Texans get Nico Collins back for primetime matchup with Cowboys

HOUSTON – Nico Collins knows what’s at stake as he prepares to return to the football field after missing five games with a right hamstring injury.

Playing in prime time also gives him a “good opportunity” to remind the world what type of receiver he was before the injury.

“(I) have to go out there and take advantage of my opportunities,” Collins said. “To pick up again, I got to ball out when the ball touches my hands. When the ball is in the air, I have to do something with it.”

The Houston Texans are off to a 4-1 start with Collins, but in his absence have won two games in five weeks, including a historic loss to the Detroit Lions when they became the second team since 1933 to lose when they led by 15 points and totaled five. interceptions.

When Collins landed on injured reserve following the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, he led the NFL in receiving yards (567). His 113.4 yards per game remains tops in the league, the Texans (6-4) hope he adds a spark to a struggling offense against the Dallas Cowboys (3-6) on “Monday Night Football” (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC).

Collins came off injured reserve and practiced the Friday before the Lions game, but Houston decided he needed one more week. He practiced every day leading up to game day with the Cowboys, and he told ESPN, “Hell yeah, I’m playing” before being removed from the injury report Saturday.

Coach DeMeco Ryans said he wants to see quarterback CJ Stroud “cut it loose” and “rip it” as the second-year quarterback tries to bounce back from the third multi-interception game of his career.

“Having Nico back is always very great for all of us,” Ryans said. “Nico has been one of our best players when he’s been healthy so it’s great to have him back, great to have his presence and the energy he brings and also the playmaking ability he brings.”

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TEXANS OFFENSE ranked sixth in total offense (376.6 yards per game) with Collins, but fell to 299 yards (24th) without the fourth-year receiver — and that’s with running back Joe Mixon rushing for 471 yards (third-most) in that stretch. Their 165 passing yards per match was ranked number 29 from week 6-10.

In their first game without Collins, the offense scored 41 against the New England Patriots, who are now 3-8. But in Weeks 7-10, the unit averaged 20 points (16th) and 282.5 total yards (27th), and Stroud’s production dipped. His QBR of 34.5 ranked 27th, but through the first five weeks he was third in passing yards (1,385), tied for 10th in touchdowns (seven) and 10th in QBR (66.2).

The Texans also lost their second-leading receiver, Stefon Diggs, to a torn ACL in his right knee in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts. But even with Diggs, after Collins’ injury, Stroud averaged 187 passing yards from Weeks 6-8 and had a career-low 86 yards in the Texans’ 24-22 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 7.

“I’m very excited to have my guy back,” Stroud said. “I’m just happy he’s back with the team, part of the dressing room again. They’re lonely, when players are injured, they’re alone. So I’m happy he’s just able to be around the guys again and be able to play the sport he loves to play.”

Wide receiver Tank Dell became the top target with Diggs and Collins out, and Dell had 11 catches for 165 yards in the past two games. When Collins returns, Dell could slide into the No. 2 role, which could make life easier for him because Collins “opens up the offense.”

“Nico brings a lot to the table,” Dell told ESPN. “The defense has to account for him. You have to keep eyes on him at all times. It just opens things up, not only for the receivers, but for the running game.”

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MISSING COLLINS IS NOT the only reason for the offensive problems. The Texans’ pass block win rate during his absence at 54.8 ranks 23rd, which is why Stroud has been pressured on 46.8% of his dropbacks, second most among starters.

Collins has helped ease the pressure on Stroud, who has a QBR of 72 with Collins on the field compared to 41 when he’s out this season. Stroud has a 133.3 passer rating when also targeting Collins, who ranked sixth among duos with at least 30 targets coming into Week 11, according to Next Gen Stats.

Collins is ready to recreate some of their magic, saying they need to “just keep doing what we do.”

“When (Stroud’s) back foot hits the ground, (he) lets it rip,” Collins told ESPN. “There’s no better feeling than that. Just happy to feel good and happy to be able to get the opportunity to play this week.”

The Collins-Stroud connection could also be a formula the Texans need to snap their two-game losing streak.

In Week 11, quarterbacks against the Cowboys are averaging the second-highest passer rating (105.1) in the NFL and are allowing 210 passing yards per game. battle (17th). They also allow 362.9 total yards per carry. game (26th) and 28.8 points per battle (second most).

But as much as Collins’ return to the field will be appreciated by his teammates, his absence taught him to value his opportunities.

“You don’t know when it’s going to be your last game, you don’t know what it is,” Collins told ESPN. “I got out there strong the first four weeks, then boom (injured), out of nowhere. Now I’m running out of time, just realizing it’s not long. You’ve got to do what you can to give it your all.”