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[Houston Texans]

Texans win preseason finale

It is certainly better to win football games than lose football games and your Houston Texans defeated the Detroit Lions 26-7. There were no starters playing in this one on either side. What remained was some young guys and journeymen fighting for jobs. So, while the final result might not have been important for either team, there certainly some individual plays and performances that were important to the coaching staff as they make the final decisions on the 53 man roster.

The focus on most of training camp has been on the offense in general and the offensive line specifically. They kept the quarterbacks fairly clean and opened up enough holes for the running backs to experience some success on this day. Both Graham Mertz and Kedon Slovis had good days behind the center in what will ultimately be the battle for the third quarterback slot. The Texans probably don’t keep a third quarterback on the 53 man roster, but one or both should be on the pracrice squad. However, 31 other teams could look at them and potentially snag them if they want to carry three quarterbacks.

The other two positions of interest in this game were the backups at running back and the backups at wide receiver. It’s hard to know where exactly the depth chart stood before the game, but it is clear who was flashing on Saturday. Quintez Cephus wins the Keystone Light player of the game award with his six catches six balls and a nice contested touchdown pass from Graham Mertz.

Defensively, the game was a lot like the Panthers game before. The second drive was an impressive drive for the Lions, but otherwise there wasn’t a ton going on. I’m sure the coaches will have some comments and some plays they will want to clean up, but very few of the players missing those plays will be Texans following Tuesday. Yet, most of the plays made from the defense were positive plays and that might have gotten those guys on the final roster.

All in all, it was a good day for your Houston Texans. They made it through the game without any apparent major injuries. There could be some *wink wink* injuries that could allow them to stash a player for the future, but there were no genuine injuries. There were also some great plays for young players to put on tape for a future NFL or UFL team. We make light of that, but this is these player’s lives we are talking about. Everyone deserves that moment of glory. What did you think? Which players stood out to you?

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/game-day-threads/70518/texans-win-preseason-finale

 

[Houston Texans]

Top 7 Texans on the Bubble to Watch Today

The final Houston Texans preseason game is here! Today, the Texans team has traveled up north to face the Detroit Lions, one of the most formidable opponents in the NFC. Houston hosted Detroit during the 2024 regular season, with Detroit coming away with a 26-23 win thanks to a game-winning field goal in the final seconds. This was one of the most gut-wrenching losses of the ‘24 season, so vengeance even in the preseason is more than welcome!

For those athletes that will be suiting up and taking the field today, this final preseason game is the culmination of years of effort to make an NFL active roster. Despite the preseason stage, emotions will be running extremely high on the field as players on the fringes of their team’s roster perform in front of the heavy eyes of front office decision-makers. For both teams, competition for the final spots on the 53-man roster will be even more cutthroat since both the Texans and Lions are overflowing with talent. An overabundance of professional-grade players is a good problem to have, but it makes the judgement calls made by Texans brass, head coach DeMeco Ryans, and general manager Nick Caserio that much more challenging. Great players are going to be cut come August 26th, some that will appear in today’s game, but many other worthy players will make it onto the final roster thanks to today’s performances and the moment on stage it provides.

For the Texans, there are several difficult decisions to be made related to cutting players in both the skill position groups and along both lines. Out of the many preseason Texans players currently on the bubble, seven stand out to me as especially intriguing while tensions come to a climax in the finale. These players have made impact plays for Houston in the past, but remain on the cusp of losing their spot on the team. They are:

Honorable Mentions: C Eli Cox, WR Justin Watson, DT Kurt Hinish

7. TE Irv Smith Jr.​

• Age: 27; Height: 6’2”; Weight: 240lbs
• 6th season (2nd in Houston)
• Drafted in second round, 50th overall in 2019 NFL Draft by Minnesota Vikings
• 19 snaps on offense
• 5 targets, 5 receptions, 46 yards
• 71.7 Off PFF grade (77.6 Pass, 50.3 Rblk)

Journeyman tight end Irv Smith Jr. has had a great preseason with the Texans so far, becoming a favorite target of soon-to-be third string quarterback Kedon Slovis. But, that might end up being a moot point after Houston traded WR John Metchie to the Philadelphia Eagles for TE Harrison Bryant. Bryant, like Smith, has bounced around a few teams in his professional career, but both have made impact plays as blockers and receivers in the past, so Smith’s spot on the roster may be in jeopardy now that Bryant has arrived and brings similar traits to the team.

