Luke Kuechly OUT vs. Texans following concussion

Every great streak must come to an end, and so Luke Kuechly will miss his first ever game as a member of the Carolina Panthers, according to Will Brinson of CBS Sports. It's a testament to Kuechly's resilience that he's managed to play one of the most contact-intensive positions in football without getting banged up.

Normally this would be devastating to the Panthers' defense, and make no mistake, It'll hurt, but things could be far worse. Arian Foster remains injured for the Texans and last week A.J. Klein played very well in a reserve role. More importantly: Keeping Kuechly healthy long term.

There is zero reason to rush back the All-Pro linebacker until he is completely ready. It's been just a week since he sustained a nasty concussion against Jacksonville, and any possibility of this becoming a recurring problem should be avoided. Perhaps it's images of Dan Morgan dancing through my head, but it's just not worth it.

Get well soon Luke. We know you'll be on the field again for a far more important game.