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2017 Houston Texans Official OTA's, Minicamp, and Training Camp Thread

lol if a reporter says he's doing fine and developing like he's suppose to. It's fake news.
Should they just never report on deshaun then?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
edromeo said:
It seems like some in this thread didn't like Watson and nothing positive that actually happens and is reported will change their preexisting narative.
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Since I haven't been hanging out here in TT during the offseason, that is the impression I'm getting as well. So, in that light, here is my very first statement regarding Deshaun Watson.

He's a rookie. Not to mention a rookie QB. I don't care how much the team gave up for him, he is STILL nothing but a damn 'deer in the headlights' rookie. Now, before everyone throws the Captain Obvious line, I'll just say I'm picking up a boatload of unreasonable expectations.

I remember full well how everyone was gushing about Jared Goff last year, and mad that we didn't give the farm to get him. The dude ended up being nothing but a 3rd string clipboard carrier. And look at Patrick Mahomes at KC's TC. He hasn't exactly been knocking them dead, either.

The point being behind all this, is if OB has Watson carrying the 3rd string clipboard the entire season, regardless of how injury prone that Savage is, it's not going to affect my expectations. Since he's a rookie, (sorry for being repetitive) I have none.
 
Quick Hitters from Houston Texans Training Camp: Day Four
Quick Hitters from day four of Houston Texans training camp.

The Houston Texans held their fourth practice of training camp at The Greenbrier in Sulphur Springs, WV, with rain throughout practice. The Texans pushed through it and still got work done. Here are the quick hitters from a busy day four of training camp.

Quick Hitters

The session in pads had the Houston Texans hitting and the practices seem more physical than past years under Bill O’Brien. There is way more banging during team periods but it really stands out during their special teams periods of work. Some players just play better when the game gets physical and today it was K.J. Dillion’s turn to cut loose on the field. Dillion is coming back from a torn ACL and was held back until he was fully healthy and today he was all over the field. More importantly he showed his physicality on the field, inviting contact on defense or special teams.

Jadeveon Clowney continues to do what he wants during team sessions and it starts with him being able to change from speed to power in a hurry. He made two plays on running backs in the backfield before they could even get started and it all was because of how quick he was able to shed the offensive tackle. One move was built on a quick inside move while the other he attacked and shed the blocker in a hurry to get down the line to stop the ball. Clowney’s camp is just starting and he continues to build day-to-day.

Treston Decoud had a late start with his school commitment after the draft but he is gaining ground in both knowledge of the playbook and his overall play on the field. He is making plays and is easily the top rookie defensive back on the field. His big presence remains an issue for wide receivers and he is doing a good job of getting his hands on footballs. Decoud is finding his place on the team and it is happening quicker than expected, which is a good development for the cornerback group.

Second year linebacker Shakeel Rashad is finding his way. He is violent in short area spaces. Rashad made a plus tackle downhill in the running game slicing through the offensive line then laid a big hit during the special teams session. Rashad is working to lockdown a spot on the linebacker depth chart and he could be one of the most complete backers when it comes to speed, coverage and tackling ability from the inside. He just needs to refine his knowledge of the playbook and feel for the game on the field.

The rain was an issue for the quarterbacks but even more for Deshaun Watson. Watson had trouble delivering the football in the rain, with plenty of passes well off-target. It was a good day for Watson to get work in the rain and help him learn how to deal with issues like that on the field. His accuracy struggled all day and it was clearly one day of camp that he would like to have back.

As for Tom Savage, when the heavy downpour started, Savage sailed a ball over Jaelen Strong’s head that ended up being a dropped interception. Practice continued in the rain and Savage started becoming more accurate in the rain. His best ball went to Hopkins on a quick hitter that turned into a catch-and-run to the end zone. Hopkins remains Savage’s favorite target and they added another big hook up in the passing game. Savage has taken care of the ball for the fourth consecutive day and that continues to be one of his biggest pluses of his work through the start of camp.
 