The decision on whether to cut either Irv Smith Jr. or Harrison Bryant has probably already been made by the Texans front office, but let’s pretend it hasn’t. Let’s pretend that they have been equally impressed by Smith and Bryant this preseason, and everything will come down to this last preseason game. Both will probably get several chances to show they’re the best option, and since the Texans will be running more two-tight end sets within Nick Caley’s offense, the better blocker might end up being the winner. I really think it’s a toss up between which of these two players is actually better, but since the Texans traded for Harrison Bryant, I’m leaning towards him becoming TE3 behind Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover, while Irv Smith Jr. either ends up on the practice squad or on another team. Rookie TE Luke Lachey from Iowa also has the potential to gum up the works for both Bryant and Smith, but judging from his snaps against Minnesota and Carolina earlier this preseason, I doubt it.

Irv Smith Jr. has 5 catches for 46 yards vs the Panthers in a very solid outing.

To me, he’s as close to a perfect replacement as you can get for a Brevin Jordan in terms of size & skillset. I expect him to play an important role on this team. pic.twitter.com/GYh8DDR8ix

— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) August 18, 2025

6. FB British Brooks​

• Age: 25; Height: 5’11”; Weight: 225lbs
• 2nd season (2nd in Houston)
• Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024 NFL Draft by Houston Texans
• 9 snaps on offense, 17 snaps on special teams
• 1 rushing attempt for 1 yard, 1 TD, 6 blocks, 66.7 Blk%, 1 target, q reception, 3 yards receiving
• 73.5 Off PFF grade (77.2 Pblk, 61.9 Run, 60.0 Rblk), 57.9 PFF special teams grade

The Houston Texans have installed a new offense under first year coordinator Nick Caley, and it demands for at least one fullback on the roster. It has been an open battle between Jakob Johnson and former running back British Brooks for this singular fullback spot, and it seems that many Texans analysts think Brooks has all but locked it up coming into the final game of the preseason. Brooks has been more efficient on special teams, and has the additional experience in the building since this is his second year with the Texans, while this is Johnson’s first year on the team. Johnson was previously on the New York Giants in 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022-2023, and the New England Patriots from 2019-2021.

Brooks has the pile-driving strength and speed to be a multi-purpose fullback on the team, but he still has not established himself as clearly better than Johnson. Johnson’s previous experience with current Texans coordinators Nick Caley and Cole Popovich in New England will have significant influence over their decision in who to keep, so I wouldn’t be so sure than British Brooks’ job is secure. It will probably come down to this last preseason game, putting the pressure on both players to make today the moment where they win their spot on the team. Despite Johnson’s history with the offensive coaches, I’m still leaning towards Brooks to win the job because of his youth and experience on the team.

5. T Austin Deculus​

• Age: 26; Height: 6’5”; Weight: 321lbs
• 4th season (3rd in Houston)
• Drafted in sixth round, 206th overall in 2022 NFL Draft by Houston Texans
• 77 snaps on offense (all at LT), 2 hurries allowed, 1 hit allowed, 3 total pressures, 1 penalty, 96.7 Eff
• 49.9 Off PFF grade (39.4 Pblk, 54.8 Rblk)

Austin Deculus went from an almost certain cut a few weeks ago to a position of limbo after playing the most snaps out of any other Texan on offense this preseason. A total of 77 snaps so far, Deculus has been so far, for the most part, mediocre. He’s bounced around a little bit since Houston drafted him in 2022, but he always seems to end up back here when August comes around, and is now even taking second-team reps in practice.

An imposing tackle prospect, Deculus was drafted by the Texans out of LSU in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, playing regular season snaps for Houston in both 2023 and in 2024 after Houston claimed him off the Saints’ practice squad last December. The Texans coaching staff clearly see something in him to keep inviting him back, but Deculus may have ultimately already lost the competition for the last lineman spot to Jaylon Thomas or Zach Thomas, if there’s even room for a another one on the team. Jaylon and Zach Thomas have looked just as competent as Deculus while also being a bit more mobile, but Deculus has the experience and slight edge in size over them. All three of these fringe linemen will play against Detroit today, and whoever impresses the most may end up with a spot on the roster as the tenth offensive lineman. But, if none of these fringe guys look great against Detroit, they could all be gone by Tuesday.

