
Antonio Smith was suspended the final two pre-season games and the first regular-season game at San Diego on Monday Night. He's appealing the suspension but I don't think that's going to do any good. He clearly took a swing at Incognito's head after he pulled off his helmet. I guess second-year player Jared Crick may start the first game.
This really hurts us in that first game. San Diego has a pretty good offense and "The Ninja" is our second best defensive lineman. When you play a 3-4 defense you can't really afford to lose a player of his caliber up front. He had picked up a sack on Ryan Tannehill not long before that incident happened. I was expecting a big season out of him and now he may miss the first game.
Texans hope Antonio Smith's suspension will be reducedhttp://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/08/20/nfl-considers-suspension-antonio-smith-helmet-swing/2676177/The Houston Texans are bracing for the absence of defensive end Antonio Smith in the regular-season opener while holding out hope his suspension could be reduced on appeal, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL hadn't announced the suspension, which is expected to cover the Texans' two remaining preseason games as well as the Monday night opener against the Chargers in San Diego.
Smith, 31, was caught on tape pulling the helmet off Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito's head and then swinging it at Incognito's face during the Texans' preseason victory on Saturday.
If Antonio Smith had connected to Richie Incognito's face, that could have done some serious damage and warranted a much longer suspension.