Tag: NFL Preseason Week 2

Will the Texans struggle against the blitz in 2021?

The Houston Texans were horrendous on third down against the Dallas Cowboys, and there appears to be a correlation.

The Houston Texans notched their second win of the preseason with a 20-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.

A win is a win, but preseason games, regardless of what the scoreboard says, invite further scrutiny of the rest of the performance. Teams aren’t going to play levels of their depth chart during regular season games as they do in the preseason.

One disturbing figure to come out of the Texans’ victory was their 0-10 mark on third down against the Cowboys.

Coach David Culley met with reporters after the game, and admitted he needed to look at game film just to make sure, but his initial hunch was the Cowboys’ blitz affected them on third downs.

“We got a few more blitzes than what we got in the first game,” said Culley. “We knew that could possibly happen, and I think it disrupted us a little bit, but for the most part, it’s going to be that way. We’ll get better at that.”

Rookie quarterback Davis Mills, who completed 10-of-16 for 115 yards, appreciated the blitzes from Dallas as it will help them get better at facing the blitz.

“That gives us a ton of really good practice for moving forward going into the season,” Mills said. “Communicating with the line and protection, just making sure we are on top of everything. I think, like I said, seeing some different things different ways. I think Dallas mixed it up a little bit, but I think we can still just go out there and execute, do our jobs.”

According to Culley, typically struggles with the blitz pickup go back to a player not following through on an assignment.

Said Culley: “When we go back and watch the video and see what needed to be done, it usually goes back to somebody not doing their job and not doing what they needed to do.”

What did help the Texans offset their third down struggles were their four takeaways. However, if Houston could avoid such third down struggles and work to protect against the blitz better, it should give them an edge against any opponent on their schedule.

What is the No. 1 thing Pep Hamilton tells Texans quarterbacks?

Houston Texans QBs coach Pep Hamilton tells the QBs one thing, and Davis Mills revealed what it was after the 20-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton is very involved with the quarterbacks throughout the 60 minutes of game time.

The 20-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night at AT&T Stadium was no different. Hamilton was coaching up quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor, rookie Davis Mills, and Jeff Driskel.

Hamilton was involved throughout the game, the Mills revealed to reporters after the win what it is Hamilton constantly talks about.

“A big thing we have worked on is just staying loaded at all times in the pocket, so whenever something pops, we are able to get the ball out in a split second,” said Mills, who completed 10-of-16 for 115 yards in the win. “And then, a lot of the stuff he does on game days is just making sure we are prepared for everything the defense is showing us.”

In addition to preaching his message, Hamilton is also prepping the quarterback for the next drive.

Said Mills: “We are coming back to the sidelines and talking through looks, and he is just getting us for the next drive and making sure we are on top of everything.”

Mills has played two preseason games, both of them wins, and he has followed Taylor, who has started every game at quarterback. The bulk of the snaps have gone to Mills.

While Mills can’t reveal where his progression is in terms of a percentage or a ranking, he can reveal his mindset.

“I still feel like my whole mindset going forward is getting better each day,” said Mills. It’s something Coach [David] Culley talks about a lot. Just putting your head down, execute your job and get one percent better each day.”

Mills didn’t throw an interception as he did in the first preseason win at the Green Bay Packers. Given the rookie protected the football, that certainly counts as improvement.

Texans QB Davis Mills thanks the Cowboys for bringing the blitz in preseason

Houston Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills was pleased the Dallas Cowboys sent the blitz after him because it gives him something to work on.

Who blitzes in preseason anyway?

Apparently the Dallas Cowboys, who are going through their third defensive coordinator in as many seasons in former Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn. The basis of Quinn’s multiple defense is to have a variety of ways to generate pressure on the quarterback, which naturally means blitzing.

Houston Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills was appreciative of the Cowboys throwing the blitz at him in the team’s 20-14 win Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.

“It kind of settles you in the game a little when you are getting hit early on, unfortunately,” Mills said. “You don’t want to get hit as a quarterback. I think our offensive line and running backs did a good job in protection tonight.

“But like I said, it is nice when a team is bringing stuff early in the preseason, because we get a chance to look at it, to talk about it. We will see it on film and be a lot better next week.”

It makes sense that Mills would have this approach. After all, the Texans’ defense coached by new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith is all about generating pressure upfront without needing the blitz. Therefore, Mills doesn’t see it all that often.

