Tag: Houston Texans 2024

Watch: Texans DL Mario Edwards Jr. records first sack of the regular season

Houston Texans signee Mario Edwards brought down Anthony Richardson to hand the ball back to the offense.

The Houston Texans‘ pass rush that received an overhaul in the offseason showed up on 3rd down to get the team off the field.

Defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. was the first of three Texans to get to Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, forcing a punt. It’s the first sack of the season and already matches the one sack from last year’s two meetings with the Colts.

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Edwards, 30, arrived in Houston after a season with the Seattle Seahawks, appearing in 15 games with 21 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks.

Edwards saw an increase in playing time with the six-game suspension of fellow free agent signee Denico Autry. He’s a part of the rotation with Foley Fatukasi, Tim Settle Jr. and Khalil Davis.

Watch: Texans WR Nico Collins makes incredible catch vs. Colts

Houston Texans star Nico Collins looks unstoppable when playing the Indianapolis Colts and this catch proves it.

Nico Collins loves playing the Indianapolis Colts.

Collins, who last season broke out as C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 target en route to a division title, scored the Colts in Week 18’s win at Lucas Oil Stadium. On the opening drive, he caught a 75-yard touchdown.

It was almost déjà vu in Week 1 of the 2024 season, but the ball was a bit underthrown.

During the second quarter, Stroud heaved a deep shot down the field for Collins in double coverage. It didn’t matter since the 6-foot-4 target overpowered a pair of defensive backs to haul in a 56-yard reception, setting up Houston inside the red zone.

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While the Texans didn’t score on the play, they found the end zone three plays later on a Stefon Diggs on a 9-yard score.

Collins, who inked a three-year, $72.5 million extension this offseason, became a fixture of Houston’s passing game in Year 3. He posted a career-high 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns, three of which came against Indianapolis.

The Texans believe they could have the best trio of receivers in Collins, Diggs and Tank Dell. So far, everyone seems to have a role.

For Collins? It’s torching Indianapolis in its own backyard.

Texans vs. Colts: Could RB Dameon Pierce be in for breakout game?

Dameon Pierce has a chance to prove he’s the right answer for the Houston Texans as the No. 2 option on the ground.

Houston Texans fans might not like Cam Akers sitting on the sidelines, but it’s a prove-it moment for Dameon Pierce.

Akers, the breakout star of the preseason, is on the inactive list as Houston takes on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Overall, he was the top back for August with Joe Mixon sidelined.

Pierce, who totaled nine yards on eight carries, still appears to be the top back entering 2024. That could change with a rocky outing on Sunday before the Texans head back to NRG Stadium to face the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.

What was the problem with Pierce? Was it the offensive line’s inability to open running lanes? Was it the third-year running back’s lack of consistency in Bobby Slowik’s offense?

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Perhaps. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said the offensive line has to do a better job of blocking. Pierce also showed enough in practice to warrant playing time.

While Mixon will be the feature back, Pierce offers speical teams value. He’s listed as the No. 2 kick returner behind Steven Sims and could see reps on punt return if Tank Dell and Sims were to exit with injuries.

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The Texans inked Mixon to a three-year extension this offseason to be the workhorse runner. He’ll be that Sunday. Pierce will be the change-of-pace option and could see better results with Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil blocking one side of the field.

Pierce has an opportunity to show progress and leave the preseason in the past. If not, his rep count on Sunday might be a season-high heading into the next 17 outings.

J.J. Watt believes Texans are equipped for contender expectations

The Houston Texans hype is as big as its ever been but former player J.J. Watt believes C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans can handle expectations

Expectations are high in Houston as the NFL season begins on Sunday in Indianapolis for the reigning AFC South champions. The Texans finished a surprising 10-7 en route to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019.

DeMeco Ryans’ head coaching debut was a smashing success. His team, led by rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., captured a wild-card round win over the Cleveland Browns before falling to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens a week later.

Given the rapid ascension, Houston became one of the top teams discussed in the offseason, with moves such as signing Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair and trading for Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs feeding the media flames.

Every year, there is that one team that receives the extent of offseason hype. In 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars won six of their final seven games to reach the playoffs, where they came back from down to 27 to beat the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jacksonville elevated from the 27th-best Super Bowl odds in 2022 (+13000) to 12th (+2800) entering 2023. However, the Jaguars sputtered down the stretch, losing five of their last six to miss the postseason.

While quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s ankle injury may have had more effect than the Jaguars increased expectations, the latter can be damaging to teams ill-equipped to handle them.

It’s not something Texans legend J.J. Watt is worried about regarding Houston’s current coach and quarterback combination.

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“I think C.J. and DeMeco, the demeanor that they have, the way they attack each day and the way that they lead that team, nobody’s better to handle this type of hype and expectation than those guys,” Watt said while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year played alongside Ryans as a rookie in 2011, witnessing how the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker led a Houston team with legitimate playoff aspirations for the first time in franchise history.

Houston’s 2024 team has even higher expectations after Stroud’s historic rookie season. He became the third quarterback to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio, joining Tom Brady and Joe Montana.

The Texans acquired Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in a trade centered around the former All-Pro and a second-round pick in 2025 that Houston sent in exchange to form one of the league’s top receiving trios.

Diggs joins Nico Collins, who had a breakout third season that he parlayed into a three-year, $72.75 million contract extension, and Tank Dell, who was on pace to shatter the Texans rookie receiving records before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.

“You got to spread it amongst these incredible playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, and it’s going to give defensive coordinators nightmares,” Watt added.

The added talent has everyone thinking more is in store for Stroud in year two, who currently has the second-highest MVP odds at +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook, only behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As a team, the Texans’ Super Bowl odds similarly skyrocketed to +1600, tied for seventh with the Buffalo Bills, from +25000 a year ago. It’s the third-biggest odds move in one year in the Super Bowl era.

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Only time will tell if the Texans can reach the heights the outsiders have placed on them, yet in the mind of the franchise’s greatest player, expectations won’t be the reason they don’t find success.

Watch: J.J. Watt narrates epic Texans 2024 hype video

The legendary J.J. Watt might not be taking the field for the Houston Texans, but he knows how to hype up a city.

Can you feel that?

Can you smell the sweet lingering of victory?

If so, you probably just watched the most recent Houston Texans hype video entering the new season.

Voiced by three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, the Texans media team put together a two-minute clip, hyping up the city for what looks to be a promising campaign headlined by potential MVP candidate C.J. Stroud.

“Sometimes that silence can be deafening,” Watt said in the video. “But in that void, there’s a whisper of what’s to come. A pulse reverberating through the city that grows stronger by the second. You can feel it in the air, a rumbling, an anxiety, that feeling in the pit of your stomach, echoes of expectations. It’s an earned sensation and you can’t shake it. I’ve felt it before. I know what it’s like. The energy, the speculation, the expectations. But listen, the hype? That’s just chatter. Because around here, success isn’t owned, it’s leased. And rent? That sh-t’s due every damn day.”

While Watt might not be ready to return to the gridiron, he knows how to pump up fans entering the year. There are legitimate expectations for Houston to not only compete for a conference title but also potentially a Lombardi Trophy.

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Watt, who will debut on The NFL on CBS this Sunday, still hasn’t entirely ruled out returning for a Super Bowl run. His stance remains the same as it was back in May at his annual softball tournament: If the defensive line is missing talent, he’ll suit for DeMeco Ryans.

While he didn’t wear his essentially retired No. 99 jersey, Watt did don the new H-Town Blue shirt while getting Houston amped for its first matchup on Sunday against AFC South rival Indianapolis.

“We’re relentlessly focused on one thing: Building this foundation our way. But not only for this team,” Watt continued. “No, this is for all of H-Town. The heartbeat of this city is what drives this team forward each and every day. So now, it’s time to finally break that silence and make noise the only way we know how … on the damn field. H’s up, H-Town.”

Kickoff against the Colts is scheduled for noon. Their first home game is next Sunday night game against the Bears.

Texans add five more players to practice squad ahead of 2024 season

The Houston Texans have finalized their practice squad will all 17 members entering 2024.

The Houston Texans’ initial 53-man roster is set.

Now, so is the practice squad.

The Texans added five more players to round out their 17-man practice squad Thursday afternoon following roster cuts. Tight end Cole Fatheringham, offensive tackle Braden Daniels, safety Mark Perry, receiver/running back Xavier Johnson and quarterback Kedon Slovis round out the squad entering 2024.

