NFL PRESEASON

Some Texans players gave it all they had for a shot at the roster in preseason game 4

Some Texans players gave it all they had for a shot at the roster in preseason game 4
Bruce Ellington (left), Alfred Blue and Sammie Coates hopefully earned roster spots. Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com

The Texans enjoyed the comfort of home as they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 14-6 at NRG Stadium for the fourth and final game of the 2018 NFL preseason Thursday night. The game was a defensive battle between players from the bottom of each roster. No significant starters from either team took part in the action so it’s with a grain of salt that the stats can be analyzed. But the players desperate to make the final 53-man roster? Their effort and the plays they made are all important in the next few days when the coaches will make their final cuts.

The name that stood out the most early was Joel Heath. The third-year defensive lineman was in the backfield almost every play. He is only credited with two tackles, one of them for a big loss; but the pressure he put on the Cowboys’ quarterbacks was instrumental in getting his defense off the field in three or four plays every drive. Heath is probably not a borderline player but the Texans front 7 is loaded with talent and the final game was about playing time. If he can be a disruptive force like his counterparts Watt, Clowney, Mercilous and Reader; then he will see more action and keep the rotation on fresh legs.

Offensively, the Texans weren’t that great. The deeper players on the depth chart couldn’t get on the same page with the rotating tandem of Brandon Weeden and Joe Webb playing quarterback. They got a break on the Cowboys’ second drive when pressure up front forced an interception to rookie safety Justin Reid. Houston had a short field to work with and they took advantage getting a touchdown run by Alfred Blue. A big play on that drive was a first down pass to rookie tight end Jordan Akins that put the ball at the 3-yard line. Akins was able to get just enough separation and make a great catch for 16 yards. Plays like that are going to get him on the roster behind Ryan Griffin and give Houston another option in the passing game.

Braxton Miller was someone else trying to find his way on the bottom of the depth chart at his position. He hauled in 2 passes for 28 yards, most of that on a 22-yard catch and run. On both of his receptions he looked like a pro who was going to make the team. He probably did with his effort in the last two games. Special teams will need him but hopefully the offense won’t.

The biggest question mark on the entire roster is the cornerback group. Injuries are piling up and the talent just doesn’t seem to be good enough for an NFL defense. But if the only game you watched was this final preseason game you saw an all-out effort and some good play. Names like Dee Virgin and Andre Chachere are longshots to make the roster, but you couldn’t tell.

Virgin had eight tackles, one of them for a loss and two pass break ups. He still wasn’t great in coverage, but he managed to close on the ball and get his hands in there to break it up. He was flying all over the field and getting to be ball. Not to be outdone, Andre Chachere had four tackles and two passes defensed as well. He is probably an even longer shot to make the roster. But the special teams need to be filled out too. These guys might have worked their way on the team with sheer effort and will power.

Safety Ibraheim Campbell, cornerback Bryce Jones, and running back Terry Swanson are three more names who showed up with their best effort. Campbell and Jones were around the ball a lot too. Each had six tackles to finish the game. A really pleasant surprise was the play of Swanson, particularly the 37-yard touchdown run he had in the fourth quarter.  He hit the hole hard and with one cut he was into the secondary and down the sideline for the score. He showed off his quickness and speed, and with depth necessary at running back right now for Houston it may be enough to get him on the team. He finished the night carrying the ball 17 times for 69 yards and the score.

Overall, the Texans had the look of a team ready to play. The final game of the preseason is always about effort. These players had one last shot to keep their name on the mind of the coaches. Some will make the team because depth is needed, others will make it because they did just enough to earn a role on special teams. Whatever way it happens for them they will be glad they were able to put together one final good game. The roster will be set on Sept. 2 and the Texans will be at New England on Sept. 9. The make-up of the roster is going to be a factor in how well the Texans do in the regular season and beyond.

 

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Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes have been the Astros' best hitters. Composite Getty Image.

It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.

Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.

What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.

His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.

And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.

Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.

But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.

Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.

And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.

For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.

Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.

We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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