TEXANS CAMP REPORT
11 observations from Texans training camp Day 10 - Saturday under the lights
Aug 8, 2021, 2:02 pm
The Texans first preseason game is next Satuday against the Packers. Photo via: HoustonTexans.com
The Houston Texans had their most active practice of training camp on Saturday with a scrimmage atmosphere in front of fans.
1. Texans head coach David Culley was as demonstrative and loud as he has been all camp on Saturday. Culley was exasperated after a pre-snap penalty for the offense. Later, Culley "benched" a player for another player after a false start.
2. Brandin Cooks is regularly unguardable in Texans camp. Cooks had three big plays, one wiped out via penalty, on Saturday. The veteran wideout is a terror for the defensive backs.
3. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor was impressive for a good portion of the practice. Taylor's movement will be an asset when the better defenses show up on the schedule. Taylor made very few mistakes on Saturday.
4. The play of the day saw Taylor roll out to his left, chased by defenders, and heave the ball to the end zone. The 35-yard pass ended up in the hands of Brandin Cooks for a score. This was after a penalty had negated a previous Cooks score.
5. The above-mentioned penalized play was a screen to Cooks. Leading the way on the screen: second-year offensive tackle Charlie Heck. Heck had far more good plays than bad plays on Saturday. He's had a solid camp playing tackle and clearly has changed his body composition in the offseason.
6. Heck did allow one speed rush to get past him. The rush came from defensive lineman Jacob Martin. Martin flashed twice in the scrimmage with two sacks. Martin has had a rough camp to this point, so if he could build on Saturday that would go a long way for him.
7. Vincent Taylor and Ross Blacklock caused havoc along the interior of the defensive line. Taylor destroyed a run play. Blacklock had a couple of hurries and a would-be sack. Towards the end of practice, Blacklock started getting extra attention put on him.
8. Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel struggled to be consistent on offense. Mills started his set of reps with a little momentum, but he finished his first set of reps with a pass to nowhere, leading to a field goal. Driskel threw an interception to safety Lonnie Johnson.
9. Plenty of the rookies showed up during the workout. Nico Collins had a nice catch in traffic. Roy Lopez was constantly double- teamed by offensive linemen. Tight end Brevin Jordan had a nice catch on an out-route. Linebacker Garrett Wallow, who is wearing 32 despite being a linebacker, had a freaky pass breakup saving a touchdown. Wallow skied for the ball and batted down a would-be touchdown pass from Tyrod Taylor to Alex Erickson. Wallow, unfortunately, didn't come down with the interception.
10. Pharaoh Brown and Jordan Akins are the clear leaders at tight end. Each of them had touchdown catches, including a beauty of a strike from Tyrod Taylor to Brown for a touchdown. Akins finds holes in the defense.
11.Deshaun Watson was not at practice yet again.
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What were the takeaways from the Texans-Panthers preseason game?
We’re getting close to cuts, so the stakes are high with one last chance to make a lasting impression in the final preseason game. In the Texans’ win over Carolina, the biggest takeaway was the offensive line and running game — they looked good. Pass protection held up, and C.J. Stroud put together a nice touchdown drive capped off with a fourth-down throw to Nico Collins. Both rookies Jayden Higgins and Jalen Noel caught passes, and Nick Chubb looked sharp running with the starters.
How did the O-line look?
The line already looks much improved from last season. Pass protection was solid, run blocking was effective, and they were able to grind out yards while giving Stroud a clean pocket. Rookie Aireontae Ersery continues to impress, and there’s a real chance he ends up as the starting left tackle over big ticket free agent Cam Robinson. Robinson is back at practice, but Ersery has looked good with the first unit — and he was drafted to take Laremy Tunsil’s spot anyway, so why not speed up the process?
In practice the starters have been LT Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews, RG Ed Ingram, and RT Tytus Howard. If Robinson slides back to left tackle, Ersery could move to right tackle with Howard shifting inside to guard. It’ll be interesting to see what combo the Texans roll out against the Rams in Week 1.
Did the running backs impress?
Chubb looked good behind the line, finishing with 5 carries for 25 yards and a reception. He seemed comfortable in the scheme and showed some burst — it’s obvious he knows what he’s doing. If Joe Mixon isn’t ready for the start of the season, Houston should be in good hands with Chubb.
Damien Pierce is still out, which has given rookie Woody Marks more opportunity. He made the most of it with 40 yards on 7 carries against Carolina. He’s also shown he can help on third down with his ability in the passing game, which could earn him a real role.
How did the receivers look?
Rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both caught passes. Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and Justin Watson each added a couple of grabs too. Based on last year, Stroud tends to funnel targets to his top two options. A season ago it was Collins and Stefon Diggs before injuries hit. This year, Kirk looks capable of filling that Diggs role out of the slot. He just fits.
Reaction to the John Metchie–Harrison Bryant trade
The Texans needed more tight end depth with Brevin Jordan hurt, and Metchie wasn’t going to make the team. Bryant gives them another option, and it looks like tight ends may play a bigger role in the offense after Irv Smith Jr. led the team in catches and yards against Carolina.
Special teams also factored in. Metchie doesn’t play there, while Braxton Berrios and Justin Watson do, which gives the Texans more flexibility. Collins, Kirk, Higgins, Noel, and Hutchinson all look like locks at receiver, so moving Metchie made sense. It will be interesting to see who the final pieces will be in the Texans receiver room. Will they keep Watson and/or Berrios? We'll find out on Tuesday when the final cuts are made. Stay tuned!
What to watch for against the Lions
It’s all about the offense at this point. The defense is expected to be elite, so the spotlight shifts to Stroud and the rest of the unit. If the offensive line holds up against Detroit and the operation looks sharp, the Texans should be well-positioned to open the regular season on the right foot.
There's so much more to break down! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The NFL season is almost upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Texans on Tap podcast, which drops each Thursday during the preseason! More episodes will ramp up when the regular season begins! We'll go live on YouTube after every regular-season game.
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