O’Brien: Inclement weather during practice proves beneficial
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The Texans practiced in the rain for a third consecutive day Saturday.
Coach Bill O’Brien moved up drills to try to finish before the heavy rain came, but it was unavoidable. The temperature was 65 when practice began. As the rain increased, the temperature dropped. The Texans completed every drill in a little more than two hours.
“As long as there’s no lightning, it’s really important to practice in the rain,” O’Brien said. “We need to handle the elements better, especially offensively, than we did today. I think it’s good to be out in the rain.”
The Texans could play in rain in any outdoors stadium. O’Brien mentioned the trip to Seattle.
“It’s good to get out there and handle the wet football,” he said. “Those are the things that come up in those rain games. We just need to continue to do a better job of when it’s like this.”
A rare instance of NFL longevity
For a seventh consecutive season, cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson are playing together.
In this era of the salary cap and free agency, that longevity is remarkable.
“It means a lot for us to be together this long,” Jackson said after practice Saturday. “It’s a testament to how hard we work.”
Jackson was a firstround pick in 2010. Joseph joined the Texans after playing his first five years with Cincinnati. They’ve been together so long they can finish each other’s sentences.
“We know each other inside and out,” Jackson said. “We put the work in every day. We try to do everything right. We try to do everything we can so we can continue to play together.”
Foreman’s play impresses Miller
Veteran running back Lamar Miller is impressed with rookie D’Onta Foreman, the third-round pick from Texas.
“I think he’s doing a great job,” Miller said. “He’s been (running) very decisive.”
One reason the Texans wanted Foreman was for his ability to run between the tackles and move the pile.
“(Friday), he did a great job in goal line,” Miller said. “Then today, he did a great job of hitting the hole and getting the tough yards.
“He’s done a great job of learning the offense and knowing his assignment.”
Watson fits well into new offense
The offensive system allows the quarterback a lot of freedom at the line of scrimmage.
Rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson played in a similar but less comprehensive system at Clemson, where he led the Tigers to the national championship last season.
“I learned so much at Clemson University, and having to take control of the line of scrimmage was very key in that offense,” Watson said after practice Saturday. “You’ve got to do the same thing here and take it to another level. I’m still learning. I’m always going to try to find ways to get better and be more smooth at the line of scrimmage, but it’s a good start.
“It brings out the will inside of you when you’re being challenged like I am now. It’s good to have the challenges because I love resistance.”