IntheBullseye.com - Training Camp 2018

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Arky	07-25-2018 11:09 PM

Training Camp 2018

Training Camp 2018 begins tomorrow.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Texans place 4 on PUP list.

RB D'Onta Foreman
CB Jermaine Kelly, Jr.
T Martinas Rankin
TE Jevoni Robinson

In addition, the Texans have placed S Andre Hal on the Active/Non-Football Illness list.

Keith

07-26-2018 08:32 PM

Not feeling optimistic about Foreman's readiness for the regular season. Hope I'm wrong.

Arky	07-26-2018 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith (Post 47421)

Not feeling optimistic about Foreman's readiness for the regular season. Hope I'm wrong.

Yeah, those achilles are bad news.

Have to say this has been one fast off-season. I got totally away from football and found other things to do. Didn't even think about football. It made the off-season fly by and I think I will probably do it again next year....

Arky	07-26-2018 11:09 PM

Some Harris stuff:

Quote:

-- Man, it was great to see J.J. Watt back in action...and Deshaun Watson...and Nick Martin...and D.J. Reader...and Whitney Mercilus...and Christian Covington. That’s a lot of firepower that was lost to injury last year.

-- Watt looked like he hasn’t missed one minute in the weight room and I can’t wait to see him bangin’ in pads on Saturday.

-- One thing I noticed studying free agent signee interior lineman Zach Fulton was his strength. There were no pads on today, but I saw him take a Texans linebacker and literally shove him ten feet by the pile as if it were nothing.

-- I didn’t see many dropped passes on Thursday at all, which when I think back a few years, that was a real issue.

-- Loved seeing the coaches challenge the linebackers/safeties/cornerbacks during one-on-ones forcing them to cover with no use of hands/collision. That’s as challenging a drill as can be for cover guys to rely solely on read/react/redirect skills.

-- Running back Alfred Blue’s pass receiving skills seem to have improved every single year in the NFL and he made a couple of slick catches during the one-on-one/seven-on-seven periods.

-- Linebackers had a ton of trouble slowing down running back Lamar Miller in pass periods.

-- Still trying to get used to a few number changes. Tyler Ervin is now #21. Dee Virgin is Ervin’s old #34. Seantrel Henderson is wearing #76, which was worn for nearly a decade by Duane Brown.

-- Rookie receiver Keke Coutee has some serious next level quickness and speed, but his best overall trait might be his gluesticks for hands. He really snatches the football no matter where it’s thrown to him.

-- Tyrann Mathieu is a Texan. Tyrann Mathieu is a Texan...maybe if I keep repeating myself, it’ll sink in more and more. The star safety has such excellent instincts, whether it’s cutting off a route in coverage or reading the QB/playing the middle of the field in zone coverage.

barrett

07-27-2018 10:11 PM

I'm happy just to see posts around here.

It's a huge bummer Foreman is hurt. I'd love to see him take the job by season's end. We are right out of the 1990s paying premium money for above average RB production.

Arky	07-27-2018 10:18 PM

Day 2

More sunshine from John Harris:

Quote:

-- I love seeing new drills from different positions/groups. There was one that I’ve never seen in all my years of football - a toss/bootleg drill between the quarterbacks and running backs. It was brilliant from the quarterbacks and running backs.

-- Rookie receiver Keke Coutee made a pair of grabs, including a DeAndre Hopkins Toe Drag Swag type catch, during team drills. His hands are just outstanding.

-- Fellow slot receiver Bruce Ellington made another couple of catches down the field on Friday as defensive backs struggled to cover him deep in the secondary.

-- A few of the defensive veterans relished the challenge of covering the team’s rookie tight ends - Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas - during drills. They, in particular linebacker Benardrick McKinney, had some success early, but Akins went down the seam later in practice and hauled in a beauty and the chatter seemed to stop at that point.

-- First play of 7-on-7, Watson hit Hopkins on an out route to the sideline. Pitch. Catch. Toe Drag...it’s like they’ve doing that for years.

-- Rookie receiver Jester Weah adjusted to a deep throw from Brandon Weeden during 7-on-7, making a sliding catch. He just has to be more consistent catching everything thrown his way.

-- There’s a comfort in having Tyrann Mathieu at safety for this defense. He had a pass breakup on the first play of team in the red zone.

-- Down in the red zone, after a few stops by the defense, Watson lasered one to Jordan Akins. The defensive back seven looked at each other afterwards like “nothing we could do.” They were right.

