HELLLOOOO, CLEVELAND!
I suppose I shouldn't put it that way because we've been here for awhile.…or maybe it just feels that way.
However, it was the first practice on the gorgeous campus of the University School in the beautiful suburbs of Cleveland. I'll admit that I was a little worried at the beginning of practice as it appeared a bit sluggish, but that all changed in a hurry. As a result, it was one of the most competitive, emotional and talkative practices of training camp.
Let's dive into my Harris Hits right about now.
1. The first two plays of the team period for the offense didn't quite go the way anyone wanted. DT Mario Edwards blew through a gap and tore up a run play that was botched already. Then, on the second play, I just wrote a bad word or two to describe that offensive play. The OL moved early. Then, some guys stopped. The RB had nowhere to run. The defense is just hootin' and hollerin'. It was bad for the first two plays.
2. Then, QB C.J. Stroud and WR Tank Dell took matters into their own hands. Stroud got excellent protection and threw an absolute DIME to Dell on the sideline on the deep out. PER-FECT, absolute perfection. Pitch-and-catch and the offense was ready to roll. I put an asterisk in my notes next to that play because it really jolted the offense.
3. Stroud was cooking throughout practice. That was the best I can remember seeing him in training camp this summer. He was on fire.
4. Two plays after throwing perfectly to Dell, Stroud threw a similar ball on a similar route to WR Stefon Diggs on the sideline. That was two gorgeous throws in a row from C.J. and there would be more, trust me.
5. A couple of plays later, the defense played a toss play perfectly. DE Ali Gaye jumped inside a downblock to force the running back to go wide. Then, LB Neville Hewitt showed up to tackle the RB for no gain. That was by design because Hewitt popped around Gaye when Gaye was pinned inside. Essentially, they changed run responsibilities, and that allowed Hewit to tackle the back for no gain. The defense was high fiving a bit after that one.
6. DT Khalil Davis ran down a wide run opposite of his alignment. Now, when I tell you that the big man was hauling you-know-what to find the ball carrier, he was HAULING YOU-KNOW-WHAT to find the ball carrier. He did for what would've been a TFL in a game situation.
7. Then, RB Cam Akers took a toss and showed everyone what it's supposed to look like. He cut up on a run and the lane opened up perfectly for #22 to speed up and through. I wrote in my notes that Akers "makes it look good". What I meant was that no matter the play, Akers sets up the blocks to make them right, no matter what, and he'll handle the rest.
8. After Akers' run, QB Davis Mills found WR Xavier Hutchinson for a completion but just prior to the play, I could see Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans HOT and gesturing at the defense for something. Then, I counted. A linebacker hadn't heard that call to get on the field and Mills was able to find Hutchinson against ten men on defense. Cap was not happy, but that mistake won't be made again, I can promise you.
9. The next play of Mills' series of downs had two asterisks next to it. This was one of the best plays of practice. Mills made a play action fake and dropped to throw. He wanted WR Ben Skowronek as he crossed the field. That route takes a while to develop but Mills had solid protection in the pocket. Eventually, he threw to an open spot about 17-19 yards downfield. Skowronek slid right into the catch, sprinting across the field into the open spot. BEAUTIFUL throw. WONDERFUL catch. I can see that one back in my head and what a great connection that was.
10. On the last two plays of Case Keenum's series, rookie RB British Brooks and RB J.J. Taylor had a pair of excellent runs to finish that series.
11. Then, Coach Ryans moved the ball to the 10-yard line for some low red zone work. On first down, Stroud threw a tight ball to TE Dalton Schultz for a completion. That was followed by a coverage sack as Stroud went to the Scramble Drill to find a pass catcher open. Nope, no one - threw it away.
12. The next two reps were straight up one-on-ones with WR Nico Collins and CB C.J. Henderson. Stroud threw two fade routes to his 6-4 stud receiver against the talented cover corner. On the first one, Nico went up to make the catch and Henderson interfered. (Stroud missed an open Diggs at the goal line, who I'm sure let his QB know). On the second one, Henderson did a GREAT job playing through Nico's hands and swatting the ball away at the last second. Excellent in-the-air competition between WR and CB.
13. The next series was dominated by the defense and just near the end, Diggs implored his offense to "TAKE CONTROL O!!"
14. The offense listened.
QB Tim Boyle threw complete to rookie Jawhar Jordan just short of the goal line on the first play after Diggs' comment. That was a great catch by Jordan and it got an asterisk in my notebook. But, the next catch was for a touchdown and it came from FB Troy Hairston. Boyle had to throw the ball low to keep from the defender coming over the top to knock it away. Hairston realized this and got his hands under the ball for the TD reception. The offense listened to Diggs.
15. The first play of the next series is the exact reason why the team traded for Diggs. There's no way to play competent and effective man-to-man coverage against the Texans when Collins, Dell and Diggs are all on the field together. One of them is going to be covered by a nickel slot corner, at best. So on first down, Stroud came to the line and saw Jalen Pitre on Diggs in press man coverage at the line of scrimmage. If I saw it, I knew C.J. saw it too. Diggs ran the slot fade to perfection and Stroud just dropped that ball from the heavens for the completion to Diggs on one of the best offensive plays of training camp and the best of the day.