4. EDGE Solomon Byrd​

• Age: 25; Height: 6’3”; Weight: 250lbs
• 2nd season (2nd in Houston)
• Drafted in seventh round, 239th overall in 2024 NFL Draft by Houston Texans
• 70 snaps on defense
• 2 tackles, 2 stops, 1 sack, 1 hurry
• 43.0 Def PFF grade (27.2 Rdef, 26.8 Tack, 59.7 Prsh, 60.0 Cov)

Byrd was a preseason darling last year, and despite not looking much better in his second preseason stint this year, he still flashed with a sack and natural athleticism during the Carolina Panthers game. Byrd has that rare height-weight-speed combination that makes him a coveted athlete, so I don’t think the Texans’ front office will move on from him until maybe next season. Attention given to him has materialized into a solid training camp, but consistent quality play in live preseason action still hasn’t really happened. Despite that, he still gets on the field and usually does something extremely athletic to encourage the Texans’ coaching staff to stick with him.

Expect to see plenty of Byrd in today’s game against the Lions. Detroit has a strong, deep offensive line, which will give Byrd plenty of prime chances to prove he’s worthy of staying on the active roster. Unfortunately for him, other defensive ends are now returning to the team from injury, like Derek Barnett and Denico Autry. They’re return to the roster have placed Byrd’s already precarious position on the team in dire straits. Sometimes, there just isn’t enough room for both the veterans and developmental prospects, and Byrd may end up being one of the last cuts to the team, unless he balls out in this preseason finale. A sack or two in today’s game would go a long way!

Solomon Byrd, who’s had a good camp, flashed several times in this game, including this sack here. pic.twitter.com/ROtPojcAln

— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) August 18, 2025

3. CB D’Angelo Ross​

• Age: 28; Height: 5’9”; Weight: 190lbs
• 7th season (3rd in Houston)
• Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019 NFL Draft by New England Patriots
• 59 snaps on defense, 16 snaps on special teams
• 4 tackles, 5 targets, 3 receptions (60.0 Rec%) for 55 yards, 1 pass breakup, 97.9 passer rating allowed
• 61.0 PFF Def grade (64.5 Rdef, 78.9 Tack, 59.7 Cov), 57.9 PFF Spec PFF grade

D’Angelos Ross has gone through it all in a Texans uniform. He’s gone from the back of the preseason roster in 2023 to lighting up the 2024 preseason slate, playing and even starting regular season games for Houston later that year, and now arriving here…back on the bubble of the Texans roster. Twitchy and instinctual, Ross improved enough as a swarming defensive back to earn regular season snaps in 2024, but floundered in a few of those appearances and put his position on the team on thin ice. But, man, if you asked head coach DeMeco Ryans to build a defensive back that fits his SWARM mentality, he would probably come up with something like D’Angelo Ross.

It will take another year for me to forget how disruptive he was in the 2024 preseason (or his blocked extra point returned for a two-point conversion in the wildcard round vs. the Los Angeles Chargers), but I also won’t be forgetting some of the big plays he gave up against Green Bay last year. Ross is limited by his height of just 5’9”, which makes it more difficult for him to keep up and effectively cover lankier receivers, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a headache for the quarterback in the past. Considering his history with the team (and the fact Houston doesn’t have much better than him at backup CB), I would expect Ross to make the final roster unless he has a truly nightmarish performance against the Lions.

What a play by D'Angelo Ross pic.twitter.com/nfVOXfY3bp

— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2025

2. LB Jamal Hill​

• Age: 24; Height: 6’0”; Weight: 226 lbs.
• 2nd season (2nd in Houston),
• Drafted in sixth round, 189th overall by Houston Texans in 2024 NFL Draft,
• 55 snaps on defense, 17 snaps on special teams
• 4 tackles, 3 stops, 1 hurry, 2 receptions on 2 targets for 13 yards
• 73.8 Def PFF grade (71.2 Rdef, 80.9 Tack, 69.9 Cov) 75.0 Spec PFF grade

From the perspective of an outside viewer looking in, second-year Texan Jamal Hill is a completely new player. He’s now gone through the transition from college defensive back to NFL linebacker, and it’s a night-and-day difference from what he was in the preseason last year. He’s gotten thicker and much, MUCH better at tackling since 2024, becoming one of Houston’s best preseason defenders in 2025. I’m not sure if there’s even a remote chance of him not making the roster, but considering the similarly impressive performances of Jake Hansen, E.J. Speed, and KC Ossai, the trimming that needs to be done in the linebackers room may end up being one of the most difficult tasks facing Houston this coming week.

