Texans vs. Rams Notebook: High And Lows From Offense Leaves Questions In Win

The Texans first-team offense had one strong drive in an overall lackluster outing against the Rams.

A win is a win, right? 

Houston Texans third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel connected with tight end Mason Shreck for an 8-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the team's 24-20 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Rams. And while it went down to the wire, the Texans never wavered in signs of adversity late. 

As Houston heads back to NRG Stadium for its final preseason game, here are the top takeaways from Friday night's action at SoFi Stadium.

Derek Stingley’s Debut

Texans coach Lovie Smith said throughout the week that Houston’s first-round pick would play this preseason, but he never gave an exact date. On Friday, the question of when Stingley would make his professional debut was answered.

Stingley, the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, played 15 snaps against Los Angeles’ offense. On the opening drive, Rams quarterback John Wolford elected to throw away from his direction. On the second drive, he targeted Stingley early.

Wolford connected with receiver Lance McCutcheon for a 22-yard gain on a zone coverage play. The 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back forced McCutcheon to work inside, but with his eyes were focused on the backfield, this give the receiver a cushion to make the catch.

A play later, miscommunication between Stingley and safety Jonathan Owens led to a gain of 21 by receiver Laden Akers. Stingley ended up getting the last laugh on Akers with a pass breakup on second down, eventually leading to a punt. 

Much remains unknown about Stingley’s potential in live reps. Prior to being drafted, the former LSU All-American was limited to three games in 2021 after suffering a foot injury that required Lisfranc surgery.

Stingley is expected to start Week 1 for Houston’s defense. Plays like the one made on Akers explains why.

Bad Offensive Start, Strong Offensive Finish

If not for the final drive, Houston’s first-team offense would once again be under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Second-year quarterback Davis Mills never found his footing. Neither did the offensive line.

Houston finished 1 of 4 on third down conversion in four drives. A sack by Rams defensive tackle Jonah Williams nearly ended Mills’ night on the second drive thanks to a missed block by offensive lineman Max Scharping. As for throws, outside of a few completions to second-year receiver Nico Collins, Mills was inconsistent.

The final drive showed the potential of what could be when the offense is clicking. Mills found speedy target Phillip Dorsett on third down for a 32-yard gain. Dorsett managed to hang on through contact, thus placing the Texans inside Los Angeles’ red zone following a personal foul penalty.

Once again, Mills targeted Collins, this time for an 18-yard touchdown to give the Texans a 7-6 lead entering halftime. The throw was near flawless, but the catch by Collins stole the show.

Nico Collins also with the catch of the night pic.twitter.com/hGThSINvkR

— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) August 20, 2022

It’s hard to properly judge Houston’s first-team unit when one-third of its starters are out. Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and center Justin Britt were healthy scratches. So was No. 1 receiver Brandin Cooks. Rookie offensive lineman Kenyon Green was ruled out after missing the past two weeks with a concussion. Running back Dameon Peirce didn't see the field as well. 

Smith said the third preseason game is where most starters will see an extended amount of reps. Perhaps Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers will mark the first time the entire projected unit is set to work together in a live game.

Sacks, Sacks, Sacks

Houston finished tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for fifth-fewest sacks last season. And while Los Angeles elected to rest its starters, that doesn’t change the fact that Houston’s new-found pass rush did work in the first half.

The Texans recorded five sacks against the Rams’ offense during the first and second quarters. Linebacker Christian Kirksey started things off on the opening drive with a takedown against Wolford for a loss of three. On the next drive, defensive end Damone Harris stopped Los Angeles from finding the end zone on third down.

Defensive tackle Roy Lopez and defensive end Jonathan Greenard recorded stops on Wolford for a loss of six and 10 yards, respectively. Safety Grayland Arnold met Wolford behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of seven yards, leading to another punt from Los Angeles.

Kirksey, Greenard and Lopez are all projected starters for Houston’s defense. Smith has praised Greenard’s growth as a pass rusher this offseason, stating that he expected a breakout year from the third-year pro.

Houston is looking for a consistent running mate opposite Grennard on early downs. The expectation is that former Buffalo Bills’ pass-rusher Jerry Hughes will get the first crack, while former Bills defensive end Mario Addison will rotate in as well.

QUICK HITS

- Backup quarterback Kyle Allen made his preseason debut after missing last week due to COVID-19. If anything, he secured his role as the team’s No. 2 QB, going 9 of 12 for 71 yards and a touchdown.

- Rookie tight end Teagan Quitoriano made the most of his five drives Friday evening. Known for his blocking ability at Oregon State, it was Quitoriano’s hands that made noise. During the third quarter, Allen connected with the fifth-round pick for a 6-yard touchdown, putting Houston up 14-6.

- An unsung hero of the night goes to Dorsett, who drew two penalties that ended up helping the Texans win. On top of the 32-yard catch in the second quarter, Dorsett also drew a penalty in the fourth against Rams cornerback Tyler Hall. That would set up the 8-yard touchdown from Driskel to Shreck.

- In the race for the No. 3 running back role, Dare Ogunbowale might have taken the lead. Seeing most of his reps in the second half, Ogunbowale averaged 4.5 yards per run. He also tacked on two impressive blocks in passing protection, including one on the touchdown to Quitoriano

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