One last workout before the Texans head to Green Bay

11 observations from Texans training camp, Aug. 3

11 observations from Texans training camp, Aug. 3
Eddie Clarke

Keke Coutee at Texans Training Camp 2019

If you have missed any of the previous looks at the Texans observations you can find them here

Light day but work day

The Texans are deep into working against themselves and with the work against the Packers a couple of days away the team didn't hit it super hard. They got some really solid work in though. Plenty of situational work and even some goal line work. I would say the offense and the defense each had elements of they day they could be proud of Saturday.

Stout. Just stout. 

Texans defensive line at Texans Training Camp 2019

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I am not sure who will be scoring on the Texans defensive line. They have rarely been pushed by the Texans offensive line on the ground. When Watt and Reader are leading the pack they just smash people. I can't wait to see them work against other teams and better offensive lines. Green Bay could be a fun test. If you want to score on the Texans in the red area you better throw.

Picking on Roby

The Texans offense picked on Bradley Roby a bunch today. He got a couple of wins but DeAndre Hopkins is a tough cover for him. Lamar Miller also put a nice move on him in the open field to score a few more yards. The Texans have to have Roby play well if they are going to succeed this season.

Surprising find

Jahleel Addae has been a real camp standout. The safety has spent the last few years with the Chargers and he's easily one of the best safeties on the team with Justin Reid and Tashaun Gipson. He earned some praise from Bill O'Brien after the workout as well. The Texans' defense has always relied on a third safety to a large degree and Addae has been a really nice find by the Texans staff.

Tytus and Thomas down

Jordan Thomas at Texans Training Camp 2019

Eddie Clarke

Tytus Howard didn't work out again today despite Bill O'Brien hinting earlier in the week he expected the first round pick to be ready today. If it is nothing too serious I would expect him to work against the Packers next week. If he misses those workouts there will be cause for concern. Jordan Thomas has been down but again, if he works out against Green Bay he hasn't missed a ton.

Pass blocking woes

The running backs had a decent day against the safeties earlier in camp but they worked against the linebackers today and it wasn't pretty. Lamar Miller has the absolute best rep, as he should he's the expert on the team, stuffing Benardrick McKinney. D'Onta Foreman had a solid rep too but the rest of the backs struggled.

Watt vs the world

J.J. Watt showed off for his parents at practice today working over just about everyone he faced. I feel bad for the Packers linemen. Watt bull rushed Matt Kalil almost into Deshaun Watson on one play. He has looked great in camp and frankly needs some days off so the offense can actually work. Kalil looked solid on his other reps. He's had a nice camp.

Baseball Watson

Deshaun Watson

Eddie Clarke

This may sound weird but I bet Deshaun Watson would have been one hell of a baseball player. His lower body moves like a shortstop sometimes and his ability to get the ball out from angles reminds me of a middle infielder. He's smooth and it is apparent he knows so much more than previous years. He makes it look easy.

Fairbairn's first miss is no issue

Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed the first kick I saw him miss in camp. He hit the upright and it bounced back. Again, this was the first miss I have seen in camp. Later when the A.J. McCarron led Texans offense stalled out Fairbairn hit what would have been a kick good from it seemed like 60-plus yards.

Play of the day

It felt like the first goal line rep of the day and the Texans defense was fired up after forcing a fumble. It looked like a few different defenders ended up contributing to the play. On offense, Keke Coutee kept moving when Deshaun Watson extended a play and extended out to make a great snag.

Quote of the day

Bill O'Brien

Cody Stoots/SportsMap

"Greg Mancz has done a good job, but we need Nick back out there. From a leadership standpoint, from the whole deal. Taking nothing away from Greg Mancz. We think very highly of Greg Mancz, it's just from a depth standpoint and getting Nick back out there, for Nick, it's important."

Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien on his injured center Nick Martin. Martin will go to Green Bay with the team hoping to practice.

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The Astros are cooking! Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.

In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.

It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.

Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?

Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.

Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.

If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.

As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.

And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.

There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.

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