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00:00:12Субтитры делал DimaTorzok
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00:01:33There is plenty to watch tonight with the Texans and the Raiders.
00:01:37We're glad you're with us as we welcome you to the progressive kickoff.
00:01:44And now welcome inside the broadcast booth, everybody.
00:01:47I'm Joe Buck, along with the Hall of Famer Troy Aikman.
00:01:50Laura and Lisa are coming right up.
00:01:52We saw the Raiders take the field.
00:01:54They are in a total rebuild.
00:01:55Last year, they had Pete Carroll at head coach.
00:01:57They had Geno Smith at quarterback.
00:02:00Now they've got Clint Kubiak at head coach.
00:02:02And they've got Fernando Mendoza at quarterback.
00:02:05I cannot wait to watch him play here tonight.
00:02:08Well, I'm excited about it.
00:02:09He played a lot last week.
00:02:10He's playing a lot again tonight, as you said, which is another indication that Kirk Cousins is going to be
00:02:16your week one starter.
00:02:17But for Fernando Mendoza, every opportunity you get to get out here in the preseason and get reps under your
00:02:23belt, it's a learning experience.
00:02:25I thought last week in that game, he was really good.
00:02:28He was decisive with the football.
00:02:30Some of the things that he's being asked to do more of, the play action underneath center, he looked very
00:02:35comfortable in that regard.
00:02:36And he was able to create a few things once he got outside the pocket.
00:02:39I'm impressed with the young man, and I know the Las Vegas Raiders are excited about him.
00:02:43A lot to be excited about.
00:02:45Let's send you down to the field.
00:02:47And here is Laura Rutledge with more on Mendoza.
00:02:50Well, thank you, Joe.
00:02:51And it is a great opportunity for Mendoza tonight.
00:02:53He will play this entire first half and then maybe even into the third quarter.
00:02:58Head coach Clint Kubiak telling us the only way that changes is if there are injuries to the O-line.
00:03:02He will be playing behind the second-team O-line.
00:03:05So Kubiak doesn't want the number one overall pick behind the third-team O-line.
00:03:09We'll keep an eye on that for sure.
00:03:10But we did see an opportunity for Mendoza in joint practice this week against the Texans
00:03:15to go up against that vaunted Texans defense, those starters.
00:03:18We won't see him tonight, but Mendoza loved that opportunity.
00:03:21He said he got a lot out of it.
00:03:23And facing the top defense, he admitted there were some ups and downs,
00:03:27but he walked away from it saying it's just football.
00:03:30And he said, Joe, I belong.
00:03:32Yeah, he says a lot of right things when there's a microphone in front of his face.
00:03:35Let's talk about Houston.
00:03:37Troy, it was same song, third verse.
00:03:39Last year under D'Amico Ryan's success in the regular season.
00:03:42They get to the postseason, can't get past the divisional round.
00:03:46We watched C.J. Stroud really struggle in that ballgame in New England.
00:03:50He's got a lot to make up for here in 2026.
00:03:53Well, I just can't imagine what this offseason was like for C.J. Stroud
00:03:58and what he had to live with.
00:03:59And there's no one who wants to get on the field more than what C.J. does
00:04:03and put last year behind him.
00:04:04And the big key is how is he going to handle the pressure this year that comes with the expectations
00:04:10that they have.
00:04:11Many believe this is a football team that will be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl.
00:04:15So a lot of pressure on everybody in that regard.
00:04:17But the good thing for C.J. Stroud is the organization, they went out and they addressed the offensive line
00:04:23once again.
00:04:24It seems to be an annual occurrence, but more importantly, they made a trade for David Montgomery.
00:04:28And he's a bell cow type running back and someone who can carry the load.
00:04:32And they're hopeful that they can take some of the pressure off C.J., which they've been unable to do
00:04:37the last few years.
00:04:38That playoff game might have looked a little different had they've had a running game.
00:04:41Yeah, I know.
00:04:41By the way, the defense is all back.
00:04:44And that defense is terrific.
00:04:46We're not going to see a lot of those guys tonight, but we're glad we see you in front of
00:04:52a TV.
00:04:53We'll come back with more and hear from Lisa Salters on the other side of the break.
00:05:03We continue to march our way toward kickoff here in Houston.
00:05:07And we'll send you down to the field and say hello for the first time tonight to Lisa Salters.
00:05:13Hi, Lisa.
00:05:13Hey, Joe, well, the last time we saw C.J. Stroud was in January when he had four turnovers in
00:05:17that playoff loss to the Patriots.
00:05:19So perhaps no quarterback is more motivated to get back on the field than Stroud.
00:05:23Now in year two of Nick Haley's system, Stroud says he just feels more confident about the rhythm of the
00:05:29offense,
00:05:29the protections, about everything.
00:05:31D'Amico Ryan says he sees his quarterback more dialed in, more in command, and taking more ownership of this
00:05:38offense.
00:05:38Stroud says he worked on his footwork this offseason, added some muscle in the weight room,
00:05:43but he said he also worked on his mental toughness, on how to use his faith to help bounce back
00:05:48from adversity and move on to the next play.
00:05:51But honestly, Joe, C.J. said he's tired of talking.
00:05:54He said he thinks this Texans offense is the best it's looked since his rookie year, and he's ready to
00:06:00just go play.
00:06:01All right, Lisa, thank you.
00:06:02What a rookie year that was for C.J. Stroud.
00:06:05Well, he may be tired of talking.
00:06:06We're not.
00:06:07We're just getting started.
00:06:08We get set for football preseason action.
00:06:12Mendoza, Crosby, he'll be watching with the rest of us.
00:06:14Nico Collins, C.J. Stroud, let's go.
00:06:17You've been watching the progressive kickoff.
00:06:36ESPN welcomes you to the following presentation of the National Football League.
00:06:44We're going to try and do it justice tonight.
00:06:46The Texans won the toss.
00:06:47They will receive, so we will get to see their offense first tonight,
00:06:51and that Raiders defense that had a rough start in their game last week on a Thursday
00:06:57against the Arizona Cardinals.
00:06:59Trying to shore up defending the run, among other things,
00:07:03and we'll get the kickoff with Noah Whittington waiting deep,
00:07:06and Codrington hits it.
00:07:09This is going to be Whittington, a young running back they like a lot.
00:07:13He's across the 30, and that's where the Texans will set up after a 22-yard return.
00:07:20And C.J. Stroud and this offense for Houston out to work,
00:07:27and we'll see how he gets it going tonight.
00:07:30We'll look at some of the numbers.
00:07:31Last season, a record of 9-5.
00:07:33The pass yards per game has been in a steady decline since that tremendous rookie year.
00:07:40He had 19 touchdown passes, 8 picks,
00:07:43but then had the seven turnovers in the two postseason games.
00:07:50As the Texans lost in the divisional round again.
00:07:53Here's Marks.
00:07:54Woody Marks in year number two, and a nice gain of nine over the right side.
00:07:59As the offensive line revamped, open up a nice hole over there for number four.
00:08:04Well, that's going to be one of the keys for this team going into this year,
00:08:07and it certainly was a point of emphasis during the offseason.
00:08:10They overhauled the offensive line.
00:08:12Their first-round pick, Keelan Rutledge, is at center,
00:08:15a position that he did not play in college,
00:08:17but he has looked very natural throughout camp and again last week in the preseason game.
00:08:25Second down and one, back-to-back handoffs,
00:08:27and a nice play is made in the backfield on a handoff to Marks.
00:08:31It's Tristan McCollum who crashes down and makes a strong tackle, no gain.
00:08:36Yeah, he makes a heck of a play.
00:08:38You've got Xavier Hutchinson who's out there, and he's trying to,
00:08:41he's got to make that block,
00:08:42but he's looking in to see when the ball gets snapped,
00:08:45and he's a little late then getting his head across in order to make the block.
00:08:48But they've started out the first two plays, the Houston Texans, that is,
00:08:52in two tight end personnel, something they didn't do a lot of last year,
00:08:56but we should likely see more of that here in 2026.
00:09:01It's going to be three straight runs and a first down
00:09:04as Marks bounces off a tackler and has a nice gain over the right side.
00:09:09And so no three and out to start the night for CJ and company.
00:09:13They get a fresh set of downs.
00:09:14That's a great start, and it's obvious when you come out
00:09:17and you run the football and commit to it like they have here in the early going,
00:09:21that that's what they want to try to shore up and help CJ Stroud.
00:09:24You've got the center here, Keelan Rutledge, who I talked about.
00:09:28He does a nice job on the combo block.
00:09:30He helps secure the tackle, and then he comes up to the next level
00:09:33and gets just enough to spring Woody Marks.
00:09:39They fake it to Marks, a little rollout to the left,
00:09:42and Hutchinson is brought down immediately after the catch by Trayton Stooks.
