How star receiver Nico Collins’ return vs Cowboys boosts Texans’ offense

HOUSTON – Nico Collins represents the prototype of an NFL wide receiver.

Tall and fast at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds with 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, Collins provides a game-changing element to the Texans’ offense.

Before he pulled his hamstring against the Buffalo Bills on a touchdown catch five weeks ago, Collins was the NFL receiving yardage leader.

After was activated from designated for return from injured reserve and, ultimately, held out of a game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night in a judgment call despite being healthy enough to play and having passed a regiment of hamstring tests and running at top speed, reaching 20 miles per hour and faster, in training sessions, Collins is set to play football again.

Collins is expected to practice all week and then play Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium as he resumes his WR1 role for the Texans.

For a 6-4 Texans squad that leads the AFC South despite a two-game losing streak and has lost three of the past four games, Collins can be a huge difference-maker. The Texans’ passing game has been stagnant for weeks and the team was outscored 19-0 in the second half of a 26-23 collapse of a loss against the Lions at NRG Stadium.

“Any time you get a starting receiver back and Nico, a guy who’s been, before he was out, he was the top receiver in the league,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So, I think any time you get him back, it’s going to help everybody.”

Ryans emphasized that there were no issues with Collins’ hamstring as far as any re-injury. Collins participated on a limited basis last Friday and was

“No setback with Nico,” Ryans said. “That was just a game time decision.”

Without Collins, the passing game has suffered. That included a career-low 86 yards, 55 net yards, 10 of 21 passing and no touchdowns for Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud during a 24-22 road loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Stroud completed just 11 of 31 passes, a career-low percentage, in a loss to the New York Jets. He had two interceptions and one touchdown pass against the Lions.

Without Collins, the focal point of the offense has shifted to running back Joe Mixon as he hit the century mark in four consecutive games with at least one touchdown per contest before being stonewalled by the Lions and averaging 1.8 yards per carry.

Without Collins, the focal point of the offense has shifted to running back Joe Mixon as he hit the century mark in four consecutive games with at least one touchdown per contest before being stonewalled by the Lions and averaging 1.8 yards per carry.

One of the most dominant and productive downfield threats in the game has been missed in a Texans passing game headlined by him and Stroud as their connection was interrupted.

Without Collins, the Texans have struggled to replace his production. Collins caught 32 passes before his injury and was on pace to pile up 109 catches for 1,928 yards and 10 touchdowns prior to injuring his right hamstring while catching a 67-yard touchdown pass in a win over the Bills as his leg seized up during a long touchdown catch.

“Obviously, he’s been missing some time and obviously he’s going to work his way back in there and I think he’s going to be a great addition for what we do,” Mixon said. “I think that it makes things a lot easier for everybody on the offense. He brings that juice and competitive edge, and I think that’s what we need, man. We’re going to need everybody down the stretch going forward, and it’s a great thing for Nico to be back.”

Life without Collins has been difficult. There is no receiver like him on the roster that has his rare combination of size and speed and other traits. And the Texans lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

It has been a tall order for the receiving corps to replace him.

“Losing somebody like Nico is very tough,” Stroud said at the time of the injury. “Everyone understands that we’re going to miss him. I think they can. Definitely just next man up mentality. You have to be able to win football games without him for a little bit.”

Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.