Perry, a member of the 2022 national champion runner-up TCU Horned Frogs, played with Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud at Rancho Cucamonga High School in Southern California. After starting his career at Colorado, Perry transferred to Fort Worth his junior season and thrived, finishing with  84 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two pass deflections.

Perry was a member of the Miami Dolphins practice squad after going undrafted this past April and was waived during final roster cuts.

Johnson, who played for the Buffalo Bills after going undrafted in 2024, was teammates with Stroud at Ohio State. A multi-purpose weapon, Johnson caught 26 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns during his time in Columbus.

Johnson also rushed for 146 yards on 12 carries and scored two touchdowns, including one against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal back in 2022.

The Texans open the regular season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Spet. 8. Kickoff from Lucas Oil Stadium is scheduled for noon.

Rams vs. Texans Player of the Game: RB Cam Akers

Cam Akers saved his best outing of the preseason for last against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday in the preseason finale.

Cam Akers might not be the Houston Texans’ leading rusher in 2024, but he’s going to be a factor in the revamped ground game.

He has to, at this point. Four preseason games into his tenure with the Texans and the former second-round pick has looked the part of a starter while facing off against second-team defenders.

And for those on the fence about his status, he crossed over to the safe side by halftime in Saturday’s 17-15 preseason finale win over the Los Angeles Rams at NRG Stadium.

Akers, perhaps the biggest surprise from the Texans’ bubble roster players entering 2024, finished with a team-leading 53 rushing yards on seven carries. He also finished with three catches for 19 yards and four total first downs.

Health has always been the top concern for the former top high school running back recruit. He’s entering Year 5 but already has a pair of torn Achilles tendons during his tenures with the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings.

Since signing back in late July, Akers has finished with at least one highlight play per game. In the Hall of Fame game against the Chicago Bears, he put a pair of defenders on skates with his quick-cut upfield for a first down.

In last week’s preseason home opener against the New York Giants, Akers averaged a team-high 4.8 yards per run and finished second in rushing yards with 29.

The Texans need consistency on the ground. Mixon, who signed a three-year deal worth $27 million this offseason, will see a bulk of reps, though the No. 2 option remains a mystery.

Dameon Pierce, who did not play in Saturday’s contest, likely isn’t going anywhere despite underwhelming results in the preseason. Akers, who played in a similar offensive system with the Rams as a rookie, might be better a fit for reps under Bobby Slowik’s zone-heavy offense.

Akers delivered once more on Saturday for what should cap off his role on the active roster. For his performance against his former team, Akers is Texans Wire’s Player of the Week.

Texans TE Dalton Keene out for the year with torn ACL

A member of the Houston Texans will reportedly miss the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL.

On Tuesday night, it was reported that the Houston Texans had signed New York Jets fullback Nick Bawden to a one-year deal.

Now, there’s an answer for who he’s replacing.

According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, tight end/fullback Dalton Keene suffered a torn ACL and will be placed on the injured reserve, missing the rest of the 2024 season. Keene wasn’t a sure-fire to make the roster, but he’ll be back to compete for reps when healthy next offseason.

Keene has bounced around from the practice squad and active roster during his time in Houston since 2022. Last season, he played in Week 9’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 22 snaps. He returned to the practice squad the following week and never returned to the lineup en route to Houston’s run for a postseason berth.

A trip to the IR isn’t new for Keene, a former third-round pick out of Virginia Tech by the New England Patriots in 2020. During his second season with the Patriots, he was sidelined for the entire 2021 campaign with a knee injury.

The Texans were content with their tight end room thanks to the emergence of Cade Stover and Brevin Jordan. Keene and Jordan play similar positions, but the latter offers perhaps more upside in the passing game.

Keene will look to rehabilitate during the regular season and rebound for offseason workouts next spring.

The Texans will close training camp with their final preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at noon.

Texans training camp: Calen Bullock earns first-team reps entering last week of training camp

Calen Bullock might soon to a fixture of the HoustonTexans’ secondary heading into the 2024 regular season.

Calen Bullock is expected to be a long-term piece for the Houston Texans’ secondary entering a new era of football under DeMeco Ryans.

That era might be underway heading into the final preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

Bullock, a third-round pick out of USC, worked in reps with the first-team defense on Wednesday prior to the joint practices with Los Angeles on Wedensday. He’s feeling comfortable sharing the field with Jimmie Ward when Jalen Pitre plays down low in the slot.