-- We can talk all we want about receiver Will Fuller’s speed, but he’s a much more accomplished route runner than anyone likes to discuss. Yes, his speed helps sell those routes, but very few utilize that speed properly on their routes.

Keith

07-28-2018 09:20 AM

From a sporting perspective, three things helped make this offseason fly:
1. Astros are good.
2. Rockets are good.
3. World Cup.

Great combo especially in an offseason without a first round pick in the NFL draft.

Arky	07-30-2018 01:35 PM

Training Camp Day 4: Notes and Quotes, Deepi Sidhu:

Quote:

Johnson Bademosi has also transitioned well to his new team. Last year, he was traded to the New England Patriots shortly after they wrapped up practices at The Greenbrier with the Texans. The Texans signed Bademosi to help improve special teams and bolster the secondary.

“Good guy, has really good size, good speed,” O’Brien said. “I like the way he communicates. Smart player, practices hard, brings a good attitude to the field every day. Definitely a guy that has fit in really well here.”

Bademosi also loves acai bowls (who doesn’t?) and even has one named after him in California. He described the recipe for the famous Bademosi Bowl.

“Acai, blueberry, peanut butter, I think it has chia seeds in the mix,” Bademosi said. “And then on top, you have granola, strawberries, blueberries, banana, put some cinnamon on top and then drizzle some honey. It’s perfect.”

After practice, J.J. Watt and Bruce Ellington found a soccer ball and played a few rounds of soccer golf, followed by kicking field goals with the soccer ball.

The Texans do not practice again until Tuesday. Many have plans to relax, rehab while others may explore West Virginia. If they do, O’Brien won’t be joining them.

“I know I won’t be river rafting or on an ATV,” O’Brien said. “I’ll be watching some film.”

nunusguy

07-30-2018 02:11 PM

Where's the Chuckster I would have thought he'd of checked by now with
TC underway.
Oh wait, those wealthy River Oaks types spend quite a bit of their time up in Aspen this time of the year don't they to avoid these horrid summers we have in these parts.
Yes he's probably up their golfing, playing tennis and such things with the McNairs and some of his other very well to do River Oaks pals.

chuck

07-31-2018 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunusguy (Post 47428)

Nunu! Jolly good to hear from you old boy, what what! Whilst dressing me this very morning my manservant mentioned you'd rang as it were and after a restorative breakfast of boiled guinea fowl I thought I'd give you a pip pip!

Yes, of course, I've been to the horses with Bobby and Jan over at their summer cottage in Saratoga, and they honoured me with their graceful presence at my seaside shanty in Bar Harbor where we have enjoyed a number of bathes that were most agreeable.

I regret that I must wrap this up for now. The yachting club awaits, and I must confess at my advanced age extended use of a monocle pains my dominant eye.

My staff and I extend our warmest wishes to you and all of your chums in the work release program and to your neighbors in the park, I certainly hope management has not once again raised your lot fees.

barrett

08-01-2018 11:45 AM

For years I've thought it's kind of corny how silly the Texans are about only having choir boys on the roster. To me it was one more thing about McNair that seemed more concerned with image than substance.

Then my beloved Astros acquired a reliever who may or may not have beaten his wife and I am crushed by it. It's hard for me to process a team with no reason for desperation being so desperate. Maybe it's because I'm spoiled with perspective after last year's world series, but I feel like I'd rather lose with no women beaters than win with one.

So thank you to Bob McNair (who I don't at all like) for making the Texans a bumbling but easy to root for group of players.

chuck

08-01-2018 12:43 PM

As is invariably the case, barrett and I are in lock step agreement on this. It's unbelievable, really, that I can side with McNeck on anything, and admittedly his insistence on choir boys over the years is something I have belittled from time to time, but it sure looks more defensible now, doesn't it, that the Astros have traded for a vicious wife-beater and are parading around acting like their "due diligence" somehow mitigates the shame of having some piece of shit like that on the team.

At least the players aren't buying it.

barrett

08-01-2018 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck (Post 47431)

I love the Astros more than any other sports team or organization and they have an incredibly likable team. But I hope that once the facts come out about the incident, Verlander publicly destroys the organization for this shameful trade. He has the stature to do it.

And I guess I'll focus on the Texans right now. I don't always love the on field product or the front office/ownership, but Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt are pretty fantastic humans (and countless other Texans).

