Weeden brought in as insurance
Four players missed practice Wednesday when the Texans began preparations for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at NRG Stadium.
Quarterback Brian Hoyer (concussion), receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee), running back Chris Polk (hamstring) and inside linebacker Akeem Dent (hamstring) watched practice, while cornerback Kareem Jackson (ankle) and outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (back) returned on a limited basis.
Cornerback Johnathan Joseph (calf ), who played one of the best games of his 10-year career, also was limited in practice.
Coach Bill O’Brien said Hoyer, who’s in the concussion protocol, has to practice at least once to play against the Jets. T.J. Yates is working with the first team.
Claiming Brandon Weeden off waivers from Dallas could be seen as a precaution, but it’s more than likely Hoyer won’t play because he told O’Brien he was having trouble remembering things during the Cincinnati game.
Hopkins, who caught the winning touchdown pass from Yates in Monday’s 10-6 win at Cincinnati, is expected to play.
Talking about Clowney and Jackson in practice, O’Brien said, “They looked OK.”
Clowney missed the last two games with a lower back injury.
“I’m glad to be back out there with the team,” Clowney said. “I’m feeling good and looking forward to going against the Jets. I’m looking forward to a big week and a win.”
Jets another test for Watt, defense
Defensive end J.J. Watt said he wasn’t aware the Texans haven’t allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters dating to the second quarter of a 44-26 loss at Miami.
“You want to keep it going, obviously,” he said. “That’s a good goal for any defense to have. ”
The Texans have allowed 15 points during those 10 quarters. They’re playing with a lot of confidence and should have a lot of momentum after the victory at Cincinnati.
“It all comes down to how you prepare, how you practice (and) what you do from game to game,” said Watt, who has 91/2 sacks. “You can definitely carry it (momentum) over if you practice the right way (and) if you prepare the right way.
“But if you try and rest on your laurels, if you try and act like that momentum from the previous game is just going to somehow magically carry you through the next game, you’re sorely mistaken.”
Mercilus playing at a high level
Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus is playing better than at any time in his four-year career. He’s second on the team with 51/2 sacks, eight hits on the quarterback and 10 tackles for loss.
“I feel good about it,” Mercilus said. “There’s some things I need to improve, never perfect, so I’ll just continue to do that and just continue to be reliable for the coaches.”
As for the success of the defense in victories over Tennessee and Cincinnati and allowing six points in each, Mercilus said, “The thing is we already knew what we had. It was just eliminating mistakes and playing the way we know how to play — smart, fast, aggressive football.”
Su’a-Filo works to improve
In the ninth game of his second season, left guard Xavier Su’a-Filo played every snap and helped the Texans upset Cincinnati 10-6.
Su’a-Filo, the 33rd overall pick in the 2014 draft, finally may have found a permanent home in the starting lineup.
“I hope so,” he said after practice. “It feels great.”
As a second-round pick last year, Su’a-Filo contributed very little to the offense. This year, he reported out of shape, then suffered a calf injury that limited him in camp.
Asked about his health today, he said, “I’ve been healthy. I’m just trying to work hard. There are always things I can improve on.”
Su-a-Filo said it “felt great” to contribute in the win against the Bengals.