If it weren't bad enough that the Houston Texans lost to the Seattle Seahawks this past Monday night and fell to 2-4 on the season, the in-game loss of Nico Collins, Houston's leading receiver each of the last two seasons, felt like a particularly cruel blow.
Collins had been largely ineffective against Seattle, being held to four receptions for just 27 yards in the first three quarters of the game before he exited early in the 4th quarter following an incomplete pass that ended with the back of Collins' helmet colliding with the turf along the sideline. While his impact was minimal throughout the Week 7 loss, you wouldn't be able to find anyone in the know who doesn't believe that Collins is the most important piece of the Texans offense not named CJ Stroud.
Unfortunately, Stroud will likely be without his top target this coming Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Reports out of Texans practice on Wednesday don't necessarily confirm the worst fears of those in Houston, but just because it's not a shock doesn't mean it isn't a blow.
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston, both Collins and fellow wideout Christian Kirk missed practice on Wednesday. Kirk has been limited to just three games this season due to a lingering hamstring issue. His eventual return feels like something of a mystery, but frankly, for as long as Nico Collins is on the shelf, it's backpage news.
Although it would've been just as surprising as it would've been wreckless if Collins were practicing today, it's still a bitter pill to swallow for Texans fans who are wondering if this team has enough juice offensively to avoid missing out on the postseason while simultaneously squandering a superb season from its defense.
Nico Collins has been quiet thus far this season, posting just 26 catches for 339 yards and 3 touchdowns through the first six games of the year. Even assuming Collins misses just one game due to the concussion, he's still on pace to finish with under 1,000 yards this season for the first time since before CJ Stroud and DeMeco Ryans arrived in Houston. H