He’s catching the right people’s attention at the proper moment heading into cut days.

“Calen has been steady,” Ryans said following Wednesday’s practice. “He’s been making plays for us. He’s been consistent throughout practice. He finds a way to get his hands on the ball every day in practice, so I’m excited about his growth and his development as a young safety in our system.”

Four months into his Texans’ career, Bullock has been a standout. The competition has lessened since most of his reps have been against second-team players, but Bullock’s ability to flash has kept him in the spotlight.

Through three preseason games, he’s played the most out of all the rookies with 66 snaps. Those reps weren’t just mental. In the Hall of Fame game against Chicago, Bullock forced a fumble against Bears tight end Tommy Sweeny.

Against Pittsburgh, he nearly intercepted a pass after tracking down the ball 30 yards away.

“He does have a lot of work back there,” defensive coordinator Matt Burke said last week prior to Saturday’s 28-10 win over the New York Giants. “He’s just real natural at reading quarterbacks, feeling routes, coming up and trying to anticipate breaks, so that kind of helps him get a jump on some things.”

Range is one area that should be considered a strength of Bullock entering 2024. Known for his ball-hawking skills and ability to force turnovers, he collected nine interceptions in 38 games with the Trojans and posted 18 pass deflections in three seasons.

The Texans’ base coverage differs from what USC ran in 2023, primarily in a man coverage scheme where safeties are required to step up against receivers on the vertical passing attack. He’s still adjusting to that life while splitting reps with veteran Eric Murray.

Still, when asked to play in single-high coverage, Bullock has shown off the range and capability to make a jaw-dropping play against even the top receivers in practice. Now, it must translate over to live reps on Sundays.

“He has a chance to be one of the better [safeties] that I’ve had a chance to work with,” Ryans said.

Texans training camp: C.J. Stroud and Stefon Diggs connection continues to blossom

Stefon Diggs might have been run out of town last year in Buffalo, but he’s running his way to being the Houston Texans’ No. 1 target in 2024.

Stefon Diggs was brought over from Buffalo to help the Houston Texans extend their explosive passing attack.

On Wednesday, the can’t-miss plays reached a new level.

Diggs and second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud looked in sync deep downfield as the duo connected for a pair of touchdown passes. One went for 40 yards. The other went for 60.

Even with Nico Collins and Tank Dell on the roster, Diggs remains the top name nationally. And even after a sluggish finish to his time in Buffalo, the 30-year-old still looks like a prominent No. 1 receiver and nightmare in man coverage for defensive backs.

“He’s got wicked hands, like wicked hands,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said following Wednesday’s practice. When the ball’s in his vicinity, he can snatch it.”

Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl target for Josh Allen, isn’t slowing down. During one-on-one drills, he bested rookie cornerback Kamari Lassiter all three times, though one of the passes went out of bounds.

He’s also held his own against Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage. He’s lost a few reps. He’s also won more now with extensive reps alongside Stroud.

“The amount of times those two have put in together with no one else around, with no one watching, no video cameras filming for coaches, you guys not here, they are making sure they are putting the work in,” Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said. “We know that and we have seen it a lot of times before it comes to fruition and practice in team periods. You can see it in routes on air.”

Diggs needed a fresh start after another playoff loss in Buffalo. His role decreased after the Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoted quarterbacks coach Joe Brady.

Even with a lackluster end, Diggs still finished with 107 receptions for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. He was on pace for an All-Pro year before Dorsey’s departure and has posted six consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns since 2019 with the Vikings.

“He’s got some of the better hands I’ve seen, and then just his ability to get open from an understanding standpoint and [his] route-running, it’s impressive,” Burke said.

So far, Diggs’ role on gamedays has been limited. He didn’t suit up with the rest of the starters in the Hall of Fame game. Last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he played two drives and wasn’t targeted in a 20-12 win.

Starters will play on Saturday against the New York Giants in the preseason home opener and Diggs is expected to see more action. Perhaps fans will finally see him reach the end zone for six points.

If they don’t on Saturday, they’ll have 17 games to catch him this fall. Even with Collins and Dell, Diggs has delivered in practice.

He plans to deliver on Sundays, too.