WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT
How latest roster moves are rapidly answering questions about Houston Texans philosophy
Aug 30, 2023, 2:17 pm
WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT
The Texans went from 90 to 53 and a practice squad yesterday. Roster moves are still being made to shape the opening day 53. While there were pink slips given, “this isn’t goodbye, it’s see you later” may have been uttered, and the dreaded “we wish you well in your future endeavors.”
This is a necessary evil and a part of the business. Every day, normal people lose their jobs because of corporate restructuring. The difference here? Some of these guys were drafted recently by the same general manager that cut them.
One thing I appreciate about some of Nick Caserio's comments is him owning it. He spoke about writing things in pencil. You can erase pencil, but pen is permanent. NEVER marry yourself to a player is my philosophy. If it's working, cool, If not, on to the next. While most will not understand or tolerate this kind of behavior/talk, I happen to get it.
Crying over spilled milk instead of cleaning it up and buying a new gallon makes absolutely no sense! Take Kenyon Green for example. TONS of fans are upset and labeling him as a bust. He's played one season and is on IR for this season. Who's to say he wouldn't have made the improvements had he not been injured? You can't make that kind of judgement after one year. Especially if he's injured. Caserio said him going on IR was more about when, not if. This explains the extra offensive line moves.
When looking at the OL, it's imperative they put together the best unit possible. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was named the starter following the final preseason game vs. the Saints. This was to be expected. One surprise was that they kept eight offensive linemen, when I thought for sure they'd keep nine. Keeping four running backs, six wide receivers, three quarterbacks, and five safeties made it a numbers game. Usually teams will keep one less in each of those positions to make room for more guys in other positions. Also, keeping a fullback and three tight tends made things a little tight.
Reminder: This is just the opening day roster. It's still very fluid. Moves are being made daily to constantly reshape the roster. Don't be surprised if there are more offensive linemen added. The defense may see some roster moves as well. DeMeco Ryans and his staff are developers. They see certain traits they can coach up and go after the player. This is also the reason some vets such as Desmond King, Christian Kirksey, Jacob Martin, Chase Winovich, Steven Sims, and Nick Vannett were given their walking papers. A few of those names surprised some folks. Not me.
I see the vision Caserio and DeMeco are casting. Out with the old, and in with the new. Their philosophy is simple: field the best team while building for the future. Looking to the future while establishing the present is a great way to rebuild. You want to improve upon the previous years and set new milestones. Remember, we're in “Phase Two” of the rebuild. I know it's a Tilman Fertitta/Rockets thing, but it applies to the Texans as well. You have your hot shot GM, a young/exciting head coach, a franchise quarterback, a young edge rusher, a lockdown corner, a playmaker at safety, still have some draft capital, and decent cap space. It's time to poop or get off the pot!
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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