00:09:47Their second-round pick from Arizona, good tackle, no gain,
00:09:51and a nice play by the rookie safety.
00:09:53We're going to see a lot of these young players really on both sides of the ball,
00:09:56but especially for the Las Vegas Raiders as a number of their starters,
00:10:00if not all of them, are not going to be playing tonight.
00:10:02But Trayton Stooks, he's in a battle for that number one safety position
00:10:08opposite of Jeremy Chen.
00:10:09So, that's a good showing by him on that last play.
00:10:18On second down, quick throw, Hutchinson spinning dry,
00:10:22and it's incomplete to bring up third and ten.
00:10:26Good coverage by Darian Porter,
00:10:28who is one of the few veteran players,
00:10:32and he's only in his second year playing in the secondary for the Raiders.
00:10:36It's third and ten.
00:10:41There's defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.
00:10:44First-time play caller.
00:10:45He has bounced around in his career,
00:10:47but just blew away Clint Kubiak in the interview.
00:10:52He was on the staff last year, retained and elevated.
00:10:58On third down and ten, blitz coming.
00:11:01Texans pick it up.
00:11:02Pass is caught for the first down.
00:11:05Good throw, good catch,
00:11:07and the grab is made by Jared Wayne,
00:11:09a first-year player who's been on the practice squad for the last year-plus,
00:11:14a gain of 12,
00:11:15and he's made a name for himself in this preseason.
00:11:18Yeah, he really has,
00:11:19and he does a good job coming off the ball here
00:11:21and selling it,
00:11:22and then coming out of the break.
00:11:23Good timing in the backfield by C.J. Stroud,
00:11:26and just letting it rip.
00:11:28And you're right, Joe,
00:11:29when you look at some of what has happened here
00:11:31at this wide receiver position,
00:11:32particularly with Jaden Higgins going down,
00:11:34it opens up some opportunity,
00:11:36and Jared Wayne is one of those receivers
00:11:39that is trying to take advantage.
00:11:41Fake it to Marks again.
00:11:42He's wide open coming out.
00:11:44Into the pattern and a catch,
00:11:47and a fall forward to the 36th,
00:11:51and a gain of six.
00:11:52So right now, if you're the Texans,
00:11:54you're looking for somebody to step up
00:11:56on the outside across from Nico Collins.
00:11:59You mentioned Jaden Higgins going into his second year,
00:12:02had a good rookie year.
00:12:03He tore his ACL on Tuesday.
00:12:05So who's it going to be?
00:12:07They like Louis Bond, a rookie from Boston College.
00:12:09They like Jared Wayne.
00:12:11They have others.
00:12:12Tank Dell is making his way back.
00:12:14Jalen Noll.
00:12:16But somebody is going to have a chance.
00:12:18Here's Stroud out to his right.
00:12:20And just throws it away.
00:12:22Had Cade Stover at the tight end in front of him,
00:12:24but he was covered.
00:12:26Third down coming up.
00:12:27Yeah, such a big blow when you talk about the injury to Jaden Higgins
00:12:31and what that means to this football team.
00:12:33You look at the last five years and notable wide receiver games missed.
00:12:39Tank Dell, who didn't play at all last year after a devastating injury at the end of 2024.
00:12:45Niko Collins missed games.
00:12:47Stephon Diggs no longer with the team.
00:12:50And now Higgins is out with a torn ACL.
00:12:53Third down and four.
00:12:55And you first, Cody.
00:12:59Night play of this opening drive coming.
00:13:02Stroud wants to get it with his legs and now drops it off for the first down to Foster Morrow.
00:13:08And the former New Orleans Saint is good for 10.
00:13:13And a nice play by C.J. Stroud as he dropped it off to the tight end.
00:13:18Yeah, an excellent job by him as you see him step up in the pocket.
00:13:21And it looked like he was going to try to run for it for the first down,
00:13:24but he gets close here right around the line of scrimmage.
00:13:27They have to commit it.
00:13:29It opens it up for Morrow, and they pick up a first down.
00:13:31It's a nice drive for the Houston Texans.
00:13:33They started with three straight runs.
00:13:35Since then, they've thrown it six straight times.
00:13:40And we will have a flag fly.
00:13:45Too many men in the defense with the snap eminent five-yard penalty.
00:13:49First down.
00:13:52So that'll make it first down and five.
00:13:54And for Rob Leonard, who we showed you, they're worried about penalties on defense.
00:13:58They're playing a lot of young guys.
00:13:59They've got players coming and going.
00:14:01They don't have a lot of their starters in.
00:14:03And Quiddy Paye's not playing.
00:14:04Adam Butler, Max Crosby, Tonka Hemingway, but still can't have 12 guys out there.
00:14:10No, can't have that.
00:14:11And I need to clean something up, Joe, that Keelan Rutledge is the rookie
00:14:15who has really been impressive.
00:14:16He started tonight at left guard.
00:14:18So they've got Evan Brown at center, and they have been working.
00:14:22Rutledge, as I mentioned, he was a guard in college.
00:14:25He's primarily been working at center.
00:14:27Rob Camp.
00:14:28First down and five.
00:14:29Evan March bounces off the tackle.
00:14:31Still going.
00:14:32Touchdown, Texans.
00:14:36What a good, strong run for the second-year pro from USC.
00:14:41A 20-yard carry.
00:14:42And points right out of the gate for Houston.
00:14:51The right side of the offensive line right here when you see Trent Brown, the right tackle, 77.
00:14:56And then Ed Ingram at right guard, they do a nice job pushing the pocket and creating that lane for
00:15:03Woody Marks.
00:15:04Some good, tough running by him.
00:15:06He was expected to do a lot more last year than was anticipated, but with the injury to Mixon, had
00:15:12a solid year and has a solid run.
00:15:157-0 as Fairbair knocks it through.
00:15:18That was an impressive drive.
00:15:19Nick Cayley's going to love it.
00:15:2110 plays, 69 yards, almost five minutes off the clock.
00:15:25Marks from 20 yards away.
00:15:28Texans on top.
00:15:297-0 at home.
00:15:35Well, we thought Nick Cayley might like that possession to start the night here on the 20th of August, and
00:15:41we were right.
00:15:42That was an impressive start for this Texans offense.
00:15:45Yeah, that really was.
00:15:45The way they were able to mix things up, came out early, and wanted to get the running game going,
00:15:50which, as I said, we're going to see more and more of that.
00:15:53And talk about pressure on C.J. Stroud.
00:15:55There's pressure on Nick Cayley as well, and you could feel that in our conversation with him.
00:16:00A couple of days ago, and one of the things that he really wanted to see an improvement upon is
00:16:05the pre-snap alignments, getting out of the huddle, getting the ball snapped, showing some urgency.
00:16:11And they had all of that on display on that opening drive.
00:16:14Yeah, they converted three third downs on that drive.
00:16:17I even sense, I know there's pressure, as you just said, but I even sensed a little more confidence with
00:16:22Nick Cayley in year two of call and plays for C.J. Stroud.
00:16:26Whatever they had going on last year, it's better here in 2026.
00:16:31Line drive kick, and Roman Henby will carry it back and, on the return, pick up 24 yards.
00:16:42And from one Hoosier, returning that kick to his former quarterback at IU, Fernando Mendoza.
00:16:52There's that year, which, and we'll dive into some of these numbers, it is one of the best single seasons
00:16:57any athlete has ever had.
00:17:00I mean, out of obscurity.
00:17:02And they go 16-0, win the national championship.
00:17:05He wins the Heisman, and he's the number one overall pick.
00:17:17He's got Mike Washington in the backfield, quick setup and throw, and there was contact, but no flag, as Jalen
00:17:24Naylor, the former Viking, was the target.
00:17:27That timing route, no connection at second and ten.
00:17:32Well, I'm looking forward to watching Fernando Mendoza here tonight, and as I mentioned, watching him last week, I thought
00:17:39there was a lot of good things to build upon.
00:17:40He's going to get a lot of action here in this game, and some of the things that he hasn't
00:17:45done a lot of in college, in fact, very little, is under center, which is where he is now.
00:17:50But already, he looks very comfortable taking the ball from underneath the center.
00:17:55Of course, now they've got to get the snap count down.
00:18:01That's Ian Thomas, a veteran tight end.
00:18:04It's seven first-half penalties last week.
00:18:07All-star, number 80, offense, five-yard penalty, second down.
00:18:11Go into, for me, for everybody, why it's a big deal, why it's so hard for a college quarterback, in
00:18:19this case, Fernando Mendoza, to go up under center.
00:18:21And what does that change for an offense if he's able to do it?
00:18:25Well, the thing about it is, is these guys play so much in shotgun, that's almost exclusively what quarterbacks do
00:18:30in college, that the footwork is a little bit different.
