Wide receiver Jerome Mathis' leg is being further evaluated by doctors to determine the severity of his injury.
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak spoke to the media on Friday after his team's final practice before taking on the Miami Dolphins during Hispanic Heritage Day at Reliant Stadium on Oct. 7.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on if anything is new today) "No, just some information on (Jerome) Mathis because I know you all want to know. He has a stress-related issue in his lower leg. There is still an evaluation process going on. He has what they call a hot spot that can, is it a stress fracture? We don't know that yet, but he has a problem in there. Our issue right now is trying to make a decision of how long it's going to be before he can get back on the field. As you all know, we have tough, tough situations going on at wide receiver with a couple of other guys out. So now this is three. We have to make a decision with the doctors on how long we think it's going to take for him to get well and then we have a tough decision to make whether we put him on IR or we wait. That's what we're evaluating right now."
(on WR Jerome Mathis' roster spot on Sunday) "If we replace that spot, on Sunday, it will be replaced with Harry Williams, but we're still in the process of making that decision."
(on if they didn't activate another receiver, would he dress four tight ends) "Yes, we could move our roster around. As far as having the 45 guys to play, it's not an issue, whatever we do. I think we have a decision to make in the next 24 to 48 hours with Jerome (Mathis) and we'll do that."
(on if there is the expectation that WR Jerome Mathis will be back by the end of the season) "I don't know how to answer that right now because my mind is so on the game right now and that's what I'm going up there to do this afternoon, to evaluate everything the doctors are saying, the amount of time they're talking about it taking, and me and (general manager) Rick (Smith) have to sit down and see if we need to put him on IR and bring a player up and move on, or do we wait. I will know more as I'm talking to these guys this afternoon because, like I said, my focus today at practice was totally somewhere else. Hopefully you all understand that."
(on if they are waiting on more tests) "No, we know. We know what the problem is and they're evaluating the problem as we speak. We've been given some guidelines of what they think, but I want to talk to them personally. I have not been involved in the conversations with the doctors because I've been out here, getting these guys ready to play. I will be involved in that this afternoon. I will have more concrete answers from (head athletic trainer) Kevin (Bastin), and the doctors, and (general manager) Rick (Smith), and then we'll make a decision."
(on if it's important to have the fourth receiver ready to play on Sunday) "To play with three receivers in a game is very, very difficult but we sent three out there last week and they played extremely well. If that's something we have to do this week, if we think it gives us the best chance to win, we'll go do it again. Our situation is what it is and we have to move on and that's what we're doing every day."
(on RB Ahman Green's status) "He practiced today much more. I would say he is still a game time decision, but it was very encouraging."
(on WR Jacoby Jones' status) "I would say exactly what I said yesterday. He's behind Ahman (Green). He was out here; he did not do much. I would think it's a tough call with Jacoby. It's still a game time call, but let's face it, he has not made the progress that Ahman has made."
(on if he will use the same players on punt and kick returns) "Yes, and if Jacoby (Jones) is ready to go, then he'll do both. But if not, then Dexter (Wynn) is the guy. You may see André Davis return kicks too."
(on what he has seen from WR Harry Williams) "We liked what he did throughout the camp. (Special teams coordinator) Joe (Marciano) really likes him as a special teams player. He played really well as a special teams player. He's a big kid. We've been repping him this week as if he's going to play and going to be up and he's responded and done well. But we have to look at the game plan of what we're doing and see if it makes sense to bring him up this week. That's what I have do."
(on how RB Ron Dayne looked in practice) "He looked good. (He) had a real good practice yesterday, practiced well today. I'm expecting him to come back and run the football well."
