Andre Johnson will be a game-time decision for Sunday's game between the Houston Texans and the St. Louis Rams, head coach Gary Kubiak confirmed Thursday. Johnson missed the majority of Thursday's practice with a lingering hamstring injury.
NFL injury report: Andre Johnson, Ryan Mathews await Week 6 decisions
Andre Johnson and Ryan Mathews are among the biggest names awaiting game-time decisions in Week 6.
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
If Johnson can't play, rookie DeAndre Hopkins would see a lot more targets in the Texans' passing game. While good news for Hopkins, Johnson's absence is bad news for the Texans as a whole, particularly a rattled Matt Schaub.
Ryan Mathews is still trying to shake off the concussion he suffered early during last week's loss to the Oakland Raiders. The running back has yet to clear the NFL's mandated concussion protocol, putting Ronnie Brown on track to start for the San Diego Chargers on Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts.
Mathews has struggled to gain momentum on the ground this season. Through five games, he has 234 total yards rushing at 3.5 yards per carry. Ronnie Brown likely wouldn’t provide much improvement, however. The veteran is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry.
Jamaal Charles returned to practice Thursday for the Kansas City Chiefs after sitting out practice Wednesday with blistered toes. Charles' Week 6 status was not considered in jeopardy, but the fact that he practiced should provide Chiefs fans some minor relief. Charles is leading the AFC with 397 yards rushing so far this season. He also has 28 receptions for 250 yards and five total touchdowns.
Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone couldn't commit to Stevie Johnson playing in Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Johnson is dealing with a combination of an injured back and a personal matter that will, according to Marrone, make Johnson's decision to play "a tough call."
Johnson has played in 53 straight games for the Bills, dating back to 2009. He is currently away from the team, however, and would have a big trip to make back to Buffalo from Oakland to play Sunday. If Johnson sits, the Bills’ passing game could struggle mightily.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Carl Nicks missed the first two games of the 2013 season with a staph infection that cropped up during training camp. Now, the infection appears to be back. Tests revealed that Nicks still has traces of MRSA in his toe.
There is no word yet how the infection will affect his status for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Staph is potentially deadly in some cases, as former Cleveland Browns center LeCharles Bentley nearly discovered.
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