Plot lines
Five things to watch for when the Texans host the defending champion New England Patriots in the second preseason game.
1
The ongoing competition between quarterbacks Tom Savage (pictured) and Deshaun Watson is getting more interesting by the day. Against the Patriots, Savage can put some distance between himself and the fast-closing Watson. Or Watson can continue to gain on Savage. In the first preseason game at Carolina, Savage played three series. On the last one, he was 8-of-8 for 67 yards on a touchdown drive. He looked good in camp, consistently making the right decisions and impressive throws. Watson replaced him and finished with 15-of-25 for 179 yards. He ran for a 15-yard touchdown. He was outstanding in camp after that game. He continues to develop faster than anyone expected. The Patriots are a much tougher test for Savage and Watson than the Panthers.
2
Offensive tackle is scary without Duane Brown. And Derek Newton, for that matter. Both starting jobs are still there for the taking. Chris Clark and Kendall Lamm (pictured) have been practicing with the first team. Rookie Julién Davenport is developing fast as the backup on the left side and needs to continue to improve against New England. Veteran Breno Giacomini is behind Lamm and, as a 10-year veteran, is the most experienced lineman. He doesn’t make many mental mistakes. Laurence Gibson also will get some playing time. This game would be a good time for one of the backup guards to separate from the others. It’s a competitive situation among David Quessenberry, Chad Slade and Josh Walker.
3
With DeAndre Hopkins, Braxton Miller and Will Fuller out with injuries, this game is a great chance for receivers to impress their coaches. Jaelen Strong (pictured) was terrific in camp and has to keep doing it against the Patriots. Wendall Williams needs to get the ball and utilize his speed to make big plays. The coaches need to see more of veteran Bruce Ellington, who looked good in practice. He has a lot of speed. Dres Anderson (four for 80) led the Texans in receptions and yards at Carolina. Undrafted rookie Riley McCarron has been impressive in camp but had only one catch for 18 yards against the Panthers. He looks the part of a slot receiver and developed an on-field rapport in practice with QB Deshaun Watson that needs to carry over into the game.
4
There’s a lot of competition at safety. Andre Hal (pictured) and Corey Moore have been the starters. Cornerback Kareem Jackson got some practice time at safety during camp but is needed more at corner. Marcus Gilchrist, a former secondround pick who was signed two weeks ago, got practice time with the second team at camp. Kurtis Drummond and Eddie Pleasant were among the most physical defensive backs in camp. Drummond, who has been around for three seasons, needs to make a strong impression against New England and New Orleans. This is the time for K.J. Dillon to make some plays. Malik Smith, an undrafted rookie, also is in the mix. Not only do the reserves need to play well at safety, but they also must contribute on special teams.
5
The coverage and return teams have only one way to go, right? At Carolina, punt coverage allowed returns of 20 and 13 yards. Kickoff coverage surrendered a 23-yard average. The only player to actually return a punt was Riley McCarron (pictured), who got 1 yard on his one return. The Texans averaged 17 yards on three kickoff returns. Now, a lot of players are being used on returns and coverage, and if this was not a perennial problem it wouldn’t be cause for alarm. But until the coverage and return teams show some consistency, make and reduce big plays, it’s going to remain an issue. They should watch the Patriots closely. Their special teams are always among the best in the league.