Without Tank Dell, Texans counting on Joe Mixon, run game to step up

Bobby Slowik knows that he needs to get Joe Mixon back on track. 

The Texans' run game, which has carried an inconsistent offense all season, has sputtered in recent weeks. Mixon averaged 95.5 rushing yards per game over his first eight games of the season. In his past four appearances, that’s down to 50.8, including a 14-carry, 57-yard effort in Saturday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The way Slowik sees it, as Houston starts its homestretch by hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas, he needs to call more runs — even if the Texans are tempted to throw the ball more, as they have the past two weeks. 

Since Week 12, Mixon is averaging 15 carries, down from 21.5 through Week 11. 

"Joe is not going to get 100 yards when I am giving him the ball 12 times," Houston’s offensive coordinator said Monday. "In playoff football, the run game is going to be a huge part." 

Regaining an efficient rushing attack is all the more paramount for the Texans (9-6) in the wake of Tank Dell being ruled out for the season. The second-year wide receiver dislocated his kneecap and tore his ACL on a touchdown grab against Kansas City, injuries that have taken an emotional toll on Houston. Dell is one of the Texans’ most beloved players, including one of quarterback C.J. Stroud’s best friends. 

From a football standpoint, the franchise has lost its second-best receiver.

Dell ran a team-high 310 routes from a wide alignment, according to Next Gen Stats. His absence will be felt most in the intermediate passing game, on passes between 10 and 19 air yards. That’s where Dell had 323 of his 667 receiving yards this season (48.4%), per NGS. It’s where he posted a plus-13.4% catch rate over expected and plus-26.3 expected points added in the