Houston Texans Vs. Tampa Bay Bucs: Week 3 Injury Report
As both the Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take the field, here’s a few injuries that you need to know about:
More from House of Houston
- Are you the 2021 FanSided Sports Fan of the Year?
- Houston Texans: 4 reasons Romeo Crennel is right coach right now
- Astros-Twins Wild Card Series: 5 things to know as MLB postseason begins
- Houston Texans: The Most Underrated Sports Drought Ever
- Houston Texans: J.J. Watt’s early case for NFL Hall of Fame
For the Texans, here are the players that are listed on the injury report:
- S Lonnie Ballentine, Knee
- T Duane Brown, Hand
- T Chris Clark, Knee/Elbow
- TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, Knee
- RB Arian Foster, Groin
- RB Jonathan Grimes, Knee
- WR DeAndre Hopkins, Concussion
- ILB Mike Mohamed, Calf
- T Derek Newton, Elbow
- G Xavier Su’a-Filo, Calf
Ballentine, Brown, Foster and Mohamed have been ruled out. Fiedorowicz, Grimes and Su’a-Filo are questionable. Clark, Hopkins and Newton are probable and are good to go for Sunday.
Houston Texans’ Tidbits:
- Duane Brown: The consensus is that the Texans plan to have him miss the next two weeks as they feel time will be the best healer for his ailing thumb. The best-case scenario is that he returns Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road. The offensive line is hurting severely without his services but Chris Clark will be primary guy to play in his stead while he’s out. Brown did not practice this week.
- Arian Foster: His rehabilitation of his groin continues to have tremendous progress and was quoted this week as feeling “wonderful” but not 100 percent yet. Bill O’Brien mentioned that “he’s looking really good in practice” and that “he’ll be back sooner than later.” But O’Brien has ruled him out for this week. The committee of Alfred Blue, Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes will carry the load for Foster while he’s out. In my opinion, it’s quite possible that he misses just maybe a week or two more before he’s back in the fold.
- Jonathan Grimes: He sustained a knee injury after a late hit in the 1st quarter from the Carolina Panthers’ linebacker Thomas Davis and has missed some practices this week as a result. Davis was fined $8,681 for that specific hit on Grimes. However, Grimes returned to practice Friday and has been ruled a game-time decision by O’Brien. His injury is considered relatively minor and it’s likely that he’ll play Sunday.
- Xavier Su’a-Filo: For the first time in quite some time, Su’a-Filo returned to the practice field albeit limited participation. O’Brien has upgraded his status to questionable and it seems that he’s finally ready to make a return soon from his calf injury. It’s highly-likely that he won’t return this week though. Expect waiver-wire pick up Oday Aboushi to get some time at a seemingly revolving door at the left guard position. The Texans need all the help they can get on the offensive line and he’d be great addition but continues to boggle my mind in regard to how ill-prepared he has been for the pros and how he can’t get on the field. Many vets have jumped his spot on the roster as he has taken a back seat. But this time around, he’ll have to play just out of sheer necessity because the O-line is so banged up.
And here’s the injury report for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- WR Mike Evans, Hamstring
- DE T.J. Fatinikun, Shoulder
- CB Mike Jenkins, Hamstring
- DT Gerald McCoy, Shoulder
- TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Shoulder
- C Evan Smith, Ankle
- S D.J. Swearinger, Shoulder
- S Major Wright, Abdomen
Seferian-Jenkins has been ruled out. Smith and Wright are doubtful. Fatinikun, Jenkins, McCoy and Swearinger are listed as questionable for Sunday.
Live Feed
Toro Times
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tidbits:
- Austin Seferian-Jenkins: He’s one of Jameis Winston‘s top targets but we won’t see him as he’s expected to miss the next four to six weeks with a strained shoulder. The second-year player will have surgery to heal faster and Brandon Myers is expected to pick up the slack as he’s out. Luke Stocker will also be around to help but his role will be more of a blocker when he’s in. Cameron Brate has been promoted off the practice squad for depth purposes.
- Evan Smith: He sustained the injury to his right ankle in the Bucs’ contest against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday and did not return. He hasn’t practiced much all week so Joe Hawley — who filled-in for him — will be the presumptive starter this Sunday. He played quite well — enough to a point where Smith should be concerned about a battle at that position between the two.
More from Houston Texans
- Houston Texans: 4 reasons Romeo Crennel is right coach right now
- Houston Texans: The Most Underrated Sports Drought Ever
- Houston Texans: J.J. Watt’s early case for NFL Hall of Fame
- Houston Rockets and Texans: Two different coaches with one glaring similarity
- Houston Texans: DeAndre Hopkins and the Patrick Ewing Theory
- Major Wright: He’s been out the past two weeks with an abdomen injury and it seems that he could miss more time. Former Texan D.J. Swearinger did get the start last week against the Saints and it’s highly likely that he will do so this week as well. So there will be a reunion of sorts between he and former team so it’ll be interesting to see his impact. He’ll probably have plenty of trash to talk while on the field just like he did here so let’s hope our guys can get in his head and take him out of focus to get a bit of advantage.
- Gerald McCoy: The pro-bowler is listed as questionable for Sunday but it’s likely that he’ll play Sunday as he completes a fierce, defensive line along with defensive end Jacquies Smith, both combining for six sacks through the team’s first two games.
The Texans take on the Bucs back at home at NRG Stadium Sunday.
Kick-off is scheduled for noon CDT.
The game will be televised on FOX and broadcast on 610 SportsRadio AM/100.3 FM (KILT).
Go Texans!
Next: Xavier Su'a-Filo: The Biggest Texans' Draft Bust Ever?