The Texans will be missing at least one of their starting offensive tackles when they face the Chargers on Saturday.
Right tackle Trent Brown was ruled out on the team’s final injury report before the game. Brown missed practice all week with ankle and knee injuries.
They could also be without left tackle Aireontae Ersery. The rookie is listed as questionable with a thumb injury that kept him out of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring), defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (ankle), and wide receiver Justin Watson (calf) are all listed as questionable to be activated from injured reserve.
Linebacker Jamal Hill (calf, wrist) has been ruled out along with Brown.
The Chargers have listed three players as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Texans.
Running back Kimani Vidal is part of that group. Vidal is dealing with a neck injury that kept him from practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday. He was estimated to be a limited participant on Thursday.
Right guard Mekhi Becton (knee) and defensive tackle Teair Tart (groin) are also carrying questionable designations into the game.
The Chargers ruled out wide receiver Derius Davis (ankle), safety RJ Mickens (shoulder), offensive lineman Jemaree Salyer (hamstring), and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (shoulder). Quarterback Justin Herbert (left hand) and edge rusher Bud Dupree (back) are among other players on the report who have no injury designations.
The current AFC defensive player of the week was back at practice for the Texans on Wednesday.
Cornerback Derek Stingley sat out on Tuesday because of an oblique injury, but the team’s injury report shows that he was back to work in a limited capacity. Stingley has not missed any games this season.
Safety Kamari Lassiter (foot, knee) also returned for a limited practice. Lassiter has also started all 15 games for the Texans.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (ankle, knee), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (knee), and defensive end Dylan Horton (hip) were the team’s other limited participants. Linebacker Jake Hansen (chest), linebacker Jamal Hill (calf, wrist), right tackle Trent Brown (ankle, knee), left tackle Aireontae Ersery (thumb), and defensive lineman Denico Autry (knee) did not practice.
Running back Woody Marks (ankle), cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring), long snapper Austin Brinkman (knee), defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (ankle), wide receiver Justin Watson (calf), and tight end Dalton Schultz (knee) were full participants. The Texans will issue injury designations for Saturday’s game against the Chargers on Thursday.
Last year, the Chargers lost to the Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs, 32-12. The two teams meet again on Saturday.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert keenly recalls his subpar showing in Houston.
“It was one of those things that you continue to think about,” Herbert said Tuesday, via Kris Rhim of ESPN.com.
For the game, Herbert completed 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. His passer rating was 40.9.
“No one felt worse than I did after that game,” Herbert said. “And I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened. It would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s doing any good.”
Has Herbert improved from that Saturday in January?
“I sure hope so,” Herbert said. “Those are games that, as hard as they are to watch, you got to learn from them.”
He’ll get a chance to show what he’s learned on Saturday. The 10-5 Texans are still chasing a spot in the wild-card round. The 11-4 Chargers, who clinched on Monday night when the Colts lost, are trying to chase down the Broncos for the AFC West crown.
Appeals officer Jordy Nelson upheld the two-game suspension of Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman on Tuesday. Perryman will miss Saturday’s game against the Texans and the Week 18 game against the Broncos.
The league suspended him on Monday for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman was flagged for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy while Flournoy was on the ground after making a catch during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. That action violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits “using any part of the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.”
In 10 games, Perryman made 47 tackles and three pass breakups.
He previously served a two-game suspension in 2023 while with the Texans for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman is eligible to return to the Chargers’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5.
The NFL and NFLPA have three jointly appointed hearing officers, with Derrick Brooks and Ramon Foster the others.
