Houston Texans Kareem Jackson leaves game with rib injury

Pierre Thomas (23) is pursued by Houston Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson (25) on a 51-yard touchdown reception at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It was initially believed that Houston Texans starting cornerback Kareem Jackson suffered a shoulder injury, but it is now being reported that he has left the game with a rib injury. Jackson is questionable to return, and the Texans currently have a slight lead on the Arizona Cardinals at 17-14. Prior to leaving the game, Jackson recorded four solo tackles, and the Texans can only hope that the physical CB’s injury isn’t serious. He and Jonathan Joseph form a solid CB duo that is among the most physical in the NFL, and they need both guys to be healthy in order for the secondary to remain effective.

Jackson hasn’t had an interception this season, but he does have a solid total of four passes defended to go with 31 total tackles and a fumble recovered. He isn’t the most consistent player around, but Jackson’s physicality makes him one of the better run defenders in this league, as you can see by his tackle statistics. He hasn’t been as good as he was last year, but he hasn’t been a liability in coverage either.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Jackson thus far, but he is a huge key for a Texans secondary that really doesn’t have much depth right now. They cannot afford to lose Jackson beyond this game, so keep an eye out for updates regarding his status; it’s a toss-up as to whether or not he’ll be back today. He’s a very durable player, so that’s certainly going for him.

By the way, Joseph returned to the game after suffering his own injury, and he’s definitely somebody the Texans can’t afford to lose, as he’s a legit No. 1 CB in this league.

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