Week 15 Injury Report: Houston Texans Vs. Indianapolis Colts

Another week has passed and the Houston Texans are winners once again.

After a slow start in first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans got it together and were able to defeat the Jags 27-13. This was after the team really got the running game going with their backs.

Our players were dropping like flies and it’s important to note the Texans will be a lot of key players this week against the Indianapolis Colts, our division rival.

The injury report is a lot fuller this week, so here are a few things to keep your eye on, especially the players that have been summoned to fill-in for the injured.

Take a look:

For the Houston Texans, here are the players that are listed on the injury report:

T Tyson Clabo, Foot

ILB Brian Cushing, Back/Ankle

ILB Akeem Dent, Neck

RB Arian Foster, Groin

TE Garrett Graham, Ankle

CB Kareem Jackson, Knee

WR Andre Johnson, Concussion

CB Johnathan Joseph, Knee/Achilles

S Danieal Manning, Hamstring

OLB Whitney Mercilus, Back

G Xavier Su’a-Filo, Back

ILB Jeff Tarpinian, Knee

Graham, Mercilus, and Su’a-Filo have been ruled out for tomorrow’s game. Johnson is listed as questionable. Clabo, Cushing, Dent, Foster, Jackson, Joseph, Manning and Tarpinian are good to go and are probable.

A definite good sign of Johnson’s progress was that he returned to practice yesterday. Although it was limited participation, his presence demonstrates that his return is not too far away even if it’s not this week. He is still being tested within the stages of the NFL’s concussion protocols and he will be a game-time decision.

If Johnson can’t go, then DeVier Posey will likely be activated for the first time this season.

He suffered a excruciating hit by Telvin Smith in last week’s contest against the Jaguars knocking him out cold for a moments before he finally came to. I hate to see guys get hit illegally like that and it was good to see that Smith was fined $22,050 for the hit by the league.

I honestly didn’t think that he’d be ready to go this week but there’s actually some hope. Regardless, the Texans must continue to keep his well-being a top priority and make a decision in the best interest of his health.

Graham, Mercilus, and Su’a-Filo have not practiced all week so they will sit as they continue to heal from their respective injuries — Ryan Griffin and C.J. Fiedorowicz will continue to fill in for Graham. John Simon will be called up to fill-in for Mercilus, who is the team’s second-best pass rusher behind J.J. Watt. Simon was a mid-season pick up from the Baltimore Ravens and continues to make progress with each start he makes.

Now, he’ll have the opportunity to show the Texans his worth. I’ll be looking forward to it.

Jamison sustained his injury to his right knee late in the second half against the Jaguars last week. It seemed to hurt him extremely as he was lying on side, grimacing in pain. After being evaluated, he has been placed on the injured reserve list and is out for the rest of the season.

As a result, DE Keith Browner, on the practice squad since training camp, has been promoted to the active roster.

KPRC-TV’s Adam Wexler reports:

#Texans place DE Tim Jamison on IR, sign DE Keith Browner from PSquad. Browner w/ Hou since TCamp. Jamison had played in all 13 gms
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) December 12, 2014

He certainly was a valuable asset off the bench and will be a tough replacement — he ends the 2014 with 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks, appearing in all 13 games.

And here’s the injury report for the Indianapolis Colts:

S Mike Adams, Back

S Sergio Brown, Illness

CB Darius Butler, Illness

CB Vontae Davis, Concussion

WR T.Y. Hilton, Rest

LB D’Qwell Jackson, Ribs

S LaRon Landry, Illness

T Xavier Nixon, Foot

G Joe Reitz, Back

LB Andy Studebaker, Hamstring

G Hugh Thornton, Knee

LB Erik Walden, Knee

WR Reggie Wayne, Rest

Reitz and Thornton have been ruled out. Adams, Brown, Butler, Davis, Hilton, Jackson, Landry, Nixon, Studebacker, Walden and Wayne are all probable.

The Colts seemed to have had much promise for Thornton, who was their third-round pick back in 2012. However, his career has been marred by injury — he has appeared in nine games, starting eight of them this season but has been largely ineffective.

Stephen Holder, Colts beat reporter for the Indinapolis Star, provided some good dish about Thornton’s progress:

One thing abt right guard: I think there's been a little addition by subtraction bc Hugh Thornton (knee) was really struggling. #Colts
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) December 10, 2014

And there you have it — the Texans have an array of injuries but the Colts are mostly healthy going into tomorrow afternoon.