The Houston Texans completed their second preseason game of the 2023 season and things could have certainly been better, but it wasn't all bad, in fact, there were a few good things that came out of this game. Every game and pass attempt that Stroud gets will only help to build that confidence and chemistry with his receivers.
That said, there were some areas that need to be addressed, and with only one more preseason game remaining, time is short to figure things out. But let's not forget, this is a team in rebuild mode, and as long as they are taking steps and getting better week after week, fans can be patient.
Houston lost to the Miami Dolphins by a score of 28 - 3. Denzel Perryman picked off Tua Tagovailoa on the first play of the Dolphins' drive; however, the Texans were unable to capitalize on the turnover with any points. The fact that the Texans got the ball on the Miami seven and only managed one yard on four plays, should be a little concerning but we'll wait and see how the team does in those situations down the road.
The Texans will get the last preseason game of the NFL schedule against the New Orleans Saints. I'd be surprised if we see many of the presumed starters next week but maybe Coach Ryans will let them get a series or two before the season opener. But let's get into my three ups and two downs.
C.J. Stroud appeared far more comfortable this week
C.J. Stroud looked terrible on his first two passes of the game, badly missing on both targets that would likely have been touchdowns, including one on fourth down. But after that, Stroud completed seven of ten passes and looked comfortable in the pocket.
Stroud played the first half of the game and finished with 60 yards passing before coming out at halftime. He didn't score any touchdowns, but he also didn't turn the ball over this week, which is a huge plus. He displayed excellent accuracy and decision-making on a handful of throws as well.
The Texans' second drive was the most impressive when he completed multiple passes to several different targets, including Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, and Robert Woods. The drive covered 61 yards on 11 plays and resulted in a field goal. If Stroud can get that type of protection from his line and spread the ball around, he should have a successful rookie season.
Will Anderson Jr, for the second week in a row was a terror
I'm looking forward to seeing this young man on the field during the regular season and throughout his career. He looks like he could be the next great pass-rusher in the NFL. This week he recorded two tackles, a sack, QB hit, and forced a fumble, while also adding a tackle for a loss.
The Miami Dolphins have had some struggles along their offensive line already this season but if this is what the Texans are going to get from Anderson on a weekly basis, he will make game-changing plays throughout the year and will help keep the Texans competitive and in games.
In a division that in my opinion is one of the weaker divisions in the NFL, someone like Anderson can and will be a difference-maker. The AFC is loaded with great quarterbacks and Anderson will be a great equalizer. Look for this kid to be in the Defensive Rookie of the Year discussion from Week One.
No turnovers this week
Last week in the preseason opener, the Houston Texans turned the ball over twice, and could have been three, had they not recovered Steven Sims' fumble. But this week was a different story with neither quarterback tossing an interception and anyone fumbling the ball.
That's always a big plus and anytime you can win the turnover battle, you give yourself much better odds to win the game, no matter the opponent. Houston will be looking to improve on that next week when they face the New Orleans Saints Sunday night.
They'll have two weeks after that to clean up any last-minute issues and get ready for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. A lot of teams have a more talented roster than the Texans but if they can hold on to the ball and win the turnover battle, they'll always have a chance.
The Houston Texans run defense got ripped
Last week I praised the Houston Texans' defense, but this week, their run defense was completely dominated by the Miami Dolphins. To be fair, the Dolphins were very good on the ground last week and so far, looks like they might have one of the better run games in the NFL. But still, if you're going to win in this league, you can't let opponents run on you like that. Every one of the Dolphins' running backs that had carries had an average north of four yards, which can't happen in the regular season.
The Dolphins racked up 205 yards on the ground, with Salvon Ahmed pitching in 99 of those on just 12 carries, granted he had 65 of those on one play but overall, the Texans gave up a 5.4 yards per carry average. I expect more out of the Texans' run defense going forward but this is something the staff and players will need to go back to the film room and correct whatever errors were made in run defense.
Rush offense was non-existent
I'm not sure if we should be concerned about this at this point or not. The Texans' run game last week was not good to the tune of three yards per carry, but they didn't have all of their starting offensive line. This week, they had the starting group, minus Tytus Howard, and managed an even worse 2.3 yards per carry.
They also didn't have Dameon Pierce last week and yet with him getting carries this week, they had a worse performance. My worry though is not with the running backs, it's the offensive line and we talked about this last week too. This line has to be better going forward or this team from an offensive perspective is in a lot of trouble.
They have one more preseason to go and the hope is Howard can get back on the field to help out the line. They could use at least one preseason game with all five starters together before heading into the 2023 regular season.