The Houston Texans’ running game, already walking on thin ice, just got hit with a potentially devastating blow: star running back Woody Marks, who takes a majority of the team’s carries, was not at practice and listed as limited with a knee injury on Thursday, putting his Week 10 status against the Cleveland Browns in serious doubt. This isn’t just a minor setback, folks. This could mean a literal “zero running game” in a critical matchup.
The Running Back Room Is a Ghost Town
Think about it: Marks is the guy carrying the load, and he might be out. But it gets worse. David Montgomery, who was the top running back in Week 1, hasn’t played a single snap since their win over the Tennessee Titans last month, sidelined with a groin injury. Add to that the fact that the Texans just waived running back Dare Ogunbowale earlier this week. What does that leave them with? Basically, Emari Demercado, who is “nearly 100 percent” and the last man standing in that backfield. Offensive coordinator Nick Caley tried to sound optimistic, talking about getting guys ready and formatting roles, but when you’re down to essentially one healthy guy, that’s a tough sell. He mentioned, “We’ve got a good group of guys that all are there to support each other. Just trying to build it throughout the week and take it day by day, really.” But can you “build it” when all your builders are injured or gone?
A Run Game Showdown No One Expected
Here’s the kicker: The Texans are already ranked 29th in rushing across the league. That’s rough. But the Browns, their opponent this week, aren’t exactly world-beaters against the run either. Cleveland ranks 27th against the run, giving up an average of 130.6 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. On paper, this *should* be a game where the Texans could actually get something going on the ground. Last week, Marks showed what he can do, rushing for 70 yards on 12 carries and snagging his longest run of the season in their dominant 44-22 win over the Chargers. Without him, can Demercado step up? The Browns are great at creating a pass rush, so if the run game is completely nonexistent, that pressure is gonna be all over the Texans’ offense.
Kickoff is set for Noon on FOX this Sunday. Every snap is gonna be critical as the Texans try to figure out who’s carrying the rock, and if they can even get *anything* going on the ground against a Browns team that, while soft against the run, is also bringing the heat in the pass rush. It’s gonna be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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