Texans' Danny Amendola, Charles Omenihu inactive

Texans wide receiver Danny Amendola was inactive Sunday during a 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots due to a strained hamstring that has prevented him from playing in his third game in a row.

Amendola, who has six catches on six targets and one touchdown, returned to practice this week for the first time since getting hurt against the Cleveland Browns.

With Anthony Miller released this week, the Texans will lean heavily on wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Chris Conley as well as return specialist Andre Roberts. Wide receiver Chris Moore, primarily a special-teams contributor, was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad on Saturday and caught five passes for 109 yards and one touchdown on five targets.

"Some time throughout the week, I figured I might have my opportunity," Moore said. "You never know for sure because the roster is always fluctuating, but I just stayed ready. Whenever they called my name, I was ready to play."

Veteran defensive end Jordan Jenkins was active Sunday against the Patriots after being a healthy scratch against the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers.

Signed to a two-year, $6 million contract this offseason with a maximum value of $8 million, Jenkins had played in two games this season with two tackles with zero sacks or quarterback hits.

Jenkins had a strong performance against the Patriots with a season-high four tackles, one for a loss and one quarterback hit.

Jenkins played last season under a one-year, $3.75 million contract that included $3.25 million guaranteed and a $1.75 million signing bonus. He had 32 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble last season after recording a career-high eight sacks two seasons ago.

With Jenkins getting an opportunity, defensive end Charles Omenihu was inactive. A former fifth-round draft pick and Big 12 Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year from the University of Texas, Omenihu has nine tackles and entered the game tied for the team lead with Whitney Mercilus with three quarterback hits with zero sacks this season after recording four sacks and 16 quarterback hits last season.

“We just felt like some other guys needed a chance,” Texans coach David Culley said. “They hadn’t played. Jordan Jenkins hadn’t played (a lot) this year. He’d been inactive for the most part. We felt like he had a good week of practice, and we wanted to give him an opportunity.”

The Texans' defensive linehad the same starters as the previous two games -- Jon Greenard and Jacob Martin at defensive end and Maliek Collins and Roy Lopez -- against a depleted Patriots offensive line that has been hit by COVID positive tests and injuries.

The Patriots will have just one regular starter, center David Andrews, in the lineup with offensive guard Shaq Mason and offensive tackle Trent Brown out with injuries and Isaiah Wynn and Mike Onwenu on the reserve-COVID-19 list.

The Texans placed offensive tackle Marcus Cannon on injured reserve with a back injury, a disc issue causing discomfort, per sources, and Charlie Heck replaced him at right tackle.

The Texans' other inactives were rookie tight end Brevin Jordan (illness), cornerback Jimmy Moreland, running back Rex Burkhead (hip) and quarterback Deshaun Watson (trade request, legal issues).

Aaron Wilson has covered the NFL for 20 seasons, including the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. He has previously written for The Houston Chronicle and The Baltimore Sun. He’s on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL and Instagram: @aaronwilson7128.

Jacksonville Jaguars v Houston Texans

Photo: Getty Images


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