16. It's going to be the rare defense that has three stud cover guys to man up against all three. That catch from Diggs elicited even more trash talking between the defensive backs and the receivers for the rest of practice.
17. The defense, led by Gaye and Davis, wrapped up Mills for a sack on the next play. I like the way Gaye has been playing lately and Davis has been a monster from day one of training camp.
18. But, Mills stepped up on the next down (4th down) and scanned the field beautifully before finding Schultz for a first down throw. S M.J. Stewart punched the ball out late, but Schultz was able to get on top of it for the first down.
19. The next play has THREE asterisks next to it and as I looked down to see why, I realized that I saw the PRETTIEST and SMOOTHEST pass catch combination throughout all of training camp. Stroud went back to pass on third down. As soon as he hit his back step, he fired across the middle to WR Robert Woods on an inside route. Stroud threw as pretty a pass as possible, such that Woods never broke stride. Once Robert made the cut on his route, and accelerated up the field, the ball was on his person and he sped 30 yards from there into the end zone. I mean, THAT was GORGEOUS pitch-and-catch. Woods never broke stride. Damn, that was NICE!
20. DT Folorunso Fatukasi broke up a Davis Mills pass a few plays later, tipping it at the line of scrimmage.
21. A few plays later, Stroud returned and stayed on FIRE. He threw a deep out to Dell on the sideline and it was on the freakin' money again. Double asterisk type play. That ball was so perfectly placed again where either Tank was going to catch it or no one was. Brilliant.
22. Then, Mills ran into CB Troy Pride Jr, who was in great coverage on a pass intended for WR John Metchie III and then broke up a pass intended for WR Quintez Cephus.
23. Stroud returned the next series and ran a boot toward our sideline. He eventually found Collins crossing the field with him. Stroud let fly on the run and stuck it on Nico, who buzzed both feet on the sideline for one heck of a catch. Man, that was so pretty and it showed how well Stroud can throw the ball on the run, with such amazing accuracy - nearly a tasterisk play. So darn good.
24. It also showed the amazing body control of Collins at his size too. Wow.
25. Two plays later, LB Azeez Al-Shaair nearly came up with a pick. He saw RB Dare Ogunbowale break open an inside route, saw the eyes of Stroud and jumped in front for a pass breakup.
26. Later in practice. Al-Shaair intercepted Stroud when the Texans young gunslinger tried to make the most of a bad situation. There was nothing there but Stroud tried to force one on third down and Al-Shaair snatched it out of the air after tracking Stroud's eyes.
27. Stroud stepped back under center and ripped one to Nico for a first down. Then, Ogunbowale popped a seam against a pressure look and sprinted into the end zone for the best run all day. That hole opened so beautifully for Dare and he ran in untouched. The offense was jazzed up after that one.
28. CB D'Angelo Ross made another pass breakup on a throw to FB Andrew Beck. Ross has been present around the ball a ton this training camp once he got back into the fray after missing the first part of camp with an injury.
29. There was a ton of chirping after DB Jalen Pitre made a full tackle on Ogunbowale in the third team period. Both sides were a little salty after that play for sure.
30. On the next play, Stroud took off on a wide open scramble just like the last time that he played in Ohio against Cincinnati. He dropped to throw and the left side of the defense disappeared and he took off for the end zone.
31. Then, QB Davis Mills took over under center. On the first play, RB J.J. Taylor burst through the defense on a run that got some ooooohhs and aaaahhhs from the offensive sideline.
32. Mills then drilled FB Troy Hairston for a catch on the next play. Mills then threw hot to Woods on a blitz. That was awesome QBing on that play to spy the blitz, find the hot WR and then connect for the completion.
33. Akers came into the game and took a toss to the left side. I was watching the action closest to me and before I knew it, Akers ran into the end zone right in front of me. Like, how did that happen? I missed that winding run watching some blocking on the side closest to me.
34. Then, the play of the day. The offense had the ball around the 10 or 15-yard line. Mills dropped to throw to the opposite side of the field. He launched one REALLY high to the far corner. I looked over and saw WR Xavier Hutchinson in the area with two defenders around him. As soon as I saw him, I said to no one in particular "GO GET IT, X!" He listened. Hutchinson went up in the air and snatched Mills' throw out of the air for a beautiful touchdown. WHAT A CATCH!!
35. Then, the first two units ran a "run the field goal unit out on the field" scramble situation and K Kaimi Fairbairn drilled home two field goals in each situation. GOOD and GOOD!
So, that's all she wrote from the University School in Hunting Village, Ohio. Day one - outstandingly competitive and intense practice, the kind of practice that DeMeco Ryans and his staff had to love. See ya tomorrow - same Bat time, same Bat channel (IYKYK).