Against Detroit, I’m hoping Jamal Hill gets more than the 17 snaps he got at Carolina. He may already have a secure position on the roster, but I’d like to see Hill get some snaps against a juggernaut team like Detroit. With a few more snaps, Hill could ensure his placement on the team and would get plenty of chances to prove his worth from Detroit, who will target him with their tight ends, receivers, and running backs. Oh,and speaking of running backs…

1. RB Dameon Pierce​

• Age: 25; Height: 5’10”; Weight: 218 lbs.
• 4th season (4th in Houston),
• Drafted in fourth round, 107th overall by Houston Texans in 2022 NFL Draft,
• 0 Preseason Snaps in 2025
• 2024 regular season stats: 40 attempts for 293 yards, 7.3 YPA, 2 TDs, 1 Fumble, 4 targets, 2 receptions, 2 yards
• 2024 regular season PFF grades: 74.3 Off PFF grade (82.4 Run, 49.6 Pass, 60.0 Rblk, 43.7 Pblk), 58.9 Spec PFF grade

This one is almost upsetting to write. Once upon a time, Dameon Pierce was the one bright spot to Houston’s putrid 2022 offense. After a fantastic rookie season where he compiled 1,104 yards from scrimmage, he was expected to end the pro-bowl running back drought in Houston. He was the chosen one! And now, Pierce has been reduced to the occasional training camp blurb or joint practice highlight clip, and zero preseason snaps. Yes, zero preseason snaps so far in 2025. He did start training camp on the PUP list due to a quad strain, but was activated on August 5th and has not made much of a splash since returning. By contrast, both Nick Chubb and Woody Marks have earned preseason snaps and impressed in their limited action. Woody Marks also has the ability to be a receiving back, which has yet to be shown off in the preseason.

So, where does this leave Dameon Pierce? Well, unfortunately, it may put him on the trading block. I expect to see at least some Dameon Pierce action against the Lions tomorrow, so Nick Caserio & Co. can determine whether or not they want to keep him, and when they should trade him. But, if he takes this opportunity in the preseason game to remind people why he is a tour-de-force tailback, he should remain on the Texans roster at least for the immediate future. Dare Ogunbowale and rookie Woody Marks may end up pushing Pierce to the trading block eventually, but a good performance now could ensure he stays above them on the roster at the start of the season. We’ll see though, for how little we’ve seen of Pierce in the last weeks, I worry that his time in Houston may be coming to an end.

Asked OC Nick Caley if Dameon Pierce needs in-game action in order to be trusted in a game that matters and what goes into a RB by committee approach. pic.twitter.com/OZR2Lq7yT2

— Landry Locker (@LandryLocker) August 19, 2025

And that’s my list! I believe all of these players have had moments in the preseason or in the past with the Texans that give them reason to make the 53-man roster, but none have played so well to guarantee a spot on the team. Some, like Irv Smith Jr., may end up on the outside looking in even though he played well since Houston traded for Harrison Bryant. Other players, like Solomon Byrd, may stay on the team purely because of their potential as a prospect, but with how many great players and veterans are on this Super Bowl caliber roster, there might not be room for a developmental edge rusher, anymore. Regardless of their state on the team, all of these players should get a chance to prove themselves today, and if one of them makes a few highlight plays against the Lions, their spot on the roster could be secured. Only time will tell, but until then, who do you think will make the roster? Who will make the cut, and who will receive the hard knocks at their door? Let us know what players you think are on the bubble down in the comments below!

GO TEXANS!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houston-texans-depth-chart/70490/top-7-texans-on-the-bubble

 

[Houston Texans]

The Floor and Ceiling of the Texans’ Rushing Attack

Sometimes, trying to put the final pieces together to a championship roster can take the team’s identity into unexpected places. The high flying Kansas City Chiefs offense that led to the rise of Patrick Mahomes ultimately found more championships as a station-to-station offense. The defending champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, excavated their way to the top of the heap focusing less on points and more on defense…and, y’know, a healthy spoonful of Saquon Barkely every single game of the season. In their desperation to just reach the summit, the Buffalo Bills have revamped their highly productive, Josh Allen-led offenses no less than three times. Sometimes, that “last piece to the puzzle” ends up altering the entire perspective of the puzzle itself, and with the amount of turnover that has occurred on the Texans’ offense since September 2024, there’s plenty of new pieces coming in with a chance to shake things up.

Houston’s offensive line is the elephant in the room when discussing changes to the Texans’ roster since 2024, but it doesn’t stop there. The receiving room has absorbed veterans Christian Kirk, Justin Watson, and Braxton Berrios along with rookie draftees Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. In fact, the only two healthy wide receivers currently on the roster who were Texans players in 2024 are Nico Collins and Xavier Hutchinson. These two position groups have been the preseason drama many fans were anticipating, but there’s another position on offense that I’d argue offers even more intrigue: running back.

