Taylor shows off the arm
Texans coach David Culley and quarterback Tyrod Taylor said that a vertical passing game that was absent in the preseason would arrive in the regular season.
Indeed, Taylor completed a series of deep passes in Sunday’s season opener against the Jaguars, mostly to Brandin Cooks, who finished the game with five catches for 132 yards.
Cooks, a 5-10, 183-pound eightyear veteran, recorded four catches for 128 yards in the first half.
In the first quarter, Cooks leaped over two defenders and snatched a 40-yard catch at the Jaguars 2 that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Mark Ingram. Cooks had two catches of 24 yards and 12 yards on a second-quarter drive that led to a 40-yard field goal by Joey Slye. Then, with 12 seconds left before halftime, Cooks hauled in a 52-yard deep pass down the left sideline, setting up an 8-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola.
A tale of two teams on discipline front
When the Texans hired David Culley, who spent the previous 27 years as an assistant coach, the franchise was hoping that the team could play both organized and disciplined with a staff that also includes defensive coordinator Lovie Smith ,a former NFL head coach.
The Texans played relatively clean football while a pile of penalties hindered the Jaguars and first-year coach Urban Meyer.
The Jaguars were penalized 10 times in the first half for a total of 82 yards, and the Texans had five penalties for 50 yards.
Jacksonville was penalized for an illegal formation on the offense’s first play of the game, and the Jaguars eventually punted after going three-and-out on the series. The Jaguars were penalized for holding three times, and a holding call forced another punt on the Jaguars’ second drive.
Then, just before halftime, Jacksonville was penalized for having 12 players in the offensive huddle and were backed up to their own 8. Rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence was intercepted by Vernon Hargreaves, who returned the pick to the Jaguars 7.
Texans rookie wide receiver Nico Collins was called for offensive pass interference on a goal line fade three plays later, and the Texans had to settle for a red-zone field goal.
Fill-in Slye impresses with kicking duties
The Texans had to make an emergency signing when kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was placed on injured reserve going into the season opener, and his replacement, former Panthers kicker Joey Slye, made all three of his field-goal attempts against the Jaguars.
Slye converted on both a
40-yard attempt and a 26-yard attempt in the second quarter, and the pair of field goals helped expand the Texans’ lead to 27-7 by halftime. Slye also made a 25-yard attempt in the fourth.
The powerful kicker also booted each of his eight kickoffs for touchbacks.
Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said Slye can be a steady, touchback-forcing option while playing in relief of
Fairbairn for at least the next three games.
DT Taylor exits early with uncertain injury
Texans starting defensive tackle Vincent Taylor suffered an injury in Sunday’s season opener, and coach David Culley said the team is not yet certain what the severity is.
Taylor was carted off the field during the fourth quarter of the Texans’ 37-21 victory. The 6-3, 311-pound Taylor had one tackle in the game, and his absence is an unwelcome depth hit for the Texans, who rely on a steady rotation of defensive linemen in new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s four-man front.
“I’m not really sure exactly what it is right now,” Culley said. “We’ll get a little bit more on that tomorrow.”
Taylor, 27, is a fifth-year NFL veteran who signed a one-year deal with the Texans after playing four seasons for the Dolphins, Bills and Browns. He established himself as the starting defensive tackle next to Maliek Collins during training camp, and the Texans will now have to turn to Ross Blacklock and rookie Roy Lopez to fill in.
Receiver Miller starts season on inactive list
The Texans are hoping wide receiver Anthony Miller will be healthy enough to play at some point this season, but the inside receiver was declared inactive for Sunday’s season opener while still recovering from a shoulder dislocation he suffered in the preseason opener.
General manager Nick Caserio signed longtime slot receiver Danny Amendola to a one-year deal this week to provide depth, and, although Miller returned to practice Monday, his recovery is not yet complete.
Backup safety Lonnie Johnson (thigh), linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (thigh) and defensive end Jonathan Greenard (ankle) were all placed on the inactive list after missing practices last week with injuries, and newly signed cornerback Jimmy Moreland and quarterback Deshaun Watson, who faces 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and harassment, also were inactive.
Coach David Culley said the team wouldn’t carry five running backs on the active roster for regular season games, and, in the season opener against the Jaguars, former practice squad back Scottie Phillips was the odd man out.