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Mollywhopper said:
But the report was that he isn't making repeated errors. That 'rarely does he make the same mistake twice'. Unless I'm missing something about what you were getting at there, CND.
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I don't think it matters one way or another at the moment; it's way early.
I'm just hoping to see him look like a good prospect by the time the preseason ends as opposed to Goff.
Even though I had said I don't expect Goff to be ready (somewhat competent) until year two, I expected to see him progress a bit instead of looking lost toward the end of preseason last year.

You know, like the better rookie QBs that had gone to TC all these years.
 
The weather's so much better in West Virginia.

Hey, coach, how you turn on the windshield wipers on this visor?

i-FQf7TgD.jpg
 
Marcus said:
You don't hold a candle to how much I gave up on him, strictly from that microsurgery. I've never been so wrong, and have been so damn happy about it. Anytime from here on out when he makes a big play, he sticks a finger in my eye, and I deserve it.
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Not personal, but I hope figuratively you go blind each game....and heal 100% by post game wrap up. :headhurts:
 
76Texan said:
I don't think it matters one way or another at the moment; it's way early.
I'm just hoping to see him look like a good prospect by the time the preseason ends as opposed to Goff.
Even though I had said I don't expect Goff to be ready (somewhat competent) until year two, I expected to see him progress a bit instead of looking lost toward the end of preseason last year.

You know, like the better rookie QBs that had gone to TC all these years.
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I don't think it's too early to prefer hearing that he's not repeating rookie mistakes as opposed to the alternative, but fair enough.
 
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CloakNNNdagger said:
The weather's so much better in West Virginia.

Hey, coach, how you turn on the windshield wipers on this visor?

i-FQf7TgD.jpg
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I know this might come as a surprise, but it sometimes rains in actual NFL games. Take advantage of it when it occurs in practice. I doubt if any of them melted out there.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
The weather's so much better in West Virginia.

Hey, coach, how you turn on the windshield wipers on this visor?

i-FQf7TgD.jpg
Click to expand...


Just a hunch but I think they'd prefer that over the 102 degree reading in Houston today. I heard on 610 the other day they're practicing longer (30 minutes longer on Thursday but 30 minutes is 30 minutes) and with less water breaks than they had been previous years in Houston. I'd be OK with them practicing in Alaska if it allowed for more practice time. There's no benefit practicing outside in Houston, IMHO.
 
Yeah as it is hotter in Texas. And that is where my two nephews were for basic training in the USAF. And how that really not an outdoors person like you are not Banned 1976.
 
Marcus said:
I know this might come as a surprise, but it sometimes rains in actual NFL games. Take advantage of it when it occurs in practice. I doubt if any of them melted out there.
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Most of the problems that were seen in the rain were those of handling the football. You want to practice handling slippery footballs, wet down the footballs or grease them up. If it rains during a real season game, you can much better justify the increased risk for injuries. You don't want to be practicing on wet fields. That's why teams go indoors for practices when it rains. You don't ever see teams purposely soaking their fields for practices in order to simulate rain conditions.
I will stand on what I posted here: http://www.texanstalk.com/posts/2732626/
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Most of the problems that were seen in the rain were those of handling the football. You want to practice handling slippery footballs, wet down the footballs or grease them up. If it rains during a real season game, you can much better justify the increased risk for injuries. You don't want to be practicing on wet fields. That's why teams go indoors for practices when it rains. You don't ever see teams purposely soaking their fields for practices in order to simulate rain conditions.
I will stand on what I posted here: http://www.texanstalk.com/posts/2732626/
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More genius from the Texans org.

Where's my practice bubble?
 
mussop said:
This was a great move despite the rain.
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Why do you think this?

Bear Bryant had teams practice in Junction

Jimmy had his boys practicing in Austin
This is about controling the info that's coming the Texans org. I dont blame them because they are running cover for their rookie QB.
 
The move likely has as much to do with eliminating the fan section as it does with the weather. The crowd alters the practice atmosphere and is a distraction.
 
Marcus said:
Naa...I'll stick with the triple-digit heat and triple-digit humidity as the reasons. I'll take a little rain over that sh!t any day of the week.
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And I agree. The heat is the driving factor. Humans function better when not over heated; practices accomplish more under ideal conditions. When it's raining, you dial the practice back to minimize wet condition injuries.
 
