The Houston Texans took it on the chin in their second preseason game.
The scoreboard can sometimes be misleading in exhibition contests, including even the concept of winning and losing. But the Miami Dolphins dominated the Texans 28-3 for the home opener inside NRG Stadium Aug. 19.
The Dolphins out-gained the Texans 398 to 186. Miami had control of the football for 38:42 compared to the Texans’ 21:18. Certainly fans in South Beach had more fun observing their offensive backups than did Houston fans, who saw defense and special teams most of the afternoon.
Even though the Texans had a forgettable outing, there were some performances worth mentioning both good and bad.
Stud — RB Mike Boone
The former Vikings and Broncos running back essentially led the Texans from scrimmage with five carries for 12 yards and four catches for 35 yards. Boone is showcasing that he can be an effective backup should something happen to the top two in the running backs stable.
Dud — Texans run defense
The Texans gave up 205 rushing yards and allowed the Dolphins to spring chunk plays thanks to missed tackles. No one understands the importance of the run more than DeMeco Ryans, and one would figure this would be the area Houston would have locked down.
Stud — WR Steven Sims
The Fort Bend Travis High School product had a 43-yard kickoff return and also caught a 12-yard pass on his two targets. Sims is competing against a numbers game at receiver, but the return angle may be what keeps him around.
Dud — QB C.J. Stroud
The No. 2 overall pick just hasn’t had that moment declaring his arrival to the NFL stage. Stroud had a better outing going 7-of-12 for 60 yards, but the Texans’ first drive was such a missed opportunity. Instead of punching it in from the 1-yard line, a delay of game pushed Houston to the 6-yard line on third-and-goal. Credit to the coaching staff for not settling for a field goal, as a touchdown would have been the event to make a statement about the new-look Texans.
Stud — DE Will Anderson
There is getting your first sack — even in preseason — and there is establishing your dominance. The No. 3 overall pick powered through a chip from running back Salvon Ahmed and took down quarterback Skylar Thompson in the second quarter. Not only did Anderson get the sack, but forced a fumble, which Miami recovered. Anderson also had two combined tackles. The rookie proved his worth and ought to be bubble-wrapped for Baltimore.
