Houston Texans: Studs and duds from Week 1 vs. Chiefs
Stud: RB David Johnson
He was part of the team’s trade that sent three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. A year ago, the Houston Texans finished ninth in the league in rushing and that was mainly via running backs Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. But that aforementioned deal meant former Pro Bowler David Johnson would be joining the team (via Jack Baer of Yahoo! Sports).
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
He got off to a solid start at Arrowhead Stadium with 11 carries for 77 yards and the first score of the game via a 19-yard run. The versatile Johnson also caught three passes for 32 yards in the team’s loss. It added up to 109 yards from scrimmage and one TD on 14 total touches.
Dud: LB Zach Cunningham
He’s been a primary starter at one of the inside linebacker spots for the club since he entered the league in 2017. Zach Cunningham was a second-round pick from Vanderbilt University and has been a very productive player. He finished second on the team in tackles during his rookie campaign and has led the Houston Texans in total stops each of the past two years.
And in Thursday’s night loss to the Chiefs, Cunningham paced the club with eight tackles. But too many of those stops were after eight- and nine-yard gains. And just before halftime, he committed two costly penalties that gave Kansas City a cheap 20 yards and set up the home team for a 29-yard field goal.