Tag: davis mills

Texans club Saints 17-13: See best social media reactions

Take a look at some of the best reactions from social media following the Houston Texans’ 17-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Houston Texans beat the New Orleans Saints 17-13 Sunday night at Caesars Superdome to close out the preseason.

The Texans conclude the exhibition phase with a 2-1 record under new coach DeMeco Ryans. That all gets wiped clean as the Texans turn the page to the regular season.

However, the mood was festive in the Big Easy. The Texans were finally able to celebrate a C.J. Stroud touchdown. The defense came up with two interceptions late in the fourth quarter. Even if it was preseason, the optimism was palpable.

Here are some of the best social media reactions from the Texans’ third preseason game.

Texans vs. Saints live blog: 17-13 Houston, FINAL

Follow along for live updates as the Houston Texans conclude preseason against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome.

The Houston Texans finish up preseason against the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome Sunday night.

Initially the Texans and Saints were going to have joint practices ahead of the exhibition contest, but Houston and New Orleans felt the clash of rosters was superfluous at this juncture in camp.

How to watch

Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints — Sunday, Aug. 27, 7:00 p.m. CT

TV channel: Fox 26 (KRIV-TV)

Live stream: FuboTV

Radio: Sports Radio 610 (KILT-AM), Mega 101 (KLOL-FM) (Marc Vandermeer & Andre Ware)

Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, La.

Forecast: Forecast: Partly cloudy, 91 degrees, 8 mph wind (indoors)

Follow the @TheTexansWire and the crew (@therealmarklane, @BigSargeSportz, @chrisnallsnfl @JohnHCrumpler)

Pregame

First quarter

15:00 — New Orleans starts on offense.

12:16 — The Texans force QB Jameis Winston to throw incomplete on a third-and-5 from the 50-yard line.

12:12 — New Orleans’ punt lands as a touchback. Houston will start first-and-10 at their own 20.

11:20 — On a third-and-7 from the Houston 23, QB C.J. Stroud sends a ball deep left for WR Robert Woods that falls incomplete.

10:51 — Winston throws deep left incomplete on a third-and-10 from the Saints’ 31-yard line.

7:22 — Stroud throws a 3-yard touchdown to WR Nico Collins. Extra point is good. 7-0, Texans

5:45 — QB Davis Mills enters the game. Stroud’s night is done: 2-of-4 for 16 yards and a touchdown.

Second quarter

14:25 — Winston throws a 3-yard touchdown pass to TE Jimmy Graham. Extra point is good. 7-7

1:53 — K Ka’imi Fairbairn hits a 28-yard field goal. 10-7, Texans

Halftime

12:53 — The Texans drive 17 yards in four plays to take 2:07 off the clock to start the third quarter. Mills was still in at quarterback for the drive.

6:30 — K Blake Grupe kicks a 38-yard field goal. 10-10

6:18 — QB E.J. Perry comes in for the Texans. Mills night finished as he went 6-11 for 53 yards.

2:29 — RB Mike Boone rushes for an 11-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. 17-10, Texans

Fourth quarter

9:08 — Grupe 50-yard field goal is good. 17-13, Texans

4:42 — It’s the preseason. Why not? The Saints send Grupe for a 60-yard field goal that is wide right, no good.

2:00 — S Grayland Arnold picks off Saints QB Jake Haener in the end zone. That should wrap up the preseason as New Orleans just has two timeouts left.

0:55 — CB Cameron Dantzler gets an interception as well. A couple kneel-downs from Perry should do it this time.

0:00 — The preseason is over. Who will be named the Texans’ starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens?

Texans Wire Podcast: WR Tank Dell shines in preseason debut for Houston

Houston Texans WR Tank Dell showed the goods as @johnhcrumpler and @patrickstormhtx breakdown the first preseason game.

The Houston Texans defeated the New England Patriots 20-9 on Thursday for their first preseason victory under rookie coach DeMeco Ryans. It was an up-and-down start for Houston’s new football era that previewed some of the skeleton that will form the team this upcoming season.

On the Texans Wire’s “Another Texans Podcast” Cohosts John Crumpler and Patrick Storm took time to breakdown the victory over New England. They cover the rocky performance from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and how it compared to third-year quarterback Davis Mills. Additionally, they wonder just how big Tank Dell’s role may be on offense and just how troubling additional offensive line injuries could look.

On the defensive side, the two remain extremely excited about inside linebacker Henry To’oTo’o and what his emergence could mean for the defense. Overall, they also discuss the energy and strategy that Ryans has brought to the unit during his first season.

You can find the show on YouTube or listen to the audio recording on Spotify, Apple Music, or anywhere you find your podcasts.

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Texans WR Tank Dell provided glimpse against the Patriots

Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell demonstrated against the New England Patriots the type of talent he can bring to the passing attack.

The first preseason game meant a lot to the Houston Texans 2023 rookie class, who had an opportunity to get some NFL reps for the first time in their career.

