HOUSTON – One by one, the Texans’ wide receivers broke open for catch after catch after catch.
They routinely created separation. They got in the end zone twice. And they played a major role in the Texans’ 26-15 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
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With Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins out with a concussion and slot Christian Kirk sidelined with a strained hamstring, the Texans still got a lot of production out of their passing game.
C.J. Stroud completed 30 of 39 passes for 318 yards, completing passes to nine different players as he had to operate differently without Collins in the lineup. Twenty-one of his completions were to wide receivers.
“It’s really hard having a dominant force like him being out, but I thought we practiced really good,” Stroud said. “You can’t replace Nico Collins. He’s a top-five guy in this league. I think he’s one of the best. Even when he comes back, we’ve got to find new ways to get him the rock.
“That’s my job, to give it to him. I think when he comes back his force will be felt. But I thought everybody really stepped up really big.”
Iowa State football alums Xavier Hutchinson (five catches, 69 yards, one touchdown), Jaylin Noel (five catches, 63 yards) and Jayden Higgins (four catches, 34 yards, one touchdown) combined for 14 catches for 166 yards and two scores on 20 targets. And Braxton Berrios had five catches for 38 yards before leaving the game with a chest injury.
“We’ve got a lot of dogs in the room,” Hutchinson said. “We’ve got a lot of players who want the ball and who can do something with the ball. I felt like that was a great time for us to step up and show up and that’s exactly what we did.”
Higgins’ touchdown from a dozen yards out marked the second of his career. He was targeted eight times in a game plan designed by offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
“It was right there,” Higgins said of his touchdown. “It was just the play call Caley drew up, a great play and a great throw by C.J. I had a good feeling about that play call on Tuesday.
“If your opportunity is out there to make a play, you gotta go do it. You know, that’s what DeMeo talks about all the time. Playmakers make plays and you gotta just be that person every day. .. Go Cyclones!”
Noel displayed explosiveness and his game showed the most potential. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds at the NFL scouting combine where he had a 41 1/2 inch vertical leap.
Noel also returned two punts with a long return of 14 yards.
“A lot of young guys stepped up and made plays: Noel, Higgins, Wayne stepped up, all of our receivers,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “All those guys showed up, not just in the passing game. The way we ran the football, the receivers have to block. So, they did a great job of that as well.
“We always want all of our best players out on the field, but you don’t make excuses. The game goes on. Whoever is up, whoever is out there, we expect our guys to execute, do what they’re supposed to do and play to the best of their ability. We never asked anyone to go be Nico Collins or someone you’re not. Play to the best of your ability and we’ll be just fine.”
The way that Noel and Higgins have progressed has impressed Hutchinson, but he’s not surprised.
“Man, they’re so mature,” Hutchinson said. “Honestly, I always tell them like y’all are far, far ahead of what I was. Those are my guys, man, those are my boys, and just to see them out there having fun, making plays, it’s amazing. So, just super proud of them.”
The entire week, the Texans’ receivers knew that Collins would be out.
He is tracking toward being back next Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
“Honestly, we knew the task that was at hand for us,” Hutchinson said. “We knew all three of us were gonna be out there the majority of the time and you know obviously we weren’t gonna have Nico. So, we just we put in the work early in the week. We had great days. I feel like when you put up a great week, you come out on Sunday and you have a great game.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com