HOUSTON – The Texans are going with experience under center against the Tennessee Titans and are expected to start veteran quarterback Case Keenum instead of third-year pro Davis Mills with rookie C.J. Stroud sidelined with a concussion, according to league sources.
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The Texans are hoping that Keenum can provide a spark for the passing game coming off a 30-6 loss to the New York Jets where they were limited to 54 net passing yards and 135 yards of total offense and help them win a pivotal game in the ultra-crowded AFC playoff race.
Keenum took the majority of the first-team snaps during practices this week, per sources, with Mills also getting some work behind him with the first-team offense. Stroud, an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner and Pro Bowl candidate who’s listed as doubtful on the injury report, remains under the NFL concussion protocol and has not been medically cleared and won’t play Sunday, per sources.
The Texans later made that official, announcing that Stroud won’t travel with the team, ruling him out on Saturday along with offensive tackle George Fant due to a hip injury. Starting cornerback Steven Nelson was added to the injury report with a wrist injury and is listed as questionable.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans declined to make it official Friday afternoon that Stroud will miss the game or declare a starter between Mills and Keenum. Keenum took the majority of the first-team snaps this week, and Mills worked in behind him with the first-team offense, per sources.
“C.J. is starting to feel a little bit better, but still will be in concussion protocol,” Ryans said. “Still have our hopes that he can feel better. We’ll see how the next couple of days go. He’s still in the concussion protocol. ..He’s just getting back healthy. That’s the main thing, him getting back healthy. He’s starting to watch a little film. He’s getting back healthy and getting back normal.
“That’s the main thing for C.J. For me, the game is the last thing. It’s how healthy is C.J. That’s the only thing that matters. The game, it will take care of itself. We’re concerned about C.J.’s health. We’re not concerned about is he going in this game or not. We’ll see. We don’t know. It’s not about this game. It’s how is C.J. doing. That’s how we approach everything when it comes to the health of our players.”
When asked who will start in place of Stroud, Ryans was noncommittal.
“Both guys have prepared all week, just like every position,” Ryans said. “Everybody has prepared. I told everybody on Wednesday everybody needs to prepare as a starter, and that’s how we approach it. That’s kind of how our season has gone. We need everybody.
“Whenever your number is called, we expected everybody to step up and play their best. We’ll go at this thing as a team. That’s how we’ll approach it. Both guys have done a great job of everything we’ve asked them to do running the show. Both guys have had a great week of practice. Guys have been on it mentally and locked in.”
Stroud got hurt on a late hit from New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on Sunday where his helmet bounced off the MetLife Stadium artificial turf.
Until Stroud passes a series of mandatory NFL tests, including a baseline neurological exam, he won’t be cleared to play.
Under NFL concussion protocol, to return to play, there are five phases of participation: Phase 1 (symptom limited activity); Phase 2 (aerobic exercise), Phase 3 (football-specific exercise); Phase 4 (club-based non-contact training drills); Phase 5 (full football activity-clearance).
“I don’t think many guys have come back the following week after a concussion,” Ryans said. “You have to make sure, at the end of the day, no matter the position, no matter who the guy is, you have to make sure your guys are healthy and we are protecting guys and they’re right.
“When it comes to the concussion and the head injuries, we have to make sure we’re protecting all of our guys. It’s more about their long-term health, as opposed to everybody gets excited about the next game and the next opportunity. We care about these guys as men off the field and making sure their health is the utmost importance to us.”
The Texans trail the 8-5 Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. Five teams, including the Texans, are in a 7-6 logjam. The Texans currently rank eighth in the playoff standings and wouldn’t quality for the postseason if the season was over today.
Keenum, 35, is a former University of Houston standout and has started for the Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns. He has been listed as the third quarterback on the depth chart all year behind Mills, the usual backup, and Stroud who got hurt last week on a late hit against the New York Jets. Keenum hasn’t played in any games this season.
Keenum has a 29-35 all-time record as a starter, passing for 14,884 career yards, 78 touchdowns and 48 interceptions.
He hasn’t played in a game this season since signing a two-year, $6.25 million contract this offseason that includes $4 million guaranteed with a $750,000 signing bonus.
Keenum, a Brownwood native, played in two games as a backup last season to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, passing for eight yards on 2 of 7 passing with no touchdowns or interceptions.
He won both of his starts in 2021 for the Cleveland Browns, passing for 462 yards, three touchdowns and one interception as he completed 65.3 percent of his throws.
With the Commanders in 2019, Keenum started eight games and went 1-7 as he passed for 1,707 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
With the Broncos in 2018, Keenum passed for 3,890 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
As the man who engineered the ‘Minnesota Miracle’ with the Vikings in a 2017 playoff game, he passed for 3,547 yards with a career-high 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
With the Texans as a rookie in 2013, he passed for 1,760 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions, going, winless in eight starts. He went 2-0 as a starter in 2014 when Ryan Fitzpatrick broke his leg, passing for 435 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Keenum became the all-time NCAA leader for passing yards, touchdowns and completions for the Coogs.
He was traded to the Bills last year from the Browns for a seventh-round draft pick before joining the Texans as a free agent this offseason.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com