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

 

houston texansnflfootballtraining campdeshaun watsondeandre hopkinsbill obrientexans

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Astros deliver a statement in the spotlight

The Dodgers host the Astros this weekend! Composite Getty Image.
  • It’s the first place Houston Astros against the first place Los Angeles Dodgers as they open their latest head-to-head series. This is not a recording. The two most dominant powers in the sport over the last decade gather at Dodger Stadium this Independence Day weekend. The Astros have a sizable lead in pursuit of their eighth American League West championship in the last nine years. The Dodgers have an even more sizable lead as they chase their fourth straight National League West crown, which would be their 12th in 13 years. Each franchise has won two World Series in that time frame, each has lost two. All Astro and Dodger parties would sign off immediately on a 2025 World Series matchup. This three-game set carries no big picture significance, but every game counts, and it’s just fun seeing these two get after it. It would be more fun if the Astros had Yordan Alvarez available. Then again, the Dodgers won’t have Josh Fields.

Both continue to roll along despite rashes of injuries. When the Astros awoke May 24 their record sat at 26-25. Since then they have gone 26-10. That is a dominant stretch despite this clearly not being a dominant team. The still Alvarez-less offense is mediocre. So is the starting pitching apart from the one-two awesome punch that Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have been. When Brown or Valdez has been the Astros’ starting pitcher this season, the team record is 25-9. With anyone else making the start, 27-26. They have been every bit as dynamic a duo so far in 2025 that Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole were for the Astros in 2019 when Verlander edged out Cole to win his third Cy Young Award. Brown is a lock to be named to his first American League All-Star team this Sunday. Valdez is worthy of a third consecutive selection but could get caught in a numbers squeeze. Eight or nine starting pitchers are picked for each league.

The Dodgers won’t face Brown this weekend, but will have to deal with Valdez on Saturday night. His mound counterpart will be Shohei Ohtani. Oooooooh! Framber didn’t give up a run in 13 innings over his last two starts, and over his last 10 outings has a super-spiffy 1.72 earned run average. The amazing Ohtani is easing back into pitching after his second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani has started three games, totaling just four innings. He has yet to throw 30 pitches in an outing. Saturday he probably will be allowed 30 to 40.

Arms race

While Friday’s outing isn’t remotely a make or break start for Lance McCullers, it does speak to a significant question the Astros hope to find a pleasing answer to over the remainder of the regular season. Who is their third starting pitcher in a playoff series? After Brown and Valdez there is simply no one who inspires confidence at this point. McCullers has been awful his last two times out, jacking up his ERA to 6.61 eight starts into his season. 20 walks issued in 32 2 /3 innings pitched is glaringly bad. McCullers is still reasonably in ramp up mode, but given his injury history along with performance concerns, the third starter spot can’t be considered his to lose. Spencer Arrighetti’s resume is thin but his return at the level he pitched at after the All-Star break last season would be massive. Colt Gordon and Brandon Walter have both done some nice fill-in work, but no one plausibly wants them starting what would be a do or die game if the Astros wind up in a game three of a best-of-three Wild Card series.

Historic achievement

Not as if it’s subplot or anything this weekend, but let’s call it notable that the two active career hits leaders in Major League Baseball share the field this weekend. Jose Altuve this week vaulted past Jeff Bagwell for second in Astros’ history behind Craig Biggio. Altuve enters the weekend 743 hits behind Biggio. He is no lock to catch him before Altuve’s five-year contract expires at the end of the 2029 season. Altuve will be 39 then. Biggio was 41 when he rapped his 3000th hit, then added 60 more before beginning the waiting game for election to the Hall of Fame.

Like Biggio got and presumably someday Altuve will get, Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman will get the call from Cooperstown some day. Like Altuve, Freeman is 35 years old, has won a Most Valuable Player Award, one Gold Glove, and with his selection this week been named an All-Star nine times. Aaron Judge may change this in the next couple of years, but among active players only Mike Trout (by a long shot) has compiled more Baseball-Reference offensive Wins Above Replacement than Freeman (second) and Altuve (third).

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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