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Texans Training Camp Preview 2023

Jonathan M Alexander @jonmalexander · 12m A few people were curious about what I thought about today’s Texans’ practice.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...ns-training-camp-fight-cj-stroud-18293733.php

C.J. Stroud still running with the 1s

Stroud’s performance in Thursday’s preseason game didn’t cost him first-team reps. The interception is a thing of the past.

He still ran with the first-team offense Sunday, and threw the ball well in team drills.

Stroud completed 10-of-16 passes, which included a 35-yard deep pass to Noah Brown who managed to get behind the defense. It was one of Stroud’s better throws of camp. One of the more interesting things to see is how often Stroud is to move in the pocket. One of the criticism of Stroud coming out of Ohio State was that he didn’t use his legs much.

But in camp, he’s taken off with the football, scrambled and he threw on the run Sunday.

Meanwhile, veteran Davis Mills, who was running with the second-team defense, was 10-of-14 with two touchdowns.

One of his touchdowns was a screen pass to Steven Sims, who avoided multiple defenders and raced to the end zone. The other was to Andrew Beck in the corner of the end zone.

Mills has continued to play well, despite being second on the unofficial depth chart. It appears the Texans are focused on Stroud figuring things out as the potential starter.

But Mills has definitely shown improvement since Year 2.

Jimmie Ward all over the field

…

Hasson Ridgeway leaves practice early

Veteran defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway, who had been one of the standouts in practice recently, suffered an injury in practice Sunday. He was schedule to speak to media members, but he didn’t return.

Ridgeway played well in the team’s preseason game.

Ryans lauded him for running from sideline to sideline as a defensive tackle. He provides quality depth for the Texans defensive tackle room, which should be a strength this season compared to 2022, when they gave up a league-high in rushing yards.

It’s unclear the depth of his injury. But Ridgeway was third on the depth chart.

Will Anderson Jr. vs. Laremy Tunsil

Anderson has played lights out in camp so far. The rookie doesn’t slow down.

But there’s a reason Tunsil is the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. Anderson started three straight possessions on the right side against Tunsil, and Tunsil locked him up on three straight possessions.

On the next series, Anderson went against Tunsil again two more times. Both times, Tunsil locked him up.

On the next play, Anderson went up against right tackle George Fant. Anderson finally broke free for a sack.

Other notes

Quarterback Case Keenum, who played the entire second half of Thursday’s preseason game, got the day off and was not at practice.

Guard Kenyon Green was at practice but he did not dress out in pads. It was likely a day off for the second-year offensive lineman.

Offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson, who was out the past week with an injury, returned to practice. He went in at left guard behind Michael Deiter. Jimmy Morrissey was the second-team center behind Juice Scruggs.

Tight end Teagan Quitoriano practiced again for the second consecutive day. The Texans officially removed him from their active PUP list. And it comes at a nice time. The Texans have been down multiple tight ends since the start of camp. They need the depth at the position.
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xtruroyaltyx said:
I wonder what they would do if Stroud struggles with more reps in this next game...

Seems like they are committed to him being the starter at this point.

Hopefully he balls out and it's not an issue.
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Yeah will be interesting to see how he does, what oline they put out there, how long they leave him in, and of course if he bounces back from the 1st game which didnt go so well.

Hoping the game starts to slow down, or that he at least has more time to go thru his progressions and make the throws we know he's capable of.
 
xtruroyaltyx said:
I wonder what they would do if Stroud struggles with more reps in this next game...

Seems like they are committed to him being the starter at this point.

Hopefully he balls out and it's not an issue.
Click to expand...
Stroud is going to struggle though. Whether it's in this very next game or further down the road. He's a rookie and in a brand new system.

Basically all the rookie QBs struggled week 1. Stroud took the brunt of all the hot takes because he played a day or two before the others did, which kind of illustrates what a madness all the hot takes are around something that's quite honestly to be expected.
 
Sweech said:
Stroud is going to struggle though. Whether it's in this very next game or further down the road. He's a rookie and in a brand new system.

