Team scrimmage news and notes
Deshaun Watson and Randall Cobb established chemistry during Texans' team scrimmage
Aug 28, 2020, 9:52 am
Photo Courtesy of the Houston Texans
Back up quarterback A.J. McCarron and running back Buddy Howell were left baffled by the results of the previous play. With the ball in their possession, there was a miss-communication between McCarron and Howell that resulted in a failed handoff. As the ball fell to the ground bouncing freely, outside linebacker Jacob Martin gained its possession to score a touchdown for the defense.
Head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien described Martin's defensive act as an example of the high "energy" he plays with, and it was one of several highlights that took place inside the NRG Stadium, Thursday night, during the Houston Texans' team scrimmage.
On a night when the Texans witnessed Deshaun Watson establishing chemistry with Randall Cobb on a few deep throws and an improved pass-rush defense, ended with their star quarterback along with Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas, and J.J. Watt leading a discussion at midfield about social injustice. The passionate team meeting was the pinnacle of Houston's team scrimmage.
"We spoke with players and we just felt that, relative to everything that's going on, we had some good discussions today — these are ongoing discussions," O'Brien said. "As a team, we decided that we want to go out there and scrimmage — get something done. We play two weeks from now, so we felt like that was important. We also felt like it was important to give the guys time to talk about things."
The uproar over the shooting of Jacob Blake — an unarmed African American male who was shot seven times by Wisconsin police on Sunday — reached its tipping point in the world of sports on Wednesday.
The Milwaukee Bucks set off a chain reaction by boycotting their playoff game against the Orlando Magic that resulted in an abundance of professional teams canceling their planned events. In the NFL, nine teams canceled practice — including the Washington Football Team, who postponed their scheduled team scrimmage on Thursday. But with their season set to begin against the Chiefs in less than two weeks, the Texans — as a team — felt it was best to proceed with their planned scrimmage while keeping the fight against social injustice at the forefront.
Stills, who was emotionally distraught during practice on Monday, had a performance that could have been detrimental to an opponent team's defense. He connected with Watson on several pass attempts, and recorded a touchdown in the process. The team scrimmage might have been enough for safety A.J. Moore to gain more playing time in 2020, as the third-year defensive back notched a sack and an interception on McCarron.
Unfortunately, Houston's team scrimmage did not end without a visit from the always unwanted injury bug. Wide receiver Chad Hansen sustained an apparent shoulder injury after taking a hit by cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. O'Brien said there will be more information on Hansen's injury on Friday.
As the players departed the field to head to the locker room, one significant theme stood out following Thursday's team scrimmage. The Texans' fight to help end systemic racism is just as serious as their quest to capture their first Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2020.
"I think Doc Rivers, what he said after their game really hit home for me," O'Brien said. "I think that's something that should be played on loop. It was so passionate and just so real. I just have a lot of respect for Doc. I think Andy Reid had some great things to say. I would say the big word is 'empathy' and how can we come together and figure out how to put actions in place that create change."
"I think that's what our players are talking about. Our players are very bright guys and we have a lot of good pros on this team. They wanted to scrimmage and they also wanted to talk about what's going on. So, we'll just keep working on it."
Absent from Thursday's scrimmage: Dylan Cole. Brandin Cooks. Isaiah Coulter. Keke Coutee. Phillip Gaines. Cullen Gillaspia. Jonathan Greenard. J.J. Watt.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. 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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