Jadeveon Clowney, A.J. Green Injury Updates

Houston Texans rookie pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney is back in the starting lineup after missing seven weeks with a torn meniscus, as the Texans decided to take things slow with their big-time investment. The No. 1 overall pick was a 50-50 game-time decision for last week’s Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Texans decided that he wasn’t ready and held him out. Clowney first suffered the knee injury in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins and was only expected to miss four to six weeks, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution, especially with an uber-talented rookie (Clowney also doesn’t have the cleanest injury history).

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As expected, Clowney is active today, as he is making his return the lineup against the rival Tennessee Titans. That said, Bill O’Brien and the Texans will continue to play it safe with him, as he is expected to be on a snap count today. Clowney will almost exclusively play on passing downs, though his role is open for expansion if his knee feels good.

ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports that A.J. Green is indeed inactive today for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was never expected to play today. Green has a good shot at playing next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he isn’t a guarantee either. Mohamed Sanu struggled last week after dominating the Carolina Panthers, and he’ll face another difficult matchup today against the rival Baltimore Ravens, who have Will Hill and CB Jimmy Smith in their secondary.