Interim head coach Romeo Crennel met with the media via Zoom on Monday morning. He and the Texans fell, 26-20, at home on Sunday to the Colts. The loss dropped Houston's record to 4-8 in 2020, and a pair of road games to Chicago and Indianapolis are tap for the next two Sundays.
Below are some bullet points from his question-and-answer session on Monday.
-David Johnson's return: Running back David Johnson was back on the field for the first time since getting concussed in Week 9 at Jacksonville. He finished with 10 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown. He and Duke Johnson were on the field for 37 and 34 offensive snaps apiece, so they each in the game just over half of the offense's total snaps.
Crennel said to expect more from David Johnson in the season's final month.
"He had a couple of nice runs in the course of the game and I think that next week he'll probably have more than he had this week," Crennel said. "I think he's still a good football player for us."
The score was Johnson's fourth rushing touchdown of the year, and he's caught a touchdown pass as well.
-Oh man, Omenihu: Defensive lineman Charles Omenihu started Sunday at defensive end, and wound up with a tackle for loss, as well as a pair of batted passes. He was a disruptive presence, and Crennel said the second year defender continues to grow as a player.
"Charles made some plays," Crennel said. "He needs to continue to make more plays. I think Charles is beginning to find his spot and how he needs to play the game because of his length and what he brings to the table."
-Guard rotation: Along with quarterback Deshaun Watson, tackles Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard, and center Nick Martin played every snap on offense against the Colts. Max Scharping started at left guard while Zach Fulton was the starter at right guard. But Senio Kelemete got snaps at both spots coming off the sidelines, ultimately playing 61 percent of the snaps on that side of the ball.
"We feel like if we can kind of rotate them a little bit because we got a couple other guys that are banged up," Crennel explained. "Trying to protect them for the game, so we've been rotating them to see what they look like, to see what combination might work best and then keep guys healthy as well."
-Coulter forecast: Rookie receiver Isaiah Coulter was inactive on Sunday. Chad Hansen and Steven Mitchell, Junior had been called up from the practice squad on Saturday, and were active in the game. So too, were Brandin Cooks and Keke Coutee.
Coutee led the way with eight catches for 141 yards, while Hansen caught five balls for 101 yards in his Texans debut. Cooks pulled in five for 65 yards.
With Will Fuller V suspended the rest of the way, Randall Cobb on injured reserve, and Kenny Stills recently waived, Crennel said he's unsure whether or not the Texans will play Coulter in the season's final four contests.
"He's got talent," Crennel said. "He's still learning the system and those other two guys who came in, particularly Chad who came in, Chad has been in the system for a little bit. He's more familiar with it and he produced while he was in the game."