Basically all the rookie QBs struggled week 1. Stroud took the brunt of all the hot takes because he played a day or two before the others did, which kind of illustrates what a madness all the hot takes are around something that's quite honestly to be expected.
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Yes Stroud will likely struggle again at some point but if it happens 2 weeks in a row and thats all the live data that is available, that is concerning. Especially if Mills looks like the better player again.

What other rookie QBs did has nothing to do with Stroud as the Texans situation is not the same on any level really. More concerned about how he performs relative to the qbs on the same team as him.

The Texans dont own their own draft pick so that could provide more incentive for the Texans to want to win more. If another qb gives them the chance to win more and Stroud can learn by sitting, then sit him.
 
xtruroyaltyx said:
Yes Stroud will likely struggle again at some point but if it happens 2 weeks in a row and thats all the live data that is available, that is concerning. Especially if Mills looks like the better player again.

What other rookie QBs did has nothing to do with Stroud as the Texans situation is not the same on any level really. More concerned about how he performs relative to the qbs on the same team as him.

The Texans dont own their own draft pick so that could provide more incentive for the Texans to want to win more. If another qb gives them the chance to win more and Stroud can learn by sitting, then sit him.
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How would Stroud learn more by sitting?

He would get less practice reps with and against non-starters and wouldn't have game reps.

Also what others do is relevant in setting realistic expectations. Like I said he will struggle - now or further down the road, that's just a very simple reality. The other reality is Keenum or Mills would also struggle. Mills dicing up Miami's second or third strings in that preseason game isn't really going to sway me on starting him and creating a QB controversy that quite frankly doesn't need to happen.

I also don't think the pick situation creates any more incentive to win more. Demeco is going to want to win, the entire team is going to want to win. Someone else owning your pick isn't really something these guys are going to be thinking about or having on their mind when deciding their starting quarterback.
 
sprtsfanatic said:
Yeah will be interesting to see how he does, what oline they put out there, how long they leave him in, and of course if he bounces back from the 1st game which didnt go so well.

Hoping the game starts to slow down, or that he at least has more time to go thru his progressions and make the throws we know he's capable of.
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What is he capable of? In the NFL we dont have a clue as to what he's capable of.
 
When we got back to the action, DB Jimmie Ward came up with another pass breakup, one of probably a dozen or so that he's had since training camp started. He's been really active this training camp and these two safeties are ALWAYS around the ball. ALWAYS. Ward and Jalen Ptire are constantly creating mayhem anywhere and everywhere on this field.

On the next play, QB Davis Mills, who had a really good day, ripped one to WR Tank Dell for a completion. I just wrote down "great ball". There were plenty of those on Monday from Mills.

On the final play of that team period, DB Eric Murray arrived near the line of scrimmage on a run play to stop it before it could really get started. After the play, just a few plays after the fracas, Murray showed some intensity and celebrated with some fervor. This was a theme, seemingly, in practice on Monday - intensity.



On the first play of the second team period, the defense brought some heat on QB C.J. Stroud. There was one more player rushing than the offense could block so C.J. tried to throw off his back foot to the sideline. He didn't have much on that fastball and it allowed DB Steven Nelson to pick it off. That was a GREAT play by Nelson and one that Stroud learned from for the rest of practice.

A few plays later, Stroud responded in a big way. He hit FB/TE Andrew Beck on a nice throw in the flat. Then, he dropped a dime, and his best throw of the day, two plays later.

He had WR Robert Woods on a corner route in the end zone. Woods got a step or two on the defensive back, but that's a tight angle for the QB to not only get it into that spot but have enough on it to not allow the DB to get back in phase. Stroud threw one with the perfect arc, velocity and touch to the back corner. Woods reached out and snared it and then…pop…pop, got both feet down in bounds for the touchdown. PRET-TAY. That was so pretty!!

What was also pretty was Mills finding WR Alex Bachman down in the red zone as well. Mills reached back for the fastball on that one. Bachman circled up in the zone between two defenders and as he did, Mills cocked to throw and fired right between the one and the four on Bachman's jersey.

On the next play, Mills threw from the right hash to the left sideline for a completion to WR Tank Dell. That's a LONG throw to say the least and Davis put it in the one spot for Tank to make the catch.



