Houston Texans: Five takeaways from first preseason game

The Houston Texans kicked off the preseason against the Carolina Panthers on Wedensday night, taking the loss 27-17. While it’s just the first preseason game, there are still some thing to glean from the minimal time we saw the first and second string squads.

The Houston Texans have a lot to be excited about coming into this year. From the return of JJ Watt, to the continued progress of first time pro-bowler Jadeveon Clowney, to of course the battle for starting quarterback between Tom Savage and Deshaun Watson.

As we all know, preseason record means nothing as you see the coach sometimes just trying things out that they would most likely not do in the regular season. In the middle of the third quarter for example, Bill O’Brien went for it on fourth and one from inside his own 40 yard line down two touchdowns.

That’s not a regular season move. That’s a “Let’s see if this call works on fourth and one, why not?” That’s why the preseason is not the best gauge for what the Texans will be like come September 10th.

All that said, there were some things that could be gleaned from the game that could be telling going forward. So let’s go with the five biggest takeaways from yesterday’s first preseason game that could portend what the future holds.