The Houston Texans finished their third preseason game, and it went much better than the previous two. The secondary stood out, including two interceptions and four pass breakups from the starting unit. Demeco Ryans’ defense is beginning to look like they’ll be a top unit in 2024, and they’ve been getting it from some unexpected places too.
The Texans haven’t shown any signs of deciding their position battles, but Saturday’s game was big in deciding those outcomes. Let’s dive into three players who shined against the New York Giants.
Wide receiver John Metchie III
Metchie is in a battle for the final wide receiver spot and had a big game on Saturday. He finished with six receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. A big game like that is exactly what he needed to break away from the rest of the receivers.
Metchie has made a slow return from his leukemia that forced him to miss his entire rookie year. And Saturday’s touchdown catch was the first of any kind by Metchie since being drafted. As he fights for the last receiver spot with Ben Skowronek and Robert Woods, the Texans may value his youth more than the experience the other two offer.
Defensive back Jalen Pitre
The Texans are starting to use Jalen Pitre as a Swiss army knife, and it’s worked out very well for them. He totaled two tackles, a pass breakup, and a pick-six on Daniel Jones. Pitre isn’t battling for any starting spot, but after the season he had just a year ago, the Texans need him to step up. He showed everyone flashes of his rookie year that raised everyone's expectations of him.
Now Pitre needs to continue that success into the regular season when the Texans open up against the Indianapolis Colts. With Houston not adding a veteran safety to compete, they’re putting their full trust in Pitre to bounce back without worrying about any competition.
Running back Jawhar Jordan
Jordan is unfortunately in a deep running back room that Houston continues to add to. Despite that, he shined on Saturday and showed the front office why he should remain on the roster. He ended the game with a strong performance through the air, totaling 42 yards on four receptions, and another 16 yards on eight rushing attempts. Houston needs a pass-catching back.
With Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce expected to get most of their work on the ground, Akers and Jordan will look to make the roster for their route-running ability.
