3 ups and 2 downs in the Houston Texans pre-season opener

Tank Dell looks like he's ready to be a star

Tank Dell was ready to play, and he put on a show. He's been great in training camp and it showed on the field. His six-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter was a thing of beauty. He showed athleticism and focus, as he brought in the catch lying on his back, inches from the sideline.

Dell played through the first half and had five receptions and 65 yards, with one touchdown.  He’s been getting rave reviews from training camp and brought the same to the field in his first NFL game, albeit against the Patriots' backups.  Still, he made the plays and took advantage of the opportunity.

If Dell can stack performances like that both in practices and in these preseason games, he will only build that confidence, not only within himself but his teammates, coaches, and more importantly with his quarterbacks.  If he becomes a reliable go-to target, I’d expect him to put up some impressive numbers in his rookie year.

I hope the Dolphins play their starters for a little while next week and we get a chance to see Dell against some better competition, but the young man is off to a great start and looks poised to become a star in the NFL.