Thin D-line hopes for Greenard’s return
Texans coach David Culley said he anticipates starting defensive end Jonathan Greenard will be limited in practices this week as he recovers from a foot injury that kept him out of Sunday’s 22-13 win over the Titans.
Greenard, who leads the team with seven sacks, was limited in every practice last week, and, on Saturday, the Texans announced he was not traveling with the team to Nashville, Tenn. Culley said he’ll know more by Wednesday whether Greenard will be available when the Texans (2-8) host the Jets (2-8) on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
For now, the Texans are down two of their top edge rushers. Jordan Jenkins, a main part of Houston’s second rotation on the defensive line, suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the first half of Sunday’s game. The injury is expected to sideline him for three weeks, a person with knowledge of the injury said.
Culley said the Texans aren’t yet sure if Jenkins will need surgery.
Jenkins entered the game with 16 total tackles, three tackles for loss and 1½ sacks on the season, and he recorded a tackle before exiting the game with his injury.
The Texans currently have three healthy defensive ends on their active 53-man roster in DeMarcus Walker, Jacob Martin and Derek Rivers. Walker started against the Titans and finished the game with a tackle. Martin has started in eight games, played in 10 and has recorded 16 total tackles, four for loss and three sacks. He recorded a strip sack on Sunday that the Titans recovered.
Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s scheme generally calls for a rotation of eight defensive linemen on game day. The Texans have four other healthy defensive tackles, and Culley said they’d be comfortable dressing just seven defensive linemen for a game.
“We’ve played seven or eight guys,” Culley said. “Sometimes we’ve had seven and not eight, and we still have those seven guys regardless of whether Jonathan or Jordan is ready to go, just go with the guys we’ve got.”
Akins sits to give rookie more time
Culley said he expects tight end Jordan Akins will play again this season, although the position group’s leader in receiving was a healthy scratch in Houston’s 22-13 win over the Titans on Sunday after playing in every game this season.
Culley said Akins was made inactive because the Texans have only carried three tight ends in each game, and, with Pharaoh Brown returning from a thigh injury after missing two games, they wanted to stick with Antony Auclair, their best blocker, and rookie Brevin Jordan, who’d impressed with five catches, 50 yards and a touchdown in his two games since first getting activated.
Akins is in the final year of a four-year, $3.32 million contract. In nine games, three starts, he recorded 21 catches for 184 yards.
His absence cleared the way for Jordan to play more. The fifth-round pick from Miami saw his role expand against the Titans. He was often split wide in one-on-one situations on critical third downs, and, although he only caught one of three thirddown passes, the Texans are optimistic about his future as a matchup winner.
“We feel like that’s a good matchup because he’s a very good athlete out there,” Culley said. “He does a really good job of routes. He’s got really good hands. Even when we’ve got him inside, even in our run game, he’s starting to improve there because of strength. He’s pretty versatile. We can do what we need to do when he’s inside or outside. He’s getting better and better.”
Murray’s play brings stability to secondary
Culley said he is seeing more “consistency and continuity” from a secondary that has forced six interceptions in two games.
Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith has cycled through six different combinations in the secondary this season searching for the right fit at multiple positions. Safety Eric Murray, who’s in the second year of a threeyear, $20.25 million contract, has recently brought stability to his position after rebounding from early struggles this season.
The Texans sidelined Murray in Week 4 for Lonnie Johnson for five games, and, since Murray returned against the Dolphins, he’s progressed and shown signs that he can be an effective partner with fellow safety Justin Reid.
Murray made two crucial stops Sunday in the Texans’ 22-13 upset of the Titans.
In the second quarter, Murray deftly avoided getting picked on a third-and-2 route that was designed to obstruct him, and his fourth-down forcing tackle preceded a turnover on downs in which Texans stuffed Adrian Peterson on fourth-and-1.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Murray closed quickly on Titans tight end Anthony Firkser and swatted away a fourth-and-6 pass at Houston’s 24 that protected a 19-6 lead.
Murray’s elevated play makes it possible that the Texans will field the same starters in the secondary again when the Texans (2-8) host the Jets (2-8) on Sunday. If that occurs, it would be the first time the Texans fielded the same rotation in the secondary for three straight games.
“Eventually, the same guys playing together, you have some continuity,” Culley said. “We have the same guys in the back end that have played for us for a couple weeks and they’re communicating better. … Eric’s been a part of it. He’s a veteran player. He’s been around, too. Those guys understand and there’s a communication thing there that they’re getting done that keeps us from giving up those big plays.”