But, the defense had seen enough. On the next play, Mills threw another GEM of a pass down the seam to TE Teagan Quitoriano who had LB Jake Hansen draped all over him. Mills gave his guy a shot and put the ball, somehow, in the vicinity. Hansen then tipped it up for fellow LB Garret Wallow to make the interception in the end zone.

On the next play, recently signed QB E.J. Perry executed the same play that Stroud threw a TD to Robert Woods in the back corner of the end zone earlier in the drill. This time, though, it was Perry to Tank Dell who caught the exquisite throw from Perry for the touchdown to end that team period. All three quarterbacks threw it well during that team period, no question, minus Stroud's interception to Nelson.

This late into camp, though, each side has developed some tells and DL Jonathan Greenard used those clues to break up a screen that he's seen a time or two this training camp.

So, C.J. Stroud went over the top of Greenard on the next throw, ripping one to WR Nico Collins on the near sideline for a completion. The blitz pickup on that throw was NICE as well to allow Stroud time to get the ball to Nico.

On the next play, Stroud hit WR Noah Brown on an out route and, again, got great blitz pickup and protection to have time to throw the completion.



On the next play, DL Kurt Hinish just exploded everything in his path. I wrote down "93 KILLED that play." He just flew upfield and the center couldn't do much about it, honestly.

The DBs strapped up the receivers a few plays later as they forced Davis Mills to hold the ball for about five to six seconds with no one anywhere near being open. STRAPS…as the young kids say.

I liked seeing the Texans run game today. There were some concepts that I saw today that either I haven't seen before or haven't seen in quite some time. OC Bobby Slowik was right in front of me and I kept wanting to dap him up for all of those varied runs.

But, Stroud and Mills kept dealing through the air. Stroud drilled a slant route to WR Robert Woods just in front of the charging DB Jalen Pitre. Then, Stroud completed a pass to Nico Collins on a slant vs. the blitz. C.J. was quick and decisive against that blitz, for the most part, throughout today.

When WR Xavier Hutchinson has the ball in his hands, man, he can really go. He turned the corner right in front of us and showed some JUICE before getting bumped out of bounds on one play during this mega-period.

WR Steven Sims has made some seriously impactful plays the past few days. On Sunday, he turned a short screen into a show of his explosiveness. He burst through the tunnel all the way to the end zone in a quick minute. Today, he ran a double move - hesi and go - on the cornerback and was wide open in the end zone for a touchdown toss from Davis Mills. The blitz pickup was stellar. The right side of the line - RT Austin Deculus and TE Mason Schreck properly accounted for the blitz, amongst others and that allowed Mills to throw to Sims easily for the six.

Once the offense got down in, or near, the red zone, Stroud faced an all out blitz. He dished out to Nico Collins before the blitz could get to him and Collins made one guy miss before sprinting into the end zone for the touchdown.

A few plays later, I'm telling you DB Shaquill Griffin LAID OUT, a full-out dive, to break up a pass on the opposite sideline. That was a FULL OUT DIVE to knock that one away. This was a symbolic play as to how competitive this practice was to say the least.
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www.houstontexans.com

Harris Hits: Training Camp Observations Day 14

Hits on rookies Juice Scruggs and Henry To'oTo'o stepping up, upcoming joint practices and the countdown until the 2023 season opener
www.houstontexans.com www.houstontexans.com
 
Sweech said:
Stroud is going to struggle though. Whether it's in this very next game or further down the road. He's a rookie and in a brand new system.

Basically all the rookie QBs struggled week 1. Stroud took the brunt of all the hot takes because he played a day or two before the others did, which kind of illustrates what a madness all the hot takes are around something that's quite honestly to be expected.
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So maybe a dumb-azz question here but please be honest because I've known for a long-time there really are stupid questions: what's more important in 2023 - CJs development or winning football games ?
 