Number19 said:
And I agree. The heat is the driving factor. Humans function better when not over heated; practices accomplish more under ideal conditions. When it's raining, you dial the practice back to minimize wet condition injuries.
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I can testify first hand, having worked in it for over 25 years, most of that with no A/C, the heat drains you. No matter how much you get acclimated to it, you're wiped out at the end of the week, and more so as the weeks pile up.

I'm not saying this cooler WV move is going to make them come out of the gate 4-0 or anything like that, but their bodies are going to feel a whole lot better than they would have had they been in Houston for a month in the 100 degree heat and humidity.

I have absolutely zero problem with them having camp in WV. And I don't even care if the move wasn't weather related. It's freaking practice.
 
Extended Cut of Houston Texans Training Camp: Day Four
****
Brennan Scarlett continues working to solidify his spot on the roster and it appears that he will fit in nicely behind both Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus on the edge. Scarlett also adds some special teams value, an added plus when it comes to building a roster. Scarlett is showing more as a pass rusher this season, starting with his added strength at the point of attack. He has been one of the bigger hitters through the first two days of padded camp practices.
The value of Brandon Weeden can not be emphasized enough, particularly because his pass throwing ability allows the team to get the younger receivers a good look on the field. Weeden knows his spot on the roster and his relaxed nature has allowed him to have a solid camp. He has taken care of the ball and given the receivers and tight ends catchable passes, in turn improving the staff's ability to evaluate players accordingly. He has been accurate all camp and has done what he needs to do. Knowing the offense has helped him plenty.
He has a good feel for the game and he showed on a quick pass that he can break tackles as he dipped his shoulder to run over a cornerback for extra yards. McCarron did get the ball punched out late and it was recovered by the defense but that is one small blip on the radar during a solid four days through camp. McCarron has some vertical speed but his money is made in-between the hashes due to his quickness to get in and out of routes.
Sio Moore woke up in today’s practice and it is clear that he knows he is fighting for a roster spot. Moore was hitting anything that moved on the field and attacking linemen. On one play, he completely ran through an offensive lineman to plug the hole where the ball carrier was headed. Moore is playing like he knows his job is on the line and was one of the more physical linebackers on the field. today



Offensive tackle Julien Davenport remains one to watch as camp moves forward. What stands out are his 36.5" arms and how well he uses them to his advantage. If he allows pass rushers to get into his body, it is pretty much over for Davenport but when he can get his hands on the defender, their pass rush slows down in a hurry. Davenport is being pushed to match up against some of the best Texans pass rushers and has held his own more than expected. It has been a pleasant surprise to see the work the small school product has put in to this point.



Not much talk has been about special teams but some of the best action has taken place when they take to the practice field. Denzel Rice, Shakeel Rashad, Dylan Cole, Eddie Pleasant, and K.J. Dillon have been responsible for many positives when they are asked to play teams. At some point, the ground has caused a fumble or one of these guys has laid a big hit on a blocker or ball carrier. The coaching staff is trying to infuse a tougher mentality with the group and it shows with the “new” way they are running drills. Much more is being asked of the entire special teams unit given how bad they were last season.




The defensive line has solid competition behind their starting front seven players, including Brandon Dunn, Eli Ankou, and Daniel Ross each of whom is making noise in his own way. Dunn has been with the Texans and understands what he has to do - he is going to have to show consistency against the top offensive lineman, however he does what he wants against the other linemen on the roster. Ankou is so strong from the defensive interior and poses problems when he can get under offensive linemen in pass sets. He has the strength to drive them back into the quarterback and has put that on display more than once. Ankou is fitting into his element on the field and is clearly a player that thrives with contact. The one to watch appears to be Daniel Ross who has everything that is wanted in a defensive lineman: size, speed, quickness, and strength. He is continually getting in the backfield and holding at the point of attack. The CFL transplant is looking the part up front and since pads have been put on he has become a different player.
Lonnie Ballentine has to find a way to get consistent on the field. One day he looks the part, the next day, he struggles to make a different. Ballentine did have a pass break up yesterday but there have not been enough good plays with him on defense or special teams. With a safety group that has been kicking tires on veteran players, Ballentine could be missing out on a big opportunity in front of him if he doesn’t get things lined out in a hurry.



