Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready | Readiness

HOUSTON – Cam Akers accomplished a resurgent comeback from two torn Achilles tendons, qualifying himself as one thing of a medical marvel and incomes himself a roster spot with the defending AFC South champion Texans.

Now, Akers is getting ready for an elevated function as the first working again Sunday towards the Minnesota Vikings, his former staff.

Akers took the first-team snaps Wednesday with starter Joe Mixon sidelined due to an ankle harm that might forestall him from taking part in this week together with backup working again Dameon Pierce with a minor strained hamstring. Neither of the working backs’ accidents are thought to be long-term, per league sources.

“You don’t got to get ready when you stay ready,” Akers mentioned. “So, I’ve been preparing for this moment. I’m ready for it. I’m ready to take advantage.”

Akers, in reduction of Mixon on Sunday night time towards the Chicago Bears, rushed for a team-high 32 yards on seven carries as he averaged 4.5 yards per run and had a future of 13 yards he punctuated with a tricky stiff-arm. Akers misplaced a fumble within the pink zone on an unpenalized helmet-to-helmet shot.

Akers might have re-signed with the Vikings this offseason after tearing his Achilles tendon final 12 months. However, he most well-liked his alternative with the Texans.

“A lot went into it, but I’m happy to be here,” Akers mentioned. “I’m happy for the opportunity (Vikings) gave me when I was with them. So, it’ll be fun. Be fun to go back and see those guys and ultimately compete against them.

“It’s going to feel great. It’s just another game. Obviously, I’ve got history there, but it’s still another game. It’s the next one up. So, I just want to put on a show.”

Signed to a one-year minimal contract after a profitable exercise in July, the Mississippi native was as soon as the top-ranked working again within the nation popping out of highschool earlier than signing with Florida State.

With his elusive strikes and stiff-arm capacity, Akers has made an impression on the Texans group.

“Cam has run the ball well, as we’ve seen,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans mentioned. “He’did a good job for us, so we’ll see where Cam is as we go throughout the week.”

During the preseason, Akers excelled as he trucked Los Angeles Rams defensive again Jason Taylor within the ultimate preseason recreation.

“Just big boy football, you know what I mean?” Akers mentioned. “Going out and making a play. JV. Varsity. I’m varsity.”

Akers, 25, is a 5-foot-10, 217-pound runner who entered this season with 1,581 profession yards, 4 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns and 38 catches for 320 yards and one landing.

In 2022 for the Rams, he rushed for 786 yards and a career-high 9 touchdowns as he averaged 4.2 yards per carry. He has simply 4 profession fumbles.

The Texans’ multidimensional working again continued to show in his level, serving discover that he’s again and has regained his outdated taking part in type. He rushed for a team-high 53 yards on seven carries and caught three passes for 19 yards on 4 targets for 72 yards of complete offense towards the Rams.

Arguably, Akers’ most eye-catching play appeared like a online game sequence solely it was actual. Akers took a handoff and put the Rams’ protection within the spin cycle as he spun round three Rams to choose up a primary down. Three consecutive spin strikes, together with twice round befuddled linebackers Zack VanValkenburg and Elias Neal and defensive again Tre Tomlinson, received the job achieved.

Before Akers even joined the Texans, he was in Houston coaching with elite coach Justin Allen. He was already buying a house as a result of he needed to dwell on this space.

“I was already buying a house before I got the call to go to work,” Akers mentioned. “It feels like home.”

Working behind Pro Bowl working again Joe Mixon, Akers has made it some extent to be taught from him. Now that he’s proven what he can do, it’s out of his palms and up to the teaching workers to decide. He would love to maintain taking part in right here.

“I leave it in God’s hands,” Akers mentioned. “Just tell me where to go to work. The camaraderie, the culture, it’s winning culture here. You got everybody from top to bottom, everybody wants to win. Everybody has got one common goal, so it’s easy to fall in line.”

Deeply non secular, the previous Florida State blue-chip recruit and Rams second-round draft choose attributes his outstanding comeback to his religion and onerous work.

“Give all the credit to the good Lord above, you know what I mean?” Akers advised KPRC 2 throughout an interview at NRG Stadium. “For allowing me to have a strong mind and a strong support system to be able to come back. It’s a small group to come back from that, and I’m happy to be a part of that group.”

Akers joined the Texans, whose working again place is headlined by Mixon, after contemplating rejoining the Vikings. The concept of taking part in for the Texans appealed to Akers significantly. The Mississippi native was already on the town coaching with NFL and NBA elite coach Justin Allen and was within the course of of buying a house.

“I was here already, so it was like divine destiny, God’s plan,” Akers mentioned. “So, I’m happy to be here. Hopefully, I can make it stretch.”

Akers completed the preseason with 114 speeding yards on 23 carries and caught eight passes for 61 yards with one landing.

Akers was traded to the Vikings for a sixth-round draft choose final 12 months, speeding for 40 yards on 5 carries and catching two passes for 11 yards in his debut towards the Carolina Panthers. He received harm towards the Falcons, tearing his Achilles, and was positioned on injured reserve.

Akers signed a typical one-year, $1.175 million contract. He simply needed a chance, and he received what he hoped for.

It’s been a protracted street again for Akers.

“I would say it has made me appreciate it more, you know what I mean?” Akers mentioned. “Sometimes you can take for granted the ability that God has blessed you with in a situation where he’s watching over you. I’m putting my best foot forward.”

Akers lamented the misplaced fumble, calling it “unacceptable.” He’s decided to not have that occur once more.

“I’m gonna take care of that,” he mentioned. “I’m my biggest critic. Being overly hard on yourself, don’t do it.”

The Vikings’ protection, designed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, is difficult.

“Flo does a lot of different stuff defensively,” Akers mentioned. “He calls a lot of different schemes and they execute well. They’ve got some good guys over there, good defenders, good players. So, we’ve got to be on our game. We got to come out and go to work and make plays really early.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com