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.
How Astros revealed blueprint for 2025 in Opening Day victory over Mets
Mar 27, 2025, 6:59 pm
Framber Valdez pitched seven scoreless innings and Josh Hader struck out Juan Soto with two on to save the Houston Astros' 3-1 win over the New York Mets on Thursday.
After loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth, Hader fanned backup catcher Hayden Senger in his first major league at-bat. Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly made it 3-1, and there were runners on first and third when Hader struck out Soto swinging at a full-count slider wide of the zone for his 200th career save.
Soto singled and walked twice in his Mets debut after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent this offseason.
Making his fourth straight opening day start, Valdez (1-0) allowed four hits and struck out four.
Converted reliever Clay Holmes (0-1) yielded five hits and three runs — two earned — while walking four in 4 2/3 innings. Pitching on his 32nd birthday in his Mets debut, the former All-Star closer with the Yankees made his first big league start since making four as a rookie with Pittsburgh in 2018.
Jeremy Peña got hit by a pitch with one out in the second before touted prospect Cam Smith grounded an opposite-field single on the first pitch he saw in the majors. Brendan Rodgers walked to load the bases and Houston took a 1-0 lead when Jake Meyers grounded into a forceout that scored Peña.
Yainer Diaz hit an RBI single in a two-run third that extended the lead to 3-0.
The Mets debuted the No. 7 patches they’ll wear on their uniforms all season to remember Ed Kranepool, who died in September at 79. Kranepool spent his entire 18-year career with the Mets and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 1990.
Don't miss the video below as Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan from Stone Cold 'Stros react live to the win on YouTube!
Key moment
Hader finally closed it out on his 35th pitch — two more than his season high last year.
Key stat
Houston’s Jose Altuve made his first career start in left field after making his previous 1,749 starts in the field at second base.
Up next
Mets RHP Tylor Megill opposes RHP Hunter Brown when the series continues Friday night.
