Texans running back Joe Mixon sustained an injury early in the third quarter during a tackle by Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards. Head coach DeMeco Ryans reviewed the play and stated on Monday that it was clearly an illegal hip drop tackle.
Ryans explained, “It is definitely considered the hip drop when a defender unweights himself and puts all his weight on the runner’s legs. This is why we want to eliminate the hip drop tackle from the game, as it leads to many injuries. While such tackles are rare, they have a high injury risk, and that was evident with Joe and his ankle. The defender landed on his ankle, putting him in a tough situation.”
He further remarked, “We need to coach defenders better. The goal is to get your body in front of the runner and tackle from the front, rather than reaching from behind, which puts the defender in a precarious position. In an attempt to bring Joe down, the only option was for the defender to unweight himself and apply his weight to Joe’s leg. It’s unfortunate that this happened.”
Although Edwards was not penalized for the tackle, he should expect a fine from the league this week, as the NFL has previously fined players for similar infractions that went unpunished during Week 1.
Mixon was set to undergo an MRI on his injured ankle on Monday, but Ryans had no updates on his condition. Though Mixon returned to the game, he participated in only seven more snaps.
“We’ll monitor the injury closely and evaluate Joe as the week goes on,” Ryans added. “It’s a day-by-day situation.”
Mixon did not address the media after the game, but he took to social media to criticize the league for not properly enforcing the rules. He stated, “The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money where your mouth is.”
In addition, backup running back Dameon Pierce was inactive due to a hamstring injury, and third-string running back Cam Akers lost a fumble on the goal line late in the game against the Bears.