Current Texans running back Joe Mixon, once a staple on the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense, is still in pro-bowl form and the undaunted starter on this team, but the quality of the depth behind him has exploded in potential after this offseason. Mixon’s backups for his first season in Houston were Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, and Cam Akers (until he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings midseason), who were serviceable and occasionally excellent in their limited action last year. But in 2025, I believe the additions of Nick Chubb and rookie back Woody Marks can push this position group to the next level, and they could ultimately be the missing puzzle pieces the offense was looking for, vaulting Houston into championship contention.

Although, anticipating a Super Bowl-caliber rushing offense this season is a recipe for disappointment. Despite what my current playthrough of Madden 26 on rookie difficulty would lead you to believe, the Texans offensive line this year will leave much to be desired. With the massive overhaul they’ve undertaken at that position, there is no way the Texans will have taken care of that problem overnight. The running backs may play great in 2025, but their impact will be determined by that enigma of a line in front of them. So, with that being said, what is the floor of this 2025 rushing attack? What is an example of the worst they could do? How about an image:

THE FLOOR: THE 2023 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS​

In the same way that one or two players on a roster can be a catalyst for extraordinary improvement, those same players can be also be a cause for team-wide degradation if they fail to perform to expectations. In 2023, New Orleans Saints star running back Alvin Kamara had one of those “underwhelming” seasons, and changed everything about the team. It’s difficult to call that season “underwhelming” since he finished with 1,160 yards from scrimmage, but seeing that was nearly a full 200 yards less than the second-worst season of his career, it’s definitely not what the Saints were expecting. Pair that with an even more disappointing showing from free agent running back Jamaal Williams, who only amounted to 306 rushing yards that year, and you’ve got one of the least efficient rushing offenses in 2023. There is still plenty of debate to go around about whether or not this lackluster ground game was caused by the running backs or the Saints’ offensive line, who had warts of their own along the interior group. But, regardless of who was at fault, this element of offense was not as deadly as New Orleans fans hoped it would be.

It took the Saints 18 weeks to get Jamaal Williams into the endzone.

The guy led the league in touchdowns last year.

You will pay for your crimes, Saints. pic.twitter.com/CLwjcxEqoP

— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) January 7, 2024

The Saints finished the 2023 season with just 1,742 rushing yards at 3.6 yards per carry, which put more pressure on their new quarterback, Derek Carr, during his first season in the Big Easy. More pressure on Carr doesn’t usually yield good results, and as such, New Orleans lost six of eight one-possession games that year and finished just outside of the playoffs at 9-8. It’s hard to imagine the Houston Texans are on the doorstep of a derailed season like this, but if Mixon and/or Chubb were to lose a step or end up on IR, Houston’s rushing attack would become a major question mark. Would the Texans be able to survive without their starting tailbacks? Well, thanks to Woody Marks and Dameon Pierce, their floor is probably a little higher than the 2023 Saints, but not by much.

In as many one-score games as they were in, these small demerits to New Orleans’ team ultimately kept them out of the playoffs. Do these issues of an underwhelming rushing attack or mediocre run blocking that New Orleans faced in ‘23 remind you of another team? Maybe…last year’s Texans squad? The gap between these two teams is probably far narrower than we’d like to admit, and if these new linemen aren’t able to mold into a formidable force in time, we could find Houston in a similar hole yet again in 2025. Considering the amount of turnover that position group went through recently, these upcoming games could get grizzly if the new guards can’t meet the moment. New linemen Laken Tomlinson, Ed Ingram, and Jake Andrews were brought to Houston because of their experience in opening holes, but none have inspired enough confidence to stay on their original teams.

All of those similarities to the 2023 Saints may put you on edge, but it’s important to remember that this is just what I’d expect the floor of the rushing attack to be. Thankfully, the Texans have a quarterback like CJ Stroud under center, who’s capable of lifting the offense around his right arm when duty calls. In his two years in the NFL, Stroud has already had to orchestrate numerous fourth-quarter comebacks, so he would be capable of doing so again if need be.

