Texans proudly announces Andre Hal remission from cancer

Houston Texans: For the second time in head coach Bill O'Brien's tenure, the Texans proudly announced one of their players was in remission from a form of cancer. Safety Andre Hal, who was diagnosed in May with Hodgkin lymphoma, is in remission after undergoing treatments at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The 26-year-old Hal is in his fifth season, the past three as a starter. Texans director of sports medicine Geoff Kaplan said Hal's recovery represents the best-case scenario spelled out when treatment began. In June 2014, former offensive tackle David Quessenberry - who is now with the Tennessee Titans - was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hal is not yet cleared to return to the field, but Kaplan said it's possible. That was Hal's plan from the beginning. "I didn't do chemo because I didn't want to miss this year," Hal said. "I wanted to play this year. I don't think people really thought I was going to come back and play, but I knew in my heart that I wanted to come back and play."

Indianapolis Colts: There is no debate from Andrew Luck that backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett can throw the ball a longer distance on any given day. The buzz around the Colts since Sunday, when Brissett entered for the last-second heave to the end zone, has focused on Luck's shoulder and arm strength and its impact on the deep passing game. "It can get better," Luck said of the downfield passing game on Wednesday. "We can probably look back and say, 'Man if we'd hit a couple more chunks in a couple of the games that swing the tide in a way.' We'll work on it. I'll work on it." Luck said he feels good about where his arm strength is in the final week of September. "I really do," Luck said. "I feel like I can make those throws and we're where we need to be."

Jacksonville Jaguars: Getting running back Leonard Fournette in the lineup for the first time since Week 1 might be the tonic the team needs, but the Jaguars continue to be baffled by mental and physical mistakes on offense. "We've got to find out and figure out how we're going to handle it as a team," quarterback Blake Bortles said. In a 9-6 loss to the Titans last week, the Jaguars had only 12 first downs and averaged a woeful 3.9 yards per pass. Six of 10 drives ended in punts. "It definitely feels like a letdown," Bortles said. Defensive end Calais Campbell had two sacks in the game but said there is no time for the Jacksonville defense to start the blame game. "This one stings a little bit because it's a division game at home. At the end of the day, it's just one loss, and how we respond is really what it comes down to. I'm very confident this team will respond," Campbell said.

Tennessee Titans: Splitting carries between Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis remains the vision of head coach Mike Vrabel. The idea of each player filling a specific role is one Vrabel encourages players to embrace, even if Henry had visions of being the bell-cow in Nashville. "I think it is similar. I think it is good. They are both helping us, and they are both going to play - we've said that" Vrabel said. "As long as they are both helping us win, and we are trying to put both players in the best possible spot that we can, and the best position, I think we'll go with where we are now. If it looks like a guy is going, he's running ... and he gets tired, the next guy needs to go in and we'll keep flip-flopping them around." Lewis leads the team with 143 yards rushing on 39 carries -- he also has nine receptions for 50 yards -- while Henry has 139 yards on 46 carries and just one reception.