It was "a typical first preseason game," according to head coach Bill O'Brien.
The Texans fell 27-17 to the Carolina Panthers in their preseason opener, but not before recording 410 net yards of offense (257 passing, 153 rushing). Both Tom Savage and rookie Deshaun Watson led scoring drives while 16 different receivers caught a pass in the game.
"I thought both of those guys had their moments where they were really playing well," O'Brien said Thursday. "I think there's things that we need to correct as an offense, not just them. I think there's things that, communication-wise, we have to get together with the line and the receivers and the backs and make sure we're all on the same page."
O'Brien, calling plays for the offense this season, wants to see improvement sooner rather than later. The Texans only converted 4-of-14 on third down (29 percent), facing a number of different quarterback pressures. O'Brien hopes to use the film as a teaching tool to prepare the team and correct mistakes.
"There was some good, some not so good, a lot to build on, some things that we better make sure that we correct because if we don't get them corrected now, they're going to keep coming up and eventually they bite you," O'Brien said. "But I thought both guys had their moments."
The Texans will resume training camp practice at the Greenbrier on Friday and will face the New England Patriots for two days of joint practice next week. Both teams will then travel to Houston for the second preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 19.
The Houston Texans take on the Carolina Panthers for the first preseason game in 2017.
