WATCH: Texans' Mario Edwards Jr. records first sack of 2025 preseason
Is it just a preseason play? Yes. Does that matter to the H-Town faithful? Not even a little.
Mario Edwards Jr. recorded the first sack of the Texans' preseason against Carolina Panthers starter Bryce Young in the first quarter. Pressure from Will Anderson off the edge forced the former No. 1 overall pick to move inside, where Edwards wasted little time to make the play.
Here's a look at the highlight below.
Houston's defensive line should once again be the team's strength, headlined by Pro Bowl defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Last season, the Texans broke their franchise record with 46 sacks. They hope to hit over 60 this fall.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Surprise: It's a player-for-player swap in Saints-Jaguars Khalen Saunders trade
Now this is a surprise. Khalen Saunders was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night, but not in exchange for a draft pick. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints got a player in return: Luke Fortner. The 27-year old is a former third-round pick and two-year starter for Jacksonville, having played college football at Kentucky. Fortner tallied more than 2,400 snaps in the Jaguars offense during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but he saw a reduced role last year, and is probably at his best coming in off the bench rather than manning a starting position. But that's an improvement in depth for a Saints offensive line which sorely needed it. They already lost Will Clapp to a season-ending injury, and he had been signed as a preferred backup behind Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy. New Orleans hosted a group of free agent centers for a tryout last week and settled on All-UFL lineman Mike Panasiuk, who got some snaps in during Sunday's preseason game behind rookie backup Torriceli Simpkins III. But Panasiuk drew a penalty and the Saints could look into playing Simpkins at guard with Trevor Penning and Cesar Ruiz both managing injuries. Stay tuned.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson's pregame workout is positive sign for Week 1 return
Chicago Bears superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been missing throughout training camp and preseason due to a leg injury suffered before training camp. But there was reason for optimism ahead of Sunday night's game against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Ben Johnson has reiterated that Johnson is on track to return for the Week 1 opener against the Minnesota Vikings, and this most recent update shows a big step in Johnson's recovery. Matt Zahn of CBS Chicago posted a video of Johnson getting a workout in on the field at Soldier Field on Sunday, noting that the cornerback looks much improved from his recent leg injury. Johnson's health will be key for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and defensive backs coach Al Harris, who undoubtedly need their top player healthy when the regular season begins. With Johnson and Kyler Gordon (also injured with a hamstring injury that has him week-to-week) leading the way, the Bears are expected to have one of the most talented and productive secondaries in the NFL. And Johnson, who is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro selection, will look to build on his previous success. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Vikings Facing Backlash Over Major JJ McCarthy Decision
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Minnesota Vikings are just weeks away from J.J. McCarthy's first career start, yet there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency in Minnesota. After McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus injury, the 22-year-old quarterback is expected to be the team's Week 1 starter in a primetime matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The stage couldn't be brighter for McCarthy, who played a series in the team's preseason opener against the Houston Texans. The Athletic's Derrik Klassen took issue with McCarthy's limited workload, questioning his readiness and the Vikings' decision to hold him out of the second preseason game against the New England Patriots. J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on in the second quarter of the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on in the second quarter of the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by"Unfortunately, it was not as many reps [in the first preseason game] as I would have liked," Klassen said on an August 15 episode of "The Athletic Football Show." "I think the starters were only out there for a drive, and I would have liked to have seen two or three." Against the Texans, McCarthy led a 10-play scoring drive, completing 4 of 7 pass attempts for 30 yards. Klassen referred to a throw to receiver Jordan Addison in the preseason opener that went for an 18-yard gain but was slightly off-target and caught by Addison with a spectacular diving effort. Read more: J.J. McCarthy Faces Brutally Honest Take After Vikings Camp "Baker Mayfield can throw it through a keyhole the way that we saw from J.J. McCarthy on that throw to [Jordan] Addison," Klassen added. "He also, because he's doing that, sometimes you grip the ball a little too tight and you just overshoot a guy by four yards." It's a fair critique that McCarthy may be holding the ball a bit too tight in the first game he has played in a calendar year. However, Addison was held coming out of his break on an anticipation throw. McCarthy was also hit as he threw. I feel this was J.J. McCarthy's 'best throw' of the one series he played in the pre-season opener vs. Texans. It was also his longest completion of the game (18 yards). McCarthy finished the day 4/7 (57.1%) for 30 yards. He averaged 4.3 yards per pass attempt. Stats: ESPN — FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) August 9, 2025 Klassen wasn't entirely pessimistic about McCarthy's preparedness for the season. "I'm just hoping that's something he cleans up a little bit more as he gets used to feeling how the bullets are flying again. Because, again, once you haven't played for a year, it can be tricky to feel the timing of all that," Klassen said. Read more: Vikings Coach Offers Cryptic J.J. McCarthy Update While McCarthy did not play against the Patriots on Saturday, he put on a show in joint practices, which head coach Kevin O'Connell has used as his main evaluation of his quarterbacks in the past. According to The Athletic's Patriots beat reporter Chad Graff, McCarthy looked like a "star," completing 17 of 20 passes for six touchdowns against New England's starters on the second day of joint practices. For more on the Minnesota Vikings and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
