Preseason game: Texans @ Green Bay, 8/14/2021

[Arky]

1st preseason game kicks off in Green Bay Saturday night @ 7pm CST on ABC (channel 13 local).

Must confess I haven't been avidly keeping up lately due to other things.

Get a list of the Texans roster here. Click at the top of the jersey number column to view the lineup 1-99 and not alphabetically.

Game comments (or any comments) always welcome.

[Keith]

COVID has hit the offensive tackles. Not sure I would have expected to see much of Tunsil or Tytus in this game anyway, but with one fewer preseason game this year, who knows. Might be more of an issue next weekend. Roderick Johnson and Bradley Roby will also miss the game with a COVID designation. Marcus Cannon remains on the PUP list.

So expect to see quite a bit of Charlie Heck at tackle, who I guess is having a good camp from reports, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Texans PR published an unofficial depth chart earlier this week. Most notable items imo were Charles Omenihu buried on the DE chart and David Johnson behind Mark Ingram (and Phillip Lindsay?) at RB. We shall see.

Always interesting to see the rookies in preseason. Davis Mills listed 3rd at QB (ahead of DW4, bygones). Seems to be having a typical rookie mid-round QB camp. WR Nico Collins and TE Brevin Jordan pretty far down the depth chart, but big upside potential there so hoping to see some sparks if in albeit limited snaps.

[Keith]

Desmond King with a nice 43-yard punt return.

Surprised that Davis Mills entered in just the second series. Had a 3-and-out blown up by an early down sack quickly from up the middle. Followed that with a third down pass jus out of reach of Anthony Miller after he was flushed from the pocket.

Taylor led the first drive to a field goal, Texans up 3-0.

Someone on the Packers named Kylin Hill scored on a 22-yd screen pass. Pass defense on this drive is showing some holes, 3-7 14:15 left in the half.

[Keith]

Scottie Phillips takes a hand-off from Mills to score a touchown. Texans lead 10-7 9:08 remaining.

Mills more comfortable this drive, decent pocket comfort for a rookie. Not so deft on any touch passes, but the medium passes look good and is willing to take a chance downfield.

Nico Collins flashed on a 24-yd reception between the hashes to move the offense into the red zone. OL doing a decent job keeping pass rushers off the QB.

[Keith]

Long second quarter drive from Mills ends in a field goal, Texans lead 13-7 0:53 remaining in the half.

Packers attempted a fourth down effort in vain before the drive began. The Texans drive was extended on an incomplete pass on third down when Mills absorbed a late, high hit for a roughing the passer penalty. His intended receiver was also interfered with on the same play, which gave the Texans a first-and-goal from the 7.

Lots of vanilla looks from the Packers defense, not surprising in the first preseason game. So hard to tell just how well Mills is handling the poise, but ok with these 4-man rushes.

Texans D with the takeaway immediately following, as DE Jonathan Greenard with had a strip sack then DT Jahleel Johnson recovered at the Packers' 17.

Mills gives it right back with an interception inside the 5. Just off target to Warring. Strange that his medium range passes seem to have better accuracy than his short-range and screen attempts.

Texans burn their timeouts with the Packers offense pinned inside their end of the field in an effort to get the back with seconds before the half. Packers play along with 3 quicks runs going nowhere and get the ball at midfield with :06 remaining. Short pass ends the half.

Texans 13 Packers 7

[Keith]

Improbable 25-yd TD run by recently signed RB Darius Jackson made possible by impromptu downfield lead blocking by QB Jeff Driskel who got in the way of two would-be tacklers.

Earlier, WR Anthony Miller rode the cart off the field for an apparent shoulder injury that occurred with 6:11 in the 3rd quarter.

CB Tremon Smith with an INT, 3:19 remaining in the 4th quarter. Defense doing well with takeaways in this contest.

Driskel scrambles for first following the 2-min warning. Texans kneel out a win in HC David Culley's first preseason game.

I am quite pessimistic about the defense this season, but I have to admit they were solid (though obvi this is mostly backups on backups). Lovie Smith had guys tackling and the turnovers were great, no matter how random one or two may have been.

Final, Texans 26, Packers 7

[Arky]

Eh, had to catch this one on replay. Thanks for the comments, Keith.

The one thing that jumped out to me is the massive amount of imports on these "New Texans". Gonna be a completely different ballclub from last year and take a while to get familiar with the new roster. A few of these guys just needed a shot to show their value and will go into the keeper category. Conversely, there will be some that are just JAGs.

It looked like our B & C squads vs. their B & C squads. Before the game, I would have thought the Packers would have had better backups than the Texans.

Winning the turnover battle 3-1 was a good sign. 170 yards rushing was a good sign.

Next up, the Cowboys this Saturday @ 7 pm.

[barrett]

The Texans have done a phenomenal job of making me not care. I can't think of a single position battle, young player, etc... on this roster that makes me care one bit about a preseason game. And we're bad enough I barely care about the regular season.