Texans Players

POSTGAME TRANSCRIPTS

Davis Mills, QB

(On the rhythm of the offense)

“It was exciting. Obviously I think we spread the ball around really efficiently on offense. I’m pretty sure all our receivers who suited up and played today got a catch, so that was awesome to spread the ball around. It was fun getting out there and putting together a couple of really good drives down the field, spreading the ball around to different guys, and letting people make plays.”

(On his first performance of the season)

“Throughout OTAs and training camp, I started to take a good grasp of the offense, and everyone out there has done the same. I think we’re executing at a pretty high level.”

(On the team’s new offense)

“There were different nuances that we got to and different personnel groupings, making sure guys are getting in different spots and different positions. We were motioning to different things to keep the defense on edge.”

(On Tank Dell’s touchdown catch)

“Yeah, he’s great, electrifying. I think that’s the best way to describe him. He’s going to make guys miss in tight windows and when he catches a short pass, he’s going to try to score anywhere he gets it on the field, I think. Just thinking in my head, I know there were a couple more plays where I could have given him a better, accurate ball that, if it was a catch, he might have fallen down. But, if I can bring it up six inches, he can catch it, hit him in stride, and who knows what he’ll do with the ball in his hands.”

Case Keenum, QB

(On his performance and the chemistry of the team)

“It felt good. We had a couple scoring drives, a couple times we went three-and-out even after the special teams did such a good job of getting us the ball back.”

(On the style of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s offense)

“I thought it was good. I thought we wanted to establish the run. I knew we were in a lot of two tight end sets, or sets with fullbacks in there, and then hitting some play actions over the top. I thought it was a good mix of run or pass, when it comes to that. I thought playing a different style of defense than what we’ve been going against all camp, and not really game-planning a ton for it, I thought we executed pretty well and communicated and made adjustments on the sideline even.”

(On sideline communication after C.J. Stroud’s interception)

“I mean, that’s the same that we do every time we come off to the sideline. We sit there and take a few moments to digest what happened and go look at the pictures and learn from it. And by that time, you don’t have much time, you have to go back out there and make a play on the next drive.”

(On C.J. Stroud’s demeanor and performance)

“I thought he was good tonight, as far as demeanor goes. I thought he led well. First live action is tough. I’ve been in his shoes, too, where the first preseason game, you know, you’ve been getting a lot of reps in camp. Then, you come out and get one or two drives, you feel like you’re maybe about to get your rhythm, you get a hit a few times, and you start getting going, and then you get taken out, so it’s tough.”

John Metchie III, WR

(On how it felt to be back on the field)

“Thank you, thank you! It felt great. It was a long time coming of course, but it was surreal and a great feeling to be out there with the team, to be out there with the guys and to be back playing football. It’s a good feeling. It’s a really good feeling to see all the support and all the love. Everybody coming up to me and telling me how happy they are to see me back out there. I feel really good, (I’m in) football shape.”

(On the Texans)

“I think the team is looking really good. We have just got to keep working. There are a lot of new pieces and a lot of moving pieces. We’re getting this new offense down. There’s a lot of timing. I think we have just got to keep working. I think it’s really promising.”

(On the Alabama alumni in the game)

“I got my buddy Will [Anderson] here, Henry [To’oTo’o], [Christian] Harris. That’s a good thing. We are all adjusting, we are all doing it together and there are familiar faces. We took a picture, there were like 12 of us [Alabama alumni] over there. It’s a family.”

Kenyon Green, G

(On getting into a rhythm)

“You just have to go out there and catch a rhythm with the team, the first time being out there. I felt like we started progressing and getting better with more drives. I’m just proud of my teammates, we keep going and keep pushing.”

(On getting back out there)

“I felt good. You know, trying to find my way to get back playing good ball. I’m just excited to get back out there.”

Chase Winovich, DE

(On coming back to Foxborough)

“It was very cool being back here. It was very nostalgic, just the bus ride coming up from Providence getting closer and seeing a lot of these sites that were super familiar to me. But it’s all love, I’ve learned a lot about my life and myself and football through my time here with all the coaching staff here. There’s some of my teammates that are still obviously playing for the Patriots, some of which are on the Texans with me now. It felt great being back here, it felt better getting a sack. Just keep on pushing now it’s like what’s next.”

(On the fourth down stop)

“It was great being out there. Honestly it’s one of those things where it’s just football at the end of the day. Obviously it’s special playing against a former team like the Patriots. It’s like you want to make sure you make some plays and have some fun. It was fun, it was nice being out there with those guys.”

(On catching up the Patriots coaching staff)

“I couldn’t name them all, but I connected with a bunch of the guys after the game and even before the game. It was fun, just getting to see everybody again. It’s a lot of great memories during my time here. I didn’t run into Coach Belichick unfortunately, but I saw him after the sack. They taught me a lot and gave me a start in the league, they believed in me.”

(On his missing playing against the Patriots last year due to injuries)

“So I’ve dealt with the greatest stretch of injuries, It’s pretty common knowledge. Somebody told me this once – injuries are about recovery but they’re also about discovery. I learned about myself in the process, and just really having to dig deep. Having this Patriots game being the first preseason game, gave me a lot of inspiration to say, ‘hey listen I don’t care what we need to do or how many hours we need to spend in this rehab place. I need to get back out there and prepare for this game.”

Dalton Keene, TE

(On coming back to Gillette Stadium as a Texan)

“It was definitely a weird feeling, but I am happy to be back. I’m playing for a different team and it felt a little weird, but that’s the job.”

(On his touchdown)

“It was pretty cool. I didn’t really care if they called it for me or someone else. I’m just happy I could be there to help the team out in that way. I got to play unselfish, so if it was me or someone else I would have been just as excited.”

(On being healthy)

“I’m happy to be healthy. It was a tough couple of years for me. I know if I’m healthy there are a lot of things I can do on the field. That’s the key for me to stay that way and do everything I can to help out this team.”

(On his time in New England)

“I felt it was a great learning experience for me. It was a great place for me to start my career. They taught me a lot of stuff. It was a tough place to play and something like that helps me out a lot going forward in my career. I wasn’t able to catch up with Bill [Belichick], but I saw a lot of guys I played with and was able to say ‘hi’ to a bunch of them. A bunch of the players, a bunch of the staff, it was really great to see all those guys.”

Henry To’oTo’o, LB

(On the challenges of playing in the first pre-season game)

“Knowing what down it is, the possibilities of something happening, and just communicating that over and over again. So I think that was the biggest thing for me being out there and knowing this can happen and that can happen and ultimately that leads us to making the plays.”

(On the energy from Coach DeMeco Ryans)

“Definitely we have a lot of work to do still, he’s about being consistent in what we do. This is just game one, so definitely just being consistent and carry this to game two and game three, and ultimately when the season comes, to game one.”

Tank Dell, WR

(On the offense)

“I think the offense is special, I think we started a little slow and then we got rolling as we got going. I think it is going to be really special, we have a really good running game and a well-balanced passing game. We have a lot of talent and a lot of guys we can get the ball to and a lot of good guys up front to hold up. I think we have the quarterbacks to get the ball to the right guys and I think it is an exciting offense for sure.”

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–PATRIOTS–

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