The Houston Texans held their final training camp practice of ahead of the preseason opener against the New England Patriots. Rookie QB C.J. Stroud will start in his NFL debut on Thursday. The Texans spent a good amount of time doing situational work, particularly third downs, during Tuesday's practice in full pads.
Here are the hottest headlines from Day 11 of training camp:
1. Offense moving with efficiency
With nearly half of training camp in the books, the offense has been moving with efficiency in recent days. Tuesday's practice had some big catches from Nico Collins, John Metchie III, Robert Woods and runs by Dameon Pierce.
"Offense has been doing really good," Head Coach DeMeco Ryans said. "The past couple of days, they have been running the ball very effectively so I'm excited to see the way we are re-establishing the line of scrimmage from the offensive line. They are doing a really good job, our backs are hitting it downhill having some really nice runs, so really excited with how our offense is coming together and they are moving the ball efficiently. It's exciting to see."
2. Preseason reps for starters will vary
The decision to start Stroud or Davis Mills has been "an ongoing process" between Ryans and OC Bobby Slowik, the head coach said. Many players will see action in Thursday's game, but will starters like Pierce or LT Laremy Tunsil be among those suiting up for preseason action against the Patriots?
"We'll see," Ryans said.
Instead, preseason reps will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the player.
3. What excites DeMeco Ryans in his head coaching debut?
Even though Ryans will make his debut as head coach Thursday night, he doesn't want want the spotlight on himself. He is excited for young players to show what they have worked on in camp and throughout the offseason.
"Every preseason there are a few young guys that stick out and they showcase their talent to the world," Ryans said. "I'm just excited for these young men to have the opportunity to go out and play to the best of their ability. Not so much of the focus is about me, I've been in many games, many times. The focus is on the players."
The Texans-Patriots preseason game kicks off from Gillette Stadium Thursday at 6 p.m. CT on ABC-13 and Sports Radio 610.
