I've been to two dozen or more joint practices over the 12 years I've been with the Texans. Thursday's practice with the Detroit Lions was one of the best that I've seen, on both sides, for numerous reasons. Highly competitive. TONS of reps on both sides. Complete 100% understanding of what each team is trying to achieve. Not one fight, no time wasted on that time-wasting BS. Teams looking out for one another while still competing at a high level. I'd imagine that these two will want to do this again down the road, say this year and there's only one way that happens, if you catch my drift. That said, let's dive into my HARRIS HITS from the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, Michigan.
Slow Start Didn't Last
I spent the day mainly with the Texans offense, facing a much improved Detroit defense. DE Aidan Hutchinson is back on the edge. CB D.J. Reed was added as a starting corner. DT D.J. Reader, one of my favorite people in the world, is back in the middle. When they get back DT Alim McNeill, they'll be as good up front as any team in the NFC. So, when the Texans offense started the day, it wasn't completely surprising that they came out slowly. But, BUT, the Texans offense rebounded and had a strong finish to the last two thirds of practice.
Tytus the Terrific
I posted a tweet on the bus on the way back to our hotel that there was an offensive player that was outstanding, in my opinion, perhaps more than any other player on the field. So, I need to pay off on the tease as OT Tytus Howard was outstanding. I had a great view of his battle with future All-Pro DE Aidan Hutchinson all day long. Rep after rep, Howard frustrated Hutchinson, not yielding against bull rush, staying with him on high speed rush and laterally sliding inside to slow the inside rush. It was all day. Hutch went to the other side to get some pressure using spin moves on rookie OT Aireontae Ersery a couple of times. But Tytus was excellent against one of the league's best young pass rushers, now 100% after breaking his leg against Dallas last year.
I didn't get to see the OL/DL one-on-ones as they were on the far opposite field, but when I saw Tytus after practice, he asked if I saw one-on-ones. I responded that I didn't and he said it was the same there too. I won't say it with quite the vim and vigor that Tytus did, but he said he took care of his business in those one-on-ones. I thought he took care of his business throughout the team sessions all day long. THAT Tytus Howard is a key to the Texans having a double digit win season in 2025.
I didn't lie; I didn't see the OL/DL one-on-ones, but one rep I DID see way down the field was one of rookie Aireontae Ersery destroying someone all the way down the line of scrimmage. It made me wonder whether I'd just see a run game rep. Nope, pass pro rep and a good one.
Back to the Offense
Now, like I said earlier, the Texans offense didn't start on volume 11. It took a little while to get rolling. During seven-on-seven, the first crossover drill of the day, QB C.J. Stroud fired a dart to WR Xavier Hutchinson on the first pass of the day, but one of the NFL's best safeties made his presence known on the next rep. S Kerby Joseph spied an inside route, jumped in front of a Stroud pass and picked it off. The rest of the first team session went that way, in a sense, until Stroud drilled a TD to WR Nico Collins to finish the series. That seemed to take the edge off and the Texans offense settled in a bit from that point forward.
QB Davis Mills then took the reins for his reps in seven-on-seven. Completion to Braxton Berrios. Completion to new TE Harrison Bryant. Completion to rookie TE Luke Lachey.
$ Mills
Then, finishing up his solid series, Mills drilled a fastball between Jayden Higgins' 8 and 1 on his jersey for a TD. But, Mills wasn't done as he threaded one to rookie WR Jaylin Noel in the back of the end zone for another TD/two point conversion. Mills finished that drive five for five, with two TD/two point conversions.
The next C.J. Stroud series, the first team session, went a bit like the way the seven-on-seven series concluded. A few incompletions were mixed in with a few runs that didn't net much. Stroud threw deep to Nico Collins and, in one heck of a battle for the ball, Lions CB Terrion Arnold knocked the ball away for a PBU. Stroud threw a quick hitch to Xavier Hutchinson but it was on that throw, or the deep ball to Nico, that Stroud took a little bit of a hit to his back, perhaps. He walked away reaching for it and seemed okay the rest of the day. I only noted that moment because it was from that point forward that the entire offense seemed to go to a different level.
More Standouts
RB Woody Marks had one of the best runs of the day during that team period, bouncing an interior run to the outside, beating Lions defenders to the edge. He bounced that thing out the back door and hit the gas for a significant gain.
WR Justin Watson had one of his best days at camp. Both Stroud and Mills targeted him multiple times all over the field. He caught everything thrown his way too.
One of the most physically impressive things I saw today, though, was OT Cam Robinson SPRINTING out in front of RB Jawhar Jordan on a toss play. I mean, big fella was MOVIN' and had a DB in his sights on one particular Jordan run. He buried the corner and Jordan cut up inside for a solid gain.*
On the very next play, Mills made perhaps his best throw of the day when he spotted rookie TE Luke Lachey down the seam open. Mills had to get the ball over the LB, but without too much air on the ball. He threw the perfect "2-ball" to Lachey who made the catch for a touchdown. That was a THREE ASTERISK play to finish that series.
Mills and Watson hooked up again as Mills left the pocket to his right. He threw on the run and DOTTED one to Watson on the near sideline.
When Stroud took back over, he got hot, or as I wrote in my notes "got going". He threw a dart on a quick slant to Nico, followed up by another completion to Nico. Two plays later, Stroud stood up to the rare pressure he got on the day and dotted Braxton Berrios for a third completion in four plays.
On the first play of the following series, RB Nick Chubb popped a run to the outside like Woody Marks did earlier and showed some serious speed down the field. Then, Stroud drilled a fastball to FB Jakob Johnson for another completion.
