The Houston Texans defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20-9 on Aug. 18. That fact is completely irrelevant. The 49ers had pulled starters as early as the beginning of the second quarter.
It's a shame this was a preseason game, as it was fun to watch two good teams slug it out early. There are some things we can take away from the Texans' second preseason win, however.
Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are Healthy
The most encouraging sign for the Texans had to be watching Matt Schaub execute his patented bootlegs and roll outs with no signs that his foot is still bothering him. Schaub had a nice night overall, but he was helped by a fantastic leaping grab from Andre Johnson for 43 yards.
Schaub was accurate and did a nice job leading a touchdown drive on a good, but depleted 49ers defense.
For veterans like Schaub and Johnson, a second preseason game is all about getting a sense of timing and rhythm and staying healthy. Those missions were accomplished.
Keshawn Martin and Lestar Jean Duke it Out
Martin and Jean are both battling for playing time this season, and both had impressive performances. Martin ran a nice route and caught a 22-yard pass early, and Jean added a touchdown grab.
Those were encouraging efforts by two players who will both likely see snaps in the regular season. Both Jean and Martin saw extensive work deep into the game. Martin seems like the front runner, but Jean is getting a lot of action.
Meanwhile, DeVier Posey was invisible, not entering the game until late.
Holiday Wants a Roster Spot
After his big play in Week 1, Trindon Holliday followed up with a punt return for a score in Week 2.
The Texans are loathe to keep a pure returner, but if they can't find room for Holiday on the roster after two return scores in as many weeks, plenty of other teams will happily take him.
It seems unlikely that Holliday's frame will hold up to anything but return duty, but with the kind of explosive speed he's shown, Gary Kubiak might have to alter his philosophy.
How do you not find a way to keep this on your roster?
Defense Goes a Little Soft Against the Run
The Texans defense played decently against Alex Smith for the brief time he was in the game, and there are absolutely no conclusions to be drawn from this game. Houston's defense has elite talent and rushes the passer like few teams in football.
It did look like the 49ers took advantage of the Texans' aggressiveness by hammering some big runs up the middle on draws and traps.
Obviously, it's far too small a sample size to be labeled a "worry" for the Texans, but it's something I'll keep my eye on as weeks go by.
Even if the Texans' aggression does create a slight vulnerability to the run, that's no reason to stop being aggressive.
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