00:18:33They have, if they're going play action from under center, they have their back to the line of scrimmage, and
00:18:37all that is foreign from their college days.
00:18:40Here's a good throw, and that's Naylor with a catch and a first down.
00:18:44And that was a rocket from the right hand of Mendoza in a 22-yard completion for the first first
00:18:52down of the night.
00:18:52It was an outstanding play, and it's really the only place that Mendoza could put it.
00:18:58He has a defender who's right here, and he's got to work it off of him.
00:19:02And so he throws it off of his ear, and Naylor recognizes it, and he's able to go make, you
00:19:08know, a good catch on a ball that had a little something on it.
00:19:11So, good timing, and Naylor is a guy they picked up in free agency, and someone that they're expecting a
00:19:17lot out of.
00:19:21Handoff is to the rookie, Mike Washington, who they love.
00:19:24He's big, he's got speed, and he's down inside the 25.
00:19:29And a touchdown-saving tackle made by Jalen Smith, but a big run by Washington of 33 yards.
00:19:38Well, that's an excellent job by Washington.
00:19:40It looks like this is going to be stopped for really no gain, and yet he just finds a little
00:19:45bit of daylight.
00:19:46He shows his ability to break tackles.
00:19:48Last week, he had a 53-yard run.
00:19:51So, here he is on the opening possession, has another big run to set up the Las Vegas Raiders,
00:19:56and they're hoping that he can be a big part of the one-two punch behind Ashton Gentry.
00:20:02Play action from Mendoza, and he comes back over the middle, and he's picked off.
00:20:07Wood as the rookie.
00:20:11Mendoza trying to track him down, and cannot pick six for the Texans and the rookie.
00:20:34Well, the number one overall pick just threw a pick six to a fourth-round draft pick from Clemson,
00:20:40who's trying to make this team, and what a chance, and Wood has made the most of it.
00:20:5080 yards on the return.
00:20:55And just like that, the Texans up two scores with Fairbairn set to attempt his second extra point in minutes.
00:21:03And it's 14-0.
00:21:06Mendoza threw one pick six in his college career, and now he gives it up.
00:21:10Here with that drive looking promising, Wood has ended it with an exclamation point.
00:21:2114-0.
00:21:22Texans on top.
00:21:29Go back and take a look at that last play by Fernando Mendoza and Wade Wood has on the interception.
00:21:34And Fernando, he does a good job recognizing that he doesn't have it to the left side.
00:21:39That's where the ball is intended.
00:21:40He's going to check it down to Mike Washington.
00:21:42I think he expects Washington to just sit it down right there.
00:21:45Instead, he drifts, balls thrown behind, Wood has is able to come underneath it and make a play.
00:21:51He's a converted safety that went to linebacker, and so he has ball skills in his experience,
00:21:58and he makes a heck of a play.
00:22:00And a guy who's given an opportunity with the injury to A.J. Speed to see a lot of playing
00:22:05time here in his rookie year.
00:22:07He gained 40 pounds to go from safety to linebacker, and he was a tackling machine at Clemson,
00:22:14their leader in tackle since 2023, and from the linebacker spot, this ball will come out to the 35.
00:22:23He makes that play, and now we'll see how Fernando Mendoza responds after the pick six.
00:22:29Take a little more deep dive into the life and young career of Mendoza.
00:22:35The number 72-rated pocket passer coming out of high school in Miami, committed to Yale first and signed with
00:22:42Cal,
00:22:43then transferred to Indiana for the 2025 season, won the Heisman, the national championship.
00:22:48They went 16-0 and was the first overall pick by the Raiders.
00:22:52He talked about his game last week in week one against Arizona.
00:22:57He said, my feet were a little fast and out of control, and I need to learn to throw the
00:23:03ball away.
00:23:04If it's not there, don't force it.
00:23:06I'm not saying that falls into that category, but we'll see how he bounces back after the 80-yard pick
00:23:12six.
00:23:16Here is Washington, who is brought down to the backfield by Salomon Byrd, and a loss of four.
00:23:24And we'll go down to Laura Rutledge.
00:23:26Well, Joe, we're going to see how Fernando responds in the field, right?
00:23:29But when he came off to the sideline after throwing the pick six, you can see Max Crosby,
00:23:33one of the first players to come over and talk to him.
00:23:36He told him, look, that's football, and gave him a little embrace.
00:23:39He then went right back out on the field, so you can see the leadership of Crosby already on display.
00:23:45Offense, defense, doesn't matter.
00:23:46Yeah, it's been kind of a crazy ride for Crosby, too, considering he was traded to the Ravens and then
00:23:52sent back.
00:23:54He's the only veteran that's killing him not to be on the field right now.
00:23:59Second down and 14.
00:24:01Washington gets that four yards back.
00:24:05And Jalen Smith on the tackle.
00:24:07Third down and long coming up.
00:24:09You know, you mentioned the year, Joe, that Fernando Mendoza had last year in the Indiana Hoosiers.
00:24:14And what a job he did.
00:24:16And Coach Cignetti.
00:24:18But, you know, you look at Fernando Mendoza, the first two years or the two years that he played there
00:24:23at Cal,
00:24:23it didn't really do a lot.
00:24:26I mean, he had some good seasons, but nothing would have anticipated the expectations that he had last year
00:24:32and how well he played and then to be the number one overall pick.
00:24:38Third down and nine.
00:24:39Gets hit and cannot connect with Jalen Naylor.
00:24:43Pressure by Jadavion Clowney, who is back in Houston, the former first overall pick back in 2014,
00:24:52and he got to Mendoza.
00:24:54Yeah, he makes a good move, and that's a good addition for this Houston Texans defense.
00:24:58As, you know, a pass rush specialist coming back home after being the first overall pick,
00:25:03Mendoza, he steps up in the pocket, and he's hanging right there and knows he's going to get hit
00:25:08and delivers a pretty good ball.
00:25:09There was contact at the top of the route.
00:25:11They probably kept it from being a completion.
00:25:13Beautiful punt by A.J. Cole.
00:25:17He checks up inside the five and will be downed just inside the five.
00:25:24And a flag comes down at the end of the play, and that was a 60-yard punt of perfection.
00:25:31And this Houston defense will be able to come off the field.
00:25:35Clowney made that last play.
00:25:36They're playing no starters tonight.
00:25:38They've already got a pick six and now a three and out.
00:25:41Yeah, A.J. Cole, the punter, he's one of those guys he certainly doesn't have to worry about his job.
00:25:47One of the best punters in football.
00:25:49Alan Eck is our referee, and this is an illegal touch.
00:25:57And the officials will try and figure out where this ball should go.
00:26:06Illegal touching, number 25 in the kicking team.
00:26:09The player went out of bounds, returned inbounds.
00:26:11It was the first to touch the kick.
00:26:13Since the touching was inside the five, it's treated like a touchback.
00:26:17First down, Houston at the 20-yard line.
00:26:19Timeout.
00:26:19So there you go.
00:26:21Houston gets the ball at the 20, despite that good punt.
00:26:24And we'll see if Davis Mills is coming into the ballgame to take over for the Texans.
00:26:31Not the start that Fernando Mendoza wanted.
00:26:34It was the start that Will Anderson wanted.
00:26:39Clowney's back in Houston.
00:26:40Texans up 14.
00:26:45The night for C.J. Stroud is over.
00:26:48He'll end his night.
00:26:49Four for six for 27 yards.
00:26:5214-0, thanks to the offense and the defense.
00:26:55And now C.J. will watch Davis Mills go to work.
00:26:58He was 3-0 last year, Mills.
00:27:01Hey, alert, alert.
00:27:0255, 55.
00:27:0355's the mic.
00:27:05118.
00:27:06What's up?
00:27:09Whittington is swallowed up in the backfield.
00:27:12Penetration by Fatakasi.
00:27:14And a guy who spent the last two years here in Houston with the Texans says,
00:27:18Remember me, I'm a loss of four.
00:27:21Yeah, now they put the backup offensive lineman in with Davis Mills and Jake Andrews,
00:27:28who definitely has a lot of playing experience in the National Football League.
00:27:32He just gets beat right off the line of scrimmage.
00:27:34And no opportunity whatsoever there for the bat.
00:27:37They move Wyatt Teller to right guard.
00:27:43Mills wide open.
00:27:45The tight end, Morrow.
00:27:46And with the tackle and the forward progress, he's brought down with a first down.
00:27:52And while you look at Davis Mills, you see his career.
00:27:56He started a lot early in his career, and now he's found himself backing up C.J. Stroud.
00:28:01He's got some decent numbers, a lot of picks.
00:28:03And a third-round pick from Stanford back in 2021.
