Texans offer QB clarity ahead of ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup

The Houston Texans are forging ahead with their contingency plan at quarterback ahead of a crucial ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

For the last two games, the Texans have turned to backup Davis Mills to lead the offense with starter C.J. Stroud still in the concussion protocol. Mills helped Houston escape with vital wins against AFC South foes in the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, pushing the team to 5-5 and into the fringe of the AFC playoff picture.

On Tuesday, the Texans opted not to leave anything uncertain about their plans in the lead-up to the game.

Here’s what we know:

Is C.J. Stroud playing Thursday against the Bills?

Stroud on Tuesday was officially ruled out for the matchup with the Bills, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans announced.

The third-year quarterback returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first time since suffering a concussion in a Nov. 2 loss to the Denver Broncos.

With the quick turnaround, however, he won’t be back in the lineup just yet.

After Week 12, Houston will have a critical two-game stretch in which it faces both the division-leading Indianapolis Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.