Finally.
We have FINALLY made it to the TRUE Texans training camp. The heat cranked up during Saturday's practice, one day before an off day for the squad. I'm telling you it hit like a tour de force after two of the mildest Houston TC days to start training camp I can ever remember. But along with the heat, the football play picked up as well. Let's dive into my Harris Hits for Day 3 at the sweltering Houston Methodist Training Center.
1. DE Will Anderson Jr strode to the podium two days ago after a long interview on SportsRadio 610 and he was just awesome to listen to as he discussed any number of topics. There have been players in past years that go up to the mic and talk a great game, but don't follow up on it on the field. That's not WAJ. 25 minutes before practice started with walkthroughs in the bubble, Will was all the way down in the defensive linemen area working the bags with his feet and then working his hands as well. I don't know if he was the first player on the field, but he certainly practices what he preaches, working his tail off when no one is looking…minus me, of course.
2. Oh, it was tennis ball day for Special teams coordinator Frank Ross! On our In the Lab podcast last week, Drew Dougherty and I guessed how many days it would take for the tennis balls and racket to arrive. I said less than five for sure and I was right. Coach Ross took a tennis racket and smashed tennis balls into the sky for his returners to track and catch. Catch those tiny tennis balls falling out of the sky easily and catching a football is a walk in the park. The returners concentration and focus has to be 100% on point to make those catches every single time. When I see Coach Ross pull out the racket, I'm envious that I didn't think of that when I was coaching many decades ago.
3. It was a field goal/extra point operation day for special teams today. Kaimi Fairbairn was his usual accurate self, knocking home all four field goals from 27 yards out to 42 yards.
4. The Texans continued to work on kickoff coverage as well and the more I watch that kickoff, the more I'm convinced that the excitement level, and intrigue, on that play is going to be 10x what it's been in the past. Sure, a Dameon Pierce or Andrew Beck kickoff return was super sexy in 2023, but every single kickoff in 2024 is going to create a different kind of excitement. Can't wait!
5. I mentioned on Day 1 the leadership shown by veterans on this football team. Typically, the leadership and discussions usually stay within a position group or an offensive/defensive unit. But, during breaks, I often see QB C.J. Stroud chatting with LB Azeez Al-Shaair for the five minutes within a break. I love that Stroud/Al-Shaair kumbaya, as it makes both sides better for sure.
6. On the first play of the first team period, DT Mario Edwards Jr blew through the OL to stop a zone run. He's not a guy we've talked a ton about, but his combination of size and agility is intriguing. Those assets are a strong fit in this defense and he showed why on that first play.
7. There's been a ton of talk about former first round OG Kenyon Green and for good reason. But this year, those reasons have all been positive. On the first pass of the period, I had my eyes on Kenyon as Stroud went back to throw. Whether it was a stunt or schemed up for him to go inside, DE Danielle Hunter was squared up on Kenyon for the pass rush after the snap. Oh man, this is THE test for Kenyon. Can he hold up against Hunter's quickness and power? Kenyon took on the challenge and fared well. I was really happy and pleased seeing him take on the challenge of such a great rusher like Hunter. Look: I'm well aware there aren't any pads on and all that nonsense, but the way Kenyon has held up throughout OTA/minicamp and the first three days of camp is a true positive.
8. Later in practice, Kenyon went against Edwards Jr and, again, it was evident how much more confident, stronger and ready to roll in 2024 Kenyon is. Sure, there are a few things he can work on, but he's making the progress EVERYONE wanted to see early in this training camp.
9. On the next play, Stroud threw a gem to Stefon Diggs for a completion and the offense was off and running during the first portion of team drills.
10. LB Henry To'o To'o's game is speed and smarts. He showed that on an outside run where he played off of his blocker and wrapped up the RB a few feet from the sideline. Knowing where the ball is going and the quickness/speed to get there is ⅔ of the battle and Henry showed those assets off on that stop.
11. On the final play of the period, OC Bobby Slowik called one of his pet plays but the route that usually is open on that play wasn't. With12. out skipping a beat, Stroud launched one DEEP to WR Noah Brown. The veteran pass catcher laid out for the ball but couldn't come up with the catch but MAN when that ball was in the air, I could feel the excitement for what was about to happen. Just missed by inches.
12. Remember the name J.J. Taylor, people. The diminutive powderkeg is going to make some plays this preseason. A little later during team drills, he let his fullback lead the way on an inside run and then popped out from behind him, speeding forward untouched for a big run. Give that man a sliver and he's going to embarrass plenty of defenders this preseason. Later in practice, he caught a screen out in space and that's where he is a moth…well, let's keep it clean, he's tough to stop when he's got a head of steam and green grass in front of him.
13. The play of the day, though, was just after Taylor's winding run. QB Davis Mills went back to pass and the defense put clamps on everything underneath. So Mills went deep to WR John Metchie III on a beautiful completion for a touchdown. The offense went nuts, blue shirts running down the field with Metchie III to join him in the end zone. HUGE play.
14. The one thing about training camp practice is that when the offense makes a play, the defense has not or vice versa. As such, I love plays in which there's something positive on both sides of the ball on the same play. This was the case here as DE Jerry Hughes threw a wicked "now you see me, now you don't" ghost move on the right tackle and probably, PROBABLY would've sacked Davis. That said, it was so cool to see 15-year vet Hughes prove that he hasn't lost a step at all. Remember this play as I'll come back to something similar later, but I like knowing that Jerry Hughes is back with the Texans and he's still got his pass rushing fastball.
