Howard makes big impact
When the Texans signed O.J. Howard earlier this month, they said they weren’t sure how much he’d be a factor in Sunday’s game against the Colts.
After all, he had only signed with the team 10 days before the first game and had practiced only a handful of times.
But Howard’s impact was felt Sunday, as he was responsible for both receiving touchdowns — Houston’s only two touchdowns of the day — in the 20-20 tie.
At 6-6, 251 pounds, Howard gives the Texans another red zone weapon they desperately needed. Both of his touchdown catches were passes caught on seam routes up the middle. He finished with two catches for 38 yards in what was his first two-touchdown game since the 2018 season.
“Since 2018?” fellow tight end Brevin Jordan asked jokingly. “I was in high school. My boy O.J.”
Howard’s 38 yards receiving was second-most behind Brandin Cooks’ 82 yards receiving.
“It’s hard to get one. You get two, it’s awesome,” Howard said. “So definitely, I’m going to count that as a blessing.”
Howard suffered an Achilles tear when he was with the Buccaneers in 2020 before returning for the 2021 season. Howard signed with the Texans on Sept. 1, shortly after he was released by the Buffalo Bills.
Since then, he’s been trying to prove to himself that he can play at a level he believes he capable of. Howard admitted he’s still trying to learn the playbook. He only played limited snaps in certain formations.
But Howard said he believes Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction.
“Now it’s like stacking it all week and being consistent,” he said. “The more I get comfortable in this offense, I think there’s more of an opportunity for me to make plays, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Jonathan M. Alexander