Nick Novak and Ka’imi Fairbairn are producing a camp battle that not many are noticing but it will be very important when the season rolls around. The two kickers' strengths are well known. Novak has the accurate leg that struggles outside of the 40+ range, while Fairbairn has the stronger leg but is still working on his accuracy. The same has held true to this point at camp



Carlos Watkins is fitting into the defensive line rotation just like the Texans expected. He has a good toolkit of pass rushing moves and even showed something in the run game. In the team drill, Watkins was able to get to the backfield and stop a run play before it got started. Watkins is at an advantage and it has to do with D.J. Reader helping ease some of the rookie jitters off of him, working with to him understand the playbook and making him feel like part of the team.
*****
http://scout.com/nfl/texans/Article/Extended-Cut-of-Houston-Texans-Training-Camp-Day-Four--105614744

 
Brennan Scarlett sounds like he's looking to solidify that John Simon role in the defense.

Just needs to stay healthy which has always been his problem going back to college...
 
A group of Texans players come out to practice early to play four square. J.J. Watt said the games are a good way to warm up. "It's competitive, it's fun and it gets heated quickly," Watt said. "But it's a great way to warm up and obviously we bust each other's chops pretty good."

Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer

092ff1c6-8e93-42dd-b50b-2ba710c3dcab.jpg


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I used to play this on the playground in grade school.

 
CloakNNNdagger said:
A group of Texans players come out to practice early to play four square. J.J. Watt said the games are a good way to warm up. "It's competitive, it's fun and it gets heated quickly," Watt said. "But it's a great way to warm up and obviously we bust each other's chops pretty good."

Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer

092ff1c6-8e93-42dd-b50b-2ba710c3dcab.jpg


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I used to play this on the playground in grade school.

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That video is hilarious.
 
steelbtexan said:
Jimmy had his boys practicing in Austin.
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I was at a lot of those practices at St. Edwards, as I lived walking distance across 35. It was hot. The sno-cone truck was a welcome sight. But it wasn't as hot as it was in Houston last week. That was brutal.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
A group of Texans players come out to practice early to play four square. J.J. Watt said the games are a good way to warm up. "It's competitive, it's fun and it gets heated quickly," Watt said. "But it's a great way to warm up and obviously we bust each other's chops pretty good."

Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer

092ff1c6-8e93-42dd-b50b-2ba710c3dcab.jpg


***********************************************************************

I used to play this on the playground in grade school.

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Carlton is a true champion
 
steelbtexan said:
Why do you think this?

Bear Bryant had teams practice in Junction

Jimmy had his boys practicing in Austin

This is about controling the info that's coming the Texans org. I dont blame them because they are running cover for their rookie QB.
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I know you love conspiracy theories but this is common sense. I run crews in this heat and can tell you for a fact that the hotter it gets the less productive people get. Its really hard to get work done when you're just trying to survive. If you live here and work outside you know this. Hell if you live here you know this. To deny it is just silly.
 
I hardly ever use Twitter, but I logged in to ask Pat Starr about Watt. Below is the exchange:

Brisco_County: @PatDStat
I've seen a lot of camp reports mentioning Clowney's performance, but conspicuously little about Watt. Should that be a concern?

patrick‏Verified account@PatDStat
Watt is out there in drills.
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So that lends to my concern. In years past, preseason became The JJ Watt Show. After Week 1 this year, he's merely "Out there in drills."

I know the correct response to this could be: "Lower your early expectations, he missed a season," but I'm anxious to see at least a glimpse of the familiar Watt by day 5. I'm not asking much, just a glimpse, and that hasn't happened.

I hope by the start of the season this is just hyperventilating over nothing.
 
Brisco_County said:
I hardly ever use Twitter, but I logged in to ask Pat Starr about Watt. Below is the exchange:



So that lends to my concern. In years past, preseason became The JJ Watt Show. After Week 1 this year, he's merely "Out there in drills."