15. Let's fast forward to the second team period. Stroud's first two throws in that period were as perfect as two throws could have been. On the first one, he drilled Diggs on the seam route for a completion just prior to S Jimmie Ward arriving on the spot. The next throw was the one that made me, well, I'm still shaking my head. Stroud had TE Dalton Schultz on a crossing route of some sort. There were two linebackers in the area, closing in on Schultz from either direction. I'm telling you there was maybe eight inches of space between Schultz and the linebackers. Undaunted, Stroud put that ball in that eight inches of space, right on Schultz's body for the catch and first down. My. GOODNESS. That was a dime.
16. On the next series, Taylor flashed the juice to get to, and through, the hole. Man, that was really impressive. I'm not sure anyone touched him…then again, I guess you have to see him to tackle him.
17. On the last play of team period two for Mills, he ripped a backshoulder throw to WR Xavier Hutchinson who made the adjustment for a catch and first down on the far sideline. Again, another excellent throw from Mills during team drills.
18. It was great to see OG Kendrick Green holding up well, anchoring against a power rush in pass protection. I had a viewing window right through to him from the sideline and he held up well. After the knee injury that he had in week four last year, there's always that concern in the first action back on the field after the injury. However, Kendrick held up well, flashing that strength that is the hallmark of his game.
19. It was great to see my man WR Johnny Johnson make a couple of catches in a row on throws from rocket armed QB Tim Boyle.
20. I mentioned new P Tommy Townsend on Thursday because of his impressive hang time. So, I took out my phone/stopwatch to put actual numbers behind that hang time. It was hot out there so I didn't have the brain power to remember to do this on his first few punts, but I did do it for his last four - 4.26 seconds, 4.76 seconds, 5.01 seconds and 5.14 seconds. If he does that during the season, my gosh, that's a HUGE help to the cover teams. What a weapon he can be this year.
21. Stroud led off the next team period with a completion to Diggs on the quick hitch, just stealing yards. Remember what I said about good on both sides earlier? Well, on that same play, DE Will Anderson Jr. just rocked the right tackle and yanked him off his feet, getting near Stroud before he ripped the ball out to Diggs on the sideline.
22. The offense exploded with excitement on the next play as RB Dameon Pierce GOT VERTICAL in a hurry on an inside run. That was just beautiful, blocked perfectly and executed the exact way Slowik drew it up on the board.
23. But the defense wasn't about to let C.J. get comfortable after two successful plays. The blitz got back to Stroud as he tried to find WR Robert Woods out in the flat. S Jalen Pitre was in pristine man coverage and disrupted any shot at a completion.
24. A few plays later, Mills completed a pass to WR Tank Dell on an out route on the sideline. As per usual, Tank had yards of space as the DBs were a little worried about him down the field.
25. A couple of plays later, QB Case Keenum connected with Robert Woods on an out route and man, what a catch! DB Myles Bryant could NOT have been in a better position, but somehow that football was just inches away from Bryant. Then, Woods stuck his left paw out and reeled it in. What a fun football play!
26. The defense had a few moments throughout the day, but its best moment was on a Stroud deep throw to Dell. S Eric Murray came down with the interception and runback, which was great for the defense to finally get one in a team period. But, it was rookie CB Kamari Lassiter who really made the play, keeping Dell from running by him for a deep catch. Lassiter was in off coverage and just turned to run with Dell, staying in phase all the way down the field. Murray scooted over to help over the top and ended up making the interception.
27. On the next play, CB Derek Stingley Jr matched the route of WR Nico Collins PERFECTLY to force a pass breakup. Man, that was great coverage from Sting on that route.
28. Then, the defense forced Stroud to throw earlier than he wanted with some pressure bearing down on him. Incomplete. THAT 3-play sequence was the defense's best series in camp, in my opinion.
29. Then, during the final team period on the very first play, Slowik tried to catch Anderson Jr napping with a reverse, but WAJ ate it up on the spot.
30. To get the offense back on track, Slowik called a play that was successful at Cincinnati last year to Noah Brown. And, on this play, it was a successful pitch and catch from Stroud to, no surprise here, Brown. BEAUTIFUL throw too for the completion. Noah was wide open as he was in Cincinnati last November when he had a career day against the Bengals.
31. On the next run play, DT Foley Fatukasi completely ate up blockers on an inside run. He just shut it all down, holding up two blockers and nearly the fullback too.
32. A few plays later, DT Khalil Davis did the same thing, stopping a run play while holding off a blocker on the inside. Man, I really like this DT crew more and more each day. I know it's an area that a lot of fans have asked me about since the offseason, but the more that I watch, the more convinced I get that this group is going to be WAY better than people anticipate.
33. Okay, so I'm going to test your recall. Earlier in this article, I mentioned a play in which Hughes had thrown a pass rush move to get near the QB. He pulled off the play once he had won the rep so the QB could throw the ball. Now, near the end of practice, Hughes beat the tackle once again, but after his play fake, RB J.J. Taylor peeled off immediately to the outside to help the tackle with Hughes. Because Taylor quickly went to help on Hughes after the play fake, QB Davis Mills had much more time to find WR Xavier Hutchinson for a completion. I love seeing my RBs get involved in pass protection!! That was AWESOME!
And, that was a great spot to end the day and these Harris Hits. Hope you've enjoyed my Harris Hits from these three days and there'll be much more very soon. See you on Monday, everyone!