While most individuals had their eyes on quarterback C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, who were selected back-to-back in this year’s draft, one other player was out to prove that he also belonged on the field.

Former Houston receiver Tank Dell had an outstanding preseason debut against the New England Patriots, finishing with a game-high 65 yards on five receptions. It took him a couple of reps to get himself acclimated to the environment around him, but once he did, he showed why the Texans were so high on him after picking him in the third round (62nd overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.

Late in the second quarter, Dell found a soft spot in the Patriots’ zone and took a Davis Mills pass 24 yards into New England territory. Seven plays later, with 16 seconds left in the first half, he made a spectacular touchdown catch where his concentration was required to catch the ball that was about to hit the ground and ensure his body stayed in bounds for the score.

“Yeah, he’s great, electrifying,” said Mills about Dell’s performance. “I think that’s the best way to describe him. He’s going to make guys miss in tight windows, and when he catches a short pass, he’s going to try to score anywhere he gets it on the field.”

Stroud’s sideline view of Dell echoed Mills’ sentiments towards the former NCAA leader in receiving yards (1,398) and touchdowns (17) in his last season at UH.

“That’s just a glimpse of what he can do,” said Stroud, who only played in two series on Thursday night. “He’s showed so much already in camp. “That play was a great release, good ball by Davis, back shoulder, and it was good focus because it always is different when you’re out there. It’s not going to just be catch, touchdown. It’s going to be bang-bang. He kept with it, which I’m really happy for him, and yeah, he made a lot of good plays. He’s a great player. I can’t wait to see what we do together.”

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Twitter reacts to the Texans’ 20-9 preseason win over the Patriots

The Houston Texans beat the New England Patriots 20-9 in the first week of preseason, and Twitter was full of takes.

The Houston Texans beat the New England Patriots Thursday night at Gillette Stadium to earn their first preseason win of 2023.

The Texans got the first victory for new coach DeMeco Ryans with a 20-9 performance.

However, the Texans could have lost 100-0 for all anyone really cared. The biggest piece of the game was the first two offensive series with C.J. Stroud under center.

The No. 2 overall pick showed he still has room to grow. The rest of the Texans showcased their skills and other areas for improvement.

Here are some of the best reactions found on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

WATCH: Texans WR Tank Dell connects with QB Davis Mills against the Patriots

Houston Texans rookie receiver Tank Dell caught a pass from Davis Mills against the New England Patriots in preseason.

Tank Dell did not want to leave the Bayou City, but wanted to continue his football career after playing for the Houston Cougars.

The third-round receiver demonstrated a measure of his talent Thursday night against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Houston Texans wideout caught a 15-yard pass from quarterback Davis Mills on a first-and-10 from the Texans’ 20-yard line with 7:01 to go in the second quarter.

Dell told reporters Aug. 1 that his role in the Texans’ offense was to do whatever was asked of him.

“I don’t really know too much,” said Dell. “I just go out there and practice. I go out there and whatever they ask me to do, I do it at 100%, so I don’t really know too much about that.”

Dell demonstrated his presence for a quick 15 yards against the Patriots.

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Has QB Davis Mills run his course with the Texans?

With C.J. Stroud having won the QB battle, what could be next for the Houston Texans’ Davis Mills?

HOUSTON — Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio emphasized quarterback C.J. Stroud would earn the starting job; it simply wouldn’t be handed to him due to his status as the No. 2 overall pick.

During the rookie minicamp and organized team activities, the team reiterated adherence to competition. Third-year veteran quarterback Davis Mills took first-team reps when the Texans started training camp to give off the façade that there was an actual competition.

That lasted about two weeks before Stroud started to distance himself by putting together consecutive days of improvement and has taken all the first-team reps over the last three practices.

At one point on Monday during team drills, Case Keenum, who many consider the third-team quarterback, took second-team reps as Mills watched from the sidelines. There didn’t seem to be any apparent injury Mills sustained throughout practice. Although no official update was given on why he stood next to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik throughout the drill as Keenum directed the offense, the absence generates curiosity.

Throw in Stroud being named the starter against the New England Patriots in the preseason opener Thursday night, and it seems to be the beginning of the end for Mills in Houston.

Mills was the Texans’ first selection in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft and started 11 games. Tyrod Taylor was shuffled in and out of the lineup due to injuries and ineffectiveness. The Texans gave Mills the reins in 2022, but had a 17-15 touchdown to interception ratio along with a 78.8 passer rating.

Even though Houston picked Stroud, Mills wanted an opportunity to impress Ryans and Slowik during training camp, and he did in spurts with the second unit. Nevertheless inconsistency prevailed when Mills worked with the first team.

One may conclude that the pressure and expectations are lowered for him when he is under center with the backups. It may be easier to process everything around him when the added weight of being a starter is taken off his shoulders.

“My biggest focus is just going out there and doing the best I can do to show the coaches what I can do and go out there and perform,” Mills told reporters after practice on July 28.

