THE DEFENSE PUT ON A SHOW FOR THE FANS IN THEIR FIRST OPEN PRACTICE

11 observations from Texans training camp, August 1

11 observations from Texans training camp, August 1
@edclarke03/Eddie Clarke

Deshaun Watson Texans Training Camp 2019

Plenty of juice for the fans

Photo by @edclarke03/Eddie Clarke.

The Texans did what was probably one of their longest situational team work sessions of camp. There was a lot of simulation of a game and Bill O'Brien stressed how important it was to get that worked out and then build on it from a two-minute situation to simulating a four-minute simulation as well.

Hopkins vs vets

DeAndre Hopkins worked over Johnathan Joseph in their first rep in one-on-one drills. He easily separated from the veteran corner and caught the ball one-handed falling out of bounds as Joseph closed. The next time the two players matched up Joseph didn't even finish the rep and had Hopkins beat. The quarterback threw the ball and it sailed way past Hopkins. A win for Joseph.

After the rep, the veteran corner, with a little jawing, started to discuss what went wrong with Hopkins' route and started to fix it with him. Joseph is such an asset having played so much football.

Keep writing his name down

I had been watching drills for mere moments and the above video occurred. Tyron Johnson is going to make this team. He has been the fourth best wideout in camp. He can run all the routes and I would wager can work inside and outside well enough the Texans would be comfortable with him doing each. He's fun and easy to root for each day.

Defense wins the day

The defense were the big winners today. They got to Deshaun Watson a few times and were terrors to most of the wideouts. This is to be expected with question marks at some of the spots for the starting offensive line and the defense having almost every starter from last year back as well. They're ahead but the offense was able to rattle off some yards. It wasn't smooth for the offense as much as start and stop.

Tytus the key? 

Tytus Howard had a day off and will be back working with the team Saturday. The various players filling in for him didn't bring his level of success against the defense. He is really carving out a nice role for this team. If you had said the Texans would draft a starter with their first round pick, we all would have been happy right?

Whitney's way back

Whitney Mercilus is in the final year of his contract with the Texans and after a down year last year looks poised to punish offenses. He has worked the Texans tackles all camp rarely coming away with a loss in his rep. Today he flashed through the line forcing Watson to step up into more pressure. He could be a key player for this pass rush if he rushes more than last year.

Ball security issues

I wouldn't put this on Deshaun Watson as much as the right side of the offensive line but there were a couple of forced fumbles. J.J. Watt shook loose and knocked the ball out of Watson's hands. Another couple players got a forced fumble or affected the throw by Watson. Not a good showing for the right guards and tackles today.

Backup spots up for grabs

Not only are there plenty of starting spots up for grabs on the offensive line, the players who don't end up starting are battling with each other for the few backup spots. The Texans always keep an extra tackle, extra interior player who can snap the ball, and another lineman. That would be eight. It is hard to see them keeping nine. Plenty of spots to be had if someone can separate themselves from the pack.

Coutee's new workouts

Bill O'Brien above mentioned some of the various things he wants Coutee to work on now that he is healthy. Coutee is healthy after changing up his offseason work. He mentioned more stretching and he looks to have put on some weight as well. If healthy, he should be an extremely solid option for Watson.

Play of the day

DeAndre Hopkins one-handed on the sideline against Johnathan Joseph. I had to go to it again. My word.

Quote of the day

Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien

@Cody_Stoots/Cody Stoots

"There's probably a hundred things spoken about relative to your decision to do something whether it's with the team that currently exists or something outside the team. We talk everyday. We've got a great structure of communication."

Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien on how the team discusses potential moves in and outside the building.

BONUS: Watt loves the troops

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Now’s the time for the Astros lineup to start hitting its stride. Composite Getty Image.

