Texans vs. Panthers Preseason Recap: Starters Shine, Depth Shows Promise
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As expected, DeMeco Ryans gave his starters about a quarter of action in the Texans’ preseason matchup with the Panthers. After the game, Ryans told John Harris his goal was one quarter of work, and that’s what we saw — three series from the starting defense and two from the starting offense. Both units showed encouraging signs, setting the tone early before handing things off to the depth pieces.
Defense Sets the Tone
The defense opened the game with a statement. On the first play, Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted Bryce Young, though it was negated by a hold on Will Anderson Jr. Even so, it was good to see Stingley making a play on the ball, and it looked like Young treated the flag as a free play opportunity to take a shot downfield.
Later in the drive, safety M.J. Stewart — filling in for the injured C.J. Gardner-Johnson — made a play on the ball, and Stingley followed with a key third-down stop. The second defensive series was even better: a three-and-out capped by a true SWARM sack from Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, and Mario Edwards. Young wouldn’t return after that.
Offense Finds Its Rhythm
The offense’s first series was a bit uneven, featuring a short Nick Chubb run, a quick hitter to Christian Kirk, and a rare C.J. Stroud miss on a deep shot to Nico Collins. But the second series delivered what fans were waiting for.
Behind strong offensive line play and efficient gap/duo runs by Chubb, Stroud found his groove. He connected with Kirk again, hit Jayden Higgins on a sharp play-action deep out, and navigated the red zone with patience. On 3rd-and-goal, Stroud’s angle-route attempt to Dare Ogunbowale was tipped, but Houston went for it on fourth down. Stroud then found Collins on an out route versus man coverage for the touchdown — the same play concept used in joint practice earlier in the week, but with a different read.
Stroud finished the day 6-of-8 for 44 yards, 1 touchdown, and a 127.1 passer rating, looking poised and decisive.
Standout Performances
Nick Chubb: 5 carries, 25 yards (5.0 YPC) plus 1 catch for 4 yards. He showed the vision, decisiveness, and downhill explosiveness that make him a power back built for live-game action.
Nico Collins & Christian Kirk: Collins remains Stroud’s clear No. 1 target, while Kirk flashed as the F-slot weapon, moving the chains with reliability.
Offensive Line: Airontate Ersery, Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram, and Blake Fisher played excellent across the board — no sacks, no TFLs, and good communication against blitz looks. Andrews looks to have the edge over Jarrett Patterson at center, building real chemistry with Stroud. Backup OL Juice Scruggs and Zach Thomas shined as well.
Tight Ends: Cade Stover and Dalton Schultz were effective blockers, an area of emphasis under OC Nick Caley.
On defense, several players stood out:
Will Anderson Jr. & Danielle Hunter: Each logged 2 pressures in limited action, validating their status as the league’s top edge duo.
M.J. Stewart: Solid at strong safety in Gardner-Johnson’s absence.
Jaylin Smith & Damon Arnette: Both notched interceptions, with Smith also delivering a highlight hit.
Tommy Togiai: Disruptive again inside with three tackles and backfield penetration.
E.J. Speed, Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o: Flashed physicality and coverage instincts.
Depth Rushers: Mario Edwards Jr., Darrell Taylor, and Solomon Byrd all generated pressure, with Edwards and Taylor recording sacks.
Depth Notes
Irv Smith Jr. filled the Brevin Jordan role nicely with 5 catches for 46 yards.
Woody Marks impressed with 7 carries for 40 yards (5.7 YPC), running decisively through contact.
Jawhar Jordan showed promise in pass protection.
Justin Watson made key catches, continuing to show reliability.
Davis Mills executed a solid two-minute drill, while rookie Kedon Slovis flashed mobility to extend plays.
Final Take
Overall, the Texans showed what fans wanted: a starting defense that swarms and a starting offense that looks comfortable under C.J. Stroud. The run game was efficient, the pass protection was sturdy, and the scheme under Nick Caley continues to emphasize quick decisions, downhill runs, and motion leverage. For a preseason game, this was as encouraging as it gets.
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