The Houston Texans are at a crossroads entering Week 18 of the regular season.
Starters are expected to play against the Tennessee Titans, but the question is for how long? Texans coach DeMeco Ryans initially didn’t plan on playing starters, but after an abysmal outing against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day, plans changed.
“For us right now, we’ve got to go play better,” Ryans said. “Our last outing on the field was not good enough. It was not representative of who we are. Defensively, offensively, just not a good representation of our team entirely. So we’ve got to go out and play better football.”
Among those who could miss the second half is wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Acquired off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens, Johnson is ready to make his Texans’ debut before the postseason.
Coaches and players believe he’ll elevate the passing attack for C.J. Stroud on Sunday in Nashville and throughout the postseason.
“Diontae Johnson, he’s gonna look real good out there for us,” Texans running back Joe Mixon said Thursday. “Incorporating him into the offense, I think that was major. I’ve played against him for years. I’ve obviously respected him as a football player.
Diontae Johnson update
Johnson will play on Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Should the Texans pull out to a significant lead, Ryans will probably keep him in for the second half to get him acclimated to the system.
While new, the coaching staff has been impressed with Johnson’s attentiveness and work ethic. He’s been a staple in practice under a fresh start in Houston.
“With Diontae, adding him to our team, he’s a guy who has talent,” Ryans said. “He’s done it at a high level for other teams. He’s bounced around a little bit here. As I mentioned to him, he, of course, has a clean slate starting with me. It really doesn’t matter what has happened in the past or what the narrative is about you. You come here and everything is a fresh start. And so we’ll see how he can help us, what he can add to our team. on the field and off the field.”
Diontae Johnson stats
Before the trade to Baltimore, the Carolina Panthers acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. He had 30 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns for Carolina when he was dealt to the Ravens.
With Baltimore, he played in only 39 snaps, collecting one catch for six yards.
Johnson told reporters earlier this week he’s excited to be back on the field in a culture that fits him best while looking for a fresh start.
“Team first,” Johnson said. “Everybody is about the team, I’m about the team, too. So I’m doing whatever the coach is asking me to do.”
Texans WR depth chart
With Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell on the season-ending injured reserve, the Texans have relied heavily on Nico Collins as the top threat. He’s expected to play the first half, needing just 32 yards to become the fourth player in franchise history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Behind Johnson and Collins are Robert Woods, John Metchie III, and Xavier Hutchinson.