Of course, relying on Stroud to bail the team out is far from the plans general manager Nick Caserio has for this season. In fact, throughout his five years in Houston, Caserio has tried time and time again to rebuild the tailback position, with mixed results. In 2022, it looked as though he had found his diamond in the rough when the aforementioned Dameon Pierce fell to 107th overall and proceeded to rush for nearly 1,000 yards in his rookie year, but after two straight seasons of underwhelming production, his fresh shine has now faded. Caserio countered this development with a splash signing in the 2024 offseason when he traded for Joe Mixon, and Mixon made it look like Houston’s best front-office decision of the year by rushing for over 1,000 yards and becoming the first Texans running back to make the pro bowl since Lamar Miller in 2018. Now, with that in consideration, imagine the potential of Mixon paired with a healthy Nick Chubb, rounded out with a third-down scatback like Woody Marks! We’re only three years removed from Chubb’s best rushing season of his career at 1,525 yards, if he could get even half of that total in 2025 as a backup to Mixon, then the Texans would have one of the best rushing attacks in the AFC!

Okay, this may sound like effusive praise for a pair of backup running backs that probably won’t absorb than 200 snaps in the regular season, but I want to give you an image: the 2020 Cleveland Browns:

THE CEILING: THE 2020 CLEVELAND BROWNS​

In that beast of a year 2020, the NFL season marched onward through a roaring pandemic, and, as with many other things that year, things got a little weird. The woebegone Browns caught a sudden case of competency and hit their stride as an NFL team for the first time in years, exploding onto the scene as one of the AFC’s very best teams of the 2020 season. Largely led by the deadly pairing of Nick Chubb and tailback Kareem Hunt, the Browns smashed through defense after defense, combining for a total of 1,908 rushing yards, 454 receiving yards, and 23 touchdowns! Cleveland’s rushing offense ranked third in the NFL that year, and they rode it to an 11-5 finish and their first playoff win in 24 years.

View Link

This may not be the Nick Chubb of yore, especially if his performance in training camp is as good as it gets, but his preseason action against the Carolina Panthers revealed that he should not be completely written off. Can he reach the same highs as he did while on the Browns? Well, both Mixon and Chubb are missing one very important element to their offense that the 2020 Browns had in spades: a great offensive line.

Browns 2020 Offensive Line:

• RT: Jack Conklin – 5th season (1st with Browns), 999 snaps, 84.3 PFF (82.5 pblk, 78.7 rblk), 2 sacks, 11 hurries, 2 penalties

• RG: Wyatt Teller – 3rd season (2nd with Browns), 694 snaps, 92.7 PFF (62.9 pblk, 93.6 rblk), 3 sacks, 12 hurries, 5 penalties

• C: J. C. Tretter – 7th season (4th with Browns), 1,061 snaps, 77.3 PFF (84.9 pblk, 71.6 rblk), 1 sack, 5 hurries, 4 penalties

• LG: Joel Bitonio – 7th season (all with Browns), 1,061 snaps, 84.6 PFF (85.5 pblk, 80.9 rblk), 1 sack, 12 hurries, 4 penalties

• LT: Jedrick Wills Jr. – 1st season (rookie), 957 snaps, 61.5 PFF (79.4 pblk, 50.3 rblk), 4 sacks, 9 hurries, 11 penalties

The country, nay, the world was not prepared for the amount of earth that would be moved by the Cleveland Browns during the pandemic NFL season. This was one of the very best offensive lines in recent NFL history, complete with a pro bowler (Bitonio), an all-pro (Conklin), and one of the healthiest starting lineups during what may have been the most injury-laden NFL season ever. Behind this juggernaut of a line, tailback duo Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt evolved into the best running back duo in the NFL, practically unbeatable once their team had the lead.

We know Joe Mixon would be able to succeed in this kind of offense, but without an all-star cast of linemen in front of him, production won’t come as easily. The 2025 Houston Texans will never be able to emulate such a dominant rushing attack with their hodge podge of free agents and a rookie left tackle. All projected starters on Houston’s line have had great individual seasons in the past, but asking four new starters to all gel together in their first training camp on the same team? That’s some high aspirations, but their starting lineups’ performance in the preseason gives me reason to believe that they might be able to pull it off. If they do, the ceiling of this rushing attack will blast off into the stratosphere. With a half-decent offensive line, this new four-headed monster in the backfield consisting of Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and Woody Marks, could usher in a new era of smash mouth football in Houston. A Mixon/Chubb one-two punch certainly sounds deadly, and if they’re not enough to get the first down, a third down toss to Marks would probably do the trick. CJ Stroud will barely even need to throw the ball!

Happy to see NEW #Texans RB, Nick Chubb back in action!

