HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) - One of the Texans' stated goals under new management and this coaching staff was to do a better job running the ball.
Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, one of the few coaching holdovers from the previous regime, spoke at length during the offseason of needing to do a better job calling run plays.
This also was a clear point of emphasis when the Texans decided to put five running backs on their active roster to start the season. Two of those backs - Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay - have since either been traded or released.
For the past two weeks, the Texans have been rolling with a two-man running game featuring mostly veterans Rex Burkhead and David Johnson.
But the team learned Saturday that Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 and would not be available for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Texans ended up splitting carries between Burkhead and Royce Freeman, who the Texans claimed off waivers last month from the Carolina Panthers. Both backs had 11 carries apiece Sunday, but totaled just 55 yards.
To make matters worse, Burkhead went down with a groin injury, leaving Freeman as their only viable back for much of the second half. At times, the Texans used tight end Jordan Akins as a half back.
It was not ideal for what entered this game as the NFL's least efficient offense, in both the running and passing game. The Texans are also starting rookie quarterback Davis Mills for the remainder of the season and running the ball effectively would take a tremendous amount of pressure away from him.
With a positive COVID test, Johnson is likely to miss at least the Texans' next game Sunday at Jacksonville, while the extent of Burkhead's groin injury was not immediately clear.
Related
