HOUSTON – Texans running back Joe Mixon practiced all week without any setbacks to his injured ankle and has no injury designation on the official injury report, meaning he’s good to go for a Saturday road game against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Mixon moved much better during practice Thursday, running and cutting sharper than he was able to earlier in the week when he was clearly favoring one leg.
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Third practice in a row for #Texans running back Joe Mixon as he gets ready to play against #Chiefs on road @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/BtGqYQybDF
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 19, 2024
Like Mixon, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also has no injury designation for his ankle injury and is set to play against the AFC South division winners.
“I know the questions are about Patrick, he worked out this week, full and will most likely end up playing,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday. “He moved around pretty good. You’re always looking to make sure that he can get out of the way, not to further any harm to him, so that’s what I look at.
“I’ve been through it with him before and he amazes me every time he does it. I mean, the guy, he’s so mentally tough and it’s a mindset that he has going into it. Where he was a few days ago, yeah, I’d probably say it was a long shot, but you know he’s done well with it.”
“There’s a chance, there’s a chance but I mean literally we’ve been – he’s (D.J. Humphries) been going out and running to see – to test it. He doesn’t have that explosion right now but it’s getting better as we go.”
Mixon injured his ankle on an illegal hip drop tackle Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, but it wasn’t serious enough to sideline him during the game or at practice. Mixon was limited to 23 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Mixon expressed confidence all week that he will be available and ready to carry a heavy workload against the Chiefs.
“I know my number will be called in a major way, and, when it’s called, I’ll definitely be ready for it to deliver, man,” Mixon said. “So, I definitely look forward to everything that’s in front of us.”
Mixon was able to finish the game, but was favoring the ankle during and after the 20-12 victory over Miami as he caught five passes for 33 yards to lead the offense in catches and yards.
Mixon, acquired in a lopsided offseason trade engineered by Texans general manager Nick Caserio for a seventh-round draft pick and signed to a three-year, $27 million contract extension, has rushed for 910 yards on 217 carries and 11 touchdowns. He’s averaging 4.2 yards per run and is on pace to finish the season with 1,105 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
“Yeah, we’re starting playoff football right now,” Mixon said. “I’ve got to be there, and I’m going to be there. I’m going to be there for my teammates and obviously for myself. I’m going to attack recovery.”
“Yeah, Joe came out fine,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. “He missed some time there, but he’ll be fine.”
The Texans believe that Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks tackled Mixon illegally, a stance backed by NFL rules analyst and retired referee Gene Steratore.
Earlier this season, the Texans’ veteran running back expressed his frustration about the injury he suffered on Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards’ illegal hip-drop tackle that didn’t draw a penalty. Edwards was fined $16,883 for a first offense under a new NFL rule outlawing a tackling technique that has caused a high frequency of injuries.
“I mean people see what it is, if they don’t want to be fair about it then I’m going to let the people speak on it,” Mixon said. “They know my stance, they really do. Honestly, it’s tough on a defender. I’m going to be real. When it comes down to it, I don’t truly think people are trying to be deliberate.
“People just get lazy on tackles, and unfortunately, that’s the result.. The best thing is I’m up walking and obviously finished the game, so just going to keep doing what
The Texans have communicated with the NFL about how they feel about the lack of enforcement of the rulebook.
“The play with Joe on the sideline, we see that as a hip-drop tackle that didn’t get flagged there, but see it as a hip-drop tackle,” Ryans said. “Unfortunate. Again, it’s something we’re trying to clean up and get out of the game from a defensive perspective. Guys just have to do a better job of getting their bodies in front and wrapping up and running your feet.”
#Texans Thursday practice in advance of Saturday road game at Arrowhead Stadium against #Chiefs @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/YSQKsOoGPN
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 19, 2024
When Mixon got hurt in the second game of the season, he was coming off a 159-yard, one-touchdown performance in a season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts that earned him AFC Player of the Week honors, the injury sidelined the NFL rushing leader at the time.
“I was the No. 1 leader in rushing, obviously I was stopped because of that weak-ass hip-drop tackle,” Mixon said after returning from the injury. “I want to be out there. I can’t do nothing about that. It’s frustrating. It is what it is. I want to be out there more than anybody.”
“You got guys out here protecting themselves from hits and they getting fined $45,000 and $50,000. And for an illegal hip drop tackle they’re getting fined $16,000 when it’s supposed to be an emphasis, it’s supposed to be taken out of the game. So, obviously, the priorities ain’t right with what’s going on. Obviously, it is frustrating to see. But it is what it is. If we’re going to talk about playing the game the right way, we also got to have integrity for the game when it comes to it. That’s how I feel about it.
“The defender landed on his ankle,” Ryans said after the Bears game. “So, tough spot to be in. We all want to coach it better on defenders. That is why you want to put your body in front and tackle guys in front and not reaching from behind, and the defender is in a bad spot there. He’s trying to get Joe down and the only way when you’re in a bad spot, the only way, is to unweight yourself and you put your weight off on his leg. So, unfortunate that that happened to Joe.”
Mixon, who finished the Chicago game with nine carries for 25 yards, has been outspoken about the hip-drop tackle enforcement.
“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason,” Mixon wrote on social media after the game. “Time to put your money where your mouth is. When I got up, I asked the ref where is the flag that was a hip tackle. & his reply was no it wasn’t.”
When the NFL Players Association posted a statement on social media about the locker room media policy, Mixon wrote: “Player safety is what matters & should be the focus not media access.”
NOTES: Texans veteran defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi, who injured his ankle Sunday and was ruled out of the game, was officially ruled out for Saturday’s game along with wide receiver John Metchie III (shoulder), offensive guard Juice Scruggs (foot, out one to two more weeks, per league sources) and tight end Cade Stover (emergency appendectomy, likely out for Baltimore Ravens game on Christmas Day, too).
Starting linebacker Christian Harris was added to the injury report as questionable and didn’t practice due to an ankle injury.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
