For the past four weeks, Houston Texans fans have counted the minutes until Nico Collins is cleared to play again. That time has finally come, technically, because his time on injured reserve is over, and he will be good to play against the Detroit Lions. This will be one of the toughest games of the season, so it’s natural to want the team’s best players on the field. Houston might sit Collins anyway, though.
Nico Collins’ Situation
Oct 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) in the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn ImagesWhile Nico Collins is allowed to play in the Week 10 matchup against the Detroit Lions, he may not be 100% ready to go. Collins did pass all of his tests on his hamstring, so there is no considerable pain there. That being said, he didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday. This calls into question whether or not he is conditioned enough to play. After all, he hasn’t seen a football field in four weeks.
Right now, it’s looking like Nico Collins is trending towards playing. The reason why the Houston Texans might want to sit him anyway, though, has everything to do with the team’s upcoming schedule. In short, this is the only tough game they are going to play for a while.
Houston Texans Upcoming Schedule
Here are the games the Texans have to play in the near future:
Week 10 – vs Detroit Lions
Week 11 – at Dallas Cowboys
Week 12 – vs Tennessee Titans
Week 13 – at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 14 – Bye
So, assuming the team is healthy after the Lions game, Houston gets to play a sinking Cowboys team, the Titans who are having a down season, and the Jaguars who are dealing with struggles of their own. Therefore, while the Lions/Texans matchup is one fans are going to look forward to, it is far from a must-win.
Yes, Nico Collins may be physically able to play against Detroit, but is it worth the risk if he doesn’t feel 100%? Detroit is looking like the best team in football right about now, especially due to their physical play on both sides of the football. Playing Collins might be risky due to the fact that one big hit from Kerby Joseph or Brian Branch could put him out of commission again.
Houston’s Playoff Picture
If Houston were to lose to Detroit, healthy or not, that would bring the team down to 6-4. If they win those next three games, however, that brings them to 9-4 going into the bye. That should put them in a position to take hold of the AFC South, especially since they already beat the Colts twice.
In this situation, the Houston Texans might want to value health over risking players at the moment. They end the season playing the Dolphins who would presumably have Tua Tagovailoa healthy and Tyreek Hill, after which they play Kansas City and Baltimore all in a row. It’s going to be that stretch of the season where they will need a healthy Nico Collins, not this upcoming week.
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