00:28:07Yeah, I like the guy.
00:28:08I know when he came into the league and played those games, as you mentioned, a lot of starts there
00:28:14over the first couple of years.
00:28:15He's 25, to be exact.
00:28:17And, you know, I think if he had had a better team around him, his career might look a little
00:28:23different.
00:28:23But as far as a backup, a guy who's won games, and as you said, when he had to step
00:28:27in last year, he went undefeated.
00:28:29Well, this is interesting.
00:28:31Replay assist.
00:28:32They move the ball back.
00:28:34And it's third down and less than one.
00:28:37But they thought they had first down.
00:28:39They call the play.
00:28:40They come to the line of scrimmage and hand it off and get it anyway.
00:28:43But a flag comes in.
00:28:45As Noah Whittington got the first down, will it stand?
00:28:55Here's the call.
00:28:56Personal foul.
00:28:57Face mask number 96 defense.
00:28:5915-yard penalty at the end of the run.
00:29:02Automatic first down.
00:29:05Ayaulu.
00:29:06Jonah Ayaulu, guilty of the face mask right there.
00:29:10Turner turns the helmet of Noah Whittington, who is a rookie running back undrafted out of Oregon,
00:29:17who has caught D'Amico Ryan's eye.
00:29:20I think they have something in number 26, and he's going to get a lot of work here tonight.
00:29:26There have already been four penalties against the Raiders in this first quarter.
00:29:33Play action.
00:29:34Late blitz.
00:29:35Whittington gets it.
00:29:36Set up a screen.
00:29:38Nice play.
00:29:38Big game.
00:29:39First down.
00:29:45Eichenberg on the stop, but a gain of 12.
00:29:47A really good play because it was a good call at the right time.
00:29:51The Raiders, they bring a blitz.
00:29:53He's going to come right off the edge.
00:29:55And the whole thing and the key when you're running these screens is timing it up with the back
00:30:00and then with the offensive line.
00:30:02And that timed up perfectly.
00:30:03As he gets the ball, he's got linemen out in front of him so many times.
00:30:06You see that not as in sync as it was there, especially in the early going here of camp.
00:30:14Whittington ran into a wall.
00:30:15Whittington ran into a wall.
00:30:16If we didn't know it before, we are reminded that we can take D'Amico Ryans at his word.
00:30:22He said, we're going to find out who the best five offensive linemen are the rest of this preseason.
00:30:29And then we'll go.
00:30:30So he doesn't start Keelan Rutledge at center.
00:30:32He starts him at guard.
00:30:34He puts Evan Brown at center.
00:30:36And now he's got Jake Andrews, who was at center last year, back at center.
00:30:40And Wyatt Teller moves over to right guard.
00:30:43The guy they picked up is a free agent from the Browns.
00:30:51Here's one floated and incomplete off the right hand of Jared Wayne.
00:30:57And coverage on the play by a rookie they like, Hezekiah Masses, who's played well this preseason,
00:31:05a fifth-round pick from town.
00:31:07Yeah, he has played well.
00:31:09They were talking about him and some of the things that he's done.
00:31:11And, you know, these young players get an opportunity to show what they're capable of doing.
00:31:17Definitely contact at the top of that, but pretty good job.
00:31:22So a lot of, you know, in talking with Clint Kubiak, he said, what young guys are you looking at?
00:31:29He said, all of them, because this is a team that's been pretty depleted.
00:31:33Here's Sobkiewicz gets a big hit.
00:31:35And on third and nine, he's about a yard short of a first down.
00:31:40A gain of eight.
00:31:46And they will bring Fairbairn into the ballgame to try the field goal.
00:31:51Sobkiewicz came close, but he's not a big guy.
00:31:54And he got hit hard.
00:31:57Big hit by Trayden Stukes.
00:31:59Their rookie safety from Arizona.
00:32:02Former walk-on there.
00:32:03And a 51-yard try by Kahimi Fairbairn.
00:32:13And he drills it.
00:32:17And this just became a 17-0 game.
00:32:22Applause from D'Amico Ryans and from the crowd as the sun sets here in Houston, Texas.
00:32:28Texas, the Texans lead by 17.
00:32:35Well, we've already seen a lot from Fernando Mendoza in this ballgame.
00:32:39We saw a really good throw and a completion to Jalen Naylor early.
00:32:43And then the 80-yard pick six by Wade Wood as the rookie trying to get it to Mike Washington.
00:32:51Max Crosby says, don't worry, little guy.
00:32:54Everything's going to be okay.
00:32:56And then the incompletion of Naylor when he got hit by Genevieve and Clowney.
00:33:01Last time they had it.
00:33:02And we expect him to trot right back out there and go to work with his third possession.
00:33:06Yeah, it's all part of it.
00:33:07You know, and a big part of it.
00:33:10Like I said, I don't think the interception was so much this.
00:33:13But part of what he will learn as he moves through this game tonight, if he plays next week,
00:33:19and then throughout his rookie season when he gets on the field,
00:33:23is that the relationship between defender and receivers is a lot tighter than what it was in college.
00:33:29And these guys react much quicker.
00:33:31And that goes on the inside of the field when you misplace the ball as well as on the outside.
00:33:37Well, that's a whoops.
00:33:40Kick out of bounds by Fairbairn.
00:33:42Kickoff short of the landing zone on number 15.
00:33:44The receiving team will take possession at the 40-yard line.
00:33:48First down in Las Vegas.
00:33:50Hey, don't forget week two of the NFL preseason continues.
00:33:53Don't miss the Jets taking on the Steelers, followed by Packers at Broncos tomorrow,
00:33:58starting at 7 p.m. Eastern on NFL Network, also streaming on the ESPN app.
00:34:04Mendoza will go back to work.
00:34:06He is not playing behind three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum
00:34:10or Spencer Burford or Colton Miller or D.J. Glaze.
00:34:16The first-choice offensive line for the Raiders is sitting this one out.
00:34:25Here's a handoff.
00:34:27Washington gets to the edge, stays in bounds, and picks up almost 10.
00:34:32Good, strong run.
00:34:34He got nine, and you can see in a hurry why they like number 30.
00:34:38Yeah, he's an impressive guy when you consider his size.
00:34:41He's 230 pounds, and he's got breakaway speed.
00:34:45So it's rare when you have that kind of combination of power and home run threat,
00:34:50and yet that's Mike Washington.
00:34:52And I know with Clint Kubiak, you look at last year with Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker
00:34:56and being able to use two backs, that's what he'd prefer.
00:35:00Kubiak wants to pick up the first down, and he will.
00:35:02The only knock on the game for Mike Washington, fumbles.
00:35:0713 fumbles over the last four years, something he's got to clean up,
00:35:11but a guy that ran a 4-3-40 at the combine and is as big as he is, 6
00:35:16-1-2-23.
00:35:18There's a lot to like.
00:35:19There sure is, and there's a lot to like.
00:35:22And, you know, everyone's talking about Fernando Mendoza
00:35:25and the expectations for him, and rightfully so,
00:35:28but there's some good young players that here's that John Spitek, the GM, drafted.
00:35:34Money, money, money.
00:35:36My lady, it's up.
00:35:41Three straight handoffs, and Washington not any day like this time.
00:35:46A gain of one, and Jake Hummel was in there to make the stop.
00:35:51You look at the draft class, and they added a lot of talent,
00:35:55including a guy at the beginning of the fourth round in Jermon McCoy,
00:35:58who was theoretically a first-round talent until two knee surgeries
00:36:03made him miss action for 18 months.
00:36:06But if he can stay healthy, he's got all the talent in the world.
00:36:11So they've added players.
00:36:13They've got Brock Bowers on offense.
00:36:16They've added to that offensive line.
00:36:18They've got Ashton Gentry.
00:36:20Here's Laubi out of the backfield.
00:36:23Broke a tackle and gets a first down.
00:36:26And Dillon made a nice catch and run and got 10.
00:36:30You mentioned Ashton Gentry, Joe, and a guy who was a rookie last year.
00:36:35He was the sixth overall pick.
00:36:37As we take a look at that last play,
00:36:39and someone who I think is going to have an exceptional year.
00:36:42Now, a big part of that, of course, is this offensive line that they've rebuilt.
00:36:45They get Colton Miller back at left tackle.
00:36:47He missed most of last year.
00:36:48But every time Ashton Gentry got the ball last year, he was getting hit in the backfield.
00:36:53You know, and I don't think it was a fair representation of what he's capable of doing,
00:36:58and yet he still had 1,300 yards from scrimmage.
00:37:02Nice throw and catch.
00:37:04Grab is made, and fighting his way inside the 30 is Connor Hayward.
00:37:11And with forward progress, it looks like he's still going to be short.
00:37:16Got nine, and that might very well end the first quarter.
