The first day in pads were big for a few different Texans

11 observations from Texans training camp, July 27

11 observations from Texans training camp, July 27

If you missed day two you can find them here.

First day in pads

There wasn't a ton of thumping in pads but there was some solid work. The defensive line had a solid day despite not having J.J. Watt or Jadeveon Clowney. The defensive backs and wideouts got good work in today with each other as well. The running backs had a long day with the linebackers.

Learning Lonnie

Imagine being a rookie and trying to cover DeAndre Hopkins. This rep didn't go Lonnie Johnson's way but after some quick instruction and another chance later the rookie won a rep against Hopkins via solid technique and being physical. A huge asset for Johnson is he seems to pick things up quickly.

Testing Tytus

Tytus Howard has a solid day. There were certainly some moments where he looked less than impressive but he held his own on a few different reps including a pseudo-pancake of D.J. Reader. He got a little tired and the technique was a little loose later in the practice. These early days will be huge for testing his conditioning and ultimately improving it. O'Brien noted he worked more at left guard but got some tackle work as well. Howard said he uses Matt Kalil as a resource to learn.

Key piece on the line

D.J. Reader was a terror today for all the offensive linemen. Wherever he worked he annoyed the offense. He got into the backfield more than a few times. He will be a key piece to the Texans defensive line this season. Nobody else can do his job.

Welcome to the NFL moment for Scharping

Max Scharping looks the part and he had a decent day on the offensive line. He did have some moments where he will likely want those reps back. There's plenty to work on for the second round pick but there are moments where it is clear why the Texans invested in him.

Healthy Heath

Joel Heath has been around the Texans for a few years and has been in and out of the lineup. He had a really good day Saturday and showcased his length and athleticism. There are plenty of options for the Texans to choose from on the defensive line but the numbers will start filling up quick. Heath will need to build on this day and stay healthy but he looked solid.

Tougher than college

Fullback Cullen Gillaspia had a long day. His first year playing fullback was last season for his college team Texas A&M. There were moments where he looked like he had a tough time with the strength of some of the defenders he was asked to block. He also had a few miscues in the passing game. O'Brien mentioned technique and fundamentals are an early emphasis for the younger players.

Omenihu stands out

Rookie defensive lineman Charles Omenihu stood out a few times. He flashed strength and speed on a couple of occasions. He looked like he was more ready than some for pads. I will be anxious to see a rep against Matt Kalil down the line for Omenihu to see if the veteran can use his experience to tame the young defender.

Johnnie Dixon's opportunity

​Former Ohio State wide receiver Johnnie Dixon has been stringing together solid days. He has an opportunity for this team with the final two wideout spots up for grabs and maybe some special teams action as well. He has a lot of competition but among the young wideouts he had one of the best plays of the day. He used his agility to dip away from a defender and create a ton of separation.

Play of the day

Will Fuller had a couple of plays where nobody was even close to him. He's making it look easy.

Quote of the day

Texans OL Tytus Howard

Cody Stoots

"70 yards"

Texans OL Tytus Howard when asked if he can still throw the ball far. Howard was a former high school quarterback.

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Joe Espada will turn to Jason Alexander to start Game 2. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros return to action Tuesday night in West Sacramento, looking to even their series with the Athletics after a tough loss in the opener. Though the Astros remain in first place in the AL West at 41-31, they’ve yet to find their full rhythm on the road, entering this matchup with a 14-18 record away from home.

Houston turns to recently recalled right-hander Jason Alexander, who will be making his fifth appearance of the season — but his first in an Astros uniform. All four of his previous outings in 2025 came with the A's, where he posted an 18.00 ERA across six innings.

With the Astros riding a recent stretch of strong pitching — boasting a 2.60 team ERA over their last 10 games — Alexander will try to keep the rotation’s momentum going.

Oakland counters with JP Sears, a lefty who’s logged a 5-5 record and 5.08 ERA this season. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, Sears has shown flashes of dependability and will be facing a Houston lineup that’s starting to click. The Astros are hitting .261 over their last 10 games and have gone 13-4 in games where they’ve launched at least two home runs — a trend they’ll hope continues in this one.

The Athletics, meanwhile, come in at 30-44 overall and 13-23 at home. But despite their struggles, they’ve gone 6-4 over their last 10, getting solid production from their pitching staff, which has posted a 3.06 ERA during that stretch. Oakland’s offense has been led by Brent Rooker, who enters the game with 15 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage. Max Muncy has also been a bright spot lately, with four home runs and 11 RBIs in his last 10 games.

For Houston, veteran second baseman/left fielder Jose Altuve continues to lead the charge. The former MVP has 10 doubles and 11 home runs on the year and remains one of the most reliable bats in the Astros lineup.

Tuesday night marks the fourth meeting of the season between these division rivals, with the Athletics currently holding a 1-0 edge in the series. First pitch is set for 10:05 p.m. EDT, as the Astros look to get back on track and reassert their dominance in the AL West.

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*ChatGPT assisted.


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