IDEXAN said:
So maybe a dumb-azz question here but please be honest because I've known for a long-time there really are stupid questions: what's more important in 2023 - CJs development or winning football games ?
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For me it's winning football games. I think our defense can be something special, maybe top 10. Our offense has question marks, mostly concerning the OL, but we need our qb to play mistake free and winning ball. The last two weeks of TC should be the deciding factor.
 
steelbtexan said:
Everybody knows what I think has been mandated by non football people.
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some would argue that being married to the son of the owner and now owner of an NFL franchise for several years now would qualify as more "football people" than you or I...

they have been elbows deep in the running of and well being of this franchise for several years now...sometimes they got it right and other times they didnt...thats life in a nut shell for everybody, but I guarantee you dont have the access that they do....
 
IDEXAN said:
So maybe a dumb-azz question here but please be honest because I've known for a long-time there really are stupid questions: what's more important in 2023 - CJs development or winning football games ?
Click to expand...
I don't think those things are necessarily diametrically opposed.

For example Stroud's potential and his development aren't linear and it isn't tied to making mistakes now to be better next year. It can be making mistakes now to be better for the next game.

Starting Stroud can also make you better to close out the season, at least in theory.

Overall for me Mills as a third year veteran should be better than Stroud but the fact is he basically hasn't been. Stroud is developing and understanding things quickly. I'd need Mills to be miles ahead of him to be convinced that him starting against the Ravens is in the team's best interest and quite frankly the fact it's even close and some even say Stroud is often ahead of him in practice makes it basically a no contest.
 
sprtsfanatic said:
some would argue that being married to the son of the owner and now owner of an NFL franchise for several years now would qualify as more "football people" than you or I...

they have been elbows deep in the running of and well being of this franchise for several years now...sometimes they got it right and other times they didnt...thats life in a nut shell for everybody, but I guarantee you dont have the access that they do....
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Some would say this, probably a fan like you.

Others would look at the results over the past 2 decades and think much differently than you do.

Agreed about the access thing and that's what makes the results so sad, yet predictable. This is what happens when winning is about 4th on their priority list.
 
Sweech said:
I don't think those things are necessarily diametrically opposed.

For example Stroud's potential and his development aren't linear and it isn't tied to making mistakes now to be better next year. It can be making mistakes now to be better for the next game.

Starting Stroud can also make you better to close out the season, at least in theory.

Overall for me Mills as a third year veteran should be better than Stroud but the fact is he basically hasn't been. Stroud is developing and understanding things quickly. I'd need Mills to be miles ahead of him to be convinced that him starting against the Ravens is in the team's best interest and quite frankly the fact it's even close and some even say Stroud is often ahead of him in practice makes it basically a no contest.
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Why would you start Mills when you have Case? Let alone Stroud. Unless Mills doesn't mind being Stroud's backup the rest of his life, his destiny is another team anyways.
 
Thorn said:
Why would you start Mills when you have Case? Let alone Stroud. Unless Mills doesn't mind being Stroud's backup the rest of his life, his destiny is another team anyways.
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I agree I just thing some think Mills/Keenum are going to be better this year. Which I think is debatable, while also not seeming like the best strategy for the team long term either.
 
Sweech said:
How would Stroud learn more by sitting?
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Serious question...

Have you ever played organized sports?

I'm asking because, no offense, but that's kind of a silly question if you have played sports.

First of all, I didn't say learn "more"...

There are different types of lessons that can be gained from sitting and there are different types of lessons that can and will be learned from playing.

When you sit you get a lot of mental reps. It gives you time to see the game and think the game at a slower pace without having the pressure of going out and performing right away. When you are young and you are going up a level in competition, sometimes things can be a blur and you end up making a ton of mistakes because things are moving too fast. This can lead to confidence issues, bad habits that are hard to break and possible injury. Also, the coach has a responsibility to the rest of the team that has busted their ass to get ready for the season to give them the best chance to win. Imagine these guys out in this crazy heat during training camp, spending the off season staying in shape, trying to be the best they can only to have the coach punt on the season for the sake of developing one player. That's how coaches lose locker rooms.

