This offseason, the Houston Texans committed fully to enhancing their roster from the previous year, bringing in high-profile players like Danielle Hunter, Stefon Diggs, and Joe Mixon.
While the Texans’ offense has shown some vulnerabilities over the first two weeks, these issues were particularly evident during their second game against the Chicago Bears. One key factor in their struggles was the subpar performance of the offensive line in pass protection. However, another significant missing piece was running back Joe Mixon.
🚨NEWS: #Texans star RB Joe Mixon got injured on this play, after the #Bears LB CLEARLY USED THE HIP-DROP TACKLE TO TAKE HIM DOWN.
NO CALL FROM THE REFS.
What are we doing…
(via @AryePulli)
pic.twitter.com/MlXY5Mo7FC— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 16, 2024
In the Texans’ first game, Mixon was a major contributor, rushing 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown. Although his role was expected to vary from week to week, Mixon likely would have made a greater impact in the game against the Bears had he not been sidelined by an ankle injury. This injury resulted from a controversial hip drop tackle that was not penalized.
Mixon briefly left the game due to the injury but returned, though he never quite regained his previous form. The full extent of his ankle injury is still unclear, but if Mixon has to miss additional time, the Texans will likely rely on a combination of Akers, Ogunbowale, and Pierce to fill the void.
Following the game, head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed the impact of Mixon’s absence on the team’s performance. “Losing Joe [Mixon] was tough for our offense,” Ryans noted. “The production Joe provided in the first week was crucial to our success.”
Mixon’s presence was anticipated to be a significant factor in the Texans’ season goals, and his extended absence could disrupt the team’s plans. The issue of the hip drop tackle has been a major point of discussion in the NFL and among the NFLPA. Ryans questioned why the tackle wasn’t flagged and strongly believes it should have been penalized.
“The tackle, in my view, is definitely a hip drop when a defender shifts his weight onto the runner’s legs,” Ryans explained. “This type of tackle causes significant injuries, and while it’s not common, the injury rate when it does occur is high, as seen with Joe’s ankle.”
Although hip drop tackles are challenging to judge in real-time, the availability of replay technology raises questions about why such incidents aren’t reviewed more thoroughly, especially given the emphasis on player safety. When asked if he planned to involve the league in reviewing the incident, Ryans confirmed that they would indeed submit the play for further examination.
“We always try to send these plays to the league to ensure we have clear guidelines, so our players can perform without uncertainty and at their best,” Ryans said.
Looking ahead, the Texans will aim for a 3-0 start as they prepare to face the unexpectedly strong 2-0 Vikings in Minnesota, whether or not Mixon is available to lead their backfield.
