Houston Texans running back David Montgomery injured his groin in the first half against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and he won’t return. Just like that, a key piece of their offense was sidelined, leaving a huge question mark for the rest of the game and beyond.
Another Setback for the Texans’ Backfield
Montgomery, who is 29, went into Sunday’s matchup with no injury designation, ready to start in the Texans’ backfield. But his day ended way too soon. He got a paltry five carries before being pulled early in the second quarter, then was officially ruled out for the rest of the day with that groin injury in the third. When it was all said and done, his stat line for Week 5 was a meager 11 yards on those five carries. That’s a gut punch for a team that’s been trying to get their run game going.
The Big Investment That’s Struggled to Pay Off
Let’s not forget the Texans made a serious move to get Montgomery, sending offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick to the Detroit Lions back in March. The expectation? He was supposed to bring a much-needed running game to Houston. But, honestly, it’s been a struggle. Aside from a two-touchdown performance in their season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills, Montgomery hasn’t really found his stride. Since that Buffalo game, he’s only managed 78 yards on 32 carries and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1. This injury just piles on the frustration for a unit that’s already underperforming given the investment.
Who Steps Up Now?
In Montgomery’s absence against the Titans, second-year pro Woody Marks out of USC was forced to carry the load. And he showed some flashes, racking up 49 yards on 12 carries, plus adding 21 receiving yards on three catches through three quarters. Marks stepped up, but Montgomery’s injury makes a tough situation even tougher for Houston’s struggling run game. The Texans have a serious problem on their hands now, and they’ll need answers fast if they want to get their ground attack back on track.
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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