I know the correct response to this could be: "Lower your early expectations, he missed a season," but I'm anxious to see at least a glimpse of the familiar Watt by day 5. I'm not asking much, just a glimpse, and that hasn't happened.

I hope by the start of the season this is just hyperventilating over nothing.
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You're not the only one who has noticed that Watt has been missing in these reports. Other than punking Reader on Twitter because he doesn't believe in dinosaurs, I haven't heard squat.
 
This is the year to showcase Clowney, he was the star last year. Maybe they want to lower the workload on Watt during offseason.
 
Brisco_County said:
I hardly ever use Twitter, but I logged in to ask Pat Starr about Watt. Below is the exchange:



So that lends to my concern. In years past, preseason became The JJ Watt Show. After Week 1 this year, he's merely "Out there in drills."

I know the correct response to this could be: "Lower your early expectations, he missed a season," but I'm anxious to see at least a glimpse of the familiar Watt by day 5. I'm not asking much, just a glimpse, and that hasn't happened.

I hope by the start of the season this is just hyperventilating over nothing.
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I am sure that what the Texans will be saying is that they will have Watt on a "pitch count" type of watch. But as far out from his surgeries, he is either good to go.......or he is not. Especially with an ongoing back problem, pitch counts are not a solution..........no more than they would have been the first 2 go arounds.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Sarah Barshop‏@sarahbarshop 1h1 hour ago

Rookie report: Undrafted free agent WR Riley McCarron caught just about everything thrown his way during today's practice. He has impressed
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Very welcome news. Having him as depth for Braxton Miller with Welker coaching them both is huge for the offense.

Consider that our worst case scenario at QB is Brandon Weedon, who is pretty good, and he'll still have a Welker-type slot weapon. Major upgrade.
 
I noticed on the Texans official site that they list the most popular search terms at the top of the page:

Texans_zpspaqirm0o.jpg


Brennan Scarlett? Between Watson and Clowney?

Apparently the media around him has generated more interest than what is visible on Texans Talk.


 
Brisco_County said:
I hardly ever use Twitter, but I logged in to ask Pat Starr about Watt. Below is the exchange:



So that lends to my concern. In years past, preseason became The JJ Watt Show. After Week 1 this year, he's merely "Out there in drills."

I know the correct response to this could be: "Lower your early expectations, he missed a season," but I'm anxious to see at least a glimpse of the familiar Watt by day 5. I'm not asking much, just a glimpse, and that hasn't happened.

I hope by the start of the season this is just hyperventilating over nothing.
Click to expand...
Brisco_County said:
I hardly ever use Twitter, but I logged in to ask Pat Starr about Watt. Below is the exchange:



So that lends to my concern. In years past, preseason became The JJ Watt Show. After Week 1 this year, he's merely "Out there in drills."

I know the correct response to this could be: "Lower your early expectations, he missed a season," but I'm anxious to see at least a glimpse of the familiar Watt by day 5. I'm not asking much, just a glimpse, and that hasn't happened.

I hope by the start of the season this is just hyperventilating over nothing.
Click to expand...

Calm down, he's killing it in 4 square right now
 
Marcus said:
You're not the only one who has noticed that Watt has been missing in these reports. Other than punking Reader on Twitter because he doesn't believe in dinosaurs, I haven't heard squat.
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http://www.houstontexans.com/news/a...mp-Day-4/b3536474-f1b7-4b51-8290-40b34cc24269

21. Watching Watt work his hands and technique is one of my favorite things to do on a daily basis. Whether in the run game or rushing the passer, his hand placement seems to always be on point and that gets him free and clear more often than not.
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That was from yesterdays practice. It sounds like Watt, Clowney and Mericlus are all doing great things.
 
Quick Hitters: Houston Texans Training Camp Day Five
Quick Hitters from day five of Houston Texans training camp at The Greenbrier.

The Houston Texans wrapped up their fifth day at The Greenbrier, marking their first full week of work on the field. The team will have a day off on Monday, giving them a much needed break before their track toward their first preseason game.



