Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has earned a reputation as one of the league’s dirtiest players, and he’s been disciplined again for a hit from last week.
The NFL has fined Al-Shaair $23,186 for unnecessary roughness/use of the helmet for a hit in last week’s game against the Chargers. The officials did not flag Al-Shaair on the play.
This is Al-Shaair’s third fine of the season for an illegal hit. He was also fined for a hit on a defenseless receiver against the Broncos, and for roughing the passer against the Titans.
Last season Al-Shaair was suspended three games for a hit that gave Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence a concussion, as well as for a fight that broke out after Al-Shaair’s hit.
Al-Shaair is on a three-year, $34 million contract, so a $23,186 fine is not a particularly significant amount of money to him.
Texans Clips
The Colts will be starting rookie Riley Leonard at quarterback against the Texans in Week 18 and they’ll have a new backup in uniform for the game as well.
The team announced that they have elevated Seth Henigan from the practice squad to the active roster for the season finale. Henigan signed with the team earlier this week.
Henigan has never appeared in a regular season game. He signed with the Jaguars after going undrafted this year and opened the season on their practice squad.
Philip Rivers remains on the roster and will serve as the emergency third quarterback after starting the last three games for the Colts. The Colts lost those games and were eliminated from playoff contention over that span.
The Colts also announced that they have elevated tight end Sean McKeon from the practice squad.
The Texans ruled out cornerback Kamari Lassiter (knee/ankle) for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Colts.
The Texans need a win and a Jaguars’ loss to the Titans to clinch the AFC South title.
Lassiter has played through an ankle issue but injured his knee in last week’s win over the Chargers. He still played 56 of 63 defensive snaps.
The Pro Bowl alternate has four interceptions, 17 pass breakups and 91 tackles.
The Texans also ruled out linebacker Jamal Hill (calf).
They list offensive tackle Trent Brown (ankle/knee), cornerback Ajani Carter (hamstring) and defensive end Darrell Taylor (ankle) as questionable.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee/shoulder), defensive end Denico Autry (knee) and cornerback Derek Stingley (oblique) have no injury designation.
As it turns out, the Colts will not have one of their top defensive players when they play their season finale on Sunday.
Indianapolis has ruled out cornerback Sauce Gardner for Week 18, head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Friday.
Gardner returned to play Indianapolis’ loss to Jacksonville in Week 17, and was on the field for 51 percent of the defensive snaps. After experiencing some tightness in the calf, Gardner was held out for the rest of the contest. He had previously been out since suffering his calf injury in the Nov. 30 loss to the Texans.
The Colts traded for Gardner on Nov. 4. He started four games for the club this season, recording 16 total tackles with three passes defensed.
Additionally, Indianapolis has ruled out tight end Will Mallory (lung) for Week 18.
Center Tanor Bortolini has cleared concussion protocol.
With one week remaining in the regular season, the playoff field is almost set, as 12 teams have clinched playoff berths. But the playoff seeds remain in flux. Here’s a list of the teams remaining in contention for each playoff seed, and how they can earn those seeds.
NFC
1. Seahawks or 49ers. The winner of Saturday night’s Seahawks-49ers game in San Francisco will determine who gets the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If the teams tie, the Seahawks will be the No. 1 seed.
2. Bears or Eagles. If the Bears win or the Eagles lose, the Bears are the No. 2 seed. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, the Eagles are the No. 2 seed.
3. Eagles or Bears. The team that doesn’t get the No. 2 seed gets the No. 3 seed. The Eagles are resting their starters and effectively conceding the No. 2 seed to the Bears and preparing to be the No. 3 seed.
4. Panthers or Buccaneers. If the Panthers beat or tie the Buccaneers on Saturday, the Panthers are the No. 4 seed. If the Panthers lose but the Falcons win on Sunday, the Panthers are also the No. 4 seed. If the Buccaneers win and the Falcons lose or tie, the Buccaneers are the No. 4 seed.
5. 49ers or Seahawks or Rams. If the Seahawks lose on Saturday, they are the No. 5 seed. If the 49ers lose on Saturday and the Rams lose on Sunday, the 49ers are the No. 5 seed. If the 49ers lose on Saturday and the Rams win on Sunday, the Rams are the No. 5 seed.
