Game overview:
A battle of some of the 1s vs. some of the 1s for each team, initially...and the Texans got the best of it early...a 17-0 lead at the half, but it wasn’t as crushing as it would seem. Definite edge to Houston’s 1s but aided by a Texans goal line stand by the defense (aided by a dropped TD ‘shoulda been’ catch) followed a little later by a Steelers muffed punt turnover to set up the Texans TD #2.
The Steelers outplayed the Texans in the 2nd-half, because of one particular player...that we’ll get into in a moment...but the Texans held on for ‘the win’.
Both teams played with spirit/passion, but one started with C.J. Stroud...the other Justin Fields...
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- C.J. Stroud (2/4 for 41 yards, 1 TD/0 INT) started for two brief series...one a quick three-and-out, the next a 34-yard TD strike on 3rd & 8...a nice throw to his FAVORITE receiver, Tank Dell (1-34-1/1)...and then most all the Texans starters left the game after that.
I still hold the position that Dell is the one to hold, for FF, among the Big 3 WRs for Houston...and this quick flash appearance/TD connection was a nice tip of the cap to that thought all along.
You cannot go wrong with Dell...even if Nico or Diggs explodes and if either of them end up ‘the guy’ in 2024, Dell is not going to be a dud. He’s a rock solid WR2 with WR1 hopes.
I'm not concerned about Dell not in on the Texans 2 WR/2 TE sets here...they'll run a lot of 3 WR sets, obviously. But this game they ran a few more 2 WR/2 TE sets. The RotoBlurbs are making a big deal of it, but I don't think it's an issue to worry about yet. I think the Texans were trying to get rookie TE Cade Stover some run here.
-- First series for Houston, one completed pass...Stroud to his actual BFF off-the-field, Cade Stover (3-32-0/4). The future (at TE) is Stroud-Stover...with Stover as C.J.’s Jake Ferguson in Dallas...or prior to Ferguson, it was Dalton Schultz in Dallas – both were back-end TE1s with Dak. Stover is a lot like both of those guys.
But that’s the future... The current will be Texans-version Dalton Schultz in a split with Stover, of some kind. Not enough action, likely, to propel either to great heights for FF 2024.
-- Texans RB report...
Cam Akers (6-17-0, 3-24-0/3) doesn’t look all the way back yet.
Dameon Pierce (4-4-0) continues to struggle...if he continues to struggle, he could be traded or put as 3rd-team...he would if Houston has a plausible #2 back option, which I’m not sure they do.
Rookie Jawhar Jordan (6-22-0) didn’t catch my attention either...again, 2nd game for HOU to see him work this year.
Their best runner of the ball, not named Joe Mixon, is WR Xavier Hutchinson (1-4-0/3, 1-19-0)...who takes a jet sweep per game for 5-10+ every time now, going back to 2023 season. Six jet sweeps with this one + 5 attempts in 2023...five of them for 10+ yards each.
Pierce is still the #2, for now...with Akers trying to take it away.
-- Najee Harris (3-9-0, 1-16-0/1) got the start and got the first 3 plays until they got the 1st-down...then Jaylen Warren (3-11-0) got a several play run. Not sure if it’s a ‘tell’ of a 50/50 type split or just letting each guy get a separate run in ‘practice’ settings. No way to know.
Najee looked like Najee.
Warren looked a little slower/less ‘juicy’ than usual, for what it is worth.
-- I think this game settled the QB controversy for the Steelers. They found their starter. Good for them. Who would’ve suspected it was the backup QB all along? The Steelers best QB and MVP of this game...Kyle Allen (17-23 for 193 yards, 1 TD/1 INT).
I’m not joking about the game MVP part. I’m only half-joking about the Steelers best QB part.
You tell me... Watch this highlight package from the Steelers side. DON’T skip past any Allen throws...just take them in. DON’T quit after 2-3 throws, watch them all...it’s only 5-6 of them on here...and they aren’t cherry picked, per se. He was on point with all his throws...he completed 73.9% of his 23 throws in this game. DO skip past the Texans offense getting squashed by the Steelers highlights. Just watch the Allen throws...it will only take 1-2 min.
https://youtu.be/-kwIujutz8I?si=-aqz7w97ZIYLcAuF&t=104
I know he’s not winning the job, or even the #2 spot...but all I’m saying is – this was the best QB performance I’ve seen so far in the preseason, bar none (but I haven’t watched even half the games yet). I am taking mental notes in case Allen pops up somewhere/sometime in the future...whether for an opposing DST or for the surrounding weapons projections in a given week with Allen.
AND...I’ve got another reason to get a little hyped on this, but let me get back to you on it. It will be a secret message for subscribers next week. You’ll see.
Justin Fields started, not the Steelers best QB (Allen), and he was OK-ish...he toggled from good play to ‘holds the ball too long and gets sacked or almost sacked’. Fields is who he is. I don’t think he’ll start Week 1, but I do think the fan pressure will see him in by Week 5 or so...unless the Steelers D carries the team/Russ for a while.
Kyle Allen awaits in the wings! But I’m gonna go ahead and ask to see Allen’s next two weeks of play before I get more serious. It’s on my radar, for sure.
-- Steelers WR report...
George Pickens (2-25-0/2) seemed to work well together.
Calvin Austin (2-24-0/3) blew a tough catch TD...but then made some downfield catches with (the great) Kyle Allen.
They (coaches, media) all seem to insist that Van Jefferson (1-20-0/2) is starting. To that, for FF, I say ‘no thank you’. *Roman Wilson is out hurt, so he didn’t play.
-- Defense/IDP notes...
I thought the Steelers defense looked fine...despite the 17-0 halftime deficit. They got a lot of nice, young talent on that defense.
Two IDPs to discuss...
Rookie Payton Wilson (7 tackles, 1 TFL) looked fine. He didn’t do anything ‘wow’ in this game, that I caught specifically -- but he played a lot of snaps...potentially getting extended time to see if he can go right into the starting lineup Week 1.
Rookie UDFA CB Beanie Bishop (4 tackles) continues to make a charge at being the starting slot corner Week 1. He looked solid here in his debut.