Quick Hitters

Riley McCarron continues to trend upwards. He has a good feel for coverages and most significantly, is catching the football. McCarron showed a little more today, especially in getting up the field after catching the ball. McCarron is pushing for a spot somewhere on the roster and if he continues to do what he is doing now with the offense, he will make some decisions tough for team executives later in the process.


The Texans cut loose with their practice a little more today, with full contact and take downs to ground during team sessions. Whitney Mercilus was more than up for the challenge. He continues to be an impressive edge presence and in his pass rush, he worked Kendall Lamm to get to Watson for a sack. (The play was blown dead when he got to Watson.) Remember, Mercilus works on special teams too which gives him even more responsibility than most.


The hits of the day both happened to D’Onta Foreman. He was tagged by Brian Cushing and Benardrick McKinney on two different occasions. Foreman is going to have to figure out how to drop his pads lower to prevent a big target for incoming linebackers coming downhill. Cushing has been active all camp and the Texans are playing it smart with him, giving him a day off yesterday. McKinney has been a heavy hitter all camp. He especially turns it up in goal line and short yardage situations.



Three wide receivers for the Texans have had an interesting week and it is time for each of them to take the next step. Will Fuller, Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong have each had his ups and down. Fuller and Strong have been the most steady of the group but Fuller is not getting many chances in team sessions due to the coverages being thrown at the quarterback. He has had some drops during camp but it is clear he has worked to be a better hands catcher which has shown during camp. Miller is still trying to get his feel for the receiver position and it appears he has a much better comprehension of the offense. Now he has to learn how to finish plays. Most importantly, being consistent catching the football and a reliable target for the quarterback are critical to Miller's success. Today was the least impressive day for Strong due to his inability to catch the football. He had two passes thrown to him that Strong has shown capable of bringing in; he has done it all week. Strong has been better than expected the first four days of camp, however this final day of work of the week left something to be desired.


It might have been the worst start of the day for Tom Savage since camp opened and it was due to inaccurate passes. As practice progressed, he tightened up his throws and was able to get the ball on receivers, but early, he had some throws that were high and just not in an area for his receivers to have a chance to catch the ball. He missed a big opportunity near the goal line, missing a wide open back in the end zone only to leave it short. The offense ended up getting in the end zone but it took a little longer than it should have.


As for Deshaun Watson, he wasn’t helped early in practice with some drops from his receivers, stalling the drive for the offense. Watson did link up with McCarron often on the day but also took a couple of would be sacks by not getting the ball out on time. Overall, this was not the best day for the quarterback group and the day off will help them regroup and get back after it again on Tuesday.
 
In response to a question about the biggest surprise in camp so far, Pat Starr says there are three: Nick Martin, Treston Decoud, and Brennan Scarlett.
 
Brisco_County said:
In response to a question about the biggest surprise in camp so far, Pat Starr says there are three: Nick Martin, Treston Decoud, and Brennan Scarlett.
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I hope that means surprisingly exceeding expectations and not surprisingly diappoining ?
 
This was from Friday, but I'm posting it now because most of us have only been following Pat Starr and Jon Harris. It's from Cody Stoots at CBS Houston and it mentions that Watt had not been participating in contact drills, which is news to me.

Camp Confidential – Watson/Savage Impress, Defense Wins Again
(Friday 7/28)

>>>Deshaun Watson rebounded from his day yesterday where he displayed some rookie mistakes. He was throwing darts fitting a throw in a football sized opening to Jaelen Strong and finding Riley McCarron in individual drills. He would’ve connected for a huge gain if Ryan Griffin hadn’t dropped Watson’s perfect strike. He looked much more confident and capable today than yesterday.

>>>Watson found Bryce Jones right in the numbers before Jones dropped the Watson pass. Jones, is of course, a cornerback for the Texans. One of the few mistakes Watson made.

>>>Watson’s escapability was evident. Even in a fully live game, no one would have stopped Watson as he made a scramble for a big first down in the teams situation.

>>>Tom Savage had his moments. He made a huge throw, about 40 yards, to Jaelen Strong which saw the third year wideout leap and grab the ball for a score. Today was Strong’s best day in camp despite a fumble.