6. Rams or 49ers. If the Rams lose or the 49ers win, the Rams are the No. 6 seed. If the 49ers lose and the Rams win, the 49ers are the No. 6 seed.
7. Packers. The Packers are the only team that has clinched its playoff seed. The Packers are the No. 7 seed in the NFC regardless of anything that happens in Week 18.
AFC
1. Broncos or Patriots or Jaguars. If the Broncos win or the Patriots and Jaguars both lose, the Broncos are the No. 1 seed.
If the Patriots win and the Broncos lose, the Patriots are the No. 1 seed.
If the Jaguars win and the Broncos and Patriots both lose, the Jaguars are the No. 1 seed.
2. Patriots or Broncos or Jaguars. If the Patriots and Broncos both win, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed. If the Patriots and Jaguars both lose, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed. If the Broncos win and the Jaguars lose, the Patriots are the No. 2 seed regardless of what the Patriots do.
If the Broncos lose, the Patriots win and the Jaguars lose, the Broncos are the No. 2 seed. If the Broncos lose, the Patriots lose and the Jaguars win, the Broncos are the No. 2 seed.
If the Jaguars win, the Broncos lose and the Patriots win, the Jaguars are the No. 2 seed. If the Jaguars win, the Broncos win and the Patriots lose, the Jaguars are the No. 2 seed.
3. Jaguars or Broncos or Patriots or Texans. If the Jaguars, Broncos and Patriots all win, or the Jaguars tie, thie Jaguars are the No. 3 seed. If the Jaguars and Texans both lose, the Jaguars are the No. 3 seed. If the Broncos win, the Patriots win and the Texans lose, the Jaguars are the No. 3 seed regardless of what the Jaguars do.
If the Broncos lose and Patriots and Jaguars both win, the Broncos are the No. 3 seed.
If the Patriots lose and the Jaguars win, the Patriots are the No. 3 seed.
If the Texans win and the Jaguars lose, the Texans are the No. 3 seed.
4. Steelers or Ravens. If the Steelers beat or tie the Ravens on Sunday night, the Steelers are the No. 4 seed. If the Ravens win, the Ravens are the No. 4 seed.
5. Texans or Jaguars or Chargers or Bills. If the Texans and Jaguars both win, the Texans are the No. 5 seed. If the Texans, Chargers and Bills all lose, the Texans are the No. 5 seed. If the Jaguars win and the Chargers and Bills lose, the Texans are the No. 5 seed regardless of what the Texans do.
If the Jaguars lose, the Texans win and the Bills lose, the Texans are the No. 5 seed. (There are also scenarios that see the Jaguars as the 5 seed based on the strength of victory tiebreaker with the Chargers.)
If the Chargers win and the Texans lose, the Chargers are the No. 5 seed. If the Chargers win and the Jaguars lose, the Chargers could also get the No. 5 seed based on clinching the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jaguars.
If the Bills win, the Chargers lose and either the Texans or Jaguars lose, the Bills are the No. 5 seed.
6. Chargers or Jaguars or Texans or Bills. If the Chargers, Texans and Jaguars all win, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed. If the Chargers and Bills both lose, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed. If the Texans win and the Bills lose, the Chargers are the No. 6 seed regardless of what the Chargers do.
If the Jaguars and Chargers both lose, and the Texans and Bills both win, the Jaguars are the No. 6 seed.
If the Texans lose and either the Bills lose and Chargers win, or the Bills win and Chargers lose, the Texans are the No. 6 seed.
If the Bills win, the Chargers lose and the Texans and Jaguars both win, the Bills are the No. 6 seed. If the Bills win, the Chargers win and the Texans lose, the Bills are the No. 6 seed.
7. Bills or Jaguars or Texans or Chargers. If the Bills lose, the Bills are the No. 7 seed. If the Chargers, Texans and Jaguars all win, the Bills are the No. 7 seed regardless of what the Bills do.
If the Jaguars lose and the Texans, Chargers and Bills all win, the Jaguars can be the No. 7 seed if the Chargers clinch the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jaguars.
If the Texans lose and the Chargers and Bills both win, the Texans are the No. 7 seed.
