On Saturday, Brian Cushing saw action in his first game in ten months.
"Cushing when in there, and from what I saw, played tough and played aggressive and it was good to see him back out there," head coach Bill O'Brien said after the game.
The Pro Bowl linebacker played just two series in the Houston's third preseason game before exiting in the team's 18-17 win in Denver. He was happy to get some gametime reps before the season starts on Septmember 7 against Washington.
Both Cushing and J.J. Watt watched the rest of the Texans third preseason game from the sidelines after starting against the Broncos. Unlike most Week 3 preseason games, the two Texans defensive starters were taken out before the end of the first quarter. Both participated in all three days of joint practices with Denver at its Dove Valley facility.
In Saturday's game, Cushing drew a penalty, illegal hands to the face, on the third play. It was his first time seeing action since his injury in Week 7 of last season at Kansas City.
"I don't know if it was rusty or just time," Cushing said. "I felt good, and most of all just the experience getting back out there, new system, making the calls, the checks all of that was important."
Cushing knocked off the rust and finished with a tackle for loss of one yard on Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman.
"Anytime I go out there I expect to make some plays," Cushing said. "I didn't obviously play too long, but happy I was able to make that and some other stuff so it was good."
