AFC Notes: Azeez Al-Shaair, Brian Callahan, Joe Mixon, Texans, Titans

Texans

Houston LB Azeez Al-Shaair will miss three games due to a suspension for a hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, and LB Christian Harris is expected to be activated to return in his place. Texans RB Joe Mixon believes they will be okay with Harris filling in and recalled playing Houston last year when he realized how talented Harris is.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got a dawg in C-Harris coming back and I know he’s going to step in right away and fill that role,” Mixon said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “So, I think we’re going to be all right. At the end of the day, we’ve got to take it one week at a time and keep on putting our arm around Azeez and checking up on him and making sure he’s straight and when he comes back, he’s ready.”

“Last year, I remember one of the first runs, I believe it was a checkdown and I just remember a No. 48. I’m like, ‘Who the hell is this?’ because he makes a tackle and is turned up. I was like, ‘Who is this? He wasn’t on the scouting report and he should have been.’ I’m happy that my man coming off his injury. It was an unfortunate situation. He gets to play the game he loves and obviously he’s got his teammates uplifting him. He’s going to do his best to come in and play his game. I don’t know how they’re going to play it in terms of his snap count, but I know for a fact when he gets in there he’s going to give us 1000 percent. I think it’s going to be a great uplift for the defense, man.”

Texans

After a late hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair has been suspended three games with plenty of vocal backlash from the league. Houston RB Joe Mixon came to his teammate’s defense and doesn’t think it was a dirty hit because of the lack of intent.

“It’s not even just us, that’s around the league,” Mixon said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “It was an unfortunate situation. Obviously, we and a lot of people as well think that it was overkill honestly in terms of the punishment for Azeez. Obviously, had the role been reversed, I’m sure I know for a fact we would have (protected) C.J. (Stroud), too. We’re not sitting here saying what they did was this and that with Azeez. If somebody jumped on No. 7 (Stroud), we probably would have did the same thing. Most definitely. At the same time, it wasn’t on purpose.”

“We’ve seen a lot more crazier hits, dirtier hits. I don’t honestly think it was dirty. It was a bang-bang play. We’ve seen a lot more done with a quarterback in our situation and got less of a suspension and fine and things like that. It’s unfortunate.”

Houston GM Nick Caserio expressed his outrage with how the league has treated Al-Shaair since the hit on Lawrence.

“One of the biggest issues that take umbrage with, as a team and organizationally, is the picture that’s been painted of Azeez,” Caserio said. “Quite frankly, it’s unfair. I think that’s all teams ask for is consistency from the league. I would say in this situation — I mean, quite frankly, there’s no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that’s been handed down.”

“Nobody embodies our program more than Azeez, what he’s about, what he’s been through. You all know his story. There’s not a more selfless individual, more about the team, who’s earned the respect, that represents everything that we want this program to be about. We’re talking about some of the commentary that has been made about his character, about the person that he is, about what his intentions are, from people that, quite frankly, don’t know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair.”

Titans

• Titans HC Brian Callahan believes they are in good injury condition and feels K Nick Folk will be ready to go. (Turron Davenport)
• Callahan admitted LT JC Latham has struggled and needs to improve. (Jim Wyatt)
• Tennessee LB Otis Reese will be a game-time decision for Week 15. (Paul Kuharsky)