The competition has run its course, with Stroud settling in as the starter and Mills as the backup. Depending on what happens during the preseason, some teams needing a placeholder at the quarterback position while their starter recovers from injury could inquire about a possible trade for the former Stanford quarterback.

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Texans QB Davis Mills sees similarities between himself and C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills stated that he sees similarities between himself and rookie signal caller C.J. Stroud.

Davis Mills sees C.J. Stroud as competition, but understands the fellow quarterback is a teammate.

The Houston Texans picked Stroud No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL draft to solve their problems under center. After completing a 3-13-1 campaign — largely with Mills captaining 15 of those games — the organization believed an upgrade under center was needed to improve the roster.

Since early May when the rookies merged with the veterans’ offseason workouts, Mills has had to work with Stroud.

“He’s a great dude,” Mills told reporters July 28 after Day 3 of training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. “Funny, super confident — kind of similar to how I would see myself.”

Where Mills has noticed Stroud command the attention of the room is when he does speak up, and it is his experience at Ohio State as a starter for the past two seasons that gives him credibility.

“I wouldn’t say he’s the loudest guy in all situations, but everyone respects him when he steps up and comes out and says something, because obviously he’s had success in the past and guys trust what he’s telling them because he’s usually right,” said Mills.

The Texans have worked to give Stroud and Mills equal reps throughout camp. While Stroud may be the future, the Texans’ intent is for their first-rounder to earn the job, not have it handed to him outright.

“It’s been great getting to know him and I’m excited to see what he can do out here on the field,” Mills said.

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C.J. Stroud showing flashes in Texans quarterback battle

Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud has demonstrated some of his immense talent in the quarterback battle with Davis Mills.

HOUSTON — All eyes were on the offensive huddle as the Houston Texans for their first iteration of 11-on-11 drills at training camp. Which red jersey among the sea of blues on offense would emerge to call the play?

Since offseason workouts, general manager Nick Caserio and coach DeMeco Ryans have clarified third-year Davis Mills and rookie C.J. Stroud would battle for the starting quarterback position. Two days into camp, Mills and Stroud have split time working with the first and second units during the eight periods of team drills.

“The quarterbacks will rotate as we did in the spring; nothing has changed there,” said Ryans after practice July 27. “When the time comes to declare someone as a starter, we’ll do that when it’s the right time for us.”

When pressed a little more about the timeframe of when a starter will be named, Ryans made sure that everyone listening knew that it would not be anytime soon, but when it happens, it will be the right fit for the offense.

“It’ll be the best guy that I feel like is going to lead our team in the proper way, and that ultimately gives us the best opportunity to go out there and be as successful as we can be,” Ryans said. “In Baltimore, I promise that we will have a quarterback out there.”

Most Texans fans and media members would like the Texans to take the same route the Carolina Panthers took by declaring rookie Bryce Young the starter at the beginning of their training camp. Yet, Ryans hesitates to announce a starter even with drafting Stroud just one pick behind Young in the 2023 NFL draft.

In the first two days of practice, Stroud has had the advantage over Mills, but not by a wide enough margin to declare him the outright starter.

Stroud showed flashes of what he accomplished at Ohio State by throwing a variety of good passes on the second day, including an accurate sideline pass to Noah Brown. He placed the ball away from the defender, with enough room where Brown could stay in bounds long enough for a completed catch. But he also had some issues with timing and getting the ball out of his hands quickly, leading to passes being tipped by the defender.

As training camp moves forward and Stroud becomes more familiar with new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s offense and chemistry with his wide receivers, he should be named the starter heading into Week 1.

Fans will get a glimpse of the quarterback battle for themselves on day three, which is open to the public.

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Houston Texans training camp day 1 observations: QBs have rough outing

Here are a few takeaways from the first day of Houston Texans training camp.

HOUSTON — As Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio spoke with the media before the 2023 training camp started at Houston Methodist Training Center, you could hear the chatter from the players as they approached the field to prepare for the day.

“Man, I have been excited for training camp in a long time,” said one veteran talking to one of his teammates.

There was a sense of enthusiasm as players stretched and organized themselves for team activities. Once practice started, individuals felt a sense of urgency to show new head coach DeMeco Ryans and Caserio just how much they had worked in the off-season.

Yet, one day will not be enough to win over the two men with over 30 years of combined NFL knowledge.

“Anybody’s probably going to be able to go out there and put together one good day of practice,” said Caserio. “You (media) will comment on the highlight reel plays, who did what in practice, this guy made this catch, this guy did that. What you’re looking for is consistency and longevity over the course of a long period of time.”

“Then you combine what they do in the field, what they do in the classroom. Can they actually take the concepts that they are teaching, that they’re learning, can they apply them on the field, can they make the correction? And can they do that over the course of, I would say, extended periods of time? That’s what we’re trying to evaluate.”

Here are a few takeaways from training camp: