Preseason Week 1 at Arizona

[RobToxin]

Enough of 2013. That is over and done. Saturday begins the 2014 Houston Texans preseason slate with a game in Arizona against the Cardinals. Preseason is more a chance to get a look at players with the score being irrelevant. I am going to save the cliche "hope no injuries" and a few thinks I will be looking for in this game.

1. Extended playing time for starters. Especially on offense. I would not be surprised to see most of our first team offense facing Arizona's backups. With a new system and a new quarterback, they need the reps. Might see the starters on offense play into the second quarter.

2. Quarterback play. This is the big albatross around the Texans neck. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage will have the eyes of Houston all over them. While I do believe that "it's a QB-driven league" mantra is a bit of an exaggerated myth, quarterback play does matter a lot and can really kill a team with bad play.

3. Two or three series out of Clowney. Let him get a taste of NFL speed. And, sorry, but no. SEC speed is not NFL speed. Just ask Kareem Jackson about that.

4. Brian Cushing. How are his legs after back-to-back season-ending injuries?

5. The attitudes of Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. Personally, I would not be surprised if nether player sees the field this entire game. Sadly, I expect both guys to be more headaches than they are worth this season.

 

[RobToxin]

Game scratches. No surprise. Andre Johnson and Arian Foster.

 

[RobToxin]

Positives so far: It's only a preseason game.

 

[RobToxin]

Fitzpatrick has looked really good handing off. His throws...not so much.

 

[RobToxin]

Fitzpatrick's passer rating at this point in the game is 6.2.

6.2.

 

[Davis_Mike]

I am at the game. Fitzpatrick looks terrible. And he has been going against the #2 or #3 defense rotations since mid 1st quarter.

 

[RobToxin]

I am at the game. Fitzpatrick looks terrible. And he has been going against the #2 or #3 defense rotations since mid 1st quarter.

He is making Texan fans miss Matt Schaub.

Hell, he's making Texans fans miss David Carr!

 

[RobToxin]

So to summarize:

 

[RobToxin]

Okay. That was awful.

I do recall that, in Jim Harbaugh's first preseason game three years ago or so, the Texans kind of did to the 49ers what the Cardinals did to the Texans last night. And the 49ers turned out okay afterwards so for the optimist there is that to go on.

That's about all there is to go on for the optimist though.

The running game was okay. The backups looking for playing time showed they were going to give a good effort at least. Foster better bring some heart to the field or he won't be around long.

The run defense was beyond outstanding. Of course, when your secondary is as bad is it was, the other team doesn't need to run the ball.

And, while I believe this whole "QB-driven league" hype is a mythical wishing pipe dream the NFL wants everyone to buy into, if your starting quarterback's QB rating is lower than the amount of runs the Astros scored that night.....

that's not good.