This week in Houston may not set records for heat during a Texans practice, but today felt really darn close to it. Yet, the Texans trudged through and had a solid day of work. I anticipated with the heat, after a day off, in front of fans, that the practice might've been a little rugged or even sloppy, but it was a competitive practice with a number of offense/defense situational components layered throughout the workout. Let's dive into my HARRIS HITS for day five, a solid comeback day for the offense.

QBs Find Rhythm

This offense is still under construction and will be for a little bit. But Monday showed me that this group has a little something that'll make it better in due time. C.J. Stroud and his offensive mates bounced back with a solid outing overall in the team's first practice in pads. After a rough Saturday, the offense didn't start off Monday well. The o-line missed a few edge blockers on pass protection. Receivers couldn't hang onto passes when they were open. Plus, the defense was on one again. I started to wonder.

Then, these four QBs started to get in a little bit of a rhythm and everything changed for the last hour or so of practice. Now, it's still a unit under construction but I've got to think OC Nick Caley felt that much better about how his guys bounced back on Monday.

I liked the physicality in the run game, especially on the interior defenders. But, the defense still came up with big plays early in practice. LB Azeez Al-Shaair shot a backside gap on an inside run to stop RB Dare Ogunbowale for a very short gain.

Haaaawk!

Then, on the next play, S Calen Bullock showed exactly what makes him great. He was the backside safety on a crosser by TE Cade Stover. He FLEW IN out of NOWHERE and picked off the pass, heading the other way for what probably would've been a pick six.

On a fourth down later in a situational drill, QB C.J. Stroud bailed out to his right, looking for a receiver to come and get that fourth down pass. But, the only one close was #2 in a white jersey. Bullock should've had a second pick on that play, seemingly breaking out of nowhere to cut in front of a receiver. But, this one, he couldn't corral for a second pick. Immediately after practice, I saw him catching balls on the jugs machine. Hawk seems an apropos nickname because his ability to swoop in and make a play on the football anywhere on the field is highly impressive.

Notes on Schultz and Taylor

When QB Davis Mills began throwing, he quicklky layered one over the linebackers to WR Xavier Hutchinson on the deep over route. Hutch had a step on his defender and Mills put in the exact right spot for Hutch to make the catch.

On that play, TE Dalton Schultz got matched one-on-one in pass protection with DE Darrell Taylor (more on him in a second) and held up long enough to allow Mills a chance to hit Hutch for the completion. Then, he went and did ten push-ups because he had originally false started on that play. Accountability. Love it.

Now, Schultz was one of the few guys to get the best of Taylor today because the newly signed Texan edge rusher was a monster off the edge all day long. At one point, he went past me with an ice towel over his head and I thought that was it for the day. I've seen that look a lot in my 19 years at practice. But, when they called his group, he was back on the field to wreak even more havoc. On two consecutive plays, he put pressure on Mills, forcing one throwaway and a hurried fourth down throw that rookie WR Jaylin Noel somehow caught for a first down. Taylor's length and power can be felt on every rush. He's fun to watch for sure.

It's tough to see inside the formation at all times, but I saw DT Tommy Togiai get free a number of times. There was one series where he made a tackle or got pressure on three straight plays.

Togiai forced a hurried Mills' throw down the seam to TE Irv Smith Jr. LB Jake Hansen was in perfect position but Mills had to airmail it because of Togiai's pressure.

Another Taylor, and some strong offensive plays

It was great to see RB J.J. Taylor back at practice after being on early season PUP. He had one of the better runs early in practice, taking a cutback on a zone play before a gang of defenders hit him four or five yards downfield.

On Saturday, WR Daniel Jackson uncharacteristically dropped a great Graham Mertz throw and I knew that had to eat at him. On Monday, Mertz looked up his guy Jackson on an intermediate route. It looked like S Russ Yeast was going to pick it off, but Jackson reached up and snatched it before Yeast could do his best Calen Bullock imitation. Good ball. Good catch. Great to see a couple of young guys make a play when the offense certainly needed it.

Eyes on 82

Once the first offense came back on the field, it faced a third down situation drill. On the first play of the drill, C.J. Stroud got great pass protection and found TE Cade Stover wide open for a nearly walk-in touchdown.

I thought WR Jaylin Noel was terrific all over the field on Monday. Just after Stroud hit Stover, Mills found Noel on a quick in-route for a completion.

Three plays later on a 4th and five situation, Noel ran the deep over behind everyone and Mertz threw deep to the only spot where Noel could make the catch clean from everyone. Touchdown Cyclon…I mean, Texans.

