Houston Texans Receive High Rating in NFL Season Preview
Despite a grueling preseason marred by injuries, Houston's elite defense and C.J. Stroud's high-stakes contract year position the team as a premier, must-watch Super Bowl contender.
Video Transcript
Before we get into the Jaden Higgins talk, 'cause we will discuss some of the Jaden Higgins, the wide receiver rumors around the Texans, I did really wanna quickly hit on the defense from yesterday, because I think we kind of overlook it so I mean, not take it for granted, but we just know this defense is legit.
We know this defense is awesome.
So a lot of the times, like, I pers- I find myself having to go, like, "Hey, I haven't talked about the defense in, like, four days."
Like, I I'm so focused on this Texans offense.
The Texans defense yesterday, I think in the first half, like, I'm not looking at the second half.
Like, the second half, it is what it is.
We're playing guys who, you know, most, almost 80% of the guys that are on the field the second half- Mm-hmm are not gonna be on the 53-man roster.
First half, though, couple of rookies really stood out to me, Caden McDonald and Wade Woodas.
Like, those two guys really, obviously, it's easy for them to stand out, 'cause they made two of the biggest splash plays on defense.
But, one thing that really interested me, Todd McShay, NFL draft expert, NFL draft analyst, you know, football guy, he tweeted out yesterday, after that play, he thinks that Caden McDonald's career arc will be very similar to Dexter Lawrence.
Ooh.
Which, if that's the case, Texans have the best defense of all time.
I mean, they, they might al- they might already have that, but if you're telling me I'm getting a guy like Dexter Lawrence on the inside, like, I, I Our team's gonna score 10 points against this defense?
Like, that's incredible.
Yeah, it was, I mean, it was already a good defense.
But, I do think there was a little bit of, or a lot of overreaction from national media pundits like Todd McShay, Mina Kimes, to that play.
If you watch the play, like, I'm not taking awa- anything away from Caden McDonald, but he was literally unblocked.
Like- Yeah the center looked to his right and the guard looked to his left, and he just ran, and they got, like, a hand on him.
He gets credit for realizing that no one It was a miscommunication, but he gets credit for realizing and shooting the gap, and then not going for the play fake, and then still pursuing the quarterback and tackling him.
That's all great, but it wasn't, like, you know, some crazy move.
So, again, I'm not taking credit away from him, but I mean, yeah, that still could be the case.
I haven't gone through all of the film yet, so I haven't really gotten a good read on him- as far as his game was.
I know DeMeco talked about the play, was excited about it.
But regardless, I think it's a good thing that that happened, for him to have that play, to get some confidence
