elevate a selection of practice squad receivers in Chris Moore, Jordan Veasy and Jalen Camp.
Caserio could also turn to rookie tight end Brevin Jordan, a 6-3, 245-pound hybrid who can also play inside receiver. Jordan, a fifth-round pick out of Miami, has not yet been activated this season. The rookie had three catches for 29 yards in the preseason.