The Texans didn't have but 50 or so players dressed out on Saturday for its final preseason game against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. Then, they lost a few players to injury during the game as well. In the end, though, training camp/preseason ended as the Texans beat LA 17-15 on Saturday afternoon. Let's dive into a few Harris Hits from what we saw in the Texans two point win.

I've said from the day that the Texans traded for WR Stefon Diggs that the decision on the five, six or seven receivers that would make the 53-man roster was going to be as difficult as any the Texans brass would have in 2024. In the end, the decision may actually be even more difficult than I first anticipated. The receivers that played on Saturday ALL made massive plays throughout the game.

Xavier Hutchinson's catch on a ball thrown well behind him was one of the top five catches in July-August and he led the team in receptions for the second time in the preseason (HOF game v. Bears)

John Metchie III went spin-o-rama on DE Brennan Jackson after a catch in the flat and that move had the crowd OOOOOOHING and AHHHHHING. This was the second week in a row in which Metchie starred, after strong joint practice performance as well.

Johnny Johnson snatched a third down pass right out of the air to keep a third quarter drive alive and scored his first touchdown of the preseason a few plays later.

Steven Sims had the longest run of the day on a reverse, 38 yards and made an outstanding catch, climbing the ladder on the sideline, near the end of the first half.

Quintez Cephus finished with three receptions, second most for the Texans on the day, and also drew a significant pass interference penalty in the second half.

The best/worst problem for any NFL team is possessing more talent for fewer roster spots. As such, this is the BEST/WORST problem ever. The Texans won't be able to keep all of them and there is going to be a receiver, or two, playing somewhere else in the NFL this fall. This receiver group lived up to every thought we had about it prior to camp…and how it'll shake out is anyone's guess, honestly.

For the second straight game, the Texans ran for over 110 yards. This time, the Cam Akers-led running game followed some of the better run blocking we've seen in a while to register 155 yards on the ground and 5.7 yards per carry. Suffice to say, it was a great day for most of the running backs, my goodness.

So, figure this one out - seven running backs for four spots, tops. Ugh, I don't even know how that's going to go. I know Joe Mixon will start against the Colts in week one. That one I know. After that? *throws hands up in the air* no clue. Like the receiver group, the running backs performed at a high level throughout training camp, especially the backs that suited up today.

Akers may have surprised most people, but on day one of TC when I saw him take a toss play and sprint down the sideline, I knew he was BACK after tearing his Achilles tendon for the second time in his career. He showed the full gamut of skills throughout the five week training camp stint, but he seemed to save his best for last against his former team. His triple spin-o-rama in the second half had the NRG Stadium crowd BUZZING and Kevin Kugler, ND Kalu and I losing our collective you-know-what in the TV booth.

RB British Brooks came into training camp as an undrafted rookie who no one really knew. He finished training camp with many people clamoring for his presence on the 53-man roster. Quite the positive turnaround. Like I said earlier, trying to figure out how to fit seven running backs on the 90-man roster into four (or five) on the 53-man roster is not going to be easy. That said, no running back was as consistently good, progressed more and was more versatile throughout the entire training camp as Brooks. He played a bit of H-back and fullback, in addition to tailback, on Saturday against the Rams. On one block in the second half, his teammates went nuts when he came back to the sideline as he put a helmet right through a Rams defender, lead-blocking for one of the running backs. Left up to me (which, thankfully, it's NOT), Brooks would be on my 53-man roster and I'd figure it out because that's what you do for really good football players, rookie or otherwise.

How good was Texans LB Neville Hewitt on Saturday? Don't worry that's rhetorical - he was great. I've said it before and I'll reiterate it here…there aren't many better run stuffing LBs in the NFL than Hewitt. He EXPLODED to, and through, Rams ball carriers, my gosh. He essentially SNATCHED RB Zach Evans to the turf on one run in the third quarter. He's one of the team's top special teams players as well. He had six tackles and will be a vital piece to this linebacker/special teams core in 2024.

HATED seeing Brandon Hill leave the game on a cart, with an air cast on his right leg. HATED it. After an injury last season early in training camp to another injury on the last day, essentially, of training camp, ugh, just bad luck for B Hill.

So, yeah, it's been a LONG training camp featuring four preseason games and a ten day trip to Ohio/Pittsburgh. It's now over and the regular season grind is about to begin…but not for a few days. Time to catch our breath, let the Texans brass figure out the best 53-man roster possible to start the season and start preparing for the Horseshoe in Week one. In the words of the ever immortal Jets LB Bart Scott "CAN'T…WAIT!"

Thanks so very much for reading my Harris Hits throughout this summer, listening to our radio shows and watching us on TV in the preseason games. It means a ton to me and we'll see you in Indianapolis in two weeks.