Arky	08-01-2018 10:58 PM

Harris' notes - Aug 1:

Quote:

......................

-- Tight end MyCole Pruitt had a safety attached to his hip yet still made a tremendous catch for a touchdown during one-on-one drills against the safeties.

-- Rookie safety Justin Reid had a pass breakup on the final play of the one-on-one drill as he covered fellow rookie Jordan Akins. Reid had to stay with Akins all the way across the field on a deep crossing route. It’s not a route that safeties like to cover, nor are they successful doing it. Yet, Reid handled it beautifully.

-- One of the toughest parts of training camp for any offense is the familiarity the defense has with what the offense does regularly. Case in point, in team drills, linebacker Dylan Cole recognized a formation just prior to the snap during a team drill. He pointed to the spot where he knew the ball was going and ran right to the spot to help on the tackle.

-- Now, it does go both ways, but defenses are more apt to take advantage at this point in training camp. It’s not cheating, but if it helped me get an “attaboy” from the coaches, I was all about it. Offenses didn’t like it much, though, and still don’t.

-- One of my favorite plays on the day didn’t seem like much on the surface until I drilled down a little further. Quarterback Brandon Weeden had his unit at the line of scrimmage, ready for the snap. Just prior to, he sent a guy in motion to the other side of the field. When he did the defense shifted and rookie safety Justin Reid showed as if he were going to rush the edge. Before the ball was snapped, Weeden noticed it. He checked the protection and made sure that Reid was accounted for if he did blitz. He did and the O Line picked it up allowing Weeden to make a clean throw.

-- The communication was just so impressive during that 20-25 second time frame on both sides. Very cool to watch and listen.

-- The best catch of the day was ruled a no catch. Rookie Jester Weah made an outstanding over the shoulder catch right in front of us, landing in bounds, in the end zone. But, with no officiating crew to accurately determine complete/incomplete, it was ruled incomplete...by the defensive staff. Figures, huh?

-- Late in practice, Deshaun Watson was really dealing, especially during seven-on-seven.

-- The Texans worked some situations late in practice and will probably do some more of that this week heading into the last few days at the Greenbrier.

More to come tomorrow...hopefully, the rain will hold off long enough to get more work done. See ya then, everyone.

Arky	08-02-2018 04:29 AM

Texans just 1 week away from their first preseason game on Aug 9 at KC. Probably on ABC 13 locally. Most teams are kicking off their preseason next Thursday with a couple of games on Friday and a couple of more on Saturday.

If you need a football fix, tonight Chicago plays Baltimore in the Hall of Fame game, 7pm CST on NBC.

Keith

08-02-2018 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arky (Post 47434)

If you need a football fix, tonight Chicago plays Baltimore in the Hall of Fame game, 7pm CST on NBC.

I tuned in tonight and had no idea that RG3 was still alive, much less playing in the NFL. Huh.

Arky	08-02-2018 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith (Post 47435)

I tuned in tonight and had no idea that RG3 was still alive, much less playing in the NFL. Huh.

Yep, no Astro game so I'm watching (not listening, though), too. Between he, Lamar Jackson and Flacco, Baltimore seems to have it covered at QB....

Arky	08-03-2018 04:53 PM

Harris notes 8/3/18:

Quote:

The heavens opened up on Friday morning and dumped oodles of rain on the Greenbrier Valley, most importantly on the Greenbrier’s Sports Performance Center.

Here is the Harris Hurry-up from a wet Friday morning practice.

-- The Texans actually worked out longer than they had in a few days. Coach Bill O’Brien noted after practice that he wanted to keep the team out in the elements to get some work in inclement weather. You never know, right?

-- The most important aspect of the day was the multiple situational work that the team did on Friday. Coach O’Brien came up with as many different situations as humanly possible. Even in the rain, the team worked through a litany of end of half, end of game or specialty situations in the downpour.

-- The first play of team drills during situations was a red zone type drill and safety Tyrann Mathieu set the tone with a key pass breakup.

-- Then, on the next play, quarterback Deshaun Watson lofted a beauty to DeAndre Hopkins in the back left corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Hopkins dragged his back foot to ensure the touchdown snag.

-- On the next play, Watson threw a dime to tight end Ryan Griffin for another touchdown. That one had the defensive back seven congregating to figure out how they let that one get to Griffin so cleanly.

-- Rainy conditions are a kicker’s worst nightmare yet Kaimi Fairbairn was more accurate than perhaps any other day in camp.

