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2020 TRAINING CAMP NOTES

Texans' Bill O'Brien on new DT P.J. Hall: 'We're taking a chance on P.J.'
Aaron Wilson , Houston Chronicle Aug. 14, 2020


When the Texans put on pads Friday afternoon for the first time at training camp, new defensive tackle P.J. Hall will be working on his conditioning and embracing a fresh start after signing his contract Thursday.

A former Sam Houston State standout and the highest drafted player in school history, Hall is getting a second chance with the Texans after being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders one year after being drafted in the second round. Hall is talented and athletic at 6-1, 310 pounds and has run the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, but the Texans want him to improve his conditioning levels before evaluating him on the practice field.

"We're taking a chance on P.J." Texans coach and general manager Bill O'Brien said during a Zoom video call. " He's got a lot of talent. He's a guy who has flashed at times in this league. He's got to get in shape. You won't see him out there today.

"We've got to get him in shape, lose a little bit of weight and then get him on the field and see what he can do. He has shown the ability to play good football in Oakland at times, but he's got to do a little bit of proving that to us."
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Texans' Bill O'Brien on new DT P.J. Hall: 'We're taking a chance on P.J.'
Aaron Wilson , Houston Chronicle Aug. 14, 2020


When the Texans put on pads Friday afternoon for the first time at training camp, new defensive tackle P.J. Hall will be working on his conditioning and embracing a fresh start after signing his contract Thursday.

A former Sam Houston State standout and the highest drafted player in school history, Hall is getting a second chance with the Texans after being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders one year after being drafted in the second round. Hall is talented and athletic at 6-1, 310 pounds and has run the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, but the Texans want him to improve his conditioning levels before evaluating him on the practice field.

"We're taking a chance on P.J." Texans coach and general manager Bill O'Brien said during a Zoom video call. " He's got a lot of talent. He's a guy who has flashed at times in this league. He's got to get in shape. You won't see him out there today.

"We've got to get him in shape, lose a little bit of weight and then get him on the field and see what he can do. He has shown the ability to play good football in Oakland at times, but he's got to do a little bit of proving that to us."
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At 6'1" & > 300 & a 4.7 40 alone makes him an intriguing prospect especially being a 2nd round pick just a couple years ago ?
How does a 2nd round pick get cut that quick ? Anyway somebody with that kind of raw athletic ability is certainly worth taking a look-see at so this will be another side story to keep track of this TC.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
First shoulder labrum surgery.............then Achilles tendon rupture surgery..............then ACL rupture surgery. Sadly at this rate, if his luck doesn't change, he will take the chance of running out of extremities to injure.
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He was our version of bigfoot. Always next year...
 
McClain: Bill O’Brien takes a step back in hopes of progress
John McClain , Houston Chronicle Aug. 15, 2020

Bill O’Brien will try not to look over Tim Kelly’s shoulder when it comes to calling plays this season, a change that will give O’Brien time to focus on bigger picture.

In the last week of February, Texans coach Bill O’Brien disclosed at the combine he was turning over the play-calling role to offensive coordinator Tim Kelly.

It was a major decision by O’Brien to give up a responsibility that meant so much to him — a duty he had performed in five of his first six seasons in Houston.

But, O’Brien reasoned at the time, his seventh season as the Texans’ head coach would be ideal for him to concentrate more on the big picture and allow Kelly to take that next step in his development as a trusted offensive assistant.

O’Brien made a similar decision on defense. Defensive line coach Anthony Weaver was promoted to coordinator, and Romeo Crennel became an associate head coach. Like Kelly, Weaver is a first-time play-caller presented with a terrific opportunity.

Houston Chronicle columnists Jerome Solomon and Brian T. Smith discuss the quiet happenings and lack of information from Texans training camp so far because of COVID-19 protocols. They also talk about how the lack of preseason games and fewer padded practices will affect the quality of play come the regular season. They also touch on the uncertainty that surrounds college football.

“It allows me to, hopefully, be a better head coach,” O’Brien said Friday in a Zoom conference call. “We’ve won a lot of games here the last two years (22, counting playoffs), but we’re not where we want to be. I think those moves are going to help us get to where we want to be. That’s why we made those moves, and, hopefully, it turns out the right way.”

In 2019, when the Texans won the AFC South for the fourth time in O’Brien’s five seasons, he also served as general manager without the title. After last season, owner Cal McNair gave O’Brien the dual title and promoted Jack Easterby to executive vice president of football operations.

O’Brien and Easterby preside over the football side of the organization. O’Brien has a lot of responsibility, and his primary function is overseeing the team.

“I’m able to concentrate on other things, more of the full-team picture,” he said. “I’m able to meet with players a little more on the other side of the ball and on special teams.”

THE REST OF THE STORY
 
Watt hasn't been at practice the last couple of days and was not there for today's first padded practice. There is no new injury that he is dealing with, and he is supposedly going at a very limited pace prior to the season beginning in order to manage his load to "save" himself. He should be way past any limitations for his pec injury/surgery. I do not see this as a very good prognostic sign of how he will hold up to a regular season.
 
Chiefs plan to have fans at Arrowhead Stadium for Texans game
Houston Chronicle Aug. 17, 2020

When the Texans open the regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champions plan to have fans in the stands at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs announced Monday that they plan to have a reduced capacity of 22 percent to start the season.

