The final day of a three day, HOT and physical run of practices concluded on Wednesday and the defense made its presence known…again. That group had seen the offense have strong practices on Monday and Tuesday and decided that Wednesday was NOT going to be THAT day. Let's dive into my HARRIS HITS from day #7.
Bullish on Bullock
S Calen Bullock continues to ascend and he might be doing so to a level few outside the Texans draft room thought he'd get to after getting drafted on night two of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Every single day he makes a play that leaves many shaking their heads. He's as good as I've seen in this building ever playing the ball in the air, anywhere on the field. If he's in the area, it's his ball. On the fourth play of the first team session, QB C.J. Stroud took one of his first deep shots of camp to the recipient of MANY of those shots in their careers WR Nico Collins. As I watched the ball in the air, I peeked down the field to see who Stroud had targeted. When I looked, I could see Bullock measuring the pass just as much as Nico was. Nico could never really get in position to make a jump ball bid and Bullock snatched the deep toss out of the air for his third pick in as many days.
I did like the run game a bit more on Wednesday. Just prior to the interception, G Laken Tomlinson and C Jake Andrews put together a wonderful double team to open space for RB Nick Chubb, who darted through for a four yard gain without being touched at the LOS.
A few plays later, RB Jawhar Jordan made an excellent read when DE Darrell Taylor shot upfield after Jordan took the handoff. Jordan spied the immediate void in the defense and had the longest run gain of the day. I've said it before with Jordan - just give him a sliver - He got one on that play and hit the gas up the field.
Mills to Noel
QB Davis Mills started off the next series with a quick strike to WR Jaylin Noel, who then showed why teams coveted him in the 2025 NFL Draft. The rookie from Iowa State SHOT upfield and left some defenders grasping at the speedy rookie.
Reed Rips an INT
Two plays after Jordan sliced through the defense, another rookie burst on the scene, literally and figuratively. Rookie S Jaylen Reed jumped an interior crossing route, having spied the crossing receiver the whole way. He picked off the ball on the dead run, heading in the other direction for a pick six. Such a GREAT read. THREE ASTERISK PLAY!!
After RB J.J. Taylor ran well on an inside run, S Russ Yeast came up with a wonderful PBU on a deep throw from rookie QB Graham Mertz to WR John Metchie. Yeast and the safeties haven't really been tested deep in training camp, but on Wednesday, they were tested and responded very well, Yeast absolutely did right here with a great PBU.
QB Kedon Slovis started his reps of that team series with a bootleg and a perfect toss to TE Irv Smith Jr out in the right flat. The defense read that play well, but Slovis was still able to avoid defenders to make a good throw on the run to Smith Jr.
Anderson Jr. and Hunter, LLC
The defense was so locked in today. Here's just one series I have in my notebook:
- "Coverage sack, 51 won too quickly."
- "Sting v. Nico - outstanding rep and competition - INC"
- "Can't block 51 - sack"
- "Coverage sack - no one open"
When I tell you the defense was back on its game on Wednesday, this was THAT series. The law firm of Anderson Jr and Hunter, LLC was tough to block in that period for sure.
CB Damon Arnette flashed some solid man-to-man coverage at the outset of the next series as he ran step-for-step with rookie WR Jayden Higgins to force an inaccurate Davis Mills throw.
Three Asterisk Play Alert!
But, it was S M.J. Stewart who followed up his fellow safety Jaylen Reed's pick with one of his own. I mentioned Reed because that interception looked amazingly similar to M.J.'s pick. Stewart saw a crosser and read Mills' eyes, snatching the ball on the dead run headed the other direction. THREE STAR ASTERISK PLAY.
On the next play, Mills went deep to rookie WR Jaylin Noel, but CB Tremon Smith was able to knock that pass away. It wasn't until the next play when Mills found rookie RB Woody Marks for a first down.
So, prior to that Marks catch in that team session, the defense had an interception (third one on the day), three coverage sacks, two PBUs and two other forced incompletions. Again, they were on one for sure.
A few plays later, rookie QB Graham Mertz tried to hit rookie WR Daniel Jackson deep down the field, but rookie CB Jaylin Smith was in lock step to force the incompletion.
Mertz got back on track, hitting WR Braxton Berrios for a completion to end his series of plays.
Slovis then had two straight completions to the Iowa State boys - one a screen to Noel and a slant to Higgins (but that completion was well short of a first down).
