The episode began with Bill O’Brien asked if his players wanted to be the “almost team.” After the franchise enduring more than a decade of near wins and playoff losses, he did not need curse words to question their future going into this season. Having already selected Brian Hoyer as starting quarterback because of his consistency, he also drove home the desire for consistent play in all others under consideration for the final roster. “Hard Knocks” picked up in the fourth week of training camp after a 14-10 loss to the Denver Broncos and the head coach made it clear that he would have to make tough decisions with a lot on the line.
The first high stakes involved that of the players’ living arrangements for the remainder of camp after having endured the team hotel for more than three weeks prior. It all boiled down to one play and one moment: Christian Covington was challenged to make a play in practice for special teams. If he caught a ball punted more than 50 yards in the practice bubble, the team would get to move out of the team hotel and players would have the right to stay at home without a curfew as part of “a regular-season mode,” as O’Brien phrased it. The players chanted, “RUDY! RUDY! RUDY!” after Covington made a clean catch and as promised, the entire dynamic changed. However, no one may have had more on the line than defensive tackle David Quessenberry, who had battled leukemia for the past year and a half before being cleared to practice.
While team personnel and fans alike have sported “DQ Strong” shirts and social media hashtags, Quessenberry has been to several doctors and endured treatments while supporting the team from the sidelines. However, DQ received word on-camera that he would be able to practice this offseason and monitored for a year after that. Although he found it difficult to resume play on the field, he worked with Assistant Strength Coach Sean Hayes, who helped reorient him to game-day preparation.
As for the competitive edge from last week, players tried to stand out in ways never seen before, especially for Houston’s dozen-plus wide receivers competing for a roster spot. Uzoma Nwachukwu, he of “E.Z.” fame from last week’s episode, asked for insights from perennial All-Pro J.J. Watt, who compared his lifestyle choices to the desire for premium gasoline over other types. Watt said that his body knows the difference, and he eats right while trying to get 8-10 hours of sleep. He also admitted that the schedule of an NFL player is flawed because of the early morning wakeups that no one would desire. Nwachukwu has stood out in practice and on the field during the preseason, creating numerous jumpball situations akin to basketball centers in tight coverage. In this case, O’Brien told him to just go down the field and get it, and he had the ability to make the play because of his natural speed.
Nwachukwu may have difficulty, though, competing against former Texas A&M teammate Travis Labhart, especially since the tandem referred to themselves as an old married couple who argued with each other. The two went fishing along with Labhart’s wife, and although friends for years, the receivers’ interactions resembled young newlyweds who looked over their shoulder for approval while achieving a lofty goal, especially since “E.Z.” literally jumped for joy upon catching a fish. Labhart’s brother-in-law Adam joined in and asked the men if they were athletes before taking a rope swing for a ride. The leisurely scene became a montage of grace in technique, as “The Blue Danube” played to slow-motion flips – that is, until Labhart nearly ended a swing in a complete belly flop.
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The tone became far more serious as O’Brien addressed happy sock-wearing Charles James II about a potential position on the team, particularly on special teams. The nearly closed-door nature of the meeting made the audience believe that he would be cut, but O’Brien merely told him that while size worked against him, he had many tangible skills and intangible qualities the team desires, sparing his roster spot.
O’Brien spelled out James’ opportunity to make the team, which turns out to have been a word that successful veterans have grasped in past seasons, but could not literally spell out for themselves.
Brian Cushing started the spelling struggle when O’Brien asked him to spell the word and he said, “O-p-p” clearly, but added an “e” after that, which the head coach could not believe. Watt quizzed Vince Wilfork on the word and the lineman dodged the question saying that it was a long word, and although he previously emphasized spaghetti, he dodged that word as well. Watt then talked with other players and not one of them was able to spell one of these lengthier words correctly, which led one to reflect on how they are lucky to hit hard for a living, because they may be in trouble otherwise. As for James, he continued to visualize his opportunity in the virtual world against a superstar.
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James challenged New York Giants wide receiver and Madden cover Athlete Odell Beckham Jr. to a game of the series’ latest installment. One could not be sure if these were friends enjoying free time, a commercial for Madden ’16, or just producers creating a situation for good TV, but James clearly showed belief in his chances. His virtual character made an interception that was nearly returned for a touchdown. However, in a year of “almosts” for the Texans, Beckham made a play to end the game and celebrated in the most appropriate way for his past: laying out on his back with outstretched arms, reminiscent of his award-winning catch in the endzone.
With high stakes and a narrowing roster, there was no room for small errors or to sleep on any opportunities, which became all too literal for Backup Quarterback Ryan Mallett this week. Mallett missed practice in the past week and was sent home due to a personal issue after missing his alarm at some point in the day. In a situation that reminded one of a nine-to-five worker talking to his supervisor, he explained that he needed a battery for the alarm and had a malfunction of some sort, but he would also take extra precautions to ensure similar incidents would not happen.
General Manager Rick Smith, who was shown talking to other league personnel such as John Elway about potential roster decisions, told Mallett that he needed to take ownership over the mistake and improve. Although that situation perked ears up on sports radio stations and TV, no situation had more Texans’ heads turning than Wilfork’s questionable wardrobe.
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Dressed in overalls and shorts with nearly knee-high cowboy boots, Wilfork resembled the new sheriff in town until the camera panned up, revealing a large lineman as the musically-introduced enforcer. Players ribbed him about having the outfit tailor-made and a normally intense O’Brien lost his composure in laughter upon seeing Wilfork, who was alleged to have “no underroos on.” While the jury is still out on that piece of (perhaps too much) information, he could have played a WWE character because he stayed in character as an awkward, oversized cowboy the entire day.
This team has ensured stressful situations but finds a way to happiness individually, and in an episode that went far beyond the game in highlights, the man with the happy socks became content against the Saints. James made plays on passes along the sidelines, open field tackles, and even when called for a holding penalty, it was clearly dubious as he could not have held a player he never touched. O’Brien knew better than the call on the field, but James’ presence was clearly felt to end the game as he lined up at running back, taking a carry through some choice cut moves 73 yards for a touchdown.
Although a holding penalty erased the score, James made an impression on FOX broadcasters and coaching personnel and as a result, he kept the ball and even got on the team bus with it, a souvenir for his own Hall of Fame-like achievement.
Innumerable players have attempted to find a niche and stand out to the Texans’ decision-makers, and while some players with heavy airtime on the show such as James and EZ made the first cut, Labhart did not, leaving him to contemplate life outside of football. O’Brien said that he would give any coaching recommendation necessary for future employment, which left the audience with proof that although one door of opportunity closes, other doors open elsewhere, an idea not lost on the team going into the final cuts at the end of the preseason (and the season finale of this program).
