It will be at least another week without David Montgomery for the Houston Texans.
“David is still sidelined. He’ll be out still. We’re trying to get him on the field, trying to get him going,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters on November 4. “Right now, it’s still week to week, but he has made some progress.”
Montgomery has been out since suffering his groing injury in the Texans’ Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans.
Ryans said on Monday that they would monitor Montgomery throughout the week.
However, there was also optimism about how Montgomery’s recovery process was trending before that. The Texans have missed Montgomery, whose absence from the practice field on Wednesday preceded Ryans’ official announcement.
This will mark Montgomery’s third missed outing, one short of the minimum requirement for a player placed on injured reserve but designated to return.
The Texans are also low on available designations, though, further complicating the situation.
Texans Walking Fine Line Amid David Montgomery News
Asked why the Texans placed Jawhar Jordan on practice squad IR rather than leaving him on the active practice squad roster, the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander explained the fine line they are trying to walk.
“The Texans have three returns remaining. With 10 games left, I don’t think it’s out of the question they could use it on Jordan at some point. The only other player eligible at the moment is running back British Brooks, whose primary role is special teams,” Alexander wrote on November 4 in response to a fan’s question.
“I think the Texans wanted to leave their options open as opposed to not being able to use that spot on the practice squad.”
The Texans certainly have decisions to make, including regarding Montgomery.
Texans Could Follow Through on RB Plan
The Texans have struggled on the ground all season. Houston acquired Montgomery, a former third-round pick of the Chicago Bears who reached new heights during his time with the Detroit Lions, to help revitalize what has been a sore spot for much of Ryans’ tenure.
Alexander believes the Texans will ride the hot hand between Montgomery and Woody Marks.
“I do think Marks should be the starter. He has more explosive ability. But I also don’t think the Texans are going to penalize Montgomery for injuries. They’ll give him a chance and see what he can do, while mixing in Marks,” Alexander wrote in response to another fan, adding that “whichever player is playing the best will get the bulk of the carries.”
There were rumors of the Texans planning to shift to Marks even before Motgomery’s injury, which may have further emboldened their line of thinking.
Montgomery has rushed for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns on 52 carries this season, a 2.7-yards-per-carry clip. Marks is averaging 3.5 YPC, sporting a 77-271-2 line this season, and that is in addition to being a superior receiving threat out of the backfield.
Texans Make Early Final Decision on David Montgomery for Chargers Game