The Patriots aren’t the only team playing on Thursday night with an injured quarterback. The difference, however, between Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Osweiler is that Garropolo didn’t practice with a shoulder injury on Monday, and that Osweiler fully participated with a back problem.
Osweiler is one of 15 Texans to appear on the Monday injury report. Not practicing were tackle Duane Brown (knee), linebacker Brian Cushing (knee), and receiver Braxton Miller (hamstring). Limited in practice were defensive end J.J. Watt (back), guard Jeff Allen (calf), cornerback A.J. Bouye (shoulder), tackle Chris Clark (elbow, ankle), linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (foot), cornerback Kevin Johnson (thumb), punter Shane Lechler (back), tackle Derek Newton (knee), and running back Jay Prosch (back).
Full participants were Osweiler, defensive end Christian Covington (groin), and linebacker John Simon (wrist).
For the Patriots, linebacker Dont’a Hightower (knee) and cornerback Eric Rowe (ankle) didn’t practice. Guard Jonathan Cooper (foot), defensive end Trey Flowers (shoulder), and tight end Rob Gronkowski (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis.
Garropolo, who has an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, isn’t expected to start on Thursday night, but it’s possible he’ll dress as an emergency option who would hand off only, in lieu of giving that assignment to receiver Julian Edelman.