FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
Training camp is virtually over and there are still so many questions.
The Texans’ final exhibition against Tampa Bay on Saturday night at NRG Stadium is all that’s left standing between the preseason and one of the franchise’s most cloudy regular seasons in recent memory.
The Texans are expected to struggle this season. Coaches and players have both acknowledged they’re the underdogs in 2021. There’s little star power on Houston’s roster, and, since starters for both teams are expected to play at least the entire first half Saturday, the preseason finale against the defending Super Bowl champs and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady will provide deeper insight into gauging how wide the gap is between these Texans and the league’s elite tier.
General manager Nick Caserio must also trim the roster to the league’s final 53-man limit by 3 p.m. Tuesday. As of Friday morning, the Texans had 78 players on their roster, many of them still jockeying for position battles or toeing the line between making the team, getting dealt or being signed to the franchise’s 16-man practice squad. Here are five developments to keep an eye on Saturday:
Can the Texans run the ball?
1 The Texans ran the ball poorly against the Packers and Cowboys, and it’s the team’s most glaring issue of the preseason. Probable starters Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsay and David Johnson have combined for just 39 yards on 17 carries (2.29 average), and Lindsay and Johnson have both been stuffed in short-yardage situations. Ingram showed some power against the Cowboys — converting a fourth-down attempt and scoring a 2-yard touchdown on the first drive — but the lack of explosive runs is troubling, especially since firsttime NFL head coach David Culley has placed such an emphasis on an improved run game being part of this team’s identity. Tampa Bay and its All-Pro linebacker duo of Devin White and Lavonte David will test the Texans’ run game even further. Yes, starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil remains sidelined within coronavirus protocols, but the rest of the starting offensive line is available. Can the Texans run the ball? If not, that foreshadows trouble for this offense in the regular season.
Will we see the full Tyrod Taylor?
2 Tyrod Taylor has only played 23 snaps in a Texans uniform. So there hasn’t been much of a sample size to judge the effectiveness of Taylor as Houston’s starting quarterback. And yes, it’s still the preseason. Teams aren’t just going to throw out their best plays in meaningless exhibition games that coaching staffs don’t even fully game-plan for. That’s not really what we’re talking about here. Taylor has also been an effective runner in his 11-year NFL career. It’s highly unlikely Taylor risks scrambling in the preseason, especially since he lost his past two starting jobs with the Browns and Chargers due to injuries. The main question is if Taylor can show he can be an explosive passing threat against the Buccaneers. So far, Taylor is 6 of 9 passing for 60 yards in the preseason. He hasn’t been flashy. Short tosses. Rhythm throws. Nothing that provides any insight into whether Taylor can be the effective downfield passer Culley said he was in Buffalo. His longest pass of the preseason is a 17-yard sideline toss to Chris Conley on a play-action rollout against Green Bay. Can Taylor gun it?
Will the Texans’ defense continue to force turnovers against the Bucs?
3 The Texans’ defense has forced seven turnovers (four interceptions, three fumbles) in two preseason games, nearly eclipsing the historically few nine takeaways last year’s unit recorded in all of 2020. Still, new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith and his attacking, fourman front have yet to face a starting quarterback. They’ll get that Saturday night for at least the first half with the usually unflappable Brady. Can they rattle the three-time NFL MVP and seven-time Super Bowl champ and force a mistake or two? Safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. remains in a position battle with Eric Murray to start opposite Justin Reid. Will he build on his 53-yard pick-six against the Cowboys? Can veteran defensive end Charles Omenihu and rookie tackle Roy Lopez (both have two preseason sacks) crack through a Bucs offensive line that surrendered the fourth-fewest sacks last season? The Texans’ defensive starters will gain credibility if the attack continues in the preseason finale, and it’d offer a counterpoint to predictions that have the franchise finishing near the bottom of the NFL standings, if not last.
Who returns kicks and punts for the Texans this season?
4 Special teams just may be the strongest unit of this Texans team. New punter Cameron Johnston, who signed a three-year, $8 million deal in March, has averaged 48.8 yards in 10 punts, pinned six of them inside the opponent’s 20 and boomed a 61-yarder against the Cowboys. Ka’imi Fairbairn has made all six of his field goals, with a long of 42 yards. The return game has also improved: slot corner Desmond King had a 43-yard punt return against the Packers, a 24-yard punt return against the Cowboys, and, in Arlington, the former All-Pro corner also returned a kickoff 29 yards. King’s performance presents an interesting question: Has he done enough to be Houston’s return specialist? The Texans signed 12-year veteran Andre Roberts to a two-year deal to return kicks and punts for a franchise that’s never consistently succeeded in that phase. But Roberts hasn’t practiced since Aug. 9. Initially it seemed the 33-year-old was taking veteran days. In recent weeks, Roberts has been working with trainers on a field separate from practice. The Texans have already made an injury settlement to clear running back Dontrell Hilliard this preseason, and wide receiver Taywan Taylor ended up on the IR after the team initially tried to waive him. As crucial decisions are being made, do Caserio and Co. leave room for a return specialist if King continues to perform well?
What fringe players will earn a spot on the team?
5 While the shoe-in starters tune up for the Sept. 12 season opener against the Jaguars at NRG Stadium, there’ll be plenty of other fringe players giving Caserio and the Texans coaching staff one final look before Tuesday’s deadline to cut the roster down to the league-mandated 53-man limit. There are some complications. Deshaun Watson, who faces 22 civil lawsuits that allege sexual assault or harassment, will likely have to take up a roster spot while the Texans await the conclusion of his legal issues and find a trade partner. Culley has said Watson is not injured. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has not placed Watson on the league’s exempt list. There are other loopholes that open spots on the roster. Starting cornerback Bradley Roby’s roster spot will be available as he serves the final game of his 2020 six-game suspension against the Jaguars. The NFL has again removed limits on team injured reserve lists as the pandemic persists, which means Caserio could utilize the IR list to hold onto more players until injured players are activated. But cuts will still need to be made, particularly with six running backs and six tight ends (including fullback Paul Quessenberry) currently on the roster.