If the Chargers lose and the Bills win, the Chargers are the No. 7 seed.
The Texans offense got off to a great start against the Chargers last Saturday, but they slowed down over the rest of the afternoon.
Houston was still able to pick up a 20-16 win that booked them a spot in the AFC playoffs and punter Tommy Townsend’s work helped to make that happen.
Townsend punted five times during the game and four of those kicks led to the Chargers starting drives inside their 20-yard line. The last of them pinned the Chargers at their 2-yard-line and the Texans picked up their final points of the game after forcing a Chargers punt six plays later.
The NFL announced Townsend as the AFC special teams player of the week on Wednesday.
Head coach Shane Steichen has confirmed what was previously reported.
Via multiple reporters, Steichen said in his Wednesday press conference that Riley Leonard will start at quarterback for the Colts on Sunday against the Texans, ending a surprising, remarkable run from 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers.
It will be Leonard’s first start of his rookie campaign. Leonard has appeared in four games this year, completing 18-of-33 passes for 145 yards with two interceptions.
Steichen noted Rivers will stick around this week, though Seth Henigan is likely to be Indianapolis’ backup QB.
Additionally, Anthony Richardson will not be activated off of injured reserve, with Steichen noting that Richardson still has vision limitations after suffering an orbital fracture midseason. Richardson has been back at practice recently, but is not ready for game action.
After starting Philip Rivers at quarterback for three games, the Colts are reportedly turning to rookie Riley Leonard to start the last game of the season against the Texans on Sunday.
The move does not come as a surprise, as Indianapolis was eliminated from postseason contention with the results of Week 17.
Rivers got to know Leonard before the 44-year-old grandfather came out of retirement, as Leonard previously trained with Rivers during two offseasons. With Leonard starting in Week 18 a predictable development, Rivers was asked about Leonard during his postgame press conference on Sunday.
“Riley is a pro,” Rivers said. “Riley is going to work at it hard, and obviously I don’t want to put a ceiling on anything that he can do, and certainly will always continue to pull for him.
“But I said before he ever got drafted, or even early on when he was at Notre Dame, when I got to be with him and some of his guys, I was like, ‘He’s going to be a double-digit guy in the NFL.’ To what extent that is, who knows, right? Is he a starter? He’s one of those guys that is talented enough throwing it, and he’s obviously athletic enough to run around and he’s going to work at it because he cares enough about it that he’s going to be around somewhere for a long time.”
Leonard, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, has appeared in four games so far as a rookie. He’s completed 18-of-33 passes for 145 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Philip Rivers’ run with the Colts has come to an end.
According to a report from ESPN, rookie Riley Leonard will start at quarterback for Indianapolis in the team’s season finale against Houston on Sunday.
Rivers, 44, started the last three games for the Colts after surprisingly coming out of retirement. But the Colts have gone 0-3 in that span and were officially eliminated from the postseason with the Texans’ victory over the Chargers on Saturday.
In his three starts, Rivers completed 63 percent of his passes for 544 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.
Leonard, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft out of Notre Dame, has appeared in four games this year, completing 18-of-33 passes for 145 yards with two interceptions.
Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, is still on injured reserve as he recovers from an orbital fracture suffered midway through the season in a pregame accident.
The Texans clinched a playoff berth in Week 17, but they remain in play for the AFC South title. Thus, coach DeMeco Ryans said he has no plans to rest his starters for the regular-season finale against the Colts on Sunday.
“We still have an opportunity to win our division,” Ryans said Monday, via Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “That’s always the goal each and every year — to win the division. We know we need help from the Titans to be able to do that, so we’re going and playing our guys.”
The Texans need the Titans to beat the Jaguars, which, considering Tennessee’s 3-13 record, seems unlikely. But stranger things have happened, so the Texans aren’t conceding the division.
Houston has won the past two AFC South titles.
The Texans currently sit as the No. 5 seed, which would send Houston to the AFC North winner (Pittsburgh or Baltimore) in the wild-card round.
Cornerbacks Kamari Lassiter (knee and foot) and Derek Stingley Jr. (oblique) and offensive tackles Aireontae Ersery (thumb) and Trent Brown (ankle/knee) are banged up. But Ryans said if they are healthy enough, they will play.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud will start.
