Tag: Texans preseason

Texans punter Tommy Townsend drops NSFW soundbite during preseason game

New Texans star Tommy Townsend dropped the hammer Friday night and a few NSFW toward Steelers punter Quez Watkins after his muffed punt.

Tommy Townsend has the same way with words as he does with punts.

Even in the preseason, the newest special teams star for the Houston Texans is looking for competition and he’s not afraid to clap back at opponents.

During the second quarter of Houston’s 20-12 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Townsend was caught on a hot mic delivering an NSFW taunt toward return man Quez Watkins following a fumble. The Steelers punt returned muffed the ball, seeing it land back in the hands of Texans’ defensive back Brandon Hill.

Instead of leaving the field, Townsend came running over to say his peace before watching Houston score a 4-yard touchdown on the following drive.

In an offseason filled with top-level players joining Houston, Townsend’s arrival became lost in the fold. It’s easy to forget the value of a punter when a franchise adds linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, defensive lineman Denico Autry, running back Joe Mixon, All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs and All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter within days.

But special teams are special. More specifically, they could determine a team’s status as a pretender or contender in the AFC. Last season, Townsend was punting his way to a second Super Bowl ring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City has been the standard of special teams under longtime coordinator Dave Toub. That’s the hope for Frank Ross as he enters his fourth season as the Texans’ special teams coach and non-titled hype man.

Houston, who returns home after starting 1-1 in the preseason, opens its home preseason with a matchup against the New York Giants. Kickoff from NRG Stadium is slated for noon CT on Saturday.

Watch: Texans turn special teams takeaway into TD

Following a muffed punt recovered by the Houston Texans, running back Dare Ogunbowale scored from four yards out to extend Houston’s lead.

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was all smiles as his team converted a special teams takeaway into a touchdown in the second quarter to go up 14-0 on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Houston initially gained possession when punter Tommy Townsend sent Steelers punt returner Quez Watkins backwards with a booming punt. The return man could not locate the ball and 2023 seventh-round pick Brandon Hill recovered the ball for Houston.

The Texans offense, mostly backups and second-string quarterback Davis Mills, overcame an 11-yard sack to score the second touchdown of the night after running back Dare Ogunbowale ran it in from four yards out.

Mills twice connected with veteran receiver Robert Woods for 21 yards, including a third and 15 conversion that step up Ogunbowale’s touchdown.  Rookie tight end Cade Stover added a 16-yard reception.

DeMeco Ryans encouraged Texans to stay in contact with cut teammates

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says he told the players to stay in contact with their released teammates during the trimming to 53.

What makes DeMeco Ryans the ultimate players coach is that he was once a player.

The former Houston Texans 2006 second-round linebacker spent six seasons with his original draft team before finishing out his last four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. As Ryans experienced his first cut day as a coach, the experience brought him back to when he was first starting out in Houston.

“Before having to give the bad news to guys, I went back to being a young player and understanding you’ve battled with all these guys in training camp through preseason games, and now you come in one day and the locker room is different,” Ryans told reporters Aug. 30. “It’s a little quieter in the locker room, some guys are missing, and I remember the shock that it gave me as a young player, because everywhere you’ve played — from high school to college — no one ever tells you, ‘No, you can’t be on the team.’ So, it’s hard to deliver that news and say, ‘No, not at this time,’ so I reflect back to me being in that position as a young player, how it affected me.”

Along with any encouraging messages Ryans may have for players lost in the numbers game, the 39-year-old expressed to the remaining players how they could still continue to be good teammates with the players technically no longer in the organization.

Said Ryans: “So, when I talk to our team, I just make sure that guys who are on our team, that they realize, still, we need you to reach out to our other brothers, and make sure we’re connecting, make sure you’re checking on the guys, making sure they’re okay. We’ll have some guys come back eventually for practice squad, but make sure those guys feel that you care about them because of the special bond that you guys have built throughout OTAs and training camp.”

The Texans kick off the regular season Sept. 10 against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Why the Seahawks should sign former Texans DT Roy Lopez

If the Seattle Seahawks can afford to wait, they should look into signing former Houston Texans defensive tackle Roy Lopez.

The Houston Texans are adjusting the composition of their interior defensive line as they cut down to a 53-man roster by Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans are releasing defensive tackle Roy Lopez with the designation of “waived-injured.” The Texans are expected to negotiate an injury settle with the former 2021 sixth-rounder, which will then allow him to join another team.

Lopez played 38 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps through the first two preseason games. Lopez missed the final game with a hamstring strain, although he should be ready to play in two to three weeks.

One team that should consider Lopez ought to be the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFC West club has two of their three nose tackles on the physically unable to perform list in Bryan Mone and Austin Faoliu. Cameron Young, a fourth-rounder, and Matt Gotel, an undrafted free agent, remain as the only healthy interior linemen on the roster.

Lopez is 6-2, 318 pounds, which is comparable to Young at 6-3, 315 pounds. The Seahawks would be able to utilize Lopez to take up space the same way they ask of their other nose tackles.

The former Arizona product also has considerable time on the job despite entering his third season. Lopez has started 29 games across 33 activations since entering the league, and has collected 67 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup, and a safety.

If the Seahawks are willing to allow Lopez to get healthy, it could be a mutually beneficial situation.

