Fact or Fiction: What to look for against Texans

The offensive player you’re most interested to see this Saturday against the Texans is quarterback Daniel Jones.

John Schmeelk: Fact – I thought about getting clever here with John Michael Schmitz or Greg Van Roten, but Daniel Jones will be the star of the show on Saturday afternoon. I would prefer to see him leading the entire starting offense, but there’s a chance we might not see Malik Nabers coming off his ankle injury. I want to see Jones to be able to drop back with confidence in front of a stronger offensive line and find playmakers accurately and in rhythm. We have seen it in practice the last couple of weeks and I am ready to see it in a game situation against starters and a live pass rush.

Matt Citak: Fact – Jones is set to return to game action just over nine months out from tearing his ACL. That alone is an impressive feat. But the sixth-year quarterback has looked fully healthy since training camp opened, scrambling around the pocket with ease and using his legs to pick up yards when he can. However, this weekend’s game will be the first time Jones actually gets hit by a defender, which represents perhaps the final big hurdle in his recovery. With how he’s been throwing the ball at practice all summer, I’m excited to see how Jones looks under pressure in an actual game setting for the first time.

The defensive player you’re most interested to see this Saturday against the Texans is rookie safety Tyler Nubin.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – I am excited to see Nubin as he continues to work into his role as a contributor in the secondary, but my focus is going to be up front. I want to see the progress of some of the young interior defensive linemen and how they play against a live opponent. With the trade of Jordan Phillips, does Jordon Riley continue to show he can be Dexter Lawrence’s backup? The 3-technique battle is of even more interest. We know Rakeem Nunez-Roches is a reliable two-way player, but can youngsters Ryder Anderson and Elijah Chatman step up as pass rushers and cement a role on passing downs?

Matt Citak: Fiction – While I do want to see how Nubin, Jason Pinnock and Dane Belton perform against the Texans, the defensive player I’m most interested in watching Saturday is outside linebacker Brian Burns. To put it simply, Burns has dominated at practice just about every day this summer. When facing the Detroit Lions in two joint practices last week, the 26-year-old was able to get around All-Pro Penei Sewell and long-time veteran Taylor Decker often. While the Texans’ O-line does not offer quite the same challenge as facing the Lions’ unit, the group does consist of four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. It’s unclear if Tunsil will suit up Saturday, but either way, I can’t wait to see Burns get after the quarterback for the first time in a game.