The necessary evil that is the NFL preseason is finally over, and the Texans had 2 clear patterns they followed during the preseason. When things were going right, they were pretty good. Whe
n things were going bad, they were bloody awful, as someone from Britain might say.
And so they closed the preseason with a bloody awful performance, losing 40-13 to the San Francisco 49ers. It was the same San Francisco 49ers that trotted out bad to the bone Blaine Gabbert for a decent portion of the game.
Alas, Gabbert did not corner the market on poor quarterbacking. Houston’s not-so-dynamic duo of Case Keenum & Tom Savage did their part, playing as though they were auditioning for future episodes of football follies on the NFL Network.
With such uneven play from Savage & Keenum, it is only natural to start speculation on a shake-up at the position. For now, it appears as though all 3 will be on the roster.
However, some players who played for the Texans Thursday night are not going to be sticking around. Wide receiver Travis Labhart was waived, much to the chagrin of HST Podcast Host & my colleague Robert Land, who feels Labhart is a superstar slot receiver in the making. Versatile punter/kicker Chris Boswell was also let go, as well as veteran linebacker Quinton Groves.
With more roster moves to come, and the season opener against the Washington Redskins just around the corner, we will bring you a special edition of the Pick Six, with a mix of final preseason tidbits & some things to look for during the opener.
Mercilus showing opponents no mercy
It’s no secret linebacker Whitney Mercilus has been an uneven player in his first 2 seasons. He has posted some sacks, but his overall game needs work. He showed nice progress in the last 2 games of the preseason, with 7 tackles against Denver & sacks in both games.
Maybe Mercilus is a better fit in Romeo Crennel’s version of the 3-4. The presence of Jadeveon Clowney will reduce some of the spotlight on him. It is a bit harsh to call Mercilus a full-fledged draft bust. That should be reserved for players such as JaMarcus Russell & Ryan Leaf. Whitney can still be a contributor, as this preseason has shown. Maybe in time he will be regarded as just an average draft pick, far from a disaster.
Randy Bullock has been dandy
With the Texans relying on their defense & trying not to make mistakes on offense, every point counts. After winning the preseason competition against Boswell by making all 3 of his field goal tries, Bullock should inspire confidence 
among Texans fans, not fear. This is not the same guy who melted down against the Colts last year. The last time he missed a field goal was in November.
I am not racing to put Bullock on my fantasy team, but I could see a game-winning kick or 2 in his future.
Andre Hal vs. Matt Schaub in jeopardy?
Rookie cornerback Andre Hal has been one of the brightest lights of the Texans preseason, with 2 interception returns for touchdowns. While we cannot absolutely, positively guarantee that Hal will make the roster, we think he will. That does not guarantee he will be active on game days. Still, we were excited about the possibility of Hal potentially matching wits with Matt Schaub in week 2. Do you need a reminder this segment is called the Pick Six?
However, this dream matchup may not happen, and it has nothing to do with the Texans. Rookie quarterback Derek Carr, the brother of David & Oakland’s second-round pick, has played much better than Schaub during the preseason, especially in the exhibition finale against the world champion Seattle Seahawks. And there is strong speculation Carr will be the starter for the Raiders on opening day against the New York Jets & loudmouth, overrated head coach Rex Ryan. He was expected to steal the job from Schaub at some point, but not this soon.
With New York’s dilapidated group of cornerbacks, Carr could produce a better game than most would expect. That would keep him in the lineup against the Texans, robbing Hal & Houston fans the opportunity to take out some frustration on Schaub.
Can the Texans contain Washington’s pass rush?
If Houston can, they have a very good chance of winning their opening game of the season. Washington’s defense is weak 
overall, but linebackers Ryan Kerrigan & Brian Orakpo, a former Texas Longhorn, combined for 18.5 sacks last year. The Redskins also signed Jason Hatcher, who had 11 sacks for Dallas. It’s not far-fetched to think they could cause some problems for Houston’s offensive line, especially overmatched tackle Derek Newton.
As long as the Texans lose a few battles but win the war, they can start off on a positive note.
Will the real Robert Griffin III stand up?
In his rookie season, Robert Griffin III, who is pretty familiar to anyone who has followed sports in Texas, looked like a superstar 
for years to come, until he suffered a severe knee injury in a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. RG3 was uneven last year & has struggled so badly in the preseason that former Redskins legend Joe Theismann suggested benching him for Kirk Cousins.
RG3 has a good group of receivers to work with. Holdovers Pierre Garcon, who Texans fans will remember from his days with the Indianapolis Colts, & Jordan Reed will be joined by speedster DeSean Jackson & solid possession receiver Andre Roberts. That supporting cast could prop him up & give the Texans fits. If Houston can rattle RG3 early, it would greatly benefit their cause. Until he shows otherwise, he is more name than game at this point & the Texans don’t need to feel intimidated by him.
Battle of the head coaching rookies
Not only will the clash with Washington represent the first game of the season, it will also be the NFL head coaching debuts for Bill O’Brien & Jay Gruden.
If either one or both has any success, we could look back at this game as being where it all started. Ultimately, it will probably take time for them to make an impact. Between Houston’s lackluster offense & Washington’s lackluster defense, neither one has a complete team. It will still be intriguing to see them match wits. Both have reputations as offensive gurus, with O’Brien having success at Penn State & with the New England Patriots. For the past 3 years, Gruden was offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, playing a big role as the Bengals made 3 straight playoff appearances. Houston fans will be hoping O’Brien wins the sideline chess game.