It was during that drive when I really saw Tytus handling his business on the right side against Aidan Hutchinson. However, the next few offensive plays didn't yield a ton until Stroud threw a seed to WR Christian Kirk on the crosser. I mean, he put that ball on the absolute money.
Then, Mills took over on first down and immediately threw short to WR Jayden Higgins, but as Higgins turned to run, the CB made a weak effort at a tackle. Higgins ran through that and SPED up the sideline and oh my gosh, 6-4, 215 lb. was flying up the field.
Higgins' former Iowa State teammate Jaylin Noel wasn't about to be left out as he caught a crosser a couple of plays later, getting separation from a Lions defender.
Red Zone
Then, the Texans moved the drill into the red zone, where they pounded the ball with Nick Chubb from the 12-yard line to the two-yard line on two runs. With the Lions in man coverage and chasing receivers all over the field, Stroud sauntered into the end zone untouched on a scramble. But, his best was saved for the next play. On the two point conversion, he zipped a ball to open WR Christian Kirk who had beaten Terrion Arnold near the sideline. I mean, that route/throw/catch…oh yeah, gorgeous.
Mills' unit couldn't do much on the first three plays of the drive from the low red zone, but on the final play of the drill, Mills found Hutchinson in the back of the end zone free from defenders. Mills put the ball between the 1 and the 9 and it was touchdown time for X.
On the second play of the next low red zone drill, Stroud floated one to a wide open Dameon Pierce for the easiest touchdown imaginable.
Two plays later, Mills found WR Quintez Cephus wide open on the bootleg for a touchdown. Cephus had himself a day for sure.
Two plays after that, WR Jaylin Noel beat man-to-man and was wide open in the end zone. Behind great blitz pickup and excellent pass protection, Mills completed the touchdown pass to Noel beautifully.
K Kaimi Fairbairn nailed his three field goal attempts from varying distances after the red zone period.
Team period #5 started with a wonderful Stroud-to-Nico connection on play action. The fake was so good that Lions LB Alex Anzalone was all the way at the line of scrimmage tackling Nick Chubb before he saw Stroud ready to throw to a wide open Collins.
This was Stroud's drive until Hutchinson, rushing opposite Tytus, sacked him on the final play. Stroud followed that completion to Nico with one to Dalton Schultz. Chubb popped pads for four yards on the next run. Stroud then hit Cade Stover for another completion. Stroud, then, punctuated his drive with a scramble TD on the next play.
I'll say this and you can take it for what it's worth, but I really like the ball in Woody Marks hands. REALLY like it.
When Mills took over on his drive, he moved the Texans down near the end zone. Once close, he went up high on the fade route to one of the best athletes on this team Quintez Cephus, who "Moss'd" a Lions DB for a TD that set off the offensive sideline. What a catch that was!
Then each team had a shot at a late game situation. The Lions offense went first and QB Jared Goff was fantastic, honestly. He has such command of that offense, but CB Kamari Lassiter made an excellent play on WR Jameson Wiliams to keep the Lions out of the end zone. K Jake Bates (yeah, HIM) knocked home three points to "tie the game", if you will.
The Texans offense went next. After a Stroud scramble and a questionable incompletion to TE Irv Smith Jr, Stroud threw to Xavier Hutchinson for a first down. What I remember the most was saying to Marc, loudly, "HE'S GOT ALL DAY!" When have I/we said that over the past two years? The pass protection was outstanding on third down and all day long.
Braxton Berrios made a catch to get into field goal range even though the Lions were offside, but that was as close as the Texans got. K Kaimi Fairbairn then drilled a FG from deep to, again, "tie the game". I couldn't tell from how far, but it was 50+ for sure.
Defensive HITS
That ended the practice and a wonderful day of competition and great work in front of the great Detroit Lions' fans. But, let's not deny the defense some HARRIS HITS. Like I said, I spent the day with the offense but I did see a few things from the defense in between things.
I read after practice some national writers on hand praising CB Derek Stingley Jr and I saw him have a PBU on a throw from Lions starting QB Jared Goff to WR Kalif Raymond. He also couldn't hang onto an interception during a team period as well, yet still a PBU.
S Calen Bullock picked off Goff in the end zone for the third time in less than ten months, actually. As he dove to make the pick, Bullock was mobbed by his teammates…after fellow former USC star Amon-Ra St. Brown picked the former USC safety up in the end zone. Funny moment, but a respectful one.
DB Jalen Pitre came up with a pass breakup on a throw to one of the Lions' WRs early in the team session.
DT Foley Fatukasi was shot through a cannon to tag off on RB David Montgomery for a TFL. Most times that the Lions ran the ball throughout the day, the Texans defensive front slowed it for not much yardage.
There are hits, Harris Hits, and the way Kamari Lassiter hits...
Speaking of stopping runs, one of the great things about this Texans defense is EVERYONE participates in stopping the run, including the CBs. Texans CB Kamari Lassiter came up to pop Montgomery on a run that bounced outside in the last team drill of the day. As soon as Lassiter knocked Montgomery out of bounds, he started doing, well, that Kamari thing where he pounds his helmet as if to say "you can't hurt me." That tracks. His adjective to me the other day about his play was "relentless". Yep, 100% facts.
So, that'll do it for the last practice in the preseason from the Lions facility. I said it earlier, these two teams have a ton of respect for one another that showed in everything that transpired on those two fields today. For your Texans, it was a bit of a slow start, but by the second quarter, they'd found their sea legs and played well against one of the best teams in the league as you'd want, and expect. Now, the Texans have one final preseason game on Saturday for guys to make a final push for a roster spot, a practice squad opportunity or increased playing time in the future. Should be drama-filled, in a different sort of way, at Ford Field on Saturday. See ya then, everyone.
