Open Game Day Thread V2.0: New Orleans Saints at Houston Texans

After one half of preseason football, your Houston Texans trail the New Orleans Saints 17-16. Let's tackle some of the early takeaways in bulletpoint form here.

- Right tackle Derek Newton allowed a pretty brutal sack by New Orleans' Cameron Jordan.

- If Pro Bowl left guard Wade Smith cannot go, he should be replaced by David Quessenberry as opposed to Ben Jones. Jones has struggled all game while the offense hums along with the 6th round diamond-in-the-rough. 

- Running back Ben Tate has returned to fine form with 11 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown. This is good to see as Arian Foster works himself into gameshape.

- Wide receiver Andre Johnson did Andre Johnson sorts of things by pulling down seven of his eight targets for 131 yards in one half of play.

- Kicker Randy Bullock made me eat my words by making field goals from 48- and 55-yards with relative ease while also drilling all three kickoffs for touchbacks. Bullock added a third field goal shortly before halftime, but it was merely a 21-yard field goal. The young man certainly has a leg though.

- Defensively, defensive end Jared Crick has had a sack (of Drew Brees!!!), a tackle for a loss, and a hit on the quarterback (BREES!!!!!). Also chipping in good pressure this half was outside linebacker Willie Jefferson, who really wants a 53-man roster spot.

- As for some bad defensive play, have you met safety Shiloh Keo? Keo ended up taking out linebacker Joe Mays while Pierre Thomas ran 51-yards on a touchdown reception. 

- The entire two-minute defense looked awful. Granted, you had half of the first-team defense out, but the Saints moved the ball, without Brees, with ease. Back-up quarterback Luke McCown, no relation to Battle Red Blogger Rivers McCown, went 4-for-6 for 63 yards and a touchdown on that drive.

This is your second half thread. Comment and observe as you see fit.