The third-round pick from Stanford completed 10-of-16 for 115 passing yards. Mills will get another chance to see a different defense as the Texans host the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 28 at NRG Stadium for the preseason finale.

Texans QB Davis Mills says ‘still a ton of room for improvement’

Houston Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills admits he still has room for improvement following the team’s 20-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Davis Mills wasn’t bad, but he could have done better.

The third-round quarterback from Stanford completed 10 passes on 16 attempts for 115 yards for an 84.1 passer rating in the Houston Texans’ 20-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Mills also took a sack during his play that lasted from the start of the second quarter through the 11:00 mark of the fourth quarter.

Mills believes he has demonstrated his ability through two preseason games, but says he has to find a way to get better.

“Obviously there’s still a ton of room for improvement,” Mills said. “I mean, tonight, I felt we had a really good team effort. Obviously, the defense had four takeaways — that’s huge. Getting us back the ball on offense. And the players around me were making plays, so it made my job a little easier.”

Mills identified the areas where he needs to improve, and they related to assets that can only be gained through continual reps and consistent work.

Said Mills: “I’ve only been here for training camp so far and what we did in the spring. There’s still time for me to learn the system and learn the players around me. I feel I can still build a lot of chemistry with continual reps. But, I mean, so far, everyone’s grown together, and I think we have done well as a team moving forward.”

The third preseason game should figure to be extended reps for Mills and backup quarterback Jeff Driskel as Houston hosts the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 28 at NRG Stadium.

Texans S Lonnie Johnson breaks down pick-six against the Cowboys

Houston Texans safety Lonnie Johnson talks about how he was able to get the interception against the Dallas Cowboys in the 20-14 preseason win.

Houston Texans safety Lonnie Johnson got a big boost to his confidence as he furthers his transition from cornerback to safety.

The former 2019 second-round pick from Kentucky, who spent his rookie year as a cornerback and then 2020 as a safety, picked off Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci as part of the Texans’ 20-14 preseason win over their in-state rivals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Johnson spoke with the media after the game and explained how he got the takeaway and returned it for a 54-yard touchdown.

“Just seeing, seeing the way the quarterback was leaning that way, just following the ball,” Johnson said. “See ball, get ball. Take the ball and then the rest is history. Get to the end zone.”

Johnson finished the game with that interception and a pass breakup as the only stats he had on the evening. Even though his statistics were paltry beyond the interception, the defense harassed the Cowboys with five sacks and four total turnovers.

“These guys are getting back there, and that’s helping us,” Johnson said of the defensive line’s ability to generate pressure. “So it’s our job to make them look good. They get back there. Guys like Vincent Taylor, Maliek [Collins], Shaq [Lawson], all them guys. You know, they just – I don’t want to miss no more names, but everybody gets back there. And it’s like, there is no drop off. So our job on the backend, if the ball is in the air we got to go get it.”

The Texans procured nine takeaways throughout all of 2020, the fewest in the league. With new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith preaching takeaways, it is starting to take shape, even though it is just the exhibition season.

WATCH: Texans rookie DT Roy Lopez gets 2nd preseason sack against the Cowboys

Houston Texans rookie defensive tackle picked up his second preseason sack against the Dallas Cowboys in the 20-14 win.

Houston Texans rookie defensive tackle Roy Lopez picked up his second sack of the preseason.

The sixth-rounder from Arizona took down Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci for an 11-yard loss with 2:10 to go in the game as the defense was protecting a 20-14 lead. The sack was the last play before the two-minute warning.

Lopez provided the Texans with a tackle, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit to go along with it.

The Texans forced four turnovers against the Cowboys in the second preseason win. Houston also took down Dallas quarterbacks for a total of five times with defensive end Charles Omenihu getting 2.0, defensive end Jacob Martin collecting 1.0, and defensive end DeMarcus Walker obtaining 1.0.

WATCH: S Shyheim Carter records Texans fourth takeaway against the Cowboys

Houston Texans safety Shyheim Carter recorded the fourth turnover of the night against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Houston Texans appear to have a top-10 defense through the first two preseason games. Late in the fourth quarter, defensive back Shyheim Carter recorded an interception thrown by Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Ben DiNucci.

Carter’s pick was the Texans’ fourth turnover during Saturday night’s preseason match at AT&T Stadium. Lonnie Johnson recorded a pick-six on DiNucci, while Jacob Martin forced a strip-sack on quarterback Garrett Gilbert prior to Carter’s interception.

