Tyler Ervin touched the ball six times in Sunday's preseason win over Arizona.
He produced 111 yards.
The rookie running back from San Jose State rushed twice for a total of 13 yards. He caught a pass for 20 yards. He fair-caught a punt for no yards, and he peeled off a 58-yard and 20-yard kickoff return.
"I was happy to see that because I told the coaches last night that I really wanted to see him more," head coach Bill O'Brien said on Sunday. "I thought it was good to see him really go out there and do a
couple things tonight that were pretty decent."
Ervin got going late in the second quarter when he took a Cardinals' kickoff three yards deep in his own end zone. With good blocking and some nifty moves, he knifed his way to the Arizona 45. The Texans haven't had a return of more than 58 yards in the last seven seasons.
Later in the half, with 1:56 remaining before the intermission, he picked up 11 yards to start a drive that would result in a Jaelen Strong touchdown catch. He followed up the 11-yard burst with a reception for 20 yards. It was a productive stint for Ervin, who struggled in May and June with his health.
"Here's a guy that was injured during the spring," O'Brien said. "He had a quad pull, so he missed all of OTAs, so this is really kind of his OTA, if that makes sense, because he missed the whole spring."
Ervin's ability to contribute explosively has teammate DeAndre Hopkins excited about his potential.
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"Tyler has a lot of speed, he can do a lot of things," Hopkins said. "Punt, kick return, he showed it out here. Get the ball and go in the middle and not just a speed guy, who typically goes to the side. He is a tough kid. I am excited to see what he is going to do the rest of the season."
Ervin and the Texans will practice on Tuesday morning and fly to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Wednesday for their Thursday night contest against the Cowboys.
Check out the best photos during #TexansGameday vs. the Cardinals.