>>>The defense was THRILLED to have the pads on. None more excited than Brian Cushing. In about 15-18 reps in goal line run situations, the defense allowed only a handful of offensive progress. Cushing let Hopkins know history had repeated itself. The excitement was the highest it has been in camp.

>>>The lone true without question touchdown scored was by D’Onta Foreman, the early camp standout. He flashed for a big run today too. Lamar Miller and Akeem Hunt got in on the big runs.

>>>The defense may have won goal line but the offense had their revenge moving the ball well in competitive situations. Competitive situations is a Bill O’Brien term that I really enjoy for some reason.

>>>The offensive line earned revenge later in drills as well. Jeff Allen and Kendall Lamm teamed up to win a rep against Whitney Mercilus and Christian Covington. Chris Clark and David Quessenberry worked together to stymie Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Reader. Nick Martin held his own again today as he picks up where he left off before his injury last year.

>>>Breno Giacomini was dusted by Whitney Mercilus in one play and moments later Mercilus was working with him on how to anticipate and beat certain pass rushing moves. It was a cool sight as the two worked together for a few moments away from the rest of the team.

>>>C.J. Fiedorowicz had a great block on Jadeveon Clowney

>>>For the second straight day J.J. Watt was not participating in contact team drills.

>>>The running backs and linebacker engaged in some pass blocking drills and the results were mixed for both sides. Akeem Hunt POPPED Dylan Cole for a block but Cole would recover to get a sack in the next rep by him. Alfred Blue and Cushing reignited their Hard Knocks rivalry and it went the way I am guessing it always does, Cushing’s way. Rookie on rookie crime as Zach Cunningham stood out for the first time in camp and beat Foreman for a sack

>>>Treston Decoud stood out today. He had a huge tackle for a loss on the goal line and then almost had a pass breakup on Strong. After Strong had some choice words for Decoud the two got in each other’s face. Decoud impressed for someone in just his third day of work as an NFL player. He wasn’t with the Texans this offseason due to school rules.
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Link
 
From today. Again, the best defender in pro football is invisible at camp.

19 observations from #TexansCamp: Day 5

The Texans got in one final day of workouts before a welcomed day off on Monday. As

Shakeel Rashad told me, though, it’s not really a day off as much as it is a day of recovery. Very well said, my man. Either way, here are my observations from the day’s workout.

1. Linebacker Brian Cushing had the hit of camp when he delivered a loud, substantial blow to one of the Texans running backs on an inside run. Cushing came downhill and delivered a shot that reverberated off the mountains.

2. Whitney Mercilus certainly does not have the hair that Benardrick McKinney has, then again, who does? Either way, Whit would’ve posted a big number of sacks on the day had he been allowed to hit and sack the quarterback. He’s such an accomplished rusher and he’s tough to block from either side of the formation. Regardless, I wrote in my notes “sack/rush 59, would’ve been a sack”.

3. By the way, I completely laughed out loud when Mercilus called McKinney “a minion” because of his hair. So funny. If you haven’t seen the interview B Mac did with our own Deepi Sidhu, it’s a riot. You can see it below.

4. The offense strung together one of its best drives during the latter stages of practice. I have in my notes 18 plays, but I think I missed a few along the way. D’Onta Foreman capped it off with a short touchdown run after Tom Savage led the team all the way down the field. The offense did get an interference call on fourth down, and it was a legit PI that kept the long drive alive.

5. A handful of veterans got the day off and Coach O’Brien talked about that philosophy yesterday with the assembled media. It’s allowed the young players and backups plenty of opportunities to show what they can do with a significant number of more reps.

6. Legendary former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer took in practice today. Just as Dana Holgorsen told us earlier in the week, the Greenbrier is actually closer to being in Hokie Country than it is West Virginia Mountaineer country. So, it made sense that the legendary Hokie coach and player made the drive over to see practice on Sunday.

7. Beamer was able to do so on a magnificent day, the best day since we’ve been in West Virginia. When Shane Lechler punted and boomed the ball in the air, it would sail high majestically above the mountains. I mean, wow; that’s one of my favorite parts of practice when he starts nailing punts into the stratosphere with those mountains in the background. Just beautiful.

