The Texans very well may have beaten the Broncos if C.J. Stroud had played more than 16 minutes, but he didn’t.
Stroud was diagnosed with a concussion after a slide when a hit by Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine slammed the quarterback’s head into the ground. Officials threw a flag for unnecessary roughness.
Replay reversed the on-field decision, deciding that the slide was late and that Abrams-Draine didn’t make contact with Stroud’s head.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was understandably confused about the decision, saying it absolutely was unnecessary roughness.
“He hit the quarterback when he was sliding and giving himself up,” Ryans said, via DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. “If I’m incorrect on the rules, I’ve seen that happen multiple times with our guys, and we get the penalty.”
Stroud left with 13:49 remaining in the second quarter, going 6-of-10 for 79 yards.
Stroud missed two games with a concussion as a rookie in 2023.
Broncos Clips
The Broncos entered the fourth quarter trailing 15-7. They had the Texans right where they wanted them.
The Broncos moved to 4-0 when trailing in the fourth quarter, beating Houston 18-15 on a last-play field goal. Denver improved to 7-2 with a sixth consecutive win, while Houston slipped to 3-5.
Wil Lutz kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired, allowing the Broncos to escape yet again. His kick was the only snap the Broncos had in the red zone all day.
Bo Nix set up Lutz’s heroics with a 25-yard run to the Houston 36, and later, a 9-yard scramble to the 16.
It was a gut punch for the Texans, who saw quarterback C.J. Stroud leave with a concussion early in the first half.
Houston went 0-for-3 in the red zone, failing to score a touchdown. Its only points came on Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals of 23, 41, 38, 40 and 41 yards. He missed a 51-yarder in the first quarter.
In the second half, with Davis Mills at quarterback, the Texans had only 87 yards, two first downs and went 0-for-7 on third down.
Mills was 17-of-30 for 137 yards.
Nix and the Broncos weren’t much better against the Texans’ No. 1-ranked defense, with 271 yards and two turnovers. Nix was 18-of-37 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. J.K. Dobbins had 15 carries for 61 yards.
RJ Harvey caught five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown, and Courtland Sutton’s one catch was a 30-yard score. Six other players caught a Nix pass.
The Broncos are 3-0 when entering the fourth quarter trailing. They were down 15-7 entering the fourth quarter Sunday.
They already have tied it with 12:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Bo Nix found RJ Harvey for a 27-yard touchdown, and Troy Franklin’s reception on the 2-point conversion tied it up.
The Texans have outgained the Broncos 220 to 187, but Houston is 0-for-3 in the red zone.
Nix is 12-of-25 for 139 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Harvey has two catches for 32 yards, and Courtland Sutton’s one catch was a 30-yard touchdown.
The Texans have ruled out quarterback C.J. Stroud with a concussion.
Stroud’s head bounced off the ground after Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine hit him at the end of a slide. He remained on the ground with 13:49 left before heading into the training room for a check of his head.
Officials threw a flag on Abrams-Draine’s hit, but replay assist overturned it and took away the flag. They ruled that Stroud’s slide was late, and Abrams-Draine made no contact with Stroud’s head.
Stroud was 6-of-10 for 79 yards.
He missed two games with a concussion his rookie season.
The Texans also ruled out tackle Tytus Howard with a concussion, and linebacker Christian Harris is out with a shin injury.
The Texans have increased their lead to 15-7 on Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 41-yard field goal.
The Texans are 3-4 for a reason. In the first half of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, they went 0-for-3 in the red zone and missed a 51-yard field goal after taking a 9-yard sack.
Yet, Ka’imi Fairbairn’s field goals of 23, 41, 38 and 40 yards have the Texans holding a 12-7 lead on the Broncos at halftime.
The Texans lost quarterback C.J. Stroud with 13:56 remaining in the second quarter. The team has not officially ruled him out, but he was taken into the training room for a concussion check after his head banged hard off the turf.
Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine hit Stroud as he slid, and officials immediately threw a flag. Replay assist overturned it and took away the flag, ruling that Stroud’s slide was late and there was no helmet contact.
They also list guard Ed Ingram (knee) and tackle Tytus Howard (concussion check) as questionable to return.
The Texans outgained the Broncos 181 to 105 in the first half and forced two turnovers. Calen Bullock had an interception of Bo Nix, and Jaylin Smith recovered Michael Bandy’s muffed punt.
Nix was only 6-of-17 for 76 yards, with 30 of his yards coming on a touchdown throw to Courtland Sutton. Sutton beat Derek Stingley, who doesn’t get beat much. J.K. Dobbins has four carries for 24 yards.
Stroud was 6-of-10 for 79 yards before leaving. Davis Mills is 10-of-14 for 84 yards. Nico Collins has seven catches for 75 yards and Dalton Schultz three for 55.
Word on Saturday was that Joe Flacco was on track to start at quarterback for the Bengals in Sunday’s home game against the Bears and official word of his status came on Sunday morning.
Flacco is active despite the right shoulder injury that caused him to miss Wednesday’s practice and limited him the rest of the week. Flacco was hurt on a sack in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s loss to the Jets, but he did not miss any offensive plays.
The Bengals will be without defensive end Trey Hendrickson for the second time in three games. Hendrickson is inactive after being listed as doubtful to play due to a hip injury.
Bears at Bengals
Bears: RB D’Andre Swift, QB Case Keenum, LB Ruben Hyppolite, WR Luther Burden, RB Roschon Johnson, DL Dominique Robinson
Bengals: CB Marco Wilson, LB Logan Wilson, OL Dalton Risner, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Cam Grandy, DE Trey Hendrickson, QB Sean Clifford
Falcons at Patriots
Falcons: CB Billy Bowman, RB Nathan Carter, OL Michael Jerrell, WR Casey Washington, DL Ta’Quon Graham, DL Zach Harrison
Patriots: LB Caleb Murphy, DT Eric Gregory, G Caedan Wallace, S John Saunders, QB Tommy DeVito, RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Chargers at Titans
Chargers: S Tony Jefferson, CB Tarheeb Still, LB Kyle Kennard, G Mekhi Becton, T Austin Deculus, TE Will Dissly
Titans: WR Calvin Ridley, DT Jeffery Simmons, LB Arden Key, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, WR Bryce Oliver, S Xavier Woods, OL Drew Moss
Colts at Steelers
Colts: DE Samson Ekubam, RB DJ Giddens, WR Anthony Gould, DE Tyquan Lewis, S Reuben Lowery, TE Will Mallory, T Luke Tenuta
Steelers: WR Scotty Miller, S Chuck Clark, LB Cole Holcomb, S Jabrill Peppers, OL Andrus Peat, DL Logan Lee
49ers at Giants
49ers: QB Brock Purdy, RB Jordan James, WR Ricky Pearsall, C Jake Brendel, DE Bryce Huff, DL CJ West, S Marques Sigle
Giants: S Jevón Holland, CB Paulson Adebo, CB Cor’Dale Flott, DL Chauncey Golston, T Jermaine Eluemunor, TE Daniel Bellinger, QB Jameis Winston
Broncos at Texans
Broncos: CB Pat Surtain, TE Nate Adkins, WR Marvin Mims, S P.J. Locke, DL Sai’vion Jones, DL Jordan Jackson, RB Jaleel McLaughlin
Texans: QB Graham Mertz, RB Dameon Pierce, T Jarrett Kingston, T Trent Brown, DE Dylan Horton
Vikings at Lions
Vikings: FB CJ Ham, T Walter Rouse, TE Josh Oliver, TE Ben Sims, DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, LB Austin Keys, CB Jeff Okudah
Lions: RB Craig Reynolds, DT Quinton Jefferson, DT Mekhi Wingo, S Erick Hallett, S Kerby Joseph, S Jammie Robinson
Panthers at Packers
Panthers: LB Princely Umanmielen, WR Hunter Renfrow, QB Mike White, C Cade Mays, TE James Mitchell, DT Cam Jackson
Packers: WR Dontayvion Wicks, K Lucas Havrisik, OL Jacob Monk, OL Donovan Jennings, DL Lukas Van Ness, DL Warren Brinson
Just days after signing with the Broncos’ practice squad, tight end Marcedes Lewis is set to play on Sunday against the Texans.
