OT Davenport returns to starting lineup
The Texans shook up their struggling offensive line again Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
One week after benching former fourth-round draft Julie’n Davenport and replacing him at right tackle with Kendall
Lamm, Davenport returned to the starting lineup.
Davenport shifted back to his natural left tackle position where he began the season against the New England Patriots.
Davenport, who leads the Texans with eight penalties, was benched for an overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Lamm remained the starter at right tackle with rookie left tackle Martinas
Rankin benched. Rankin struggled in pass protection since joining the firstteam offense when Seantrel Henderson broke his ankle against New England.
Meanwhile, backup running back Alfred Blue started with veteran starter Lamar Miller dealing with a painful chest injury. Miller was active, but not utilized.
Blue rushed for 34 yards on seven carries in the first half and caught a 28-yard pass.
The Texans started cornerback Kayvon Webster for the first time, but he didn’t stay on the field long. Webster, who was returning from a torn Achilles suffered last year while playing for the Los Angeles Rams, left the game with a quadriceps injury.
Webster was replaced by Shareece Wright at corner.
The Texans are playing without cornerbacks Aaron Colvin (ankle, out at least six weeks) and Kevin Johnson (concussion, injured reserve).
Coutee accepts the challenge
When Texans rookie wide receiver Keke Coutee scored his first NFL touchdown pass, he couldn’t resist doing the dance made popular by the song he has grown tired of.
In the popular Drake song, “In My Feelings,” there’s a lyric: “Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding?”
Coutee had grown tired of the song, including being serenaded by teammates in the locker room.
Coutee carried through on his thoughts that he might do the Shiggy challenge dance after scoring on a shovel pass from Deshaun Watson.
“I might pull it out just because it’s my name,” Coutee said during the preseason. “So, I might pull it out soon.”
Jackson’s pick sets club record
Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson gladly and alertly accepted a gift from Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin.
Jackson intercepted a dropped pass from Austin when the football popped into the air and right into his waiting hands.
The turnover hit a milestone for Jackson.
The 15th pick of his career makes the former first-round draft pick from Alabama the Texans’ alltime leader for interceptions in franchise history.
LB McKinney proving worth
When the Texans signed inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney to a $51 million contract extension, they were investing a lot in him as a cornerstone of their defense.
Besides the $21 million guaranteed the Texans gave McKinney, they were also entrusting him as their defensive signal caller.
McKinney is making good on their faith.
Heading into Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys, McKinney has 249 tackles over the past two seasons to rank fourth in the AFC in that category during that span.
McKinney has 24 tackles, one for a loss this season as opponents have rushed for just 94.3 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry with one touchdown run four games into the season.
“We like big, physical guys, and he falls into that category,” Texans defensive coordinator Romeo
Crennel said. “He had some leadership qualities about him when he first got here, but as a rookie, it’s always tough sometimes for those qualities to come forward because you’re trying to learn the system and understand where you fit within the scheme and on the team.
“In his second year, he began to blossom and show up as a leader, and now he’s got the role, he’s in charge, he communicates, he helps the guys get lined up sometimes. He’s made tremendous progress in that area, as well as as a player. He’s made good progress as a player, and he’s able to make plays.”
Tackles brought in for tryout
The Texans auditioned a pair of offensive tackles, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly.
They worked out free agents Tyreek Burwell and Rick Leonard.
Neither player was immediately signed to a contract.
Burwell is 6-6, 305 pounds and has previous stints with the Chargers and Colts.
Leonard is a 6-7, 311pound former New Orleans Saints fourth-round draft pick from Florida State.