-- Fairbairn came up short on a couple of 57 or so yard bombs but was right on target. He hit the crossbar with one. He was a yard short on another, then he got some help from the crossbar on the last in the drill. He hit the crossbar and it propelled through the uprights.

-- I mentioned Mathieu earlier for work that he did with the first defensive crew. Later in practice, he actually stepped in on the scout team and recovered an onside kick. I love watching that dude every day because he loves this game.

-- The rest of the workout was specialized situational work that didn’t really provide much in the way of information. Fairbairn did end the day with a “game winning” field goal, which was fun to see from a distance. As he made contact with the ball, water flew everywhere, spinning with the ball as it went through the air.

-- At the end of practice, the Texans turned into a bunch of young kids. The linebackers and defensive linemen took off for some standing water on the field near us and turned it into a slip and slide. The offense did the same on the far field. Nothing like a bunch of professional athletes going full slip n’ slide before ending the day.

barrett

08-04-2018 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arky (Post 47436)

Yep, no Astro game so I'm watching (not listening, though), too. Between he, Lamar Jackson and Flacco, Baltimore seems to have it covered at QB....

I have no idea if Jackson will be a good NFL QB. He obviously has tools and produced in college. But I watched him against UH and not only did he play awful, he had a terrible attitude. He was a total hothead that reminded me of Philip Rivers. Punching the ground every time a defender dared to tackle him. Yelling at linemen. Most great QBs are Joe Cool back there and not many emotional guys succeed at the position. He got crushed in the game (like he did against most teams that matched Louisville's talent). He dominated bad teams with his legs and with a beautiful deep ball, but he was awful when pressured. It will be interesting to see what he does in NFL games. Most NFL teams have not shown a lot of creativity with mobile QBs. They try to turn them into pocket guys who can scramble on broken plays. Most NFL offenses just aren't very out of the box.

chuck

08-04-2018 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barrett (Post 47438)

Most NFL teams have not shown a lot of creativity with mobile QBs.

I had a dream a couple of nights ago where Deshaun just ran wild. He'd get the snap and stand there for a moment and wait for the play to unwind a bit, see his opening and just take off. It was like fun football where there's one 12 year old with the body of a 15 year old who is just miles and miles ahead of all the other kids and is almost literally a man among boys. We've all seen this, I'm sure. That was Desahaun. But it was the NFL. But it was a dream.

Speaking of dreams, how 'bout that Manziel kid, huh? I certainly hope the Cowboys don't find a way to scoop him up.

barrett

08-05-2018 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck (Post 47439)

Obviously injury concerns make it impossible for a guy to run all the time, but it is amazing the NFL tries to remove the most effective play in college football (QB run). Most NFL coaches would rather fail with accepted practices than risk failing with unaccepted ones. I guess if you fail with accepted practices you just show up as a retread with a new job elsewhere. So they all play in the same sandbox waiting on someone else to take the chances.

Then once one guy is praised for creativity they all copy it. We'll have 10 teams running RPOs this year after Folkes did it last playoffs. It's a copycat league.

I was shocked at the amount of creativity O'Brien showed with Watson last year and I was shocked how little the Watson led offense resembled the Savage/Mallett/etc ones we previously saw. Maybe O'Brien was so willing to lose this job he got very brave with what he'd try last year.

Arky	08-06-2018 01:19 AM

Harris notes, Aug 5:

Quote:

-- Wide receiver DeAndrew White made the best catch I’ve seen him make in team drills early in practice. He skied above the defensive backs on a route down the middle of the field for a catch on a throw from quarterback Brandon Weeden.

-- Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn had another solid day kicking field goals. He made five of eight through the Arena League posts (i.e. tight sticks) and missed only one on the NFL sticks. He seems more consistent the more that he’s kicked these past two weeks.

-- During the past two weeks, tight end Jordan Akins may not have dropped one pass during a team drill. At least, not that I remember. All the tight ends have caught it extremely well, which is great to see. Akins can also get himself open in a hurry as well. He beat a linebacker in man coverage for a quick pitch and catch from Weeden early in team drills.

-- Rookie Justin Reid came up with the first interception of the day on the very first play of team drills. He was patrolling the middle of the field and read the errant throw perfectly to put himself in position to make the pick.

-- I’ve written “4 to 15 - complete” a lot this week, in particular... and those have been in a variety of ways as well. That would be No. 4 Deshaun Watson and No. 15 Will Fuller V, in case you didn’t know my shorthand.

