Critical takeaways from Houston Texans preseason win over Steelers
TEXANS TAKEAWAYS
10 August 2024
CJ Stroud looked good in his 2024 preseason debut. Composite Getty Image.
C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass to Tank Dell in his preseason debut to help the Houston Texans beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-12 on Friday night.
Held out of the Hall of Fame game last week against Chicago, Stroud completed 2 of 4 passes for 41 yards.
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdown last season, leading the Texans to the AFC South championship and a victory over Cleveland in the wild-card round.
Following a three-and-out, Stroud led the Texans to the touchdown on a three-play series. Stroud threaded a pass to Dell, who dodged a pair of missed tackles for a 34-yard score. Dell had 708 yards receiving before a season-ending leg injury last season. He also was wounded in the offseason in a Florida restaurant shooting.
Justin Fields played three series for Pittsburgh, finishing 5 of 6 for 67 yards. He was sacked twice and fumbled two exchanges.
Pittsburgh moved across midfield twice with Fields under center, but the drives stalled because of a fumbled snap and a sack.
Pittsburgh acquired Fields – the No. 11 overall pick in 2021 – from Chicago for a conditional sixth-round choice in 2025. The Steelers traded Kenny Pickett, the team’s first-round pick in 2022, after signing Russell Wilson to the $1.21 million veteran’s minimum when he was released by Denver in March. Wilson didn’t play Friday because of a lingering calf injury.
Quarterback Kyle Allen drove Pittsburgh inside the 5 in the second quarter, but the Steelers came up empty on four tries. Allen missed a wide-open Calvin Austin III in the back corner of the end zone on fourth down.
Allen finished 17 of 23 for 193 yards, a late interception and a third-quarter touchdown pass to Connor Heyward.
Houston scored its second touchdown in the second quarter. Pittsburgh’s Quez Watkins muffed a punt and running back Dare Ogunbowale capped the six-play, 30-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.
UNDER PRESSURE
Houston defensive end Danielle Hunter made an impact on his two series with two tackles, a sack and two quarterback pressures, including one on the first snap of the game.
The Texans signed Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract after a 16 1/2-sack season with Minnesota. He’s expected to pair on the defensive line with Will Anderson Jr.
Don't miss the video above as the guys from Texans on Tap go live on YouTube and share their thoughts on the Texans' win! We learned a lot about how Diggs and Dell will be deployed.
TRANSACTIONS
The Steelers placed Markus Golden on the reserved/retired list Friday, a little more than a week after signing the backup outside linebacker. Golden, who played nine seasons, spent 2023 with the Steelers, recording four sacks, good for third on the team.
Pittsburgh also restored RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson to the active roster. Patterson, in his 12th NFL season, is a four-time All-Pro returner.
INJURY REPORT
Pittsburgh’s Keeanu Benton left the game with an eye injury.
UP NEXT
Houston: Hosts the New York Giants next Saturday.
Pittsburgh: Hosts Buffalo next Saturday.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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