The Houston Texans 2023 training camp is in full swing, and word is the talent level compared to last season is certainly noticeable. Despite the improved roster, the national media has basically kicked this team to the curb and already determined they'll once again be one of the worst teams in the league.
I will say this though, a lot of what happens this season will be largely dependent on how well the quarterback plays, whether that be rookie C.J. Stroud or third-year man Davis Mills. I know the majority of the fanbase is looking for Stroud to be the guy but we'll discuss this a little more shortly.
The Texans have a lot of new pieces and it will take time for all those pieces to come together, including the coaching staff. This will be Coach Ryans' first season as the head coach and there will be a learning curve he will have to navigate through this season. There will be learning moments for him, and lessons learned as he leads this team in 2023.
There is a lot to like with this team but there are just as many questions too. I'm a huge fan of the potential of the Texans' running game and the team's secondary, where pass defense will be the strength of this defense. But I also have concerns with the linebacking corps and the offensive line. The Texans struggled mightily on the offensive line last season but with a couple of new possible starters, will they be able to adequately protect whoever the starting quarterback is?
C.J. Stroud is the fan favorite but....
The overwhelming consensus is that it seems Stroud has the talent to take the lead and earn the starting job; however, he’s still a rookie and it shows at times. Coach Ryans and the defensive staff is throwing a lot at him from the defensive side, sort of a trial-by-fire approach, and it may pay off down the road, but for now, he’s made his fair share of mistakes.
To this point in camp, local media is saying Stroud has the “lead” but it’s closer than some fans would like to think. If Mills wins the job, I’m pretty sure the fanbase will revolt. I do think Stroud will win the job at the end of the day unless Mills suddenly takes leaps and bounds over Stroud, but I caution the fans to temper their expectations, as he’s still a rookie and he will have rookie moments.
Both quarterbacks have had some great plays in camp and both have had some bad plays too. The struggles seem to come primarily from the defense throwing some exotic blitzes that the quarterbacks aren’t recognizing.
This might be a good time to remind fans though that this time of camp is typically when the defenses shine and the offenses struggle. The offense is all about timing and rhythm, whereas the defense just simply needs to react and attack, or as Coach Ryans says, “Swarm”.
Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary will be legit
If you've read any of my work, you'll know I've been beating this drum for months now. The Houston Texans will be one of the top rushing teams in the league. The only thing that might derail that is the offensive line but even behind a suspect line last season, Dameon Pierce averaged 4.3 yards per carry and would have been a thousand-yard rusher if not for the late-season injury.
We can also say the same about Devin Singletary, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year and he didn’t exactly have a stellar offensive line in Buffalo either. If the Texans line can be average at best, look for this duo to shine and become a top-five rushing attack.
Throughout training camp, these two have been nothing short of stellar. Singletary has shown off his quick cuts and ability to make defenders miss in a phone booth. While Pierce continues to display that physical, never stop style of running we saw in him last year but seems quicker and more fluid heading into this season.
A strong run game will go a long way toward helping either quarterback and will give the Texans something to lean on while their passing game comes together and develops throughout the season.
Will Anderson Jr. will be a problem for opposing offensive lines
Reports on Will Anderson Jr. from camp have been glowing. The tape and productivity we saw from him in college is certainly translating to the NFL. Now it’s still early and its only training camp but so far, he’s been extremely disruptive and his talent has been on full display.
#Texans HC DeMeco Ryans: “Will Anderson is showing full speed at every rep. He goes full speed, never takes a rep off. He gets mad when we make him take a rep off.”
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) July 28, 2023
Anderson and the defensive front as a whole have created problems for the Texans' offense and hopefully, that’s more about the talent and scheme of the Texans and not an inadequate offensive line, a rookie quarterback, and Davis Mills, not a rookie but far from elite.
"When you have a players head coach, he’s able to break it down for us and make it easy for us to understand it. Just how quick guys are picking it up, and they’re not afraid to be vocal because they’re confident."Jerry Hughes, Texans edge defender
I mentioned this earlier though when talking about C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills, defenses typically have a leg up on offenses in the early going. Regardless, this is a great sign for the Texans. There are two things a young team can do to be competitive on game day. A strong pass rush is one of those two, the other is having a solid run game.
John Metchie III could be a secret weapon
This is one of the best stories in all of the NFL and I hope John Metchie III has a solid season, earning him the Comeback Player of the Year. I don't know of any other player in recent memory that has gone through what Metchie has experienced over the last 18 months.
When we last saw Metchie playing in a real football game it was in the 2021 SEC Championship game, before tearing his ACL. After a full recovery and preparing to play for the Houston Texans in his rookie year, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Now healthy and being declared cancer-free, Metchie has quietly been showing the talent that made him a second-round pick of the Texans and the 44th overall pick. If he can realize his potential on the field come game day, the Texans might have a better receiving corps than expected.
I’ve said for a while now, this group is not expected to do much and is ranked very low on most national rankings but there is talent here but unproven. A lot of young receivers, with the exception of the “old” guy, Robert Woods. The Texans need someone in this receiver room to step up and be that reliable target for the quarterback. Can John Metchie III be that guy for the Houston Texans?
This Houston Texans defense just might be really good
Again, defenses typically shine more so than offenses during the first week of training camp, but if what we've seen so far from the Texans' defense is what we get on game day, this team will battle every week and not go away easily.
The Texans front has been an issue for their offense and giving them trouble throughout camp. Coach Ryans and the defensive staff has been throwing numerous blitzes at the Texans offense too, which is causing some trouble.
Along with a formidable pass rush, the Texans duo of Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward has been equally impressive. So much so that some are saying they could be one of the best safety tandems in the NFL by season’s end.
Also putting on a show has been rookie linebacker Henry To’oTo’o. He’s been solid in pass coverage and showing his ability to adjust from play action to coverage and prevent easy completions.
At this point, the Texans' pass defense could be really, really good in 2023. My only concern here is if the defense is looking this good not necessarily due to their own skill but the lack of skill from the offense, particularly is the offensive line and quarterback play lacking?