8. One of my favorite battles throughout camp thus far is cornerback Kevin Johnson against wide receiver Will Fuller V. Those two go at one another, especially during one-on-ones. What I love about it is that there’s no jawing, no histrionics, just guys battling for the football on an every down basis.

9. One thing stands out more than anything in this camp and I think it’s because it’s so peaceful down by the field. I stood down by the field for a team drill early in practice, which I’m accustomed to doing so throughout the season during games on the sideline. I have headphones on during games the entire time so I can never hear anything. Without headphones today, though, I could hear the advanced level of communication that the coaches, players and staff utilize throughout the practice. Players talking to coaches about what they saw was certainly interesting, but the communication during the play on both sides of the ball is fascinating. We do see/hear some of that in NFL Mic’d up or Sound FX, but it’s ultra-interesting to see the amount of communication that happens as quickly and vociferously as it does on an every down basis.

10. One guy always stands out when he starts talking/communicating, though: safety Corey Moore. Not always what he says but how it sounds. At safety, he’s in charge of communicating with linebackers and cornerbacks and vice versa. But, every time he makes a call or he sees something, his excited voice goes up a few octaves and gets everyone’s attention.

11. He also has no desire to make any friends on the offensive side of the ball as he delivered the wood a few times, especially once on Sunday that elicited some ooohs and ahhs from his defensive mates.

12. Both groups worked a bunch of situations throughout practice as they have at this point in practice for years. Coach O’Brien mentioned how valuable it is for the team to use those different, unique situations to practice things now that might show up even just once in a game. As such, they’ll be ready to react in those situations when it does happen due to the experience they gather now in training camp.

13. It’s truly an honor to watch receiver DeAndre Hopkins do his work. At least once per practice, he’ll make a catch that forces me to slug Marc Vandermeer and ask “did you see that?!?”. He had one of those today on a throw that took him well out of bounds, but Hop reached up and snagged one that seemingly was being thrown away. He nearly got his feet down for the miraculous catch. The defense signaled no catch immediately but the more impartnt fact is that it was a near miracle that it was caught in the first place.

14. I don’t recall whether the quarterbacks threw one interception in all group or team drills. I don’t have interception written in my notes once. There was, at least, one drop of a close interception that I remember, but I don’t recall one interception by the trio of quarterbacks on Sunday.

15. That said, the defensive backs got after it 1-on-1s, my friend. They seemed to take it personal if a receiver beat them on a route, any route. I only watched the receivers and the defensive backs during that period, mostly because they were right in front of me (Offensive line and defensive line worked on the far field, while tight ends and backs competed against the linebackers on the other half of the field). I wrote down “PBU” nearly a half dozen times in my book during that 1-on-1 period.

16. Man, I’m so glad I don’t have to cover or try to tackle multi-dimensional threat Tyler Ervin. He and Akeem Hunt are such a handful for linebackers to cover out of the backfield or corral in the run game. They certainly are not built like Lamar Miller or D’Onta Foreman, but, man, do they have some juice. I wrote that note down a few times for each of them the past few days.

17. I had at least two different people ask me today whether outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett was one of the stars of camp. The questions came from two different people at two different times of practice, so I thought it was an intriguing inquiry. Keep in mind, Scarlett is now two plus years removed from an injury he suffered in college and it shows in his fluidity and movement on the field...plus, he’s willing to announce his presence with authority, physically. He’s certainly done that a few times in the past three days.

18. The days are really starting to run together so I can’t remember whether some things happened today, yesterday or back at OTA/minicamps in June. That’s what happens at this point in training camp and when you get old (like yours truly).

19. I mentioned the offense had an extensively long drive late in practice, but had one that went about 16 or 17 plays earlier as well. Both drives resulted in touchdowns, which is welcome news, no question, for that unit.
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on that "almost" pass breakup Decoud had on Strong, I heard if in regular season game it would have been pass interference and what led to dust up.
 
Sounds like Watt isn't even in on team drills. Wonder if its a coaching decision or if he tweaked something. Surprised none of the reporters have questioned or wrote about this.
 
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