Remember when Patrick Mahomes’ ankle had Chiefs fans spiraling like it was the end of the world? Well, imagine being the Houston Texans. Saturday’s clash with the Chiefs didn’t just leave them bruised—it left three players sidelined with injuries. Oh, and they’re still very much in the Super Bowl race. If Mahomes’ sprain sent shockwaves through the Chiefs Kingdom, the Texans’ situation would be like a full-blown earthquake. Somebody get their fanbase a stress ball—or maybe a hug.

The Houston team has clinched the AFC South title; there is no denying that. However, it’s the post-season that is surely haunting them. Well, that 27-19 loss against the reigning champion was disastrous. But what’s more problematic for the Texans is three back-to-back injuries on the roster. Amidst all the injury drama in the roster, coach DeMeco Ryans has a two-word update for them as he said, “Tough News.” Yeah, that’s it. It’s all he could say.

After the Chiefs’ loss, the wideout Tank Dell is out for the remaining season. Adding the salt to the wound? The safety, Jimmie Ward, and the offensive guard, Shaq Mason, also have their share of injuries, as the locker room appears to be tense.

The wideout, Dell, has dislocated his knee and tore his ACL. And this marks his back-to-back ruling out of the season after the Texans drafted him last year. “He dislocated his knee, tore his ACL, some other things there he’ll have to get repaired,” the HC said. “So he’ll be out for the year.”

Now, adding fuel to the fire, the OG, Mason, was ruled out of the game due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, he’s now up in the air for future games. On top of that, Ward’s done for the season after a tough foot injury. It’s like the sand slipping through your fingers.

What’s next for DeMeco Ryans’ Texans after the Chiefs’ loss

With 9-6 and the AFC South title against their name, the Houston team has secured a playoff berth for the second consecutive time. But, honestly, their fate is hanging by a thread right about now. During the third quarter on the Saturday face-off against the Chiefs, Tank collided with his teammate, Jared Wayne, while hauling a 30-yard TD pass from the QB, CJ Stroud.

That said, the wide receiver went down hard on the field and was later carted off the field. Tank will now undergo a season-ending surgery and is unlikely to return to the action for the 2025 beginning. However, the HC has not announced his replacement, but it seems, Nico Collins can be a top contender to fill out Dells’s shoes.

After a crushing defeat over the Chiefs, the Houston team has yet another challenge as they will face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. No doubt, DeMeco Ryans got tough news last week. He sure wants to look ahead for the postseason now as the Texans prepare to host a playoff game in the first playoff weekend itself.