Battle Red Blog
The Houston Texans are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Seahawks in Seattle and will look to bounce back at home against the 49ers.
Offensive coordinator Nick Caley has been under heavy fire through the first half of the season for his scheme and several questionable coaching decisions on a weekly basis.
The Texans’ defense forced four turnovers — even scoring a touchdown thanks to star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. — but it still wasn’t enough to overcome the struggles of Houston’s offense.
-WR Nico Collins (Concussion) OUT
-WR Christian Kirk (Hamstring) OUT
-DE Denico Autry (Knee) QUESTIONABLE
-CB Jaylin Smith (Hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
-CB Alijah Huzzie (Knee) OUT
-DE Darrell Taylor (Illness)
-TE Dalton Schultz (Back / Shoulder)
-DE Derek Barnett (Ankle)
Houston will be without two of their starting wide receivers this week — Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. While Kirk’s production can be replaced by others, Collins is one of the top players in the league and will be heavily missed on Sunday.
With both out, it’s now clear that the Iowa State trio of Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel will get the start. It’s a massive opportunity for the young group to show what they can do, and could go a long way in their long-term development.