Here is a quote from Rodgers about sitting:

"There's a lot of growth that can happen sitting on the bench," he said. "You can really gain in confidence every single day of practice. You can come along at your own speed. You're obviously not dealing with the pressure every week of having to perform, which is a real thing. You come along and learn the league, learn how to be a professional and learn how to take care of your body."
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www.chicagotribune.com

Aaron Rodgers explains benefits for developing a quarterback on the bench

Aaron Rodgers offered his recollections and insight into the three-year apprenticeship he experienced behind Brett Favre from 2005-2007.
www.chicagotribune.com www.chicagotribune.com

I don't have a hard line about starting vs sitting rookie qbs and in fact I've debated the exact other side right after we drafted stroud. Starting right away is not always a bad thing. I think it's very situation specific.

Edit: You don't even have to have played organized sports to understand that sitting and observing can be beneficial. Even in regular everyday jobs you sometimes shadow other people for a while before you jump in and take over.
 
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TexansBull said:
Stroud needs some reps against different players/competition. Glad there are joint practices with Miami coming up.

I know [mention]Speedy [/mention] is excited for it!
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Excited that the 1’s get to face another teams 1’s. Something we likely aren’t going to see in any of these PS games. Even Tunsil should be getting reps in these scrimmages. He won’t play Saturday.

QBs still wearing red shirts though so the fear of getting hit isn’t there, but still a better experience than a PS game IMO.


xtruroyaltyx said:
Yes Stroud will likely struggle again at some point but if it happens 2 weeks in a row and thats all the live data that is available, that is concerning.
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Stroud is a rookie. He’s going to struggle this whole season. It’s what the vast majority of rookies do. So no, it’s not really a concern. His growth during the course of the season is what you’re looking at this year. If he looks like trash and is making the same mistakes over and over, then the concern meter can light up. Other than that it’s going to be a process. Trust the process.
 
Sweech said:
I agree I just thing some think Mills/Keenum are going to be better this year. Which I think is debatable, while also not seeming like the best strategy for the team long term either.
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I don't think many have ruled out that Stroud will be the best QB on the roster THIS season AND long term.

What I have seen is people not automatically assuming that will be the case which is completely fair.

Regarding long term strategy, there is no clear cut best way to handle a rookie QB. The results of sitting vs starting right away have been all over the place.
 
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xtruroyaltyx said:
Serious question...

Have you ever played organized sports?

I'm asking because, no offense, but that's kind of a silly question if you have played sports.

First of all, I didn't say learn "more"...

There are different types of lessons that can be gained from sitting and there are different types of lessons that can and will be learned from playing.

When you sit you get a lot of mental reps. It gives you time to see the game and think the game at a slower pace without having the pressure of going out and performing right away. When you are young and you are going up a level in competition, sometimes things can be a blur and you end up making a ton of mistakes because things are moving too fast. This can lead to confidence issues, bad habits that are hard to break and possible injury. Also, the coach has a responsibility to the rest of the team that has busted their ass to get ready for the season to give them the best chance to win. Imagine these guys out in this crazy heat during training camp, spending the off season staying in shape, trying to be the best they can only to have the coach punt on the season for the sake of developing one player. That's how coaches lose locker rooms.

Here is a quote from Rodgers about sitting:



www.chicagotribune.com

Aaron Rodgers explains benefits for developing a quarterback on the bench

Aaron Rodgers offered his recollections and insight into the three-year apprenticeship he experienced behind Brett Favre from 2005-2007.
www.chicagotribune.com www.chicagotribune.com

I don't have a hard line about starting vs sitting rookie qbs and in fact I've debated the exact other side right after we drafted stroud. Starting right away is not always a bad thing. I think it's very situation specific.
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Overall with what we've seen and learned from Stroud so far is he practices quite well but needs to learn game actions.

In my opinion a great way for him to learn and adjust to game actions would be to play the game. If we had some great pro ahead of him that he could learn from I could see some arguments there but I don't think Davis nor Case are that guy. I think he'll learn from them just fine with having them on the sideline and as go to's in practice and in the locker room.

Just my opinion of course.

As for the rest I think these players expect Stroud to start. A second overall pick on a team with absolutely no locked in starter? These players expect Stroud. If Davis Mills was killing it in practice and was clearly better than Stroud we'd have something to talk about for sure. But if you're talking about punting a season and losing a locker room, trotting out a mediocre Davis Mills or Case Keenum doesn't send the message to the players that you seem to think it does.

