The Texans injury report looks better with each passing day and the team should
be near full strength when Jacksonville visits Sunday afternoon.
Right tackle Todd Wade practiced some Friday. Head coach Dom Capers said he will be available for Sunday's game but would likely back up Marcus Spears at the position.
But safety Jason Simmons missed practice for the fourth-straight day Friday and will not play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Capers had updated Simmons progress all week and while the seven-year veteran is improving after suffering a concussion at Tennessee Oct. 17, nagging headaches will keep him on the sideline.
Eric Brown is scheduled to start at strong safety Sunday and will be backed up by Marlon McCree. Capers said McCree will also play as a defensive back in certain packages in place of Simmons.
McCree started 11 games at free safety last season after the Texans claimed him off waivers from the Jaguars. He had 31 tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He started every game for Jacksonville in 2002, finishing with 63 tackles and six interceptions.
"Basically everyone else practiced and did what we anticipated them doing," Capers said Friday.
The importance of the game seems to grow by the day. The Texans (3-3, 1-0) will become the only undefeated team in division play with a victory over the Jaguars (5-2, 2-1).
In a bit of a scheduling abnormality the Texans did not play an AFC South game until the sixth game of the season, which makes this game, and every division game that follows, even more important down the stretch.
The Jaguars are first in the division after defeating Indianapolis last week.
Oh yeah, Sunday is also Battle Red Day.
Excited? The Texans are.
"I think our team understands what this game means," Capers said. "We've got a team that's leading our division coming into our stadium. They've won both of their road division games so obviously this is an important game to both teams."
