Oakland head coach Jon Gruden on Texans QB Deshaun Watson: "He's really turned into an all-around superstar quarterback. He's throwing the ball better than I've ever seen him throw it, and he's still a real threat to run and they can be creative with the playbook because of his skillset."
Oakland defensive coordinator Paul Guenther on Watson: "He's an accurate thrower of the ball. He can move around the pocket. He's athletic. He understands coverage. He's come a long way with his development. He can create unscripted plays throughout the game, and he can throw it on time.
Oakland WR Hunter Renfrow on Watson: "He's always risen to the occasion. Whenever the time came, in my experiences with him, he was very composed. Very cool. Always the calmest on the field.
Gruden on the Texans defense: "We don't want to be second-and-10 and third-and-10 against J.J. Watt and (Whitney) Mercilus and Romeo Crennel and all these blitzes, that's for sure. It's hard to run the ball the way that they stuff these linebackers in these gaps. (Zach) Cunningham and (Benardrick) McKinney are two big inside backers that force you to single block plays and it's hard to do."
Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Olson on the Texans run defense: "Great front 7. That's kind of been the corner piece of that defense for the last 10, 12 years, really. They built it on the front 7. What makes it easier is they've had guys like Johnathan Joseph, their back end corners are able to cover guys. When you've got a great rush, and a couple cover guys on the outside, it makes it very difficult to move the football."
Oakland QB Derek Carr on the Texans defense: "Really good. They're doing enough to win their football games. Be competitive. Making plays. Making stops. Getting off the field when they need to. There's some guys on this defense that have been together for a little while. Good continuity."
Gruden on Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins: "You've got to know where number 10 is at all times. He's the main vein of the pass offense. He can line up in the slot, he can line up outside. He's got tremendous ball skills and hang time, and he's an every down competitor so we're going to have our hands full no doubt."
Gruden on Texans LT Laremy Tunsil: "Tunsil gives, I'm sure, Watson a lot of confidence when he breaks the huddle, and he's going to get better and better because he's just a young player."
Carr on Texans DE J.J. Watt: "They have one of the best players on the planet in J.J. Watt. He's been terrorizing this League for however long he's been in it. Great player. Hall of Fame player. This guy, he's special. They all feed off his intensity, his energy. He plays with great effort, great motor, and you can tell they all feed off it."
Oakland WR Tyrell Williams on playing against former teammate and current Texans CB Gareon Conley: "It'll definitely be weird. He was just here a couple days ago, and then to see him and be playing against him."
Oakland WR Hunter Renfrow on Conley: "It'll be different. Usually he's wearing our jersey and he'll be wearing somebody else's. But he's a good player and we'll have to play well."
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
DL Mario Addison, #56 (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
QB, Kyle Allen, #3
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #96
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60
LB, Blake Cashman, #53
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
TE, Darrell Daniels, #47 (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
WR, Davion Davis, #14
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL, Austin Deculus, #76
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #4
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
WR, Drew Estrada, #81
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
DB, Jacobi Francis, #38
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5
OL, Kenyon Green, #59
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan, #16 (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes, #55 (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41
An image from the Aug. 21, 2021 Houston Texans preseason game 2 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Texans won 20-14.
WR, Johnny Johnson III, #89
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2
DB, Tristin McCollum, #39
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
DB, Steven Nelson, #21
DL, Adedayo Odeleye, #75
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33
DL, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, #45
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Kendall Sheffield (AP Photo/Kevin Sabitus)
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #29
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
WR, Connor Wedington (AP)
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20