00:37:20Mendoza delivered a strike, got hit after letting the ball go.
00:37:26But it'll be second down and one when we start quarter number two
00:37:31with the Raiders inside the Houston 30 and trailing by 17.
00:37:38And that'll do it for quarter number one, a long quarter here in Houston.
00:37:42This felt long.
00:37:43I don't know.
00:37:44Maybe it wasn't long.
00:37:45I haven't done this in a while.
00:37:46Was it long?
00:37:47It was long.
00:37:47It was long.
00:37:49An offensive touchdown, a defensive touchdown, a Fairbair field goal, 17-zip Texans after one.
00:38:03The NFL on ESPN is brought to you by Progressive.
00:38:07Get home and auto coverage you can count on at Progressive.com.
00:38:11So Gary Kubiak, father of Las Vegas Raiders new head coach Clint Kubiak.
00:38:16Gary coached the Texans from 2006 to 2013 during his eight seasons.
00:38:23Compiled a record of 63 and 66, two playoff appearances.
00:38:27And now his son Clint, 39-year-old first-time NFL head coach last year,
00:38:32the offensive coordinator for your Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
00:38:37What a year they put together, and what a job he did as the offensive coordinator getting that group playing.
00:38:42And Sam Darnold, who had been good the year before in Minnesota, he comes out and played lights out.
00:38:48Really a great year for everyone.
00:38:50Mendoza keeps.
00:38:51He's in trouble, and down he goes.
00:38:53Wrestled to the ground by Caden McDonald.
00:38:56The second-round pick and the rookie from Ohio State.
00:39:02Play action and a loss of 11.
00:39:07Well, it's just a miscommunication up front by this offensive line, and he just gets a direct shot.
00:39:16At Fernando, and there's nothing he can do here.
00:39:19He doesn't even have time to try to escape and get out of the pocket.
00:39:22The good thing is he protects the football and just takes his punishment.
00:39:30If this offensive line can't protect Mendoza better than that,
00:39:34the plan of playing him the entire first half may go up in smoke.
00:39:41I mean, this offensive line was brutal last year.
00:39:44They allowed 64 sacks, most in the league.
00:39:49And this is not the starting unit.
00:39:52But that means that Fernando Mendoza has been hit a lot already in this first half.
00:39:57Yeah, they want to get him as much playing time as they can.
00:40:00He played a lot, as I said, last week.
00:40:02And the expectation is that he could very well play into the third quarter.
00:40:06But he has gotten roughed up already a couple of times.
00:40:09We've seen some of the hits that he's taken when he's gotten the ball out.
00:40:12But that one, you know, that's the thing that's the concern.
00:40:15And obviously it was addressed by the Raiders coming into this year.
00:40:18The starters are not obviously out there on the field.
00:40:21But they've got a good old line coach that came along with Clint Kubiak and Rick Dennison,
00:40:27and one of the best, one of the most decorated offensive line coaches in the history of our league.
00:40:32But that was not good.
00:40:35Throw over the middle to Ian Thomas, and that's going to bring up fourth down,
00:40:39a gain of just five on third down and 12.
00:40:41And the field goal unit will come on.
00:40:45And that means that Matt Gay, who is in a competition for a job with the Raiders,
00:40:50is going to attempt a 52-yard try here to put Las Vegas on the board.
00:40:58Matt Gay has bounced around in his career, not trying it with the Raiders.
00:41:03Kansai Matsuzawa is his competition so far in camp.
00:41:08He has been hot and cold.
00:41:12Good snap, good hold.
00:41:13The kick is perfect.
00:41:18And a 52-yarder by Gay to put the Raiders on the board.
00:41:27So we came on wondering how C.J. Stroud would get along here tonight.
00:41:32He played one series.
00:41:34He got his team down the field and into the end zone.
00:41:37No, he does a nice job.
00:41:38And as I mentioned, I think Nick Cayley, the way they came out in this game
00:41:41and got the running game going a little bit,
00:41:43then they had a series of plays where they threw the football.
00:41:45Great timing there by C.J. Stroud, hanging in the pocket,
00:41:50filling the pressure, and then making a play once he's able to escape.
00:41:54And then this was a big run here by Woody Marks
00:41:57to break a couple tackles and put it in the end zone.
00:42:01So that's what you're looking for as an offense
00:42:02when you come into these preseason games.
00:42:05Go out, be efficient, get in and out of the huddle,
00:42:09put together some good plays, get in the end zone,
00:42:11and then call it a night.
00:42:12And that's exactly what the Texans accomplished.
00:42:14Yeah, Marks, who had two 20-yard carries last year in his rookie year
00:42:18with a 20-yard touchdown run here in the preseason.
00:42:20Meanwhile, we haven't seen and won't see David Montgomery.
00:42:23You know him from the Bears and the Lions.
00:42:26He was with Detroit the last three years,
00:42:28splitting carries with Jameer Gibbs.
00:42:31But he is tough, and he has added a lot
00:42:36for the Houston Texans running back room.
00:42:40They're excited.
00:42:42And C.J. Stroud should be the most excited.
00:42:46Noah Whittington with a return here of 23 yards,
00:42:50and back on offense go the Texans.
00:42:54From Cincinnati, Ohio, former third-round pick by Chicago back in 2019.
00:42:59And he can do it all.
00:43:00He is an actual three-down back.
00:43:02He is great at pass protection.
00:43:04He can catch the ball.
00:43:05He's a good running back, and he is about as tough as they come.
00:43:08Yeah, he is extremely tough.
00:43:10Everybody who's coached him raves about him.
00:43:13And as I mentioned coming into this game, he is a bell cow type back.
00:43:16You say it, Joe, three-down back.
00:43:18People don't talk about his receiving skills, but he has them.
00:43:21He came to Houston because he wants more of the workload.
00:43:24He didn't get as much work last year as he would have liked,
00:43:26splitting carries with Jameer Gibbs.
00:43:29Mills over the right side is forced out.
00:43:31We'll send it down to Lisa.
00:43:32Yeah, Joe, in talking to David Montgomery this week,
00:43:34he said he remembers first coming into the league back in 2019,
00:43:38and he said his vet then was Cordero Patterson.
00:43:41Now, seven years later, he's the old guy in the room,
00:43:43but he said he likes being able to show the young guys
00:43:45that he can still move just like they do.
00:43:48And as for that 80-yard touchdown pass that he caught from C.J. Stroud
00:43:52last week in practice, Montgomery said, get used to it.
00:43:54He said we're going to see a lot more of him making those kind of plays
00:43:57this season with the Texans.
00:43:59Yeah, Lisa, he's 29 years old, he's in year number eight,
00:44:02and was actually traded by the Lions here to Houston.
00:44:06Here's a pass to the outside.
00:44:08Catch is made by Jared Wayne, who they've looked for a lot tonight.
00:44:12No gain on the play, third down coming up.
00:44:14I think the other guy that helps, Joe, having David Montgomery here,
00:44:17is Woody Marks.
00:44:19And I mentioned the injury last year,
00:44:21they didn't have Joe Mixon all season long,
00:44:24and so it put a big burden then on Woody Marks
00:44:27having to try to carry the load,
00:44:28and it was a lot to ask of a rookie back.
00:44:31He's a good player.
00:44:32He's known more for catching the football out of the backfield,
00:44:35but his role will now be more of what they anticipated
00:44:39when he was drafted,
00:44:40and Montgomery then will take over a bulk of the carries.
00:44:46Bill's a quarterback, third down and seven,
00:44:49and a nice completion to a receiver they love.
00:44:54That's Lewis Bond, a record-setting receiver at Boston College.
00:44:59The Eagles career leader in receptions with over 210.
00:45:03He gets nine and a first down, and this guy's got a chance.
00:45:06Yes, he does, and as we mentioned,
00:45:09because of the situation right now with the Texans receivers,
00:45:13is he makes a good tough catch.
00:45:15I thought last week he did some really good things,
00:45:17making some tough catches.
00:45:19He's got good body control.
00:45:20Some of the things that he's impressed these coaches with
00:45:23were on display in that game.
00:45:24Here is a little drop-off pass to Marlon Klein,
00:45:30their second-round pick at tight end.
00:45:32We're up in Cologne, Germany,
00:45:34and a young man who has got size and speed, 6'6", 250,
00:45:40and a nice gain on first down.
00:45:43There were some prognosticators and some teams shaking their head
00:45:48at why they would pick this guy at second in the second round,
00:45:51and what D'Amico Ryan said was,
00:45:53who cares, if we want him in the building, we got him.
00:45:56If he's the player they believe that he is,
00:45:58no one will be talking about where he was drafted.
00:46:00They'll be saying it was a steal to get him in the second round.
00:46:05First down carry, Whittington over the right side,
00:46:08and another drive.