Nick Chubb's lined up as a starter with Joe Mixon inured and he brought back his "pound the rock" mentality, showing he can still be just fine as an option in an NFL backfield! pic.twitter.com/Dm1P1Mwdmd

— IanM (@IannmNFL) August 20, 2025

Okay, okay. Maybe I’m going a little too far with this potential ceiling, but I just can’t help but get excited when both Chubb and Mixon are on the same team at the same time. As for what the Texans running-game may actually look like in 2025, it will probably be somewhere in between these two extremes. I expect Joe Mixon to be just as efficient this upcoming year as he was last, but Houston’s reputation of having a boom-or-bust rushing attack each game will probably remain intact. If new offensive coordinator Nick Caley and offensive line coach Cole Popovich stay on their toes, they may be able to counter this uneven week-to-week production with some creative play calling focused around Chubb, Pierce, or Marks. But, this is all my personal speculation for an almost completely repurposed rushing attack, so despite my prognostications, the real potential of this new group of players is anyone’s guess.

So, that being said, what do you think? Will the Texans be able to ride Mixon, Chubb, and the other backs all the way to the promised land, or will the new-look offensive line ultimately end up disappointing everyone? Will Chubb be able to get back to pro-bowl form, or is he the new version of 2020-era David Johnson? Let us know down in the comments below!

GO TEXANS!!!

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/analysis/70471/the-floor-and-ceiling-of-the-texans-rushing-attack

 

[Houston Texans]

Texans will not activate RB Joe Mixon, will begin 2025 on NFI list

On Monday afternoon, the Houston Texans announced that they will not be activating running back Joe Mixon off of the league’s Active/Non-Football Injury list ahead of Tuesday’s 3:00 p.m. CT deadline. Instead, they will move him to the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list which means he will have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

Texans are not activating running back Joe Mixon by Tuesday’s 4 pm ET deadline, making him ineligible to play at least the first four games this season due to an ankle injury.

Mixon will be moved to Reserve/Non-Football Injury, which automatically rules him out for at least… pic.twitter.com/i0GaVsJslA

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 25, 2025

With Mixon sidelined for the first month of the season, the Texans backfield will be led by veteran Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce. Veteran and special-teamer Dare Ogunbowale is also there to provide carries in a pinch, as well.

Mixon started the 2024 season off hot with 184 rushing yards through the team’s first two games. After missing the next three due to injury, Mixon recorded at least 100 rushing yards in six of the team’s next eight games from Week Six to Week 13, including 10 rushing touchdowns. However, his momentum cooled off immensely as he managed 30 or more rushing yards just once in the team’s final four contests and failed to find the end zone entirely in that span.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...vate-rb-joe-mixon-will-begin-2025-on-nfi-list

 

[Houston Texans]

The Day After the Day After: Houston Texans end the preseason with a win in Detroit

The Day After the Day After…when the raw, immediate emotions from the aftermath of a game diminish into the realm of clarity and the proverbial (or literal) hangover no longer haunts the mind. With that, a review of Preseason Week 3:

QB3 Battle got interesting, but will it even matter? Coming into that matchup, at least based on game action, Kedon Slovis seemed to have the inside track to claim the QB3 slot for the team over Graham Mertz. However, for this game, Houston led Mertz start the 1st half of the final preseason game, after only getting time in the 4th quarter the past two. Mertz took that opportunity to show why Houston took a 6th round flyer on him, going 14-16 for 145 yards and a TD, with no TDs. He also had a couple of nice scrambles that kept drives alive. Slovis didn’t slack off in his second half performance (11 of 16 for 111 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT (which should really be more the WR’s fault)). It was good to see two guys fighting for the 3rd QB slot with some quality play, but also makes the next few days harder for the coaching staff. Granted, this was against the backups and backups to the backups for Detroit, but you had to feel good for Mertz, especially after that disaster of a 1st preseason action. Will it matter? Projections do not show Houston carrying more than two QBs on the active roster. However, would Houston keep both on the practice squad? As a draft pick, the team has invested a bit more in Mertz, so the practice squad seems logical for him. Slovis? As a free agent pickup, he would not have as much invested in him, but if nothing else, he should keep his cellphone charged, as a team in need of an arm for the roster might call him up if Houston doesn’t keep him.

