(Updated) Jets 'snakebitten' again by injury bug

Rex Ryan really can’t catch a break.

As if losing Darrelle Revis and Santonio Holmes for the season – and Dustin Keller for all but one game this season (not to mention Stephen Hill's two-week absence) – wasn’t enough, Jets players were dropping like flies in Monday night’s 23-17 loss to the Texans.

Nick Mangold had to be helped off the field at the 14:39-mark of the third after suffering an ankle injury. The Jets All-Pro center laid face-down for several minutes on the turf as he was attended to by doctors. Though his return was questionable, Mangold – who was replaced by rotational left guard Matt Slauson – jogged back onto the field with his ankle heavily taped in the fourth quarter.

He was spotted in the locker room after the game with his right ankle still taped.

With less than five minutes in the game, their backup nose tackle Kenrick Ellis went down with a knee injury. Ellis, who started in place of Po’uha, was replaced by first-time NFL starter Damon Harrison. The team gave no further update on the severity of Ellis’ condition.

Recently-signed receiver Clyde Gates suffered a separated shoulder during the game and left the locker room with his left arm in a sling. Gates told me his shoulder popped out and had to be put back in. He said X-rays were “all good” though.

Ryan also said during his post-game press conference that Josh Mauga suffered a shoulder injury. He, too, had his arm in a sling after the game.

“We had a lot of new guys that just got here and then you get injuries during the game, it doesn’t help personnel groupings. So you have to make changes on the fly. It’s tough position (offensive coordinator Tony) Sparano’s in, trying to get things called. There were new guys. Five or six new guys.”

Ryan, however, wasn’t in the mood to give his players a pass.

“It looks like we’re a little snake bitten with injuries,” the Jets coach said. “But that’s not an excuse. We had a guy here for three of four days (Jason Hill) that has to step up.”