The Texans face the Steelers on Friday night in their second preseason game of 2024. Houston was trailing Chicago a week ago Thursday in the Hall of Fame Game when thunderstorms ended that contest late in the third quarter. Here are five things to watch when the Texans and Pittsburgh kick off at 6 p.m. CT in Acrisure Stadium.
1) 7th Heaven? – Quarterback C.J. Stroud and several starters might make their preseason debuts at Pittsburgh. They might not, too.
The majority of the first-teamers didn't play last week in Canton. While Head Coach DeMeco Ryans wouldn't detail who exactly would play against the Steelers, he hinted that many starters would take the field in Pittsburgh.
"You'll see our ones go out and get reps this week versus Pittsburgh," Ryans said.
Last year as a rookie, Stroud was in for a pair of series at New England in the first preseason games, all four first-half series the next week against the Dolphins, and two series in the preseason finale at New Orleans. All told, he was under center for 43 preseason snaps.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik didn't get too specific when he described what he'd like to see from the second-year signal caller—and really, all Texans--this year.
"I just want to see him grow," Slowik said. Everybody has a whole lot that we can see continue to get better at, we can continue to improve upon, and it can be something big that really affects the entire offense or it can be something very small that is just for him individually."
2) Piercing on the ground – The Texans put up an odd stat on the ground last Thursday. Four different ball-carriers had a rush of 7 yards or more in the game, but as a team, Houston averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. Running back Joe Mixon hasn't practiced since July, and Dameon Pierce didn't play against the Bears.
Getting Pierce into the mix could help boost that yards-per-carry mark from a week ago, and Slowik has been impressed with Pierce through the first month of training camp.
"He is putting his head down and working," Slowik said. "He has made huge strides from where he was at last year and what he has grown in and what he has shown he is trying to do."
Pierce was on pace for a 1,000-yard season as rookie when he got injured in early December of 2022. He didn't play up to his expectations in 2023, and recently described his focus for 2024.
"Personally, that's playing fast, that's being explosive, that's being a playmaker, that's being a high caliber running back in this League like I have been, like I have shown flashes of," Pierce said. "But now the challenge is being consistent in that aspect."
3) Catching Fire – The passing game against Chicago was productive. Quarterback Davis Mills led the Texans on a touchdown drive and a field goal drive, and those two possessions took a combined 25 plays. Further, Mills completed 10-of-13 passes for 102 yards. Case Keenum followed up Mills with aa 7-of-9 passing performance for 78 yards and a scoring strike. In all, six different Texans finished with 20 or more receiving yards on the night.
Tight end Dalton Schultz and wide receivers Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell didn't play in the Hall of Fame game. But one/some/all could be on the field in Pittsburgh, giving Texans quarterbacks an established weapon to use.
4) New defenders – In line with Ryans' statement that the ones will see more reps, some new faces on the Texans defense will have a chance to get some action.
Defensive end Danielle Hunter, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and cornerback Kamari Lassiter haven't hit the field as Texans in a game. But that could change in Pittsburgh.
Hunter has rung up 87.5 sacks in eight NFL seasons. With all that experience, he keeps his goals very clear for preseason game work.
"I'm just looking to go out there and just apply the defense that I've learned going against my opponent with my keys that I've learned," Hunter said. "Just getting the rust off from the offseason. Just go out there and playing fast."
Ryans and Al-Shaair have a history, as the former coached the latter as an assistant and defensive coordinator in San Francisco prior to 2023. The Texans Head Coach has liked what he's seen from the young, veteran linebacker.
"Azeez has done a great job of leading our football team," Ryans said. "He brings energy every day. He brings passion and I know everybody feels that on our team, not just defensively and I'm very pleased with where Azeez is."
5) Return rate – J.J. Taylor and Myles Bryant each returned a punt against the Bears, while Johnny Johnson, Steven Sims and Jawhar Jordan took back kickoffs under the new rules.
No matter who's back returning a kickoff or a punt, Special Teams Coordinator Frank Ross wants that man stay "true to your style of running" and not try and be someone he isn't.
"There are some general rules of thumb of how you run," Ross said. "But everybody has to run to their style and we have to do a good job of accentuating those when we design the return for them."