Inside Blocking Strong For Chubb
Then, the Texans moved to a scrimmage drill where they moved the ball down the field, instead of returning to a particular spot on the field to run plays. The offense strung together a trio of plays that they needed for some confidence at that point. RB Nick Chubb took an inside handoff on first down, but what stood out to me was the interior blocking and the excellent double and bump off to the linebacker blocking from the interior. I liked that look.
Stroud drilled one to Brevin Jordan on the next play but as soon as the ball arrived, so did C.J. Gardner-Johnson, holding Brev to a short gain.
The third down play was vintage. Just beautifully vintage. Stroud spied man coverage on our side of the field. He's never been scared of any cornerback when Nico Collins is challenged…and you know CB Kamari Lassiter is going to challenge. So, Collins ran a deep route and Lassiter was step for step, but Stroud brilliantly threw to Nico's backshoulder. The Pro Bowl receiver wheeled back to the ball, making a wonderful catch for the first down.
Stroud in Rhythm
After a Sheldon Rankins run stuff, Stroud went to a later read in his progression to find WR Christian Kirk for a solid second down completion. Then, he found TE Cade Stover on the bootleg for a first down. That sequence of six plays was probably the best the offense looked on Wednesday.
As that was a situational drill, K Kaimi Fairbairn drilled a 50-yard field goal to end the drill. As a matter of fact, Fairbairn ended every single situation until the end of practice with a made field goal from varying distances. In fact, he even KISSED one off an upright that doinked in between the goal posts from about 55-yards.
The Texans tried to run the ball on the next series of downs, but DE Casey Toohill knifed into the backfield and slowed that run before it could even get going. Then, Mills hit Justin Watson for a completion and then one to Jawhar Jordan who made a great adjustment for the catch out in the flat.
Hansen impresses
On the next run, I was in the perfect spot on the field to see what rookie Woody Marks could see when he took a handoff that started to the right side. The backside just got washed down and there was a gaping hole that Marks spied and sprinted through for one of the better cutback runs on the day. On the next run, though, LB Jake Hansen had seen enough and ran down Marks from the inside on a wide zone run. Hansen was MOVING, let me tell you.
Slovis to Metchie Looked Beautiful
When Kedon Slovis came back in, he tried to find WR Johnny Johnson on the far sideline, but the Texans QB ran out of time and couldn't step into his throw. CB Tremon Smith snatched the pass and took off with the defense's fourth interception of the day.
Slovis then went deep on the very next play to rookie WR Daniel Jackson, but Myles Bryant and Russ Yeast had great bracket coverage on him to help force the incompletion.
But, on third down, Slovis went back to the well down the field and this time John Metchie was behind everyone. Slovis lofted one deep and let Metchie go get the football for the big play. That was beautiful as Metchie flashed the JUICE, getting down field beyond anyone for the chunk play.
Situation Time!
Then, it was situation time - 1:30 on the clock, down one, -35 yard line. I would like to finish these Harris Hits telling you that the offense walked down the field like clockwork, but, alas, that didn't happen. Stroud was forced to scramble two or three times on the first few plays of his series. Then, CB Derek Stingley Jr. had a pass breakup on a throw to Nico Collins. That was followed up by a C.J. Gardner-Johnson pass breakup on the very next play on a throw to Dalton Schultz.
When Davis Mills got his shot at the situation, he immediately looked up TE Cade Stover. The big TE shielded LB Jake Hansen from the ball, giving Mills a spot to place the ball on the throw. Stover then broke away from Hansen and sprinted up the field for the gain that put the offense on the other side of the 50-yard line.
Then, Stover drew a DPI on LB E.J. Speed who got just a little bit handsy at the end of the pass play. Two runs and a spike then set up Fairbairn from 43 yards…and it was good.
Rookie QB Graham Mertz couldn't have handled his two minute opportunity any better. Four straight completions moved the ball inside the defenses' 25-yard line. He looked so composed, and in charge, as he directed his group down the field. That was so good to see and, as I mentioned, Fairbairn finished the drill by nailing one from 42 yards to end practice.
So, yeah, the offense struggled a bit, but it was because the defense was top notch all day long. Day off on Thursday, so everyone will get a chance to breathe, take a second and gear up for two more practices before leaving for West Virginia on Saturday. See ya on Friday, everyone!! Thanks for reading.
