HOUSTON – The Texans are banged-up on defense heading into Sunday’s road game against the Green Bay Packers.
Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen have taken the first-team defensive snaps all week in practice, per league sources, with starters Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o not practicing all week. Al-Shaair hasn’t been officially ruled out, but is still dealing with a painful knee injury suffered last Sunday against the New England Patriots. To’oTo’o remains under the NFL concussion protocol.
Al-Shaair is not wearing a protective brace, but has not been healthy enough to practice.
Hewitt, once called a “tackling machine” by Texans owner and CEO Cal McNair, is a hard-hitting special-teams ace. He had eight tackles, including five solos against the Patriots in a 41-21 win at Gillette Stadium.
Al-Shaair, signed to a three-year, $34 million contract during free agency, has been one of the Texans’ top defensive players and was voted a team captain. Al-Shaair, before going back in the game in the second half, ran on the sidelines under the supervision of trainers.
Rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter is making progress in his recovery from a scapula fracture that is expected to sideline him at least a few more games, including Sunday, according to league sources.
Lassiter suffered the scapula injury against the Buffalo Bills and is expected to miss multiple games this month as he recovers from this relatively uncommon shoulder blade issue, according to league sources.
Lassiter is expected to ultimately make a full recovery this season with rest and rehabilitation and no surgery planned, per sources. He was replaced by cornerback D’Angelo Ross in the starting lineup against the Patriots. Ross started his first career game and played well, allowing two receptions for eight yards on three targets and had three tackles. Ross is preparing to start again at corner.
Texans veteran safety Jimmie Ward’s aggravated groin injury will prevent him from playing Sunday against the Packers, missing his second consecutive game and he is regarded as unlikely to return next week against the Indianapokis Colts, per sources.
Safeties Eric Murray and Calen Bullock started against the Patriots and both intercepted rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Both will start again Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Texans defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi returned to practice from a shoulder injury. The Texans are expected to start him. Tim Settle Jr. may start at the other defensive tackle spot with Denico Autry expected to have a versatile role in his first game back from a six-game PED suspension.
Wide receiver Robert Woods (foot, walking boot) hasn’t practiced this week and is going to miss his second game in a row.
The defense will be tested Sunday against Packers quarterback Jordan Love, one of the top passers in the NFL. Love, despite playing through a knee injury, has passed for 1,131 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions. He passed for a career-high 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns with 11 interceptions last season in his first year as a starter.
“Going against Jordan Love this week, it will be the best quarterback we’ve seen this year,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So, it’ll be a really, really tough matchup, really good team. Green Bay has done a great job this year. They’re explosive on offense. And they pose a lot of challenges not only with Love, but the guys he’s getting the ball to. Jayden Reed has done a great job.
“They do a good job moving him all around whether he’s getting the ball in the backfield or in the passing game. It’s just an explosive offense. They run the ball well with (Josh) Jacobs, just a well-coached team. So, we have our hands full just as all weeks. But it’ll be a really big-time matchup for us and I know our guys are excited about it.”
Not having Lassiter is a blow to a secondary that will lean heavily on Pro Bowl alternate corner Derek Stingley Jr. Behind Ross, the Texans have cornerbacks Ka’dar Hollman and Kris Boyd to fill in and primarily operate on special teams.
A second-round draft pick from Georgia, Lassiter has started every game and has recorded 15 tackles, two for losses, an interception of Chicago Bears rookie quarterback and top overall pick Caleb Williams and three passes defensed. He missed a tackle against Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and allowed a 49-yard touchdown pass last Sunday.
Lassiter has a 58.0 pass coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, in 180 coverage snaps. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 9 of 24 passes against Lassiter for 193 yards.
Lassiter had a 90.2 pass coverage grade on seven targets with two catches allowed, the one interception that counted and a 0.0 passer rating against him, according to Pro Football Focus analytics, against the Bears.
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
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