When the Texans moved into a red zone 7-on-7 drill, Noel made one heck of a move to get inside the nickel covering him for a touchdown. Mills DRILLED that ball to him, but Noel held on after winning that one-on-one coverage fight. Now, on the final play of that series, Noel got open but couldn't hang on, running before he caught it. So, it wasn't a perfect day, but 82 was certainly noticeable throughout the practice.

Another nice Jordan run

During the earlier situational drill, the Texans offense faced a fourth and one and handed to 6-3, 235 lb RB Jawhar Jordan. Okay, I'm kidding, but to prove a point, so to speak. Jordan, all of 5-9, 195 lb (maybe?), took the handoff from Mills and started into the line. At the very last second, he jump cut to his left and got vertical again for a key first down run. It was a tremendous short yardage run for a guy that isn't typically a short yardage back. LB Jake Hansen showed so quickly in the designated run hole yet Jordan reacted so quickly to get free outside and pick up the first down yardage.

On his second series in the third down situation drill, Stroud threw a laser shot to WR Xavier Hutchinson on the out route to pick up eight of the ten yards on third down. As I mentioned earlier, Bullock then knocked down the fourth down pass…I mean, dropped it.

DB D'Angelo Ross continues his run of BEAUTIFUL pass breakups. He knocked one away from WR John Metchie on a throw from QB Kedon Slovis. Ross is such a pest in coverage and has a knack for playing the ball late as he did earlier in training camp against TE Dalton Schultz.

Metchie came right back on the fourth down play and made a solid catch for the first down.

They Are Eating!

I have written in my notebook just after that "50 and 52 are eating with their rushes". 50 is Solomon Byrd and 52 is the aforementioned Darrell Taylor. Those two throw a number of different looks at tackles and edge protectors that are really difficult to stop in the pass rush consistently.

Red zone 7v7s

On the first play of 7-on-7 in the red zone, CB Kamari Lassiter was all over rookie WR Jayden Higgins, knocking away a pass at the goal line.

But, Stroud drilled the next ball into WR Nico Collins who at 6-4, 212 lb., boxed out Lassiter at the goal line for the TD catch. Well, there was some discussion from the defensive side whether Lassiter had actually caught the ball. BUT, the refs did signal TD, so we're giving that one to Nico and offense.

After Mills drilled one to Noel for a TD and then had the next one broken up at the goal line, rookie QB Graham Mertz completed both of his reps to his two fullback types - one to Jakob Johnson and the next one to British Brooks.

What will good ball handling do for you? HOF QB Peyton Manning would say everything. Stroud is so excellent at handling the ball. Know how I know? The first rep in the last team period had the entire defense chasing RB Nick Chubb on a run to the left, only to have Stroud boot out to his right. Stover was wide open and made a one handed catch up the sideline on the throw from Stroud.

"What am I wat…oh, my gosh!"

DE Will Anderson Jr. is steady giving young offensive linemen the business. Two plays after Stover's catch, Anderson Jr. just made a 6-6, 330 lb. rookie tackle disappear, somehow. Rookie OT Aireontae Ersery took his kick step and was ready to punch and Anderson *WHAP* *WHAP* two quick hands and was GONE to the QB. I turned to Marc and told him to watch on the big screen after the play. He started to ask what I wanted him to watch "What am I wat…oh, my gosh!" Yep, he saw it too.

When the drill reset, Stroud threw two quick TDs, the first to RB Dare Ogunbowale. The second one was a beauty. Rookie WR Jayden Higgins burst out to the back corner and Stroud lofted one there for the easy catch and TD. That was a fun two plays for Stroud, who got more and more comfortable as the practice ensued.

Then, Mills threw to a wide open WR John Metchie for a touchdown. After LB E.J. Speed stopped a run in its tracks and Mills had to throw one away, the fifth year QB then went off. He hit rookie TE Luke Lachey for a completion. Then, Mills snuck one into Hutchinson who was covered by rookie CB Jaylin Smith. The former USC cover corner was all over Hutch, who just shook Smith at the last second to hold on to the bullet throw from Mills for the TD.

On the next play, Mills drilled one to Metchie who ran easily into the end zone. I said it on Saturday to Davis and I said it on radio this morning - Davis is throwing it as well as I can ever remember and I said that without even adding into today's contributions. He was really good again.

The big rookie OT from Minnesota Aireontae Ersery is a powerful dude. If any rushers try to go right down his middle, he's going to stop them from getting to the QB. I watched three straight reps late in practice and he just swallowed up rushers relatively easily. Now, he has some work to do against guys that can get to his edges and he's a work in progress for sure. But, he's going to improve.

On the second to last play of the day, Slovis threw to Daniel Jackson for a touchdown.

So, that's it for day five from the Houston Methodist Training Center. Better day for the offense and a competitive day all around. Let's get back together tomorrow, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel. IYKYK.