How ‘dynamic’ Texans RB Joe Mixon joined Arian Foster, Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith in statistical benchmarks in epic season

HOUSTON – Joe Mixon was facing a stacked line of scrimmage and, arguably, long odds to create much more than a short gain to pick up the first down.

The Texans’ punishing and elusive running back had other ideas, though.

Mixon transformed a potential tackle for a loss into an impactful play against the New York Jets’ stout defense.

It was emblematic of all of the former Pro Bowl selection’s skills, power, speed and vision as Mixon took a 3rd-and-1 handoff Thursday night and ran for 29 yards. First, Mixon cut out of harm’s way when Jets defensive end Michael Clemons immediately beat left guard Kenyon Green to penetrate the backfield. Then, Mixon bounced outside of Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil’s block to get away from linebacker Jamien Sherwood. Once Mixon reached the secondary, he lowered his shoulder pad to run through defensive backs, spinning away from them on contact and dragging tacklers while maintaining his balance. It was an impressive performance as Mixon followed downfield blocks from wide receivers Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson

For the fourth game in a row, Mixon rushed for 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown as he rushed for 106 yards and a score on 24 carries. Mixon, a former Pro Bowl selection with the Cincinnati Bengals, made NFL history in the process. He’s the fifth running back in NFL history to rush for 100 yards and a touchdown in five of their first six games of a season as he joined Jim Brown (1958), O.J. Simpson (1975, Emmitt Smith (1995) and DeMarco Murray (2014). With his fourth consecutive 100-yard game, Mixon became the first player to hit that benchmark since Derrick Henry in 2019. And he joined Arian Foster, the former Texans Pro Bowl runner, as the only players in franchise history to run for 100 yards in four games in a row.

“Joe’s been dynamic for us,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Every time he touches the ball, he’s going to gain some type of positive yardage, and all that credit goes to all the guys blocking the front. They do a great job blocking it in the run game. We had a lot of lanes available in the run game. Joe runs the ball with that relentless mindset, physical, running guys over, playing the game the right way. He brings a passion, brings an edge to the game that I think everybody can feed off of.”

Mixon has rushed for 609 yards on 126 carries with six touchdowns and is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He’s on pace for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing three games with a sprained ankle.

“I bring that juice and that energy,” Mixon said.

Indeed.

Since Mixon returned from an ankle injury, he has become even more pivotal to the offense.

He’s indispensable, and the running game sputtered during his absence.

The versatility of Mixon is a huge plus for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s play-calling.

Defenses are keying on Mixon, as they did Thursday night in the Texans’ 21-13 loss.

He rushed for 91 yards in the first half, but had just seven carries after halftime and 15 yards.

“Man, it is what it is,” Mixon said. “They pretty much adjusted. I like what I’ve seen from the guys. They made plays and we didn’t. There’s no quit. I respect that. Sometimes when it’s a little out of reach you see the character in a lot of guys. The guys fought. We didn’t play to our standards in the second half.”

After halftime, the Jets crowded the line and accounted for Mixon more as they relentlessly pressured Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud for a career-high eight sacks against him.

“I think they disrupted upfront,” Ryans said. “It was a lot of quick disruptions in the interior, so when Joe got the ball, there were a lot of guys right there to make him kind of check his feet. You know, we kind of sputtered there in the second half.”

Mixon, signed to a three-year, $27 million contract extension after an offseason trade, is a focal point for the offense.

Mixon has finesse and aggressiveness when called for working in his favor.

“I just try to look at given situations, sometimes you gonna have to be speed,” Mixon said. “Sometimes, you gonna have to be power. Sometimes, you have to be elusive. I’ve been blessed enough and fortunate enough to do it all. At the end of the day, I just try to do whatever I can within the run scheme and being in sync with our linemen and do whatever I can to make their block right. We take a lot of pride in being on the same page and it’s bene taking us a long way.”