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3 reasons the Texans had to cut LB Christian Kirksey

The Houston Texans cut linebacker Christian Kirksey, and here are three readily identifiable explanations.

The Houston Texans decided to go in a separate direction and cut linebacker Christian Kirksey Aug. 28 as part of their efforts to finalize their 53-man roster.

Kirksey, 30, played 30 games for the Texans over the past two seasons, starting in 29 of them. The former Cleveland Browns 2014 third-round pick collected 137 combined tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks, 13 pass breakups, three interceptions, and three fumble recoveries.

The 6-2, 235-pounder was a decent fit for the Texans when they deployed their Tampa 2 the past two seasons. New coach DeMeco Ryans wanted to work with Kirksey despite the scheme change, but here three reasons why Kirksey won’t be in Houston in 2023.

CB Desmond King thanks Texans after being cut

Cornerback Desmond King thanked the Houston Texans for the past two seasons after being cut Aug. 28.

For Desmond King, the adventure won’t continue with the Houston Texans.

The former Pro Bowl cornerback was among the Texans’ cuts Monday. King took to X (formerly Twitter) to express gratitude for the city and fan base.

“THANK YOU HOUSTON,” King tweeted.

According to safety Jimmie Ward, King was one of the defensive backs who caught his eye when he signed with the Texans.

“They really impressed me when I got here,” Ward told reporters July 27. “‘Des’ King in the nickel —like, the dude is so athletic. I think he wears like a three-X glove. I knew he was good.”

King generated 127 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries through 33 games for the Texans, 25 of which he started.

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Houston Texans cuts tracker: Trimming to get to 53

Here is a look at the cuts the Houston Texans have made as they build their 53-man roster.

The Houston Texans must get their roster at 53 men by 3:00 p.m. Central Time Aug. 29.

In that process comes easy cuts and also some difficult decisions.

“I appreciate guys just their work ethic and how much work those guys put in for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters Monday. “I don’t take that lightly. Our guys have done a great job of doing what we’ve asked them to do. We’ve asked them to work hard each and every day — our guys did that. They didn’t complain, they just worked. So, it’s a hard day. Over the next couple of days — it’ll be a hard few days having to let guys go because I know the work that these men have put in.”

Below are the moves the Texans have made as they build their first regular season roster under Ryans.

DeMeco Ryans pleased with Texans’ run defense against the Saints

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was pleased with how the run defense responded against the New Orleans Saints.

One area that was particularly concerning from the Houston Texans’ 28-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the second week of preseason was their anemic run defense.

The Texans gave up 205 rushing yards, which was more than their 170.2 rushing yards per game from a season ago with a different coaching staff deploying an outdated scheme. Things were supposed to change under new coach DeMeco Ryans, not stay the same.

Houston may still have work to do with their run defense to complete the turnaround, but there was an optimistic step against the New Orleans Saints Aug. 27 in the 17-13 win.

The Texans held the Saints to 91 yards on the ground. No New Orleans ball carrier crested the 35-yard mark.

While keeping teams under the century mark each week may be unrealistic, hitting the target in the last preseason contest was a fitting conclusion.

“To start the game, I thought that our run defense was really good,” Ryans told reporters from the Caesars Superdome. “I thought that the challenge on defense this week was to set edges, to swarm, and to tackle. I think that we did that defensively. We only let one get out with the quarterback, but I am proud of how our guys responded this week to the run defense.”

With 9:14 to go in the third quarter, rookie quarterback Jake Haener scrambled for 26 yards to the Houston 29-yard line, which eventually setup for a Saints field goal to pull within four.

However, the effects from missing expectations against the Dolphins a week ago fueled the drive to demonstrate improvement.

Said Ryans: “We had a bad taste in our mouth last week. That’s not the type of run defense that we expect to play, so, I am happy with how they responded this week.”

Houston kicks off the regular season Sept. 10 at the Baltimore Ravens at 12:00 p.m. Central Time.

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Texans QB C.J. Stroud says he worked with WR Nico Collins on TD pass

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud says he practiced heavily the TD pass to receiver Nico Collins in the lead-up to the preseason finale.

C.J. Stroud had his own word for his first preseason touchdown pass: Blessing.

The No. 2 overall pick had not participated in a scoring play through two preseason games, let alone lead the Houston Texans on a touchdown drive. While still in the context of an exhibition game with scant game-planning and paltry playing time, being unable to pop the cork of scoring a touchdown carries its own mood.

On a second-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Stroud found receiver Nico Collins for a touchdown to give Houston a 7-0 lead with 7:22 to go in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints.

While the scoring play turned out to be Stroud’s last of preseason as he was on a two-drive limit, the route with Collins had been in the works for much of game week.

“It was really cool to connect with Nico,” Stroud told reporters after the 17-13 win at Caesars Superdome Aug. 27. “We work hard. Actually, we got that rep after practice on Friday like three or four times, just getting it down. So for it to pay off and for us to get a touchdown off of it was definitely cool to see.”

Stroud finished the night going 2-of-4 for 16 yards and a 100.0 passer rating. Coach DeMeco Ryans named the former Ohio State product the Texans’ starting quarterback for their Opening Day tilt with the Baltimore Ravens Sept. 10.

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