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One memory that constantly comes to mind and still causes me anxiety is my business statistics course, which I struggled with throughout my final semester. I needed to pass that course to finish my degree and graduate.
It all came down to the final exam. This was the last graded assignment and my last chance to finish the course. Just thinking about how I prepared for over a week for that exam still almost makes me break into a sweat.
The final preseason game between the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions served as a final exam for Texans players on the bubble trying to make the 53-man roster next Tuesday, rather than as a contest to win, which the Texans did by a score of 26–7.
Houston improved to 2-1 in the preseason as they head into their Week 1 regular season matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
With the starters out on both sides of the ball, many of the reserves had an opportunity to showcase their skillset one last time for head coach DeMeco Ryans and General Manager Nick Caserio.
“The main thing about this last preseason game, you just want to see guys last,” said Ryans. “Go out, play with elite energy, play with elite execution. That’s all you do. You don’t worry about things you can’t control when it comes to the roster, making the team – no, you just go out and play. Play ball, play as hard as you can possibly play.
Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Has Some Tough Roster Decisions
“That decisions to make the roster doesn’t happen just on this one game. We know our guys, we’ve been watching these guys since offseason training. So, we know the type of guys that we have. I’ll say it again for me because all 90 guys I want to keep, because I know I can go to war with these guys. I know what they’re about. They’re battle-tested, they’re tough, physical, they have the right mindset of what it takes.”
Many players around the NFL who have loved the game of football since their youth also know that the business side of it plays a massive role in constructing a team. Texans players who are considered fringe players may have given their all, but the way that current contracts are built, some will lose out on the numbers game.
“Unfortunately, can’t keep everyone,” said Ryans. “But, man, I’m so proud of every person in that room for the work that they put in throughout training camp for us to get better as a team. Everybody took strides, everybody took steps to get better as players, coaches, and staff. We all improved throughout this training camp, and that’s just going to help us to start the season off in the right mental.”
Editor's Note: I did pass the course and graduated.