If you’re a football fan, you know that moment. Every year, even if your team isn’t considered a contender, there’s a moment in the summer, during the preseason, when it jumps out at you. That moment when you think, “YES! Football is back!” I had mine Friday night, about halfway through the first quarter of the Houston Texans’ 20-12 preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers:
THIS 7️⃣ TO 3️⃣ CONNECTION IS BACK 🔥
📺: NFL Network/ABC13 pic.twitter.com/6RztbFvCdl
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) 9 August 2024
If a CJ Stroud to Tank Dell touchdown pass doesn’t excite you, you’re just un-American, period, period. That score was made possible by a 22-yard punt return by Dell where he was hit late and out of bounds and an army of Texans teammates rushed to his aid. All in all, it was about ten very inspiring minutes of my life and the spark that ignited the blazing inferno for Texans football inside of me.
There were more winners and some losers during Friday night’s game. Here’s a recap of the festivities at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium:
WINNER
4. Danielle Hunter
Unfortunately, Will Anderson, who is in his second year as a defensive end, was dealing with an ankle injury, so we didn’t get to see the Texans’ improved pass rush in full swing. But we did get a first look at newly acquired Danielle Hunter and it was absolutely sweet:
Hunting season 🤘
📺: NFL Network/ABC13 pic.twitter.com/NOpn8FXQTR
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) 9 August 2024
That followed a series in which Hunter darted into the backfield about four-tenths of a second into the first play, hitting Steelers QB Justin Fields early. Hunter is an absolute terror, and he and Anderson will wreak havoc on Texans’ opponents next season.
3. Cam Akers
The Texans’ running back room is one of the most competitive positions on the team right now, with at least five players competing for no more than three spots. Joe Mixon, despite missing most of training camp, is a surefire starter, so who will take the other spots in that group? Akers is the most accomplished of all the options and has played that way in these first two preseason games. He had nine touches for 41 yards on Friday, and unlike Dameon Pierce (who we’ll get to in a minute), he just looked much more comfortable in Bobby Slowik’s offense. This competition will likely be decided down to the final days of training camp.
2. Robert Woods
The wide receiver room is similarly competitive. In fact, the competition in camp is probably even tougher than the running backs. I thought all along that the aging Woods would have a hard time making the team, since there are so many younger, cheaper options in camp, most of whom have more potential than Woods. On Friday, however, Woods reminded us how valuable a veteran is who knows exactly where a young quarterback needs to be. His four catches for 42 yards, including a huge third down conversion, were impactful.
1. Tommy Townsend
We got to see our old friend, former Texans punter Cam Johnston, play for the Steelers. Johnston was outstanding in his three seasons here for the Texans. However, it was also nice to show off our improved punter Tommy Townsend right in front of our old punter, kind of like showing off your hot new girlfriend in front of your disheveled ex-wife. Townsend has a right leg like a cannon AND he seems to like talking rubbish!
“Catch the ball, bitch”
Texans punter Tommy Townsend let Quez Watkins hear it after he botched a punt
pic.twitter.com/OcCcncs2hG— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) 10 August 2024
Hey, Texans, can we please get a “Catch the Ball, Bitch!” t-shirt?
LOSER
4. Juice Scruggs
For the second straight game, Kenyon Green and Juice Scruggs, who both appear to be on track to start this season at left guard and center, respectively, played some snaps with the second offensive string. That makes sense, given that Green missed a full season of football in 2023 and Scruggs is getting used to playing center again. Overall, the two have held up well, but Scruggs had some questionable snaps in Friday’s game, including one where he was forced into a sack by Pittsburgh DT Montravius Adams.
3. John Metchie
Metchie’s career with the Texans is still faltering. What looked like a promising offseason during training camp scrimmages and several practices has turned into a career on the rocks due to two lackluster preseason games and a series of recent scrimmages. Metchie is an incredible story, as a former second-round pick who had to overcome cancer to get back on the field. But the fact is that literally every wide receiver in camp, except for undrafted Jadon Janke, has made more plays than Metchie.
2. The Internet
Texans fans, get ready. This journey of Stefon Diggs is going to test your patience, and I’m not even talking about Diggs himself. He’s been a joy to play for this team so far! I’m talking about people who cheer for the teams he once played for that went wrong for whatever reason. I’m not saying Diggs is perfect, and things could go wrong here, but things are going great right now. I say all this to say that you should NOT let internet trolls like the following mistake Diggs’s bubbly personality for anger and try to steal your joy:
STEFON DIGGS IS ALREADY COMPLAINING, LMAOOOO pic.twitter.com/a7Gcl8gL20
— Camera (@42Cyc) 10 August 2024
Internet trolls and mean people are the worst. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN, TEXAS FANS!
1. Dameon Pierce
That hurts, because there’s no one I’m rooting for more in Texans training camp than Pierce, whose second year in the league was a disaster as he tried to adjust to Bobby Slowik’s offense. Pierce said that in a few interviews he gave late in the season, including one with me on the Texans’ postgame show after the Week 16 loss to the Browns. We’d heard all offseason about how Pierce was working to become the running back he was in 2022, when he was in the conversation for Offensive Rookie of the Year multiple times. I’m 100 percent sure Pierce has worked and is working hard to contribute this year. However, Friday night’s first pregame was lackluster, with just four yards on four carries. It’s a small sample size, and no doubt the subpar blocking played a role, but it’s the only sample size we have so far in the preseason against a real opponent. Pierce will get a few more chances and probably the benefit of the doubt, but Friday wasn’t really a step in the right direction.
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