STOOTS ON TEXANS
11 observations from Houston Texans 24-20 win over Rams
Aug 22, 2022, 9:21 am
The Texans are 2-0 in the preseason. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images.
The Houston Texans win again late in their second preseason game. Here are 11 observations from the game.
1. Derek Stingley made his preseason debut. There wasn’t much action in Stingley’s way, but he got beat early. The Rams would rechallenge him only for Stingley to make the correct read and showcase some of the closing speed he has shown off in practice.
2. It is ok to make a mistake if you are Derek Stingley. The nature of the cornerback spot requires the ability to bounce back. Stingley, he can’t make the same mistake very many times. He’s shown the ability to learn from the mistakes in practice and now in a small way in this game.
3. Davis Mills and the almost-first-team offense stunk. I don’t believe this unit scores a touchdown if there wasn’t a personal foul penalty that gifted them some yards.
4. Davis Mills took a totally unacceptable sack for him and this team. Mills saw a wide-open Chris Moore and ignored him to try to make a bigger play. Mills was caught from behind and sacked. Moore easily has a few yards and maybe more. It is first down, in the first quarter. Take the easy play and keep moving. This offense, and team, aren’t built well enough to pass up on easy yards.
5. Max Scharping didn’t play well. The left guard for this game let a Rams defender work him and blow past him to sack Mills and force a fumble. Later, Scharping got pushed around again. The goodwill he built in camp is gone for me.
6. Kenyon Green needs to get back in a hurry. And when Green is back, he needs to be good. Max Scharping nor Justin McCray are suitable full-time left guards for the Texans.
7. Nico Collins caught what I thought was a bad ball from Davis Mills for a touchdown. The involvement of Collins mirrored what usually is the Brandin Cooks role. It will be interesting to see how the team uses Collins when Cooks is playing.
8. Jonathan Greenard might be a menace for this defense. There were spin moves, bull rushes, physical plays, and just general ass-kicking from the defensive end. I am much more excited for his season than I was before this game.
9. Kurt Hinish and Thomas Booker should make this team over Ross Blacklock. Blacklock is inconsistent and hasn’t showcased what Hinish or Booker has in these preseason games. With Roy Lopez and Maliek Collins as the starters at defensive tackle, Hinish and Booker can hold down the backup spots. Again, I don’t believe Hinish would make it to the practice squad if cut.
10. There were a few blitzes that led to sacks. Lovie Smith didn’t blitz much last year, it will be interesting to see if with a deeper and more talented set of defenders he will employ a few more blitzes.
11. The preseason games conclude Thursday with the 49ers in Houston. Lovie Smith has hinted this will be the most starter-heavy game. Hopefully, it includes more than 15 plays of Derek Stingley and a lot more offense from the likely first team of the Texans.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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