The Texans had a strong showing to open up the preseason after defeating the Minnesota Vikings, 27-13. It was a game that people have come to expect from the Texans over the years -- a lot of yards on the ground and a lot of yards in the air. Quarterback Matt Schaub retired for the evening after one drive, and backups Case Keenum and T.J. Yates combined for 273 yards passing with one touchdown each.
NFL preseason 2013: Dolphins vs. Texans game preview
The Texans hit the ground running in the preseason and go up against a Dolphins team also coming off a dominating win.
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, the Dolphins rebounded from their loss against the Dallas Cowboys in the Hall of Fame game with a nice 27-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Dolphins parted ways with Dan Carpenter this year, and Caleb Sturgis proved that to be the right decision. He drilled a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter and added a 36-yarder in the fourth.
Meet the Texans
DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans' first-round pick in the 2013 draft, had an eye-opening preseason game to get his NFL career going. Hopkins finished with four receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown, and could have had more if T.J. Yates hadn't missed him on a wide-open route. As Battle Red Blog states, adjust the fantasy rankings appropriately -- it isn't just Andre Johnson in Houston anymore.
Yates numbers against the Vikings are halfway decent, but don’t reveal how he struggled with ball placement at times. The call for Keenum to get reps with the second team might rumble out a bit more against the Dolphins if Yates continues to under-throw his receivers.
Meet the Dolphins
One of the more interesting preseason storylines for the Dolphins is who will line up next to Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson at wide receiver. The Dolphins have close to seven players competing for the final spots, and the game against the Jaguars didn't do much to clear the air. Nobody finished with more than two receptions in the game and eleven different receivers caught a pass.
On the rushing front, The Phinsider says Lamar Miller is still the presumed starter at running back, but Daniel Thomas just won't go away lightly. Neither player did very much against the Jaguars; Miller carried the ball twice for six yards and Thomas gained 19 yards on four carries.
Local Takes: Texans
Battle Red Blog is a little unnerved by the initial showing of the Texans’ defense.
I’m dreading if any of the defensive starters gets hurt. I thought Minnesota’s second string made them look a bit bad. Lots of bad angles, bad tackles, and head-shaking.
Local Takes: Dolphins
The community at The Phinsider is nervous that rookie defensive end Dion Jordan is already missing playing time.
In an era where first round draft picks are expected to be immediate impact players, especially when a team trades up to select that player, giving up a second round pick in the process, being “careful” in how you proceed and “not wanting to overload” your prized rookie immediately raises red flags. Did the Dolphins over spend on Jordan? Was selecting a player coming off a torn labrum, and the subsequent surgery to fix it, a misstep by the much maligned Jeff Ireland, Miami’s General Manager?
Follow the Fun
Be sure to check out SB Nation’s team blogs, Battle Red Blog and The Phinsider, for more analysis and highlights from the game.
Add these fine follows to your Twitter timeline:
How pumped are you about #Texans-#Vikings tomorrow night? Or is it more of a feeling of, "Eh...preseason."? #TTTQ
— battleredblog (@battleredblog) August 9, 2013
The deal to build a new stadium in Miami for the Marlins may have sucked (and still does) - but not having that damn infield is so nice.
— Kevin Nogle (@thephinsider) August 10, 2013
@StephStradley - Texans beat writer
A gentle reminder to @NFL_ATL & all sentient beings. "Houston, we have a problem" is beyond cliché into full body cringe. Please stop.
— Stephanie Stradley (@StephStradley) August 14, 2013
@AbramsonPNP - Dolphins beat writer
Just learned that I will be there on Saturday to see Texans unveil the biggest video screen in the world. Take that Cowboys!
— Andrew Abramson (@AbramsonPBP) August 14, 2013
Odds
The Texans are favored by a field goal, according to Oddsshark.com.
Next Week
The Texans draw the New Orleans Saints at home and the Dolphins get their first official preseason game at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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