The Texans were back in Houston for practice and it felt like the good 'ol days.
Why?
It was a grueling pads practice like we're ALL familiar with here in the H.
Let's dive into my Harris Hits from practice. LET'S GO!
1. This was the first day the projected offensive starting lineup was seen together at any one point. Consequently, it was great to see for a few reasons.
2. I'll start with LT Laremy Tunsil and what he means for this offense. Pass rushers can use all the tricks of the trade and the new pass rush combination stuff, throwing it ALL at Laremy and it just dies. Laremy absorbs it all and shuts it all down. It's comforting that he's on that side of the line and, quite frankly, he's the best left tackle in the business right now. There was no pressure coming from that side of the line when 78 was in at left tackle. That's why I love hearing about a team's best rusher wanting to rush from the right side. Go ahead, good luck, 78's waiting.
3. RB Joe Mixon took his first team reps in a couple of weeks and his presence is telling. One thing I noticed about Joe today is that he's so quick downhill that he doesn't mind getting into the thick of the line nearly immediately after taking the handoff. Because he's so strong and powerful, he can weasel his way into the chaos and, worst case, pick up a couple of yards. He doesn't dance. He doesn't wait. He GOES NOW. Sometimes that may cost him vision on a hole, but in most cases, it produces positive results on a run and the importance of that can't be overstated. There just won't be TFLs on Joe when he's in the game.
4. K Ka'imi Fairbairn had five live reps today, missing just once from 50 yards out. He was good from 32 twice, 40 yards and then he hit a rocketship that hasn't landed yet, converting from 60 yards. That was a BOMB!
5. When the two units got to their first team period, the loudest collision of training camp took place. On the first play of that team period, Mixon took a handoff and headed into the line where he met LB Azeez Al-Shaair. Two damn bulls colliding. Wow, WOW, that was a COLLISION.
6. Two plays later, QB C.J. Stroud, who was in rhythm all day long, fired a bullet to the sidelines to WR Tank Dell beautifully. That was a 2-asterisk play - great protection, explosive out route by Tank and a DIME from C.J. to a spot where only Tank could catch it.
7. I had a chance to catch up with LB Henry To'o To'o after practice today for our post-practice interview. I've always been struck by Henry's calm demeanor, composure and football IQ, but his comfortability in this defense is now at a higher level. On the next play after Tank's catch, he ran down RB Dameon Pierce for a short loss. When Henry sniffs out a play, he explodes to the ball carrier in a way many other linebackers don't, or can't. Great play to slow that run down.
8. Then, QB Davis Mills stepped into the huddle for his set of downs. On the first play of his drive, he threw a dart to TE Brevin Jordan for a first down. Mills did a great job scanning to that side of the field before choosing the proper open guy (Jordan) for the completion.
9. On the next play, RB Dare Ogunbowale popped a seam up the middle for a significant gain in the run game.
10. But, on the next play, DE Malik Fisher shed a block from the tackle to make a stop on the running back. Fisher just does a little bit more each day to get my attention. He nearly got to Mills on that completion to Jordan a few plays prior. Then, he shed a block to make a tackle in the run game. What's the saying…every day get one percent better? Fisher is doing that and then some.
11. A few plays later, DL Foley Fatukasi did something that just made me chuckle. Not like "HA HA, very funny" chuckle, but one of those "Oh MY GOSH, did you see THAT?" kind of chuckles. As Pierce started to break through the line on a run to the left, Fatukasi was fighting off a block with one arm and with the other, he just wrapped it around Pierce's neck/shoulders for the tackle for a small gain. I had a great view of it right in front of me and I've never seen Pierce slowed like that. Ever. Man, that was some grown man strength from Fatukasi.
12. During that drive, Stroud threw two check downs smartly to Ogunbowale. The Texans QB went through his reads systematically, on each play, and with nothing open, checked it down to Dare wisely. I just wrote in my notebook - "Great QBing." That's what it's supposed to look like and it also confirms that C.J. is not getting bored with the basic stuff too. Love seeing that.
13. On the next drive, Stroud threw three, THREE, dimes, yet not one completion. Since May of 2022, I've extolled the virtues of his ball placement and these three throws could only have been thrown by him. STILL not one completion. He hit Brevin Jordan in the numbers on an option route and as Brevin turned up the field, S Jalen Pitre knocked it out. Then, Stroud threw a laser shot on the slant route to WR Xavier Hutchinson, who took one step upfield with the rock before CB Derek Stingley Jr punched it out. Then, he threw to Stefon Diggs in the middle of the field and Stefon couldn't quite hold on. I don't know that C.J. could've thrown those any better, honestly.
14. Then Mills came in and kept up the hot throwing. He hit Ogunbowale on a flat route beautifully where the Texans RB could catch and run immediately.
15. I'm telling you now, I've never seen Davis throw the ball this well, this decisively. He is in some kind of groove right now and it's cool to see.
16. Case in point, the very next throw…Mills hit Robert Woods on a crossing route on the run, never even breaking stride. That was just a great toss.
17. Then, QB Tim Boyle nailed a crosser to Hutchinson for a completion on 3rd-and-7 for a first down.
18. The next throw, though, took the cake. Stroud stepped back under center and threw an absolutely beautiful ball to TE Brevin Jordan down the middle of the field. I'm assuming there was a bust in the coverage, but it didn't matter because even if defenders were closing in, C.J. would've completed that ball. So pretty!
19. DE Danielle Hunter is so fun to watch. One of the reasons why I like watching/studying him so much is that in addition to being an athletic freak, he's super smart. On the next play, he threw a pass rush move, but he had two or three guys accounting for him on that protection. Instead of panicking, realizing he couldn't immediately get to the QB, he stepped back to read C.J's eyes and then went up and swatted the pass down at the line of scrimmage.
20. S Jalen Pitre was flagged for holding on the next play, but I thought he made a great break on the pass thrown to Dell. I just like seeing Jalen being more disruptive in practice again. A little later in practice, he shadowed WR Nico Collins on a deep ball to force another incompletion.
21. It was great to see Kamari Lassiter back in practice this week. He had a PBU on a crossing route to Collins. C.J. had to throw it late as he avoided pressure and that let Lassiter get back in phase to make the breakup.
22. Then, Stroud drilled Diggs on an out route. That's a route that could be there all year long against defenses that are worried about the Texans passing game firepower. To end that drive, Stroud threw again to Diggs and when he did, he dropped his arm angle a little bit to get that ball out to the sideline to Diggs as soon as he could. It wasn't quite Matt Stafford sidearm stuff, but it was brilliant QBing from C.J. to capitalize on his guy being open.
23. Loved, LOVED seeing DE Ali Gaye eat up a wide run. He's following up a solid showing in Pittsburgh with even more positive, impactful plays in practice this week. I love seeing young players transform themselves and make big plays to catch the coaches' attention.
24. DT Khalil Davis is such a fun player to discuss and watch. On the second to last play of Stroud's last team series, Davis shot a gap and shut down RB Cam Akers for a TFL. Akers was so shocked to see a defender in his face so early.
25. Then, Mills finished with a tremendous drive. He drilled a crossing route complete to WR Steven Sims to get it rolling. Then, on the next play, he got to his third read and hit Cade Stover for another completion. After a false start, he threw a gem to Johnny Johnson on the sideline. He followed that up on the last play with another brilliant throw to Johnson on the sideline. The ball didn't hit the ground in that last series and it was another great series for Mills as many have been throughout training camp.
Okay, folks, I've finally cooled down after a blisteringly hot day in the thick of training camp. We'll see you tomorrow, everyone!