The easiest way to win in the American League next to an opponent forfeiting the game is getting to play the Chicago White Sox. The Astros are in the “Windy City” this weekend for three games against the woebegone White Sox, most notably featuring Lance McCullers hoping to make some sweet mound music as he pitches in a game that counts for the first time since 2022. In 1979 the White Sox actually didforfeit a game, thanks to Disco Demolition Night. In a marketing idea gone very wrong, the White Sox blew up a big bin of disco records on the field in between games of the scheduled doubleheader. After the explosion, thousands of fans stormed the field, ripping up grass, lighting fires, with several fights inevitably breaking out. The lunacy left the field unplayable, the Detroit Tigers got a free win. The Astros will have to actually play the Chisox to get wins. Sweeping the three isn’t mandatory, but only taking two out of three would actually seem mildly disappointing.

Speaking of disappointing, Yordan Alvarez has to be hoping the calendar turn to May gives him a figurative fresh start. Counting the three games of March with April, Yordan just finished the second-worst calendar month of his career. His anemic .670 OPS through 30 games tops only his August of 2022 (.638). Last season Alvarez never had a month with an OPS lower than .776. In 2023 in what could fairly be described as awesome, Yordan’s OPS was at least .900 every month of the season. Last year, May was his worst month with the .776 OPS. The big man then went off the rest of the way with a .331 batting average and 1.069 OPS.

It’s still fits and starts for Christian Walker, with the downside still winning overall. An almost everyday cleanup hitter still hasn’t reached double digit runs batted in 30 games into the season (Walker has 9). Batting .143 with runners in scoring position tells that tale. It was Walker’s crush job of a home run Monday that jumpstarted an Astros’ comeback win over the Tigers. He followed with a two-hit game Tuesday. Then Wednesday it was five hitless at bats and not once getting the ball out of the infield. Walker enters the weekend batting .196 with a .632 OPS. Jose Abreu’s miserable tenure with the Astros ended with a .217 average and .625 OPS. Too many Walker at bats continue to have him fall in a hole that he will rarely climb out of successfully. He has a whopping 36 plate appearances that have seen the count go to oh and two. That’s 33 percent more than any other Astro (Jeremy Pena has 27). In his at bats that have gotten to the 0-2 count, Walker is three for 32. To be fair, no one makes a good living hitting after the count gets to 0-2. Entering play Thursday the Major League Baseball average in such at bats was .163. Walker is at .094. The great Tony Gwynn posted a .338 career average. In his 706 plate appearances that saw the count get to 0-2, Gwynn hit .268. Jose Altuve is .249 career after facing an 0-2 count.

It’s been an outstanding start for Jeremy Pena in his move to the leadoff spot with Altuve dropping to the two slot. Pena successfully reached base eight times in the three games of the Detroit series. His season on-base percentage is up to .355. If sustainable that would be a substantial improvement over Pena’s weak career .307 OBP mark coming into this season. Pena is faster and a clearly better base runner than Altuve. If the OBP stays up, Pena should have a new long-term home in the batting order.

Garner’s grit endures

In closing, a paragraph in salute to Phil Garner, and also to the Astros for inviting him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, on his 76th birthday. Obviously the magnificence of the past eight seasons trumps all before them in Astros’ history, but it should always be remembered that Garner skippered the Astros to their first ever pennant in 2005. Having gotten to know Phil a little bit through regular radio conversations in his time managing the Astros, a tip of the cap to one of the most engaging people I have met in sports, and a guy who is pretty much unsurpassed as a storyteller. If you missed it, this week brought public disclosure that “Scrap Iron” has been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year now. It’s a tough battle, but everyone who has ever known Phil is aware there was zero chance that he would back down from the battle. It was great seeing him Wednesday in great spirits. In 2029 the Pittsburgh Pirates will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their World Series winning team that was known for “We Are Family,” the Sister Sledge hit song of that time. Amusingly if not ironically, the hit that became Pittsburgh’s theme song came from a group that hailed from Philadelphia. Anyway, in the ‘79 postseason Garner batted a cool .472, .500 in the World Series on 12 for 24 as the Pirates rallied from down three games to one to beat the Baltimore Orioles.

For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!

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