Texans’ Joe Mixon remains out of practice; Kamari Lassiter, Jimmie Ward, Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard didn’t practice

HOUSTON – Texans veteran running back Joe Mixon remains sidelined at practice due to a high ankle sprain suffered against the Chicago Bears on an illegal hip drop tackle.

Mixon has missed the past three games after rushing for a season-high 159 yards and one touchdown on a career-high 30 carries in the season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale have been shouldering the workload in the backfield during his absence. The Texans rank sixth in total offense, third in passing offense, but are 23rd in rushing offense. They’re averaging 104.2 rushing yards and 4.0 yards per carry, led by Mixon’s 184 yards followed by Akers’ 148 yards and one touchdown and Ogunbowale’s 40 yards on 19 carries. Quarterback C.J. Stroud ranks third on the team with 68 rushing yards.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was noncommittal on whether Mixon can play this week. He indicated that running back Dameon Pierce, who practiced Wednesday, is expected to return to play Sunday against the New England Patriots after missing the past four games with a strained hamstring.

Ryans said that wide receiver Nico Collins, who was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury will return at some point this season. He’s out at least four games, under NFL rules, and the soonest he can play again is Nov. 10 against the Detroit Lions.

SEE ALSO Texans’ Joe Mixon out for third game in a row, Dameon Pierce returns, Tytus Howard sidelined

“For Joe and his injury, we will still evaluate that week to week,” Ryans said. “We don’t know, as of right now, I can’t give you that answer, but we will see how Joe improves over the week. He is definitely been improving week to week. He’s been a great job attacking his rehab so we will see where he is as the week goes on. Joe is out because of that, the hip drop tackle, and the NFL is doing a great job of communicating for an entire league of how we want to tackle, how we should tackle.

“And we’re trying to get that out of the game. I think some guys have been fined for making those illegal tackles, but the fine doesn’t get your guy back soon enough. So, it still hurt us that Joe was out and we just want to make sure, as a league, we’re doing a better job of eliminating the hip drop tackle, make sure we’re running our feet as defenders and making sure we just get that out of the game.”

Texans rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter, one of the top defensive rookies in the NFL and the team’s top draft pick, isn’t practicing Wednesday. Lassiter played every snap against the Buffalo Bills, recording three tackles and one pass defensed.

Meanwhile, veteran safety Jimmie Ward didn’t practice. There is concern that Wasrd will miss at least a week, if not longer, per sources, after aggravating his groin injury Sunday and being ruled out for the game. Rookie safety Calen Bullock would start in his place if Ward is out. Ward went to the hospital for further examination Sunday after playing in the game and re-injuring his groin after being examined initially for a shoulder stinger in the blue medical tent, then being checked out for a groin injury.

Right tackle Tytus Howard, who missed the game with a hamstring injury and was replaced in the lineup by rookie Blake Fisher as he made his first NFL start. Howard was preparing to start Sunday before being ruled out in a game-time decision, per sources. Howard didn’t practice Wednesday along with Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who played the entire game last week and has been dealing with a minor ankle injury.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 click2houston.com.