The Texans announced last week that they won't have fans at their Sept. 20 home opener at NRG Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens due to health concerns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chiefs said they made their plans in consultation with the NFL, medical professionals and local government officials.

The Chiefs said they have implemented enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures, including social distancing, hand sanitization stations, cashless pay for transactions and mask requirements except when actively eating and drinking. The Chiefs ask fans to bring their own masks upon entering Arrowhead Stadium, but will provide commemorative masks to all fans attending the first three home games.
 
McClain: Eric Murray is Justin Reid’s new partner at safety
John McClain , Houston Chronicle Aug. 17, 2020 Updated: Aug. 17, 2020 7:19 p.m.

For a third consecutive season, Justin Reid has a new partner at safety.

Introducing Eric Murray.

As a rookie in 2018, Reid started next to Tyrann Mathieu and learned from one of the NFL’s best players before he signed with Kansas City and earned a Super Bowl ring.

In 2019, Reid played with Tashaun Gipson Sr., who was released after his only season with the Texans and signed with Chicago.

Now Reid is paired with Murray, who signed as a free agent in March. Since camp began the last week of July and through Monday’s third practice in pads, coach Bill O’Brien has been praising his safeties.

“They’re both very smart players and good pros,” O’Brien said Monday. “Eric’s played a lot of football in this league and fills a lot of different roles for us. He’s involved in different parts of the defense and on special teams. He’s been a real good addition to our team.”

Murray, 26, enters his fifth season and hopes that playing with Reid will give the defense a match made in NFL heaven.

“I think we complement each other by the mental part of the game (and) being on the same page so we can fool (offenses) into whatever look we have going,” Murray said. “I think in ways we’re different. He’s more of an enforcer type. I’m more of (the) covering type.

“I can bring some physicality too, but I think that’s what separates us.”

THE REST OF THE STORY
 
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What's Texans QB Deshaun Watson's favorite play now after DeAndre Hopkins trade?
Aaron Wilson , Houston Chronicle Aug. 16, 2020


...........................Where Watson said previously his favorite play was a go route to Hopkins for a touchdown. his focus is now shifting to distributing the football between Fuller, Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, Kenny Stills, Keke Coutee, David Johnson, Duke Johnson and Darren Fells. It's a multi-layered approach that Watson is transitioning to during training camp.

So, what's Watson's new favorite play in the world of AH (After Hopkins)?

“Go routes to 15 (Fuller, go routes to 12 (Stills), go routes to 13 (Cooks), crossing routes to 18 (Cobb), 16 (Coutee), the Johnson boys (Duke Johnson and David Johnson) coming out of the backfield and spreading the ball around," Watson said during a Zoom video call. "Being able to find the open man and take my game to another level and just spread the wealth. Not necessarily we didn’t do that in the previous years, but you have the No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He’s going to do his part and get his targets.

"You have to make sure that he’s doing what he needs to do. Now we have depth and we have a lot of experience and a lot of veteran guys. We’ll be able to spread it around. Guys are going to do their part to be able to get touchdowns.”

THE WHOLE STORY
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/author/aaron-wilson/
 
kiwitexansfan said:
BoB will snatch back those play calling duties at the very first opportunity.
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The early part of their schedule is as tough as it gets , its not hard to envision them going 2-6 thru the first half of the season or ending up as poor as 6-10.

If they are on that path , I could definitely see Ob taking the playcalling duties back by the 3rd or 4th week ... but that won't be their "problem" , that'll be the defense - the whole defense as they have gaping holes at every level.

I'm not worried about the offense ... even if they aren't as talented as last years squad - that defense is gonna lose a lot of football games.
 
Corrosion said:
The early part of their schedule is as tough as it gets , its not hard to envision them going 2-6 thru the first half of the season or ending up as poor as 6-10.

If they are on that path , I could definitely see Ob taking the playcalling duties back by the 3rd or 4th week ... but that won't be their "problem" , that'll be the defense - the whole defense as they have gaping holes at every level.

I'm not worried about the offense ... even if they aren't as talented as last years squad - that defense is gonna lose a lot of football games.
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Remember when some posters had the Texans starting last yr 0-6? LMAO
 
steelbtexan said:
Remember when some posters had the Texans starting last yr 0-6? LMAO
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You recall my expectations for last years squad ?

I'll remind you .... 12-4 and a top 2 seed. They had multiple opportunities to accomplish that.
They lost to three teams they were better than - Denver , Carolina and Indy (would add the Tinbreds but that last game they didn't play the starters much if at all) in going 10-6.

Last years team had potential - I don't see that with this years squad mainly because of the defense - They'll have to win shootouts or not.
 
Corrosion said:
Some are consistently closer to the truth than others ....
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I saw 9-7/10-6 last yr and see pretty much the same this yr. We've been pretty much in agreement with how their seasons would turn out. You had 12-4 last yr (You should've been right.) This yr I think your W total is going to be low, because I think somebody (I dont know who) is going to be a run stopper in the middle, or I could see a mid season trade for a NT. I also think the offense is going to be much more well rounded. But this team goes as far as DW4 takes them.
 
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