Through their first two preseason games, the Texans have recorded a total of six turnovers thus far. Under former defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, the Texans ended last season with a total of nine — a league-low.

Houston prevailed 20-14 over Dallas.

Texans’ 4 takeaways dust Cowboys 20-14

The Houston Texans turned the Dallas Cowboys over four times to beat their in-state rivals 20-14 Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.

The Houston Texans defense procured three takeaways in their win over the Dallas Cowboys Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in the second week of preseason.

The Texans recovered a fumble on the Cowboys’ first possession of the game with defensive end Jacob Martin strip-sacking starting quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Defensive end Charles Omenihu fell on the football. The Texans were able to score on a Mark Ingram touchdown run seven plays later.

Houston safety Lonnie Johnson picked off reserve quarterback Ben DiNucci with 6:52 to go in the third quarter, returning the turnover 53 yards for a touchdown.

With 5:03 to go in the game, cornerback Shyheim Carter managed to intercept DiNucci again. The Texans added a field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn to go ahead 20-14 on a 24-yard attempt.

The Texans defense put the punctuation mark the Cowboys’ comeback with cornerback Terrence Brooks picking off DiNucci with 0:54 to go in the game.

Houston starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed two passes on five attempts for 10 yards. Rookie quarterback Davis Mills produced 115 yards while completing 10 passes on 16 attempts. Jeff Driskel was in third in line for the second straight week, and provided the Texans’ offense with 14 yards, going 1-of-2. Driskel also rushed three times for 25 yards, a team-high.

Receiver Chris Moore led all Texans with two catches for 33 yards. Jordan Veasey caught two passes for 30 yards. Keke Coutee caught two passes for 29 yards.

The Texans limited the Cowboys offense to 95 yards on 30 carries as Dallas mustered just 308 yards total offense.

Houston was 0-10 on third downs while the Cowboys were 8-16.

The Texans return to NRG Stadium for their lone home preseason contest of the exhibition campaign as they host the world champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 28.

The Cowboys finish their four-game preseason on the road with a Sunday afternoon contest with the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on Aug. 29.

WATCH: Texans S Lonnie Johnson returns pick-six following scary collision against the Cowboys

Houston Texans safety Lonnie Johnson managed to return an interception for a touchdown after a scary collision against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Houston Texans’ defense was a sham last season, but that will not be the case in 2021.

Midway through the third quarter, Texans’ safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. recorded a 53-yard pick-six to draw Houston even at 14 apiece with their in-state counterpart in the Dallas Cowboys. Ben DiNucci was the quarterback who committed the interception.

Johnson’s play was more impressive after returning to the field following a scary injury. With less than a minute to go in the second quarter, Johnson sustained a collision with teammate Jonathan Owens at AT&T Stadium — as both defensive backs were attempting an interception following a pass by Cowboys’ QB Cooper Rush.

Following the collision, Johnson laid on the ground for a few minutes before heading to the locker room prior to halftime. Johnson’s near interception was a testament to the Texans’ new philosophy on creating turnovers — headlined by new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.

“I like it — It’s working for me,” Johnson said following practice in early August. “It’s just more like spot on, more for instinctive players. Just go out there and just make the plays, man. It’s on you. I was supposed to have one today. It’s just on you to go out there and make the plays and play fast.”

In just two preseason games, the Texans have now recorded five turnovers following Johnson’s pick-six.

Texans coach David Culley pleased with first half against the Cowboys

Houston Texans coach David Culley is pleased with how the team played in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys.

Houston Texans coach David Culley is pleased with how his team performed in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys took a 14-7 lead into halftime at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but Culley liked how his team started.

“We started with a turnover and we ended up scoring after the turnover which is always positive,” said Culley. “We didn’t have any pre-snap penalties on offense. I just didn’t like the way we finished right there. We got them back 85-yards, we got to keep them out of the end zone, we got to keep them backed up and we didn’t do a very good job of that. I thought our special teams did a great job tonight with our return game and our punt game and we just have to keep getting better and keep being consistent and not let them have those long drives.”

The Texans got on the board first after defensive end Jacob Martin strip-sacked quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Defensive end Charles Omenihu recover. Running back Mark Ingram capped off the ensuing drive with a touchdown as part of his seven carries for 24 yards on the night.

“That’s why we brought Mark here,” Culley said. “He’s a guy that during his career has not had many minus yard plays and when you give it to him he’s going to give you positive yards and he did that for us today.”