The Houston Texans (2-0) face off with the Minnesota Vikings (2-0) on Sunday with an opportunity to keep their undefeated streak alive. They will pursue this goal without their top running back, Joe Mixon.
The team announced on Saturday that Mixon had been downgraded to Out ahead of the trip to the Twin Cities. He will remain in Texas while recovering from an ankle injury sustained last weekend against the Chicago Bears.
The injury occurred midway through the third quarter. Mixon caught a pass from quarterback CJ Stroud and then headed up the sideline. Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards stopped him with what appeared to be an illegal hip-drop tackle.
Mixon temporarily left the game but later returned as the Texans won 19-13. He ended the night with nine carries for 25 yards and three catches for 25 yards.
The veteran running back, who has 184 rushing yards this season, missed practice every day this week.
Mixon was not the only running back to miss practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Backup Dameon Pierce, who was inactive against the Bears, continues to deal with a hamstring injury. He will also miss Sunday's game against the Vikings.
The Texans will have to turn to Cam Akers to lead the rushing attack while Dare Ogunbowale serves as a reserve option. Akers, who appeared in six games for the Vikings last season, led the Texans with seven carries for 32 yards against the Bears.
"He has great vision," offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said about Akers. "He's been running — ran zone scheme he came from — he did the same thing in Minnesota.
"He's really good at reading that, we call it riding the wave, finding the right hole to hit. He always plays under control. When he sees it, he hits it. He finishes physical."
Akers will have to continue producing for the Texans as he faces off with a Vikings defense that ranks eighth overall against the run. This Brian Flores-led unit has allowed 88 yards per game and one rushing touchdown.
