Texans fear running back Lamar Miller has torn ACL

The Houston Texans' chances at repeating as AFC South champions took a potentially devastating blow on Saturday night when starting running back Lamar Miller sustained what coach Bill O'Brien called a "serious" left knee injury during the team's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. After the game O'Brien said that Miller was still being evaluated, but multiple outlets reported that the team fears Miller tore his left ACL. If the injury is indeed a torn ACL, Miller almost certainly would miss the entire 2019 season.

On the Texans' second play from scrimmage on Saturday, Miller took a handoff off right tackle. At that moment Cowboys defensive tackle Maliek Collins beat his blocker and put his right side and shoulder into Miller, whose left knee bent in an awkward way. The running back went down immediately and had to be carted off the field.

"It was serious," O'Brien said. "It was a tough thing to see."

Miller has led the Texans in rushing every year since joining the team prior to the 2016 season. Last year he rushed for 973 yards and five touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown.

"It's very difficult to lose a guy like Lamar for a lot of reasons," O'Brien said. "He's a great pro. He's an awesome guy in the locker room."

Without Miller and with quarterback Deshaun Watson playing only three snaps on Saturday, Houston was routed by Dallas, 34-0.

After the game, O'Brien said the Texans would likely use a "package deal" at running back if Miller was forced to miss time. That package would include Duke Johnson, whom Houston acquired from the Cleveland Browns earlier this month, 31-year-old veteran Taiwan Jones and Damarea Crockett, an undrafted rookie from Missouri who has impressed the coaching staff in the preseason.

"We'll deal with [the injury]," O'Brien said. "We'll overcome it. And we'll keep plugging along."