-- Quarterback Brandon Weeden honed in on receiver Sammie Coates earlier in training camp, but on Sunday, he had Braxton Miller in his sights. During team drills, Miller had consecutive catches on throws from Weeden.

-- On one of the final plays of that drill, safety Treston Decoud came up with a diving interception, the second of the day for the defense.

-- I’ve gotten a ton of questions every single day about defensive end J.J. Watt. People have surmised, erroneously, that something must be wrong because I haven’t mentioned him in the Harris Hurry-up much at all. So, let me cool everyone’s jets a little bit - Watt is fine, has been fine and has been as good as ever in training camp. We good now? Okay, great.

-- Watching him work his pass rush moves in one-on-ones, it’s so...man, what’s the right word...surgical. His hand placement, his body positioning and his feet are all in sync when he rushes the quarterback and that makes it so tough to block him one-on-one. He’s given the Texans tackles some lessons that can only make them better in 2018 and beyond.

-- If there’s one thing I knew about rookie Duke Ejiofor coming out of Wake Forest, it was that he was a skilled pass rusher. He certainly hasn’t disappointed in that category this camp in my opinion. He used a maneuver off the edge today that looked like something straight out of an “And 1” mixtape. By the way, “And 1” is basketball. Never seen any edge rusher try anything like that.

-- The more that I watch the Texans edge rushers, the more I’m convinced that hands and hand usage are more important than anything other asset, including speed, burst or power. If a rusher can throw hands accurately, properly and precisely, he’ll win a significant number of reps. Just one man’s opinion.

-- When I watch tackle Kendall Lamm during one-on-ones, he seems so much more patient in his approach. He doesn’t overreact and gets himself in proper position with his feet to stave off the opposing rusher. Now, he has to put it all together in these preseason games to show how far he’s progressed.

-- Interior lineman Zach Fulton is one strong SOB. I really love to watch him in the run game, but he’s so strong in pass protection that he can hold up against nearly anything an interior D-Lineman throws at him. I’m a big fan and hope that he continues that play that way on into the season and beyond.

-- The final period of the day was more 11-on-11 and the highlight was a defensive one - rookie Andre Chachere came down with the defense’s third pick of the day. I’m anxious/excited to see what the former San Jose State Spartan does in these next few preseason games.

-- Offensive lineman Anthony Coyle and defensive Kingsley Opara each caught a punt from Shane Lechler to ensure that the team would have the night off prior Monday’s full day off. It may not sound like much, but a 90+ minute meeting during training camp after a grueling two hour practice is no bueno. I can tell you from personal experience that a night away from meetings is the best thing ever in training camp (relatively speaking). Justifiably, the team went crazy when Opara sealed the night off with his catch.

Well, that’s it for today, folks. One more practice on Tuesday, a trip to Kansas City on Wednesday, Preseason game number one on Thursday and home to Houston on Friday (early morning). Can’t wait to see this team in game action very soon. See ya on Tuesday with more from West Virginia.

Arky	08-07-2018 06:22 PM

Harris notes, Aug 7:

Quote:

Well, the Texans time at the Greenbrier in 2018 has come to an end. The team will hop on a plane for Kansas City on Wednesday for preseason game number one. As such, the team did more in the way of preparation for the Chiefs so there’s not a ton to report on Tuesday’s practice specifically. So, I figured with my last Harris Hurry-up from West Virginia, I’d give you some final one sentence quick hitters from this camp.

-- It did this man’s (and many others as well) heart good to see J.J. Watt healthy again.

-- Cornerback Kevin Johnson seemed to have 2017 in the rear view mirror and is ready to get back to his old self this year.

-- Quarterback Deshaun Watson was not held back one bit in camp and that...was...awesome.

-- I found out that linebacker Brian Peters can hold his breath under water for three minutes and thirty-five seconds...WOW!

-- Defensive linemen like All-Dressed chips that apparently you can only get in Canada and if you don’t bring them to training camp, you’ll catch some flak as Christian Covington found out.

-- This rookie class has been all kinds of impressive up here at the Greenbrier.

-- People still don’t believe me that rookie tight end Jordan Thomas was a wide receiver at Mississippi State in 2017.

-- Running back Lamar Miller cut some weight before camp and it has paid off in terms of explosiveness and burst in all that he does.

-- Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins is as fun to watch as ever.

