The Houston Texans lost big Monday night out at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks and now could be down a receiver for Week 8’s return to NRG Stadium.
Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins suffered a concussion during Houston’s 27-19 loss, according to head coach DeMeco Ryans, putting his status in jeopardy for Sunday’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Ryans said that Houston would monitor Collins’ status throughout the week before deciding on if he’d be ruled out for Sunday’s contest, but the odds of him making a comeback in six days are slim.
“Nico’sprocess… We’ll go through the week,” Ryans said. “Hopefully he continues to get better each and every day.”
During the early stages of the fourth quarter, quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a back-shoulder pass on the sideline to Collins. Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe won the inside coverage, forcing Collins to leap up for the pass. He couldn’t secure the catch, but the concern came after his head struck the turf and ricocheted back up.
Collins gingerly got up with medical assistance and entered the blue tent for further evaluation before being taken back to the team facility for more testing. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the game and Stroud never built a rapport with anyone else besides Dalton Schutlz.
Stroud finished with 229 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception, with the score coming in the final two minutes of action on a 4-yard pass to running back Woody Marks. Schultz finished with a team-leading nine catches for 99 yards and eight first-down conversions.
“I thought he played really well. I got to find a way to get him to touch the ball. I got to throw him a better ball,” Stroud said of Collins. “That’s just the bottom line. It’s going to be tough. He’s our best player on offense. He’s one of the best players in the league, time and time again.
“We also got to find ways to get him the ball in better situations. So that starts with me trying to get us in the right looks.”
Should Collins be out for Sunday’s home matchup against the 49ers, the Texans will turn to rookies Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins to have a bigger role in the passing game. Noel, Houston’s primary punt returner, did break free for a record-setting night with four catches for 77 yards, including three catches of over 20-plus yards.
The Texans could be without starter Christian Kirk, who was ruled out before the team departed Houston with a hamstring injury. Veteran Xavier Hutchinson should also have a bigger role as a veteran in the locker room.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Will Texans WR Nico Collins play in Week 8 vs. 49ers? DeMeco Ryans provides update
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
