EVERY-THING SPORTS

How 4 key factors could change how you measure success for Texans against Patriots

Houston Texans CJ Stroud
CJ Stroud will start at QB for Houston. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.

We have Texans football back! Rejoice people! The wait is over! Some have said this must be what it feels like waking up after hibernating and a nice meal is waiting on you. Preseason football is better than no football. It's also a welcomed sight when the team you follow has been down a while and is finally trending upward. New coach & coaching staff, two high first round picks, and a slew of other new faces. There's a reason for hope and renewed optimism.

When he was drafted at number two overall, most thought it was a forgone conclusion C.J. Stroud would be the Texans' day one starter. When the coaches met with the media after the draft and before mini camps, it was said there will be a quarterback competition. Davis Mills truthers held onto hope he could retain his position in the driver's seat. He hasn't. Those that have been at practices have said they see why Stroud was named the starter and why Mills wasn't.

My sincere condolences to my buddy Dune and all the other Mills truthers out there. I know it must be a difficult time for you all. The rest of the Texans' fan base is over the moon! The next thing they're looking forward to is the REAL announcement that Stroud will be the week one starter. THAT will be the day this franchise can finally turn another page!

Speaking of that first preseason game, I'm looking forward to seeing a few things when they square off against the Patriots:

Speed and Quickness: I'm looking forward to seeing how quickly C.J. gets the ball out of his hand and makes decisions. I want to see how fellow first rounder (number three overall pick) Will Anderson Jr gets off after the snap. I want to see how fast Derek Stingley Jr recovers, flips his hips, and runs with a receiver down the field and running routes. I want to see how quickly the plays get called in on both sides of the ball. Pace of play tells you a lot. I want to see these guys play fast and give other teams fits.

Health: Your best ability is availability. Not sure who gets the credit for that statement, but it's true. I want to see guys get some work in, but come out healthy. Especially when it comes to the guys that'll actually play, that the team is counting on for this season. There's a CVS receipt long list of guys sitting this one out. I hope they don't pull anything, clapping or drinking water on the sidelines.

Dawgs: Who's got that dawg in 'em? Who's one, or more, of those guys that jumps out at you when watching the game? Every year on every team, there are guys that were afterthoughts that end up playing their way onto a team's roster. Whether it's standing out on special teams, making a play to help turn the game around, or making a highlight reel play, these guys may have been numbers 54-90 during camp, but they'll force their way onto the final 53.

Compete: Win or lose, competing is a non-negotiable. You don't have to have that dawg in you, but at least compete. Show everyone why you're one of the few people on this planet that are worthy of wearing that helmet and uniform. Business decisions will be made because it's preseason. However, the majority of guys playing need to prove themselves. It could be to the team he's currently playing for, or another team. Show up and show out. You never know who's watching.

We're entering an exciting time for the Texans. Things are looking up. Now we're a few steps closer to real games that matter. Coming into 2023, there hasn't been this level of excitement since the season when nasty man signed his extension right before we all found out he was an alleged perv. The team was headed in the right direction and optimism abounded. I know it seems so long ago, but better times are ahead. Better yet, they're here.

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Amen Thompson looks like the real deal. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Thursday night's one point loss at Memphis aside, what a run the Houston Rockets have been enjoying. Within a two week stretch the Rockets beat the last two NBA Champions (winning on the road in Denver and Boston), and twice beat the Cleveland Cavaliers who have the best record in the league this season and against all other teams are 39-7. Yes, the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic in their loss to the Rockets but don’t nitpick. Entering February with a 32-15 record exceeds even optimistic preseason hopes. The preseason betting line for the Rockets' season win total was 43, give or take a game. They are on pace to win 55.

In the 2022-23 season the Rockets completed a three-year run as an on-court laughingstock with a 22-60 record. That tied for the second worst record in the NBA, following seasons of 20-62 and 17-55 which each were the worst record in the league. It was an embarrassing stretch for a proud franchise. The Rockets had just three losing seasons total in the 36 seasons prior to their recent three years in the toilet. Following the ‘22-’23 slog, the Rockets’ cross their fingers really hard hope was to win the draft lottery where the unquestioned grand prize was Victor Wembanyama. Alas, the Rockets drew only the fourth pick on lottery night. Wemby” hasn’t disappointed the San Antonio Spurs at all, and in this his second season he stands a strong chance of winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award.Prevailing sentiment had point guard “Scoot” Henderson as the second-best prospect in the ‘23 draft. The Charlotte Hornets took forward Brandon Miller at number two because they already had LaMelo Ball at point guard. The Portland Trail Blazers then took Henderson at three. Would the Rockets have taken him at number two or three? We don’t know with certainty. Other than for laughs they have no reason to admit they'd have selected "Scoot," any more than Nick Caserio would have to admit the Texans’ would have drafted Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud if they had picked first not second in the 2023 NFL draft. What we do know is the Rockets picked Amen Thompson fourth. Amen to that.

Thompson individually best mirrors the Rockets’ rapid rise from mediocre last season (41-41) to legitimate contender. Thompson was the fourth pick in his draft class, after the Rockets took Jabari Smith third the year before, with Jalen Green the second overall pick the year before that. It was Smith’s broken hand in early January that spurred head coach Ime Udoka to insert Thompson into the starting lineup. I’m guessing neither Thompson nor Smith know the story of Wally Pipp (or perhaps Lou Gehrig either), but how can Udoka put Smith back in the starting lineup? The race is on for which in hindsight will be general manager Rafael Stone’s greater move, taking Thompson at four or swinging the post-draft trade that netted 2021 number 16 selection Alperen Sengun. Sengun Thursday night was named an All-Star game reserve for the first time. One can envision Thompson joining Sengun on an All-Star squad as soon as next season. Credit to Jalen Green for some improvement this season, but the idea that he has made a huge leap and should have made the All-Star game is silly. Green has stretches where hot shooting combines with his explosiveness to make him look like a star, but that is not his body of work. Green’s shooting percentages remain below average from the floor overall and from behind the three-point line.

The Rockets are second in the Western Conference while getting essentially nothing from the third pick in last June’s draft, guard Reed Sheppard. He’s just 20 years old and there is no reason for a pure shooter to lose that skill before he can legally buy a beer, so bust talk is way premature. But Sheppard looked like a poor man’s Bryce Drew (that’s not a compliment) in his early season opportunities, overmatched physically with the game way too fast for him.

When you draft in the top four for four consecutive years, you’re supposed to assemble some stout talent. In consecutive drafts the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder picked Kevin Durant (at number two), Russell Westbrook (at number four), and James Harden (at number three). Success is no given however even with a raft of high lottery picks. The Minnesota Timberwolves in successive drafts selected third, fifth and sixth the same year, fourth, and second. Their “haul” was O.J. Mayo, Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn, Wesley Johnson, and Derrick Williams. Yikes.

The current iteration of the Thunder is obviously the best team in the Western Conference, but until OKC breaks through and wins a conference title, it’s not unreasonable to think OKC can be had in a best-of-seven. That the Rockets make the list of teams who wouldn’t require a miracle to topple the Thunder is a phenomenal development.

Still counting down to the start of spring training, but we have taken no offseason from discussing the Astros. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for a New Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!


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