Now to your first question I originally didn't want to answer as I felt it was a) dismissive and rude, b) rooted in logical fallacy that having played sports makes you better at identifying information pertaining to the topic at hand which in my mind isn't complicated as it's just opinion based and c) irrelevant. I will answer it though, I've played soccer, baseball, volleyball, football, street hockey, basketball and even done some curling. Soccer was my best as I played semi pro through my 20s and I still enjoy playing and watching sports now. Also enjoy coaching but the time commitments almost never align with my own schedule. That said I'll circle back to option "C" as now that you and the rest of the board have that information it still feels entirely irrelevant.
 
sprtsfanatic said:
Yeah will be interesting to see how he does, what oline they put out there, how long they leave him in, and of course if he bounces back from the 1st game which didnt go so well.

Hoping the game starts to slow down, or that he at least has more time to go thru his progressions and make the throws we know he's capable of.
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In college, Stroud was getting very good protection by his Oline. That was not a problem with his Oline.........they just weren't good in their run game. Stroud in general did not have to hurry his progressions...........the game was already quite slow. Expectations for the very contrasting speed of the game in the NFL to slow down for him anytime soon may be more of a challenge than he or fans anticipate.
 
Sweech said:
Overall with what we've seen and learned from Stroud so far is he practices quite well but needs to learn game actions.
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rooted in logical fallacy that having played sports makes you better at identifying information pertaining to the topic
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First, I asked the question because when you have experience with something it DOES in fact give you more information to base your opinions off of. Doesn't mean your opinion is always correct, but you do have more data to work with.

Second, I find your statements a bit contradictory...just a bit. It's not perfectly analogous, but in one breath you say Stroud actually doing something will make him better, and then you say actual experience doesn't make you better at something.

And lastly, there is no data that shows that QB's or teams are more or less successful either way. The hardline stance about Stroud sitting OR starting is baseless. Whatever the team decides to do we'll just have to hope it works out.
 
Sweech said:
How would Stroud learn more by sitting?

He would get less practice reps with and against non-starters and wouldn't have game reps
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When the season starts the 1st team offense doesn't play the 1st team defense. The starting QB will be playing a scout team. Which is fine since they're operating from a position of experience.

The first team defense will be playing a scout team, ran by the third string QB. Those would be some very good reps.
 
It’s amazing to me that some people act like they never seen a rookie quarterback being developed on the fly. Having your rookie quarterback sit is not the only way to develop him gents.

Oh the Colts have named rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson the official starter for game 1.
 
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Texansballer74 said:
It’s amazing to me that some people act like they never seen a rookie quarterback being developed on the fly. Having your rookie quarterback sit is not the only way to develop him gents.

Oh the Colts have names rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson the official starter for game 1.
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With the comments Irsay has made, I thought this was obvious from the the time he was drafted. Talk about a meddlesome owner.
 
mws said:
I don't either. But then again I'm not a historian. I picked it up from my judo coach as a kid back in 1960s & have heard it on several movies since then. It wasn't until I got curious & googled it that I learned where the saying came from.
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It's just one of those things that's been around for eons. Literally.
 
Texansballer74 said:
It’s amazing to me that some people act like they never seen a rookie quarterback being developed on the fly. Having your rookie quarterback sit is not the only way to develop him gents.

Oh the Colts have named rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson the official starter for game 1.
Click to expand...

My definition of “on the fly” is different than yours. To me they are following a process to develop the rookie. On the fly to me means “figuring it out as you go along” kind of thing.

We just have to trust the coaches and the process.
 
DocBar said:
With the comments Irsay has made, I thought this was obvious from the the time he was drafted. Talk about a meddlesome owner.
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Yeah but Irsay knows football and how to run an organization. Look at how many super bowls they have won and how many AFC Championship games they have been to since the Texans have been in existence.

Let’s forget the fact they lucked into two great QB talents in Manning and Luck. And could only win ONE Super Bowl in that time. Forget they ran Luck into the ground. And named Saturday as HC. And the driving under the influence and suspension that Irsay did. Forget all that.

If only the Texans could have ownership like the Colts…
 
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