Mixon has shown each of the past four weeks that he’s capable of breakaway runs with a 29-yard run against the Jets, a 32-yard run against the Green Bay Packers as he rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in a road loss and 102 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries with a season-long 59-yard run in a road win over the New England Patriots. He had a 21-yard run against the Colts.

Mixon provides a physical presence at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds. He’s arguably the most talented runner for the Texans since Foster retired.

“Joe has been great every game for us,” Ryans said. “I mean, every game Joe has touched the ball, he’s gotten over 100 yards and also Joe is going to find it, no matter how well it’s blocked or how not so well it’s blocked, Joe’s going to find his yards. Finds a way to get in the end zone. Joe’s relentless. He has that sense of urgency. We just need everybody else around him to play the same way.”

Mixon could become the first 1,000-yard rusher for the franchise since Carlos Hyde in 2019.

“Yeah, I have been watching Joe for a long time,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “I think when I was in middle school or high school he was at Oklahoma and he was a really good player there. I have always known him to be a really good player. I played against him last year, he was really good.

“So, now, I am just glad he is on my team. He has been really able to open up a lot of things for our offense. I think we can continue to use him in a lot of different ways and he is even going to make me better. I am just really blessed to have him on the team.”

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Mixon is obviously comfortable in this scheme and it shows. He has been breaking tackles and eluding them, reading the holes well in Slowik’s zone-based concepts.

“That’s part of being a running back is being instinctive and you’ve got to read and react to whatever the defense gives you,” Mixon said. “If you’re running into darkness, when there’s daylight over there, hit it. I just try to do whatever I can to be the best player I can be to help this team be successful.”

Like Derrick Henry with the Baltimore Ravens, Saquon Barkley with the Philadelphia Eagles and Josh Jacobs with the Packers and Aaron Jones with the Minnesota Vikings, Mixon is among the running backs who switched teams this offseason and hit the ground running with more success for a new team.

“Obviously the guys that have filled roles with new teams, you can tell the difference between people making an impact, it’s night and day,” Mixon said. “The guys have won in different places and you can’t replace that talent. I’m happy to see Saquon and Derrick Henry and Josh and Aaron Jones putting out numbers and doing everything they can to show their worth.”

Mixon doesn’t do it alone. He credited his offensive line, which includes Tunsil, left guard Kenyon Green, center Juice Scruggs, right guard Shaq Mason and right tackle Tytus Howard in addition to tight ends Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover. Schultz and Stover have thrown several key blocks on Mixon touchdown runs.

“They’ve been doing a hell of a job,” Mixon said. “Obviously, I like the linemen. It starts with them with their attitude and will and want-to. I tell them, ‘Give me a crease and I’ll make the block right. I’ll always make you right. Just trust me.’ I take my hat off to those guys. Without them I’m not sitting at this place where I am right now statistically. I’m just very appreciative.”

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Mixon keeps showing what grown-man football is all about.

And Mixon embraces the responsibility of carrying the offense in whatever capacity needed.

“I feel like I’m in my element, I’m in my zone,” Mixon said. “Honestly, it’s a great feeling to do whatever I can to put the team on my back. I feel like I’ve always been that player physically and mentally and emotionally for my teammates. I’m just glad I was put in a position where I can thrive and be able to uplift my teammates. I do whatever I can to give them their flowers as well. I’m thankful for them.”

Read more on the Texans:

• ‘I believe in Tank, I have all the faith in Tank,’ Texans want to get Tank Dell more involved after zero-catch game
• How ‘everything is on the table’ for Texans after pass protection meltdown, Laremy Tunsil emphasizes bigger picture
• ‘It’s not good enough,’ Texans’ banged-up defense played well, but can’t get one final stop in loss to Packers
• ‘I’m never the bigger person,’ tempers flare between Texans’ Stefon Diggs and Packers, Jaire Alexander
• Best in class: Texans’ C.J. Stroud, Packers’ Jordan Love meet for first time in battle of talented quarterbacks, friends
• ‘I’m ready for the ball,’ Texans corner D’Angelo Ross reflects on first NFL start, ‘challenge’ of Packers’ Jordan Love

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