ROLE PLAY

This standout on special teams could be poised for a bigger role on defense for Texans

This standout on special teams could be poised for a bigger role on defense for Texans
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Houston Texans safety AJ Moore was unlikely to even make it this far in the NFL. As an undrafted player out of Ole Miss in 2018, the odds were against Moore even making Houston's roster a few years back. Moore has mostly made his impact in the league as one of the best special team players on the Houston roster. Now entering his third season in the NFL, indications from training camp this summer seem to indicate that Moore might have a much bigger role in Houston's defense.

"AJ plays with a lot of energy," Head Coach and General Manager Bill O'Brien said. "He does whatever you ask him to do. He puts the team first. He's definitely DTS. He's dependable, he's tough, he's smart. He has a really good role on our football team. He's improved on defense. He's improved on special teams. He's a fun guy to coach."

Moore has played 671 snaps on special teams in his first two seasons in the league and only 20 total on defense, all in 2019.

"With getting limited snaps, I've been able to -- when I'm on the sideline, I'm just able to learn," Moore said. "I can still get a feel for the game just looking, but I've been able to grow in the playbook and continue to watch the speed of the game, and so now when I'm in there I can execute at a high level."

Moore has been singled out all summer by his teammates for his drastic improvements in his overall game including strong praise from quarterback Deshaun Watson.

"His confidence, he's a complete player. He's been able to play so many different roles and do so many different things, and he comes each and every day and competed," Watson said. "Regardless if he makes a play or [doesn't] make a play, he's always getting up with great positive energy, positive attitude, and always competing regardless of what the situation is or how he's feeling that day."

Moore has been working towards an opportunity to play more on defense and the Texans hope that Moore's strong play in training camp translates to gamedays starting next Thursday in Kansas City against Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs.

"This is going on my third year now, and of course, I made my role on special teams first, but I've just been trying to continue to get better and better at safety, and that's what I've done," Moore said. "I just continued to work hard and learn and to just grow to get better. That's just been my main focus. I've learned a lot over the years, and I've been able to make a couple of plays for the team, and that's what I'm here for. That's what I want to do."

Jake Asman is a national host on SportsMap Radio. You can listen to The Jake Asman Show weekdays from 8 AM - 10 AM Central.

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The Astros beat the Phillies, 2-1. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.

Cam Smith hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

The rookie's second hit of the game came off Orion Kerkering (5-3) and gave the Astros their fourth straight win.

Brandon Marsh tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning to end the Phillies' 26-inning scoreless streak.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead on Yainer Diaz’s RBI single in the second inning. They only managed three more hits off Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez, who struck out 11 with zero walks over six innings. Sanchez has not issued a walk in three straight starts.

Hunter Brown lowered his league best ERA to 1.74 by scattering three singles over seven shutout innings, with nine strikeouts. He did not allow a runner to reach second base.

Bryan Abreu (3-3) struck out Trea Turner to end the eighth, and then struck out Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, and Nick Castellanos in the ninth.

Abreu joined Julia Morales after the game and talked about his impressive performance!

Rafael Marchán had two of the Phillies' four hits. Bryson Stott reached base twice and scored the Phillies' lone run.

Key moment

Smith’s RBI.

Key stat

Brown’s 1.74 ERA is the fourth best in Astros history through 16 starts and the best since Justin Verlander posted a 1.60 ERA through 16 starts in 2018.

Up next

The Astros open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday with LHP Brandon Walter (0-1 3.80 ERA) on the mound.

The Phillies open a three-game series at the Braves on Friday with RHP Mick Abel (2-1 3.47 ERA) against Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (2-4 4.77).

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