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The Texans’ monstrous win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium yesterday did not come without a cost, as the Texans saw two starters leave the field with injury and not return.
Tytus Howard, Houston’s first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and our freshly minted starting right tackle, went down in a heap, grabbing his knee before the play was even whistled dead. Howard was carted off, and Texans fans assumed the worst.
Well, good news for those of us who thought Howard’s season was surely over. He’s hurt, but it doesn’t appear to be something that’ll end his rookie campaign. Howard avoided tearing his ACL; he did partially tear an MCL, but the injury likely won’t require surgery and should allow him to come back at some point later this season.
Texans rookie offensive tackle Tytus Howard did NOT tear ACL, tests confirm. He has a partially torn medial collateral ligament and shouldn't require surgery and should be able to return this season, according to league sources
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 14, 2019
Alas, I must temper that celebration with more somber news. Bradley Roby’s hamstring injury is “significant” and will likely cost him a month of games.
#Texans starting CB Bradley Roby is dealing with a hamstring injury from Sunday that is considered significant, sources say. He’s likely to miss about a month, though there is a bye during Week 10 that helps.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 14, 2019
Roby has unequivocally been the Texans’ best corner this season, so his absence looms large. Especially with Johnathan Joseph dealing with a hamstring ailment of his own that was serious enough to keep him from dressing yesterday. The Texans’ secondary was hardly an area of strength entering this year, and it’s now lost its best player for the next month or so.
Roderick Johnson will seemingly replace Howard at RT on the offensive line, and there’s reason to believe the drop-off won’t be precipitous. Yet I don’t know if the player who will replace Roby is on the Texans’ roster right now, and that’s rather disconcerting.