The Houston Texans are heading into a critical road game against the Green Bay Packers without star pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, a development that will have a huge impact on the contest.
As passed along by James Palmer of NFL Network, Clowney will not even travel with Houston as he recovers from elbow and wrist injuries.
Texans announce Jadeveon Clowney will not travel
with the team to Green Bay and has been dowgraded to OUT for Sunday's game— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) December 3, 2016
This is a big change from earlier this week, when Clowney declared, “I’m good. I’ll be ready to go Sunday,” per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Houston’s defense is among the best in the league at defending the pass, and Clowney’s play up front has a lot to do with this. Though he only has three sacks to his credit, Clowney has consistently been a problem for opposing offensive lines, both in the run and pass games.
This is some troubling news for Houston, heading into Sunday’s game in Green Bay against a suddenly red hot Aaron Rodgers, who has 15 touchdowns the past five games. A team that has been awfully reliant on its defense, thanks to the terrible play of Brock Osweiler, losing a key cog for this battle will almost certainly lead to its demise in Green Bay.
And with a perilously slim lead in the AFC South, this could signal the end of Houston’s stay atop the division as well heading down the home stretch.