00:46:09It looks pretty good being put together by Texans.
00:46:12It's being a 7.
00:46:13And Joe, going back to the draft of Marlon Klein,
00:46:16it's another example as to what this offense is wanting to be.
00:46:22And what D'Amico Ryan wants it to be.
00:46:25And Nick Casario, the general manager,
00:46:27this emphasis on let's run the football,
00:46:31let's create an identity on that side of the ball,
00:46:33let's help out our quarterback to where when we do get into those postseason games,
00:46:38we give him some options besides him having to drop back every time
00:46:41and throw the football.
00:46:41It helps the offensive line.
00:46:43It plays to the strength, which is their defense.
00:46:45I think it's really smart the way they went about this offseason.
00:46:49Whittington again pushing the file for an extra yard.
00:46:53Patrick Johnson on the stomp, a gain of four.
00:46:57And here is that draft class.
00:46:58They believe they hit a home run with that first pick.
00:47:01They traded up to get Keelan Rutledge with a number 26 pick.
00:47:04The guard at Georgia Tech may very well be the starting center for the Texans in the NFL.
00:47:12We saw McDonald make a play tonight, Marlon Klein.
00:47:15There's the rest of the group.
00:47:16They didn't get Lewis Bond until the sixth round.
00:47:18And Aiden Fisher, a linebacker from IU, in the seventh, they like.
00:47:28Second and six.
00:47:31Mills goes down.
00:47:33Brought down in the backfield and a sack for Thomas Booker.
00:47:37A loss of seven.
00:47:40And exactly what this Raiders defensive front needed to bring up third and long.
00:47:46Well, you mentioned they moved Wyatt Teller over to the right side.
00:47:49So here he is, and Booker, he just basically uses a speed rush and is able to get right past
00:47:55him
00:47:55and then right in the face of Davis Mills.
00:48:00But you go back to this offensive line and what's projected.
00:48:03I would expect that Rutledge will be their starting center.
00:48:07And what I saw of him last week, he was impressive.
00:48:11Snaps included, which is usually the challenge.
00:48:16Texans are now five for seven on third down as the catch is made by Owen Wright.
00:48:22Alubi makes the tackle a gain of four.
00:48:25It's fourth down.
00:48:28And the punt team comes on, and that means Kai Kroger,
00:48:32who was traded from the Saints to the Texans,
00:48:36they like his placement of punts, and he's going to get a chance to do that right here.
00:48:41The only man left standing in the punting competition for Houston.
00:48:55And over end with Alip Benson hauling it in just inside the tent.
00:49:05Raiders will go back on offense.
00:49:07We will hear from Max Crosby.
00:49:10He'll join Laura on the other side of the break.
00:49:13Raiders ball down 14 points here in Houston.
00:49:17Come on over, Max.
00:49:22Max Crosby is absolutely relentless.
00:49:24He's a five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher.
00:49:27He leads the league since coming into the league in quarterback crushers.
00:49:3269-and-a-half career sacks.
00:49:35Traded away.
00:49:36Now he's back, and now he's standing next to Laura Rutledge.
00:49:39He liked that edit, Joe.
00:49:40That was good stuff right there.
00:49:41All right, let's start with a cool moment that we saw.
00:49:44After Fernando threw the pick six, you came up to him and just encouraged him.
00:49:48What did you want to get across to him in that moment?
00:49:51Yeah, it's football.
00:49:52You know, it's not going to be perfect.
00:49:53You know, he's a rookie.
00:49:54You got to go through, you know, some ups and downs, and that's part of the game.
00:49:57It's how you respond.
00:49:58So that's basically what I just told him.
00:50:00Just keep being yourself and keep playing.
00:50:02We're going to see him out here right now.
00:50:04What have been your overall impressions of Mendoza, just even as a guy in the locker room?
00:50:07Oh, he's been great.
00:50:08You know, you come in as a rookie, and you got to start all the way back at the bottom.
00:50:11So he's had the right attitude.
00:50:13He's working his ass off.
00:50:14He's in here every single day encouraging dudes and just working, and that's all you can ask for.
00:50:20We know your offseason was crazy.
00:50:21You get traded away, you end up a Raider once again.
00:50:24When you think about how all that transpired, and then now knowing that you're on the cusp of the season,
00:50:30how does it motivate you even more than you're already motivated?
00:50:32I love it.
00:50:33You know, it's all part of the story, and that's life.
00:50:35You know what I mean?
00:50:35It's how you respond to things.
00:50:36It's the same thing, you know, Fernando's situation.
00:50:38You throw a pick, you go out there, go get some points on the board.
00:50:40It's the same thing.
00:50:41You know, I work every single day to be the best version of myself, and so I can't complain.
00:50:47You know, there's going to be ups and downs.
00:50:48There's going to be things that you can't anticipate, but it's all about how you respond.
00:50:52You know, I've gone through a lot of adversity in my life, and every time I go through big adversity,
00:50:56I come out better every single time.
00:50:58So I know I'm excited.
00:50:59I know I'm healthy, and I can't wait to go out there and put on a show.
00:51:02Yeah, opposing quarterbacks, beware.
00:51:04All right, we know you demand excellence out of everybody, including yourself.
00:51:07What needs to happen for this defense to play to your standards?
00:51:11Yeah, I think it really comes down to style of play, you know, what you put on the film.
00:51:15You know, there's X's and O's, and there's things you can draw, but ultimately it comes down to guys
00:51:19wanting it more than the other dudes.
00:51:20So as a defense, you've got to have 11 guys hunting from start to finish, and you've got to be
00:51:25able to
00:51:26literally go to a point where it feels like your heart's going to stop and then take another step
00:51:29and then take another snap and then go out there and make a play and just go out there and
00:51:33play for each other.
00:51:34So we've got a lot of work to do, and I'm super excited about how we're coming out.
00:51:38I know Rob Leonard, your new D.C., shares that same philosophy.
00:51:41Why was he the right guy for the job?
00:51:43Sorry.
00:51:44Rob Leonard.
00:51:45It's loud in here.
00:51:46Rob Leonard being the right guy for the job for you guys at D.C.?
00:51:49Yeah, I mean, he was an incredible D-line coach.
00:51:51He's been in a lot of different systems, and he's just a great leader of men.
00:51:55You know, he's a guy that loves football.
00:51:57He's in the building just like how I'm in the building.
00:51:59We walk in together damn near, and we leave, you know, at the same time.
00:52:03He's one of those guys that's all football all the time, and I think he's going to do an incredible
00:52:07job,
00:52:07and I think he's doing an incredible job.
00:52:09So it's like anything.
00:52:10You know, you come in with the right mindset, you put in the work, and the results are going to
00:52:13follow.
00:52:14You're the heart and soul of this team in a lot of ways.
00:52:16You've seen a lot of iterations of this team.
00:52:19What excites you about the future with Clint Kubiak as the head coach?
00:52:23Yeah, you know, Clint is another guy.
00:52:25He's all ball all the time.
00:52:27He doesn't have the biggest personality in the world.
00:52:29He'll tell you that himself.
00:52:30But he's real, and he loves football.
00:52:34And he knows the game so well, and he knows what it's supposed to look like.
00:52:37He has a championship pedigree.
00:52:39Obviously, being in Houston, his dad, he got to see him, you know, lead a lot of great football teams.
00:52:43And I just feel like when you have somebody that is about all the right things and that puts football
00:52:49first
00:52:49and is all about the players, you're going to have a chance to go out there and win.
00:52:52So we have a lot of work to do across the board, but I think he's the right guy for
00:52:56the job for sure.
00:52:57All right, we're going to let you go after this.
00:52:58We know why you're not playing tonight, but how much does it kill you to not be out there?
00:53:01Oh, my God.
00:53:02It's been a long time coming.
00:53:04I haven't played a football game since December last year in this stadium.
00:53:07So it's kind of crazy, nostalgic being back here,
00:53:11but being able to go against those guys in joint practice had a blast,
00:53:14and we're almost here.
00:53:16It's almost football time.
00:53:17We can't wait to see you out there.
00:53:18Thanks, Max.
00:53:19Absolutely.
00:53:19Thank you so much.
00:53:20Joe.
00:53:21Yeah, all right, Laura.
00:53:22She's talking to one of the best defensive players in the league,
00:53:24and while we're talking to 98, number 15, the Mandalorian, as he is known nickname-wise,
00:53:31has put together a tremendous drive.
00:53:32He's completed six straight passes, including a long one on third and long for 18.
00:53:37Third and long.
00:53:38Yeah, third and long was outstanding to the fellow rookie, Malik Benson,
00:53:42who they're real high on.
00:53:43He has an opportunity to really step up and see a lot of playing time.
00:53:47Seven-man protection.
