The best thing about day one at Texans Training Camp presented by Xfinity is that there's always a day two, which took place in the heat and humidity on Thursday morning. As such, let's not mess around and get right to my Harris Hits for day two at the Houston Methodist Training Center.
Flashbacks...
The first observation is one that brought me back, if you will, to the J.J. Watt halcyon days in Houston. That man knew one speed and only one speed. If the offense wanted to get ANYTHING done, there were times they knew they had to get 99 off the field for a bit. 3rd year Pro Bowler Will Anderson Jr is getting to that status, seemingly.
Now, like Watt, Anderson Jr. will NOT leave the field at any point and the offense, honestly, wouldn't want it any other way. He's so relentless and has learned a number of different techniques and moves, honing them in the offseason. Thus far, all he's doing is applying his recently learned skills on anyone (everyone?) in a blue offensive jersey. He won't hit C.J. Stroud, but anyone else is freakin' fair game.
In the second team period, he used long arm power to drive the right tackle right into Stroud, who then had to step up just to get the ball off.
Later, he used his deft handwork and explosiveness to set up the right tackle, then rip underneath him to get a clean line to Stroud. A freakin' terror.
Now, before we start panicking about the OL (I'll get to them), Anderson Jr. did that to every single Kansas City OT in the building in last year's playoff game. He's just now taking his already advanced game to a different level and forcing the OL to match his intensity as he says "Iron sharpens iron."
Tytus Talks 'The Truth'
I don't want to steal too much away from Marc's interview with OL Tytus Howard, but Marc did a little word association with Tytus on some guys in the OL room. Eventually, Marc got to rookie Aireontae Ersery…
"The Truth"
Okay, position group mates will have each other's backs, but I've watched Ersery as much as I can through the first couple of practices and I don't think Tytus is far off, honestly. The former Gopher All-American is going to struggle at times against the two star defensive ends on this roster, but Ersery is long, strong, and possesses an enormously powerful backside. Plus, he doesn't back down.
When he was at right tackle during a team period, he did "get got" by Anderson Jr, on a pass play but he's never played that side, so there's some adjustment to being on that side of the line for him. But, when Ersery run-blocks, there is a distinct difference from him and some of the other guys on the OL because of his strong build and immense power. Again, yes, I know there are no pads being worn currently, but what I've seen in these two practices match what I saw from him at Minnesota.
On the first play of the first team period, QB C.J. Stroud threw a completion to Nico Collins, nice way to start off the drill, right. But, my eyes were on Ersery v. Danielle Hunter. Yesterday, Danielle rushed Ersery and it was clear Danielle was trying to figure out his rush plan against the hulking rookie. Today, on this rep, Hunter decided to show his speed, working the high side of Ersery. Like he did as a Gopher, Ersery just ran with Hunter and the two ran past Stroud, who stepped up to find Collins open for the first down catch. I don't know how many defenders I've seen Ersery do that to throughout his college career but start with Abdul Carter and go from there. Baby steps, baby steps, but it's great to see a young guy make those steps.
To'oTo'o Developing
After the first practice, I caught up with linebacker Henry To'oTo'o for our post-practice interview. I asked him what he specifically wanted to improve this training camp/this year and he essentially said he wanted to/needed to "make more plays in coverage". On the third play of the first team period, To'oTo'o was glued to TE Cade Stover on a flat route, helping to force an incompletion.
Mills Magic
DOUBLE ASTERISK PLAY ALERT! QB Davis Mills has been excellent in his first two days of practice. The second two plays of his three reps in the team period, he completed passes to John Metchie III and Jaylin Noel. The one to Noel was the two asterisk play. He threw the out route to Noel and put that thing right on the money and Noel made the snag and produced yards after the catch. That was a DIME.
Then, QB Graham Mertz got to his second read in the progression, rookie TE Luke Lachey, who flashed those soft hands, on a solid hookup. Then, LB Jamal Hill "SCOOBY!" as To'oTo'o called him, picked up a botched snap and took the scoop-n-score all the way to the house.
Jawhar Jordan Grindin'
One player who has taken advantage, so to speak, of additional reps due to injuries is second year RB Jawhar Jordan. If you’ve listened to Texans Radio as you should, you know we've talked about Jordan as a "HEY, Don't forget about me, guy". Early in camp, he's gotten a ton of reps, both pass and run, and it's clear he's much more confident in his second season. In the second period, he bounced an inside run all the way out to get clean.
But, during one of the later team periods, Jordan was shot out of a cannon on a run that he cut up, right over the center. He hit that gas and slithered through the line for a big gain. I put an asterisk on that run. I'm telling you, he's not going quiet in the dark night.
Mills stayed hot in later team periods. DOUBLE ASTERISK THROW in team period two. Mills dropped and threw about a 100 mph fastball to WR Jared Wayne, who ran a curl route in between three different zone coverage defenders. LASER SHOT + a completion. Beautiful throw, great route, excellent all the way around.
Being a rookie is an experience and former USC star Jaylin Smith found out all about that against the Mills-Wayne connection. Jared ran a deep out cut with Smith in deep third coverage. Smith saw the route and broke on it BEAUTIFULLY, knocking it away. TREMENDOUS PBU. The rookie took a second to celebrate, which he should have, totally should have, it was a great play. But, for every rookie up, though, there's going to be a down.
Two plays later, Mills lasered a quick slant to Xavier Hutchinson against Smith for a quality throw/catch/run for a first down. It's a really tough cover when QB and WR have experience on a quick route like that but I'm sure Smith knows he could've disrupted that play a bit better. I've lauded Smith from back in OTAs/minicamp and I'm on record thinking he's going to be good pretty quickly. But there'll be learning moments throughout as well, and how he handles those during training camp will tell a lot about the youngster from Cali.
A Moment For Kyonte Hamilton
Caught a glimpse of 7th round pick Kyonte Hamilton with a beautiful arm over move to get free to the QB on a pass rush. NICE! Guard got a little over extended and Hamilton exploited him wonderfully to get a clean path to the QB.
Pitre Pick
I got a chance to walk back into the building with fellow Houstonian Jalen Pitre. What a wonderful young man and one of the foundational pieces for this organization. He had the only pick that I remembered during the team periods. He'll tell you it was one of the easiest of his career as the ball sailed high over the receiver across the middle, but a pick is a pick is a pick. He's always dialed in and it was great to see him make a big play.
Interceptions and turnovers can happen all the time when everything goes right. But, when the play starts with a dropped snap from center, which throws the timing all off, it's going to be a pick. Just Murphy's football law, right? Start bad, end horribly. It's not quite always the math, but it was for Stroud on that play.
Then again, the best play of the 2024 season was a dropped snap turned magical play in the playoffs, so maybe not ALWAYS, you know?
HUGE. HANGTIME.
P Tommy Townsend punted the HELL out of the ball today. I mean, I wrote "HUGE HANG TIME" three or four times in my notebook. Crushed it, TOMMY ROCKETS!!
Okay, so people that know me will wonder how in the heck I'm finishing with Harris Hits on our punter, but Tommy's a DUDE, so that's where we end it today. More coming tomorrow - see you then, everyone. Thanks for reading.
