Four days – Four downs – here you go…
1st Down – This offense will be better than last year's. Don't ask me how much, yet. It's clear the whole operation looks smoother and more fluid that year one of the Nick Caley system. Before you go quoting me that I'm booking Super Bowl tickets, keep in mind that I'm measuring the first four days this year vs last year. This is a work in progress.
The desire to be more aggressive and physical has shown up in Training Camp, as the added pieces on the offensive line and the acquisition of David Montgomery turns up the intensity on the attack. The offensive lineman all look like someone is standing between them and the buffet table. Watch out!
2nd Down – Montgomery could be as significant a veteran offseason pick-up as this team has ever had. It's impossible not to notice the fury he runs with. Plus, the moves! He had a shake-and-bake on Saturday that had the whole complex buzzing. Yes, we are not in pads yet but this is all we have to go on and it's a good start.
3rd Down – C.J. Stroud is throwing darts and moving the team well. The degree of difficulty in getting things accomplished against this defense has to be taken into consideration. I've seen more head-turning plays from the 'ones' at this point than what were on display in 2025.
A big part of that is the fact that everyone seems more comfortable and in sync. The speed that the team is getting to the line, making adjustments and executing plays seems far more like what the whole group draws on the dry erase board in meetings [Do they even use one of those? Is it all digital? We used to say 'chalk board.' Heck, the guys still talk about 'watching film' and they haven't used film since the Carter Administration].
4th Down – As we talk about offensive progress, don't worry – the defense is just fine. They've been making their presence felt and they're loaded. You start reading off some of these names on that side of the ball and it sounds like you could be announcing the Pro Bowl roster.
Overtime: With fans at the Houston Methodist Training Center for the first time, Cal and Hannah McNair greeted the crowd with a t-shirt toss and performances by the Houston Texans Cheerleaders and Deep Steel Thunder. It almost felt like a gameday. The McNairs saluted Co-Founder Janice McNair, as a big banner honoring her hangs in the endzone. Camp is certainly not the same without Mrs. McNair sitting outside her tent, taking notes.
I won't talk about the heat but it's worth noting that we've had some nice breezes so far to take the temperature down to surface-of-Mercury levels as opposed to the surface-of-the-sun. The team worked indoors on Friday and has Sunday off. DeMeco Ryans will be careful to keep everyone as fresh as possible. Remember, the Texans' don't play outside until an October Week-5 matchup in Nashville with the Titans.