00:53:48He hung in there and delivered a strike.
00:53:50And that's what he wants to do.
00:53:51Nothing there.
00:53:52He gets hit at the end of the play.
00:53:54Pressured by Naquan Jones and just drop it off, dump it off, throw it into the ground.
00:53:59And it's second down and ten, and that's just the second in completion after the interception.
00:54:05And that breaks that string of six straight completions for Mendoza.
00:54:10I think when you watch him in last week when he was able to get out of the pocket,
00:54:15you know, we all remember the big run that he made last year in the playoffs
00:54:19and him just being gritty and doing whatever he has to do, sacrificing his body.
00:54:24He did that last week, and it's hard to take that away from a guy in a preseason game,
00:54:28but they're trying to protect him from himself as much as possible.
00:54:31Here's Washington over the right side.
00:54:33Got hit, went forward for a couple of yards.
00:54:35Jamal Hill made the stop, and it's third down after a gain of seven.
00:54:40It'll be third and seven.
00:54:41Joe, watching him as he—well, first of all,
00:54:46he had a different offensive coordinator and system every year in college.
00:54:49And so now he comes to the pros, another new coordinator called Blazin Kubiak,
00:54:53and then a new system.
00:54:55And he's kind of had a little bit of a taste of everything that someone could throw at him.
00:55:00There's obviously things that he hasn't been as experienced in,
00:55:03but super smart.
00:55:04He gets through his progression,
00:55:07and he usually always knows where his outlets and his checkdowns are.
00:55:11Here's a drop.
00:55:12Malik Benson.
00:55:14That had first down written all over it,
00:55:17and Benson, who both Mendoza and Kubiak said could be a number one in this league,
00:55:22just dropped it.
00:55:22And that's a perfect throw, and that's some of the accuracy.
00:55:25If he catches that ball, nobody really talks a lot about the ball placement,
00:55:30but if Benson's able to catch this,
00:55:32he has an opportunity to take it up the sidelines with his speed
00:55:36and turn that into not only a first down,
00:55:39heck, he might even score.
00:55:42That was a good throw and a good drive that comes to an end
00:55:47and brings A.J. Cole, the punter, on the field.
00:55:51I've never been more biased in my broadcasting before the history of my career.
00:55:57Just to all own it, I'll fess up right now.
00:56:0133-yard punt.
00:56:02C.J. Stroud will check in with Lisa Salters on the other side of the break.
00:56:08There he is.
00:56:09Coming your way on the other side.
00:56:11Texans ball up 14.
00:56:15Texans ball starting at their own nine.
00:56:18We'll send it down to Lisa Salters with a man I would imagine
00:56:21is pretty satisfied with his night's work tonight.
00:56:24Lisa, C.J. Stroud.
00:56:25C.J., it was a quick night for you, just one series,
00:56:28but it ended with a touchdown.
00:56:30Joe said you've got to be satisfied.
00:56:31Just how good did that feel?
00:56:33Yeah, it felt good.
00:56:34It's always a blessing to play in the NFL.
00:56:38I thought we handled it very well.
00:56:40I thought we handled the pressure, ran the ball good,
00:56:42and then converted on third down like we talked about.
00:56:44Yeah, we're only halfway kind of through the camp,
00:56:47and you've already said that this is the best that the offense has looked to you
00:56:51since your rookie year.
00:56:52Why do you believe that?
00:56:54Just the second year in the system.
00:56:56You know, first year is always tough, just learning, you know,
00:56:59coordinator, quarterback relationship, going, you know,
00:57:01and then just what our identity is going to be.
00:57:03So I think we found that.
00:57:04And I'm just excited because we've got a lot of guys in here who, you know,
00:57:08are tough guys, want to run the ball,
00:57:09want to do the things that we need to do to be better.
00:57:12You talked about this being the second year in this offense,
00:57:15in Nick Haley's offense.
00:57:16Just how does that make a difference?
00:57:19It makes a huge difference.
00:57:20You know, I think it's anything in life.
00:57:22You know, you do it, you know, time and time over again, rep after rep.
00:57:26You know, you start to put, you know, man hours into it.
00:57:28Then you become an expert at it.
00:57:29So I think I've definitely gotten better, more comfortable with, you know,
00:57:32my control and my command.
00:57:34And I think Kales is doing the same thing.
00:57:36So we're trending up.
00:57:38Your first-round pick, Keelan Rutledge, he played guard throughout his college career.
00:57:42He might get a chance to be an NFL center.
00:57:45Just everyone to a man has been raving about this guy.
00:57:48Just what do you love?
00:57:49What has Keelan Rutledge brought to your offensive line?
00:57:52He's a dog.
00:57:53His mentality just, you know, he's somebody who wants to come in every day.
00:57:57He wants to do the hard things.
00:57:58He wants to put in the dirty work.
00:57:59And I'm super proud of him already.
00:58:01He's made everybody around him better as a young rookie.
00:58:04And he doesn't shy away from competition.
00:58:06He doesn't care who he's going against.
00:58:08If it's Will, if it's anybody, he doesn't matter.
00:58:11It doesn't matter to him.
00:58:12So I love him, and I think he's going to be great for us.
00:58:15Woody Marks got to do his thing tonight.
00:58:17But the addition of David Montgomery, how is that going to affect this offense?
00:58:21It's going to be great.
00:58:21I think Woody, as you've seen today, is very explosive.
00:58:25Somebody who can, you know, do everything, catch the ball at the backfield.
00:58:27And Demo is somebody who's done it in the league for a long time.
00:58:30And super excited to have him on our team.
00:58:31I've been a fan of his for a while.
00:58:33But very explosive, does everything, and is a heck of a player.
00:58:36Well, you said you're excited for the season.
00:58:38We're excited to watch it.
00:58:39Thanks for taking the time.
00:58:40Thank you.
00:58:41God bless you.
00:58:42Lisa, thanks.
00:58:43And our thanks to C.J. Stroud for doing that.
00:58:45We are at the two-minute warning.
00:58:47A nice drive being put together by Davis Mills.
00:58:50Good, strong throw and catch by Marlon Klein a moment ago.
00:58:54First down and 10 for the team up 14 here at home.
00:59:02Coming your way on the All-State Halftime.
00:59:05First-half takeaways with SVP Marcus Spears and Jason McCourty.
00:59:08Welcome, Jason McCourty.
00:59:10Adam Schefter's news around the NFL.
00:59:13Coming up at the half.
00:59:16There's a matchup week one.
00:59:18We'll get into that as this game continues.
00:59:20The Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs on the 14th of September.
00:59:28You said it during the break.
00:59:29It was a nice drive being put together.
00:59:31Sure is.
00:59:31Davis Mills made some nice throws.
00:59:35Passes behind but caught, and that's Klein again.
00:59:39To tell you his story, he grew up in Cologne, Germany.
00:59:43He played on a German junior team, the Cologne Crocodiles.
00:59:47And he came to the United States as a 15-year-old to kind of chase this dream.
00:59:53And it works.
00:59:54He played four years at Michigan.
00:59:56He's his second-round pick.
00:59:57And he is a big, fluid athlete that we are seeing on this field tonight.
01:00:02A lot of the tight ends in the league these days, you know,
01:00:04they're more receivers than they are blockers.
01:00:08And Marlon Klein, he wants to be an all-around player.
01:00:10They brought him in really for what he's able to do as a blocker.
01:00:13But he also has the ability, which he showed last week, to get up the seam.
01:00:18He's made some nice catches here tonight.
01:00:20I like him regardless of where he was projected and where he was picked.
01:00:25He's been impressive.
01:00:26And I know that the Houston Texans are really happy with what they've seen of him
01:00:30up to this point.
01:00:32Yeah, just to say it again, D'Amico Ryan said,
01:00:34yeah, we took criticism for getting him in the second round.
01:00:38And so what?
01:00:38We like him.
01:00:40We want him.
01:00:40We got him.
01:00:41And they're happy they have him.
01:00:42Yeah, and because of his background, Joe, as you said,
01:00:44this isn't a guy who's played a lot of football.
01:00:47So, you know, he's only going to get exponentially better.
01:00:51Third and three.
01:00:53Pass is incomplete.
01:00:54There are no flags.
01:00:57And that'll be now a flag comes in late.
01:00:59I mean, way after the play.
01:01:02I think they heard you.
01:01:04Unless something happened out of bounds.
01:01:09It definitely looked like a lot of contact at the top of that route.
01:01:13Here's a call.
01:01:14After the play was over, unsportsmanlike conduct, number 28 of the defense.
01:01:1815-yard penalty from the previous spot.
01:01:20Automatic first down.
01:01:22So that's Jermon McCoy, who didn't play all of last year, 18 months away from football.