Special Teams might get more exciting…and that is not always a good thing. This preseason offered a chance for teams to see how they would manage the new kickoff return rules. With the threat of a kickoff touchback that flying into/out of the endzone now giving teams the ball at the 35 vs. the 30, squads are kicking short of the endzone to enable returns with the potential to force teams to take the ball before the 35. Kick-coverage was mixed for Houston, as they opened the game allowing a LB from Detroit (more later) to return the ball to near midfield. The kick coverage was better the rest of the game, but even during the course of preseason, teams were able to get yardage against the Texans’ kick coverage. Given that the preseason kick coverage involved players that will actually do that job in the regular season, it will bear watching. Concurrently, the Texans got some nice kick returns from their side of the ball. While Pierce has been the primary kick returner when he was active, others on the squad could take on that role, which could make his status quite interesting. Oh, and then there was the long snapping. With Brinkman out with an undisclosed injury, the team went with Blake Ferguson. That didn’t always go well. Freguson had a couple of bad snaps, which led to one whiff of an extra point (timing disrupted between snapper, holder, kicker), and another poor snap threw off the timing that led to a FG miss. One hopes that Brinkman is back against the Rams, or otherwise Houston fans will have that much more reason to turn to the heart medication.

Still a lot of questions about the TE position: One hope from preseason was that the team might get some clarity of signs of brilliance from the TE position. However, in three preseason games, not a lot of production from that position. Granted, Stover and Schultz didn’t log a lot of playing time, but even when they were on the field, it was hard to know they were there. As for other players at the TE spot, Irv Smith Jr. and Luke Lachey offered some moments of brilliance as receiving options. However, the preseason did not answer a ton of questions about the position. In particular, can Schultz return to his 2023 form when he was an actual effective weapon in the receiving game and can the other players at the position that survive cutdown day offer more than just replacement-level performance?

The Offensive Line Scheme seems to be working: Take all preseason action with some grains of salt. However, it appeared that the Oline managed to hold up well in their 3 matchups. Sure, things were a bit rough in Minnesota, but it was not like the QBs/RBs were under complete pressure where the line disintegrated into pure nothingness. For this game, the blocking scheme and actions more than held up. On Saturday, you got to see the Texans execute some slower-developing plays that allowed for longer gains in the passing game. Even when the main players were in, they seemed to offer hope that the nightmare of the 2024 line might be in the past. We’ll learn a lot more when the games start for real in two weeks, but a fan could be forgiven for holding some optimism about the line. Also, the performances of players like Andrews, Ingram and Ersery are worth the optimism.

FUN WITH NUMBERS:

5: Straight preseasons where Houston had a winning record. Preseason records are like the points from Who’s Line is It Anyway? (they don’t matter). Still, a team would rather win than lose games, and in some cases, that would be the best winning percentages that that the Texans achieved that whole season (see 2021-2022). Overall, Houston is 12-4 in the preseason since 2021. Make of that what you will.

GAME BALLS:

QB Graham Mertz:While we already discussed his performance against Detroit, it is remarkable that this man tore his ACL less than a calendar year ago and moved like he did in the game against Detroit. Amazing the advances in medical technology. Does that mean you want to build a franchise around him? No, but it is worth a tip of the cap.

WRs Quintez Cephus and Cornell Powell: These two had themselves some pretty nice games (4 receptions, 51 yards 1 TD/6 receptions, 63 yards respectively). Does this mean that they are roster bound? Eh, maybe, maybe not, but at the very worst, their performance should be enough that they either catch on with another team, or they too should keep their cellphone charged

Detroit LB Grant Stuard: You do have to recognize when a player balls out, even if they play for the other team. A LB with a massive kick return (44 yards) and a couple of strong tackles (6 tackles (2 solo)) to check some running play? Sure, you get a TDATDA game ball.

All Those Players Who Will Get The Dreaded “The coach wants to see you and bring your playbook” Message: Look, it is exciting that the preseason is over, as it means that the regular season is almost here. It is exciting because we can figure out who is on the team and how they will look. Yet, it is also the saddest point on the NFL calendar. Of the 90 players starting camp, 37 will not be on the final roster. Yes, some can make the practice squad, and there will be some wheeling and dealing, but for many players, this is the death kneel of a lifelong dream.. Maybe they can find some other options, or maybe they get back to the league, but the percentages say when that call comes in, it is the slamming of the door on a phase of life, and said player must go pro in something else. It isn’t a replacement, but the least we can do is offer praise for those that lived the dream of playing in the NFL.

We’ll forgo the least valuable player recognition this week. It is the end of preseason, and for a ton of players, they are going to get some soul-crushing news this week, so no sense in piling on this time.

With that, we bid adios to the preseason. The next time we see the Texans play, it will be Kickoff Weekend, Sunday, September 7th at 3:25 CDT against the Rams in LA. See you then.

Source: https://www.battleredblog.com/houst...exans-end-the-preseason-with-a-win-in-detroit