Got a question about the Texans?
Life in general?
Drew Dougherty's your guy.
He's been with the Texans since 2009 and is chock full of meaningful, as well as generally useless, information. Fire away by clicking HERE.
Mathias Kirud: Dear Drew, Will Will Anderson be ready for Week 1?
DD: The Texans defensive end didn't play in the preseason, and when Head Coach DeMeco Ryans was asked about the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year's likelihood for Sunday, he didn't get too specific, one or the other.
"We'll see where we go throughout the week," Ryans said. "Feeling good about all our guys. Ready to get rolling for the year."
We'll ultimately have a much better gauge after Wednesday's injury report comes out at 3 p.m. CT.
Darin Pittman: Dear Drew, With Denico Autry being out, will the "D" be able to stop Colts running back Jonathan Taylor?
DD: The 2021 All-Pro had his finest game of the season in the Week 18 loss to the Texans. Indianapolis fed him, as Taylor carried 30 times for 188 yards and a touchdown. The score came on a 49-yard gallop early in the third quarter.
The personnel in the Front-7 for Houston is different this Sunday, though, than it was in January. There are three new starters on the line in end Danielle Hunter and tackles Foley Fatukasi and Mario Edwards, Jr. Also, Azeez Al-Shaair is the man in the middle at linebacker.
"It takes more than one guy to get him down," Ryans said. "He does a really good job breaking tackles, He plays physical, he plays downhill. He runs the ball, plays the game the right way."
We'll see how much better Houston's run defense is, but Taylor's torched the Texans in six career games. He's averaged 5.96 yards per carry, run for seven touchdowns and caught an eighth, and the Colts have been victorious or tied in all but the last one.
William Francis: Dear Drew, Will wide receiver John Metchie, III have more playing time this year?
DD: If he plays the way in games that he did during training camp and the end of the preseason, yes. According to ProFootballReference, Metchie hit the field for 29% of the offensive snaps last season, finishing with 16 catches for 158 yards. All those numbers ought to rise in 2024.
He's now over a year removed from the conclusion of his leukemia treatment, and had a productive offseason building chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Gerald Troup: Dear Drew, Who is going to be the third QB for the team this year since Case Keenum is out?
DD: Stroud is the starter and Davis Mills is the backup. Kedon Slovis, a rookie from BYU, is on the practice squad. He signed with Houston last week.
Slovis played his first three years of college ball at the University of Southern California, then transferred and played at Pitt for 2022, before quarterbacking Brigham Young last year.
James Del Valle: Dear Drew, How big do you think the parade will be after the Texans win the Super Bowl?
DD: Easy, James. Let's just win this week.