-- On Draft Night 2016, after Will Fuller V was drafted, Hopkins said no more double teams and if Will continues his ascent, he’s going to create a definite conundrum for NFL defenses.

-- Guard Zach Fulton is one strong dude and his presence will certainly help the run game in 2018.

-- I’m not sure I’ve seen either rookie tight end - Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas - drop a pass in camp.

-- Somehow, someway, safety Tyrann Mathieu will always be around the ball, no matter what.

-- And, by the way, Mathieu playing catch with kids during a break in practice might be my favorite moment of the entire training camp.

-- Linebacker Zach Cunningham creates so many opportunities scheme-wise for defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel due to his speed and athleticism........................

nunusguy

08-11-2018 10:09 AM

Anybody on this Board planning on attending any of the TC sessions they are having here in Houston with the first one being held this morning ?
If you do go please report back.

Arky	08-15-2018 05:16 AM

Harris notes, Aug 14:

Quote:

The 49ers are coming. The 49ers are coming!! But, they’re not here just yet, so the Texans had one final practice before Kyle Shanahan’s group arrives at the Houston Methodist Training Center. Here’s the Harris Hurry-up from Tuesday’s workout.

-- Early in camp, defensive back Johnson Bademosi knocked passes away with regularity. He did that again today, matching and mirroring the route of the receiver before knocking away the pass on an out route.

-- Receiver Braxton Miller can absolutely lose coverage in one-on-ones, especially inside the numbers. He did that today to get wide open for a completion.

-- Receiver Will Fuller V is still fast and he went by a couple of Texans defensive backs in one-on-ones. I just want one day of my life to be as fast as Will.

-- Fellow receiver Sammie Coates got loose downfield as well during one-on-ones.

-- I spent a decent majority of practice watching the Texans outside linebackers. It hit me how truly youthful that group is as I watched them during individual period. Brennan Scarlett is the grizzled veteran (without Whitney Mercilus today) and he’s only going into his third year.

-- Speaking of Scarlett, he made an excellent play on a wide run to his side. He was put in conflict yet still ran down the ball carrier in the backfield. Going back to watch the KC game, Scarlett was a major problem and he’s done nothing but get better.

-- For all the great things that Deshaun Watson does as a quarterback and all of his assets, one that’s not often discussed is his quick release. He can reload and release with the best of them and he showed that on a throw to rookie tight end Jordan Akins during team drills. Ball was on the money, too.

-- Watching DeAndre Hopkins do his work is a joy. On one route against Johnathan Joseph, J-Jo was in perfect position matching Hop’s cut perfectly. But, Deshaun Watson threw the ball higher than usual and Hopkins went up and snatched it out of the air for a catch.

Arky	08-16-2018 07:14 PM

Harris notes, Aug 16:

Quote:

Day two of joint practices between the 49ers and the Texans didn’t bring with it any, uh, shall we say fireworks, but it was another excellent day of work against a quality NFC opponent. Here is the Harris Hurry-up, the last one of the year (**sheds tear**)...

-- Receiver DeAndre Hopkins was back at practice today and made his presence known immediately. He hauled in a one hander on a throw from Deshaun Watson that set the crowd off in the far corner of the Houston Methodist practice facility (video at link). 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who’s going to be a star in this league, was in perfect position, but Watson fit the rock into a spot where only Hopkins right hand could make the catch. It did. He did. Vintage Hopkins.

-- A few reps later, Will Fuller V ran a brilliant route to get wide open for a catch at the goal line for a touchdown.

-- I tried to catch a little bit of everything today so I didn’t see entire drill periods (until the final situational work). That said, there was a pass rush period where the Texans defensive line really took over and dominated the entirety of the drill.

-- One of the guys that I keep telling myself to talk about is defensive tackle Angelo Blackson. He got a ton of heat on Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes in preseason game one and that’s what he’s done this entire camp. Today, during a pass rush drill, he threw a spin move that got him clean past a 49ers interior lineman. He’s played the run well. He’s gotten pressure on the quarterback. He’s done a solid job this camp.

-- Yesterday it was J.J. Watt; today it was rookie Duke Ejiofor. Watt planted rookie tackle Mike McGlinchey yesterday back on his wallet in a run block drill, while Ejiofor did a similar thing today during a pass rush drill to a 49ers offensive tackle.

-- Overall, I thought there were more running lanes today for the Texans running backs. Yesterday, it seemed to be heavily clogged inside, but today, there were plenty of holes in the interior for the Texans backs to find running room.