After back-to-back wins, the Houston Texans are slowly beginning to find their rhythm this NFL season. C.J. Stroud, the clear leader of this team, has managed to run the offense on his own terms—even with the added challenge of being without Joe Mixon through all five games.

The veteran running back has been sidelined with a foot injury since the offseason and was placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list in late August — a move that has kept him from seeing any game action alongside his teammates so far this season.

Nick Caserio spoke to the media about the situation and, while stopping short of confirming a return date, revealed that the team will wait a few more weeks before having a clearer picture of Mixon’s physical condition.

“He is making progress. . . Over the next few three or four weeks probably we’ll get more information here,” the General Manager stated on his press conference. “But, taking one day at a time.”

What happened to Mixon?

The Houston Texans are still operating without veteran running back Joe Mixon, who has missed the entire 2025 season after sustaining a foot/ankle injury during an offseason workout. Mixon was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, which ruled him out for at least the first four games.

While the 29-year-old is now eligible to be activated, General Manager Nick Caserio stated on Tuesday that there is no set timetable for his return.

In the meantime, the Texans’ backfield has relied on a shared workload between veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks. Mixon, who ran for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, remains a significant question mark for the team’s offensive outlook.

Getting back into AFC South contention

The Houston Texans are suddenly surging in the AFC South race, riding a two-game winning streak to climb back into contention. After a dominant 44-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans now sit at a 2-3 record, putting pressure on the division leaders.

With the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars currently atop the division with 4-1 records, Houston is now just two games back in the loss column. While the schedule stiffens ahead, C.J. Stroud and the Texans’ offense have shown flashes of their potential, proving they are far from out of the hunt as they enter their bye week looking to build on their momentum and close the gap on their AFC South rivals.