Lewis has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for the game.
At the age of 41, Lewis will be the oldest player in Broncos franchise history and the oldest tight end in NFL history. He’s the second-oldest active player in the NFL, behind only Aaron Rodgers.
A 2006 first-round pick of the Jaguars, Lewis played 12 seasons in Jacksonville and five in Green Bay before playing the last two seasons in Chicago. He appeared in all 17 games last season but didn’t get a lot of playing time and caught only one pass for two yards.
Denver needs help at tight end because Nate Adkins was injured on Sunday and Lucas Krull was already out with a foot injury. The Broncos tried to add tight ends Brendan Bates and Ben Sims via waiver claims, but both of them were claimed by teams that have worse records and are therefore higher in the waiver priority order. Now they have the most experienced tight end in the NFL ready to go for them on Sunday.
In April 2024, six quarterbacks were selected among the first 12 picks in the draft. For the first time, all of them will be playing on the same day.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick, will start at Cincinnati. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the second overall pick, will start at home against the Seahawks.
The third overall pick, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, will host the Falcons and eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr. The Vikings and No. 10 choice J.J. McCarthy visit the Lions, and the Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix, taken at No. 12, will visit the Texans.
All six started in Week 1 and Week 2, but they didn’t play on the same day.
It remains to be seen which of the six will become franchise quarterbacks, which will become consistent starters, and which will not pan out. Maye is currently playing the best of the bunch. Daniels has had the most success with his team. Penix has been up and down.
McCarthy is the only one who continues to be a largely unknown commodity. He missed all of the 2024 regular season, and he played in only the first two games of the 2025 season.
Running back J.K. Dobbins hopes he has found a home in Denver.
Still only 26, Dobbins has 634 rushing yards in eight games. That currently has him at third in the NFL, and it’s the most rushing yards through eight games for Broncos tailback since Clinton Portis, who had 793 rushing yards through eight games played in 2003.
It has Dobbins, who signed a one-year deal in June, hoping he’ll get the chance to stick around.
“Far as extension and stuff like that, that doesn’t cross my mind,” Dobbins said Thursday, via Luca Evans of the Denver Post. “But, me just wanting to be here in Denver — yes. I hope to end my career here and be here for the rest of my time in the NFL.”
Dobbins’s contract has a base value of $2.7 million, with up to $2.5 million in incentives. The biggest incentive is a contract that would keep him on the team beyond 2025.
“I want to be in Denver,” Dobbins said. “I love it. I love the fanbase. I think the fanbase and I have a connection. Love my teammates. And I also love Sean Payton. I love the owners.”
Dobbins surely doesn’t love how his career initially played out. Injuries hampered him significantly in 2022 and 2023. Last year, he rushed for 905 yards in 13 games with the Chargers.
This year, he’s averaging 5.3 yards per carry. It’s hard to ignore that kind of performance. And it’s safe to say that, if the Broncos aren’t interested in continuing the relationship, he will have suitors.
The Broncos officially ruled out cornerback Pat Surtain II (pectoral) for Sunday’s game against the Texans.
The team did not place Surtain on injured reserve, hoping he can return at least by Week 13 after the off week.
Surtain is the reigning defensive player of the year.
The Broncos also ruled out wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (concussion), tight end Nate Adkins (knee) and safety P.J. Locke (neck) for this week.
Surtain, Mims and Adkins did not practice this week, while Locke was limited on Wednesday and Thursday before not practicing on Friday.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) does not have an injury designation.
