New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said Tuesday he doesn't think the ankle injury to Nick Mangold is as bad as what the Pro Bowl center suffered last season.

Mangold left the third quarter of New York's 23-17 Monday night loss to the Houston Texans with a right ankle injury but was able to return with the ankle wrapped. In speaking with 98.7 ESPN New York, Ryan said the preliminary indications on Mangold are good and he expects the veteran to play Sunday.

Last season, Mangold missed two games with a high-ankle sprain, and the Jets lost those games to Oakland and Baltimore using then-rookie Colin Baxter as a fill in.

ESPNNewYork.com's Jane McManus contributed to this report.