01:01:27And then him standing over Justin Watson as we bring in Russell Yerke, drew the flag.
01:01:37Yeah, you can see at the end of that play, he stands over him and he puts the thumbs down
01:01:41symbol.
01:01:41And that's something they're going to want for unsportsmanlike conduct.
01:01:44So they get a stop on third down and by penalty, it's the second personal foul on the Raiders' defense.
01:01:53Russell Yerke gets a rep in the preseason.
01:01:56Everybody goes home happy.
01:01:57And it's first down for Davis Mills, who is able to complete it to Lewis Bond.
01:02:03Brought down immediately by Alubi.
01:02:07And again at four.
01:02:10And now in the two-minute drill.
01:02:13Under a minute to go.
01:02:15Three timeouts, second and six.
01:02:19Mills hangs in and throws behind Klein.
01:02:23That stops the clock with 47 seconds left.
01:02:31We'll see what Mills can do here on third down.
01:02:34If he can get it in a position where at least give Fairbairn an opportunity to
01:02:40get some points here before the end of the half.
01:02:43McKaylee trying to put together the right plays to get him into the end zone.
01:03:01Already inside field goal range at the moment.
01:03:04Under big-time pressure and the pass is incomplete for Lewis Bond.
01:03:08And there were three guys bearing down on Davis Mills to bring up fourth down and six
01:03:14and bring Fairbairn onto the field.
01:03:16Yeah, they brought the house.
01:03:17They had no middle safety.
01:03:19And they're going to come off the edges here.
01:03:21And they're going to just try to get to him as quickly as possible.
01:03:24Get the ball out of his hands.
01:03:25And it works perfectly for the Raiders.
01:03:28And now the 57-yard try by Fairbairn.
01:03:32Who hit from 51 earlier.
01:03:33And last year was 9 for 13 from 50-plus.
01:03:38And made 44 field goals during the regular season.
01:03:42Good snap.
01:03:44Good hold.
01:03:45Good kick.
01:03:51And it's 20-3 with 38 seconds left in the half.
01:03:55And a wry smile on the face of D'Amico Ryan.
01:03:59It looks like we'll see Mendoza try to operate the two-minute offense.
01:04:05Here's Mendoza tonight.
01:04:07We'll look at some of the good that he has put on tape.
01:04:09This is the first drive and that first completion of Naylor.
01:04:12As I mentioned, you get into a game like this and every rep matters for this young guy.
01:04:17And he's going to learn something from all of it.
01:04:20We saw the interception.
01:04:20But these are some of the positive things that he's done.
01:04:23And hanging in there.
01:04:24And he's got a good understanding of where he needs to go with the football.
01:04:28Great job here anticipating the pass rush on the screenplay.
01:04:31Getting it to Washington.
01:04:34But, you know, he's a really mature young quarterback.
01:04:37A lot of these guys that come into the league, they have all the athletic ability.
01:04:40You're just not real sure how they're going to handle everything emotionally in their maturity level.
01:04:45That's not the case with Fernando Mendoza.
01:04:48I mean, he has all the intangibles.
01:04:50You know it's important to him.
01:04:52You know he's going to put in the work.
01:04:53Last week, after that preseason game, he had his family there.
01:04:56And he said that after the game, he went home and watched film.
01:04:59You know?
01:05:00And that's the stories you heard from him when he was in college.
01:05:04But there's a real commitment on his part.
01:05:06He loves the game of football.
01:05:07Yeah, there's no act going on with Fernando Mendoza.
01:05:11That's just who he is.
01:05:13Here's a return by Hemby.
01:05:16Hemby has a lane and a flag flies after Hemby got across the 30.
01:05:24Mendoza talked about the Las Vegas Strip.
01:05:27I mean, could you draft a better 22-year-old to go into a city with the temptation of the
01:05:33Las Vegas Strip?
01:05:43He said it's like a boogeyman.
01:05:46A lot of people talk about the Strip like you don't want to go there.
01:05:49It's like when you're a kid, you're trick-or-treating, and there's the haunted house.
01:05:53You're not trying to go over there.
01:05:54So he's kind of staying away.
01:05:55Now, he did go to the Sphere and watch the presentation of the Wizard of Oz.
01:06:03So he has at least been on the Strip.
01:06:05He's been on the Strip.
01:06:06And he said, you know, there's movies and things.
01:06:08I'm like, movies?
01:06:14There's Washington with a catch, a turn, and a timeout.
01:06:19As Mike Washington gets nine, and there are 24 seconds left.
01:06:25And one timeout remaining for Clint Kubiak, who wants to see how his rookie gets him down the field.
01:06:32I do think this offense, I'm a big fan of the system and those teams that run it.
01:06:38And I just feel like you couldn't ask for a better offensive play caller for this young quarterback
01:06:44and to put him in a position.
01:06:45Now, as we mentioned, there's things that he's got to do.
01:06:48And the biggest one being underneath center and getting used to the play-action game.
01:06:52But from what I've seen, he's already feeling really good about that.
01:06:56But they'll marry the play-action game with the run game.
01:06:59A lot of good things within Kubiak's offense to help any quarterback.
01:07:03We've seen that.
01:07:04But especially a rookie in Fernando Mendoza.
01:07:08Second down and one.
01:07:09It's aired out downfield, and it's not there.
01:07:13Pass was intended for Brandon Johnson.
01:07:15It'll bring up third down and one with 17 seconds left.
01:07:19Yeah, pretty good call there on second and one.
01:07:21And you've got an opportunity.
01:07:23I'm sure Clint Kubiak's thinking Houston's believing they're just going to try to pick up the first
01:07:28down.
01:07:29Instead, they take a deep shot.
01:07:30Now they've got third and one.
01:07:32And see if they can't move the chains with very little time, but still with a timeout in
01:07:36their pocket.
01:07:40Mendoza steps in to enable to complete.
01:07:43And now the ball's knocked out before the catch was secured by Malik Benson.
01:07:48And a good defensive play was made.
01:07:50That is Tremont Smith who knocked it out.
01:07:54That was going to be a completion first down and a timeout.
01:07:58Instead, it's a punt.
01:07:59Yeah.
01:07:59Malik Benson, you see that he has it.
01:08:01And these receivers in this league, especially, as soon as you catch it, he'll learn.
01:08:05You've got to immediately tuck it and secure it.
01:08:07He was a little nonchalant.
01:08:09It gets knocked out.
01:08:11Nice play defensively.
01:08:12That's a couple drops now by Malik Benson.
01:08:15And they're still looking for someone to emerge that's going to carry the load as the wide
01:08:23receivers.
01:08:23It's going to run through Brock Bowers.
01:08:25But they just don't have a true one.
01:08:28Trey Tucker kind of became that guy last year by default when they traded Jacoby Myers.
01:08:33Here's another look at that last play.
01:08:35He has it.
01:08:36He just is a little careless in securing the football as soon as he makes the play.
01:08:43Because these DBs are going to do exactly that.
01:08:46That's a nice play by Tremont Smith who may be in a numbers game in the secondary with the Texans.
01:08:52They've got backups like Jalen Smith.
01:08:53They like Colin Wright, a rookie undrafted from Stanford.
01:08:56Their secondary is outstanding with Stingley, Lasseter, Bullock, Blankenship, who they added
01:09:04from Philly.
01:09:05Petrie is the nickel and sensational.
01:09:09And Tremont Smith just made a play to remind his head coach that he's still on the roster.
01:09:17It is a 17-point halftime lead for the Texans here in Week 2 of the preseason.
01:09:25Wade Wood has with that 80-yard pick six.
01:09:29You saw him walking off.
01:09:31Mendoza saw some good, saw the pick six.
01:09:33Set it down to Laura Rutledge.
01:09:35Laura.
01:09:36All right.
01:09:36Thank you, Joe.
01:09:37Well, Clint, we saw Fernando Mendoza settle in a little bit more.
01:09:39What did he show you, especially even at the end of the half as time was winding down?
01:09:43Yeah.
01:09:44You know, they did some good things after the turnover, but that can't happen.
01:09:48And I've got to help him a lot more than I am.
01:09:49Defense is doing a great job.
01:09:51And will we see Fernando Mendoza in the third quarter?
01:09:54I do not think so.
01:09:55Yeah.
01:09:56All right.
01:09:56Thank you, Joe.
01:09:57All right.
01:09:58There you go.
01:09:59It looks like that's it for Fernando Mendoza.
01:10:03And we will all take a break.
01:10:06It is a preseason game.
01:10:1020-3 is the score.
01:10:12Texans on top.
01:10:13Stay tuned.
01:10:13All-state halftime comes your way next.
01:10:18Tonight's first half highlights are presented by Target.
01:10:22It is a hot August night.
01:10:25It is a hot August night.
01:10:25It is a hot August night.
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