I know we’ve all been (rightfully) gushing over C.J. Stroud lately, but today I’d like to talk about Dameon Pierce. Obviously our running game hasn’t been much to write home about this season — primarily due to a slew of injuries on the offensive line — so Pierce’s stats have been rather pedestrian. But I looked into his numbers from this past Sunday, and I actually think he’s doing better than it looks at first glance.

Against the Steelers, Pierce had 24 carries for 81 yards. Decent but not great. However, having watched him run this week, he looked much better than that. So I broke down all of his touches throughout the game (separated by drive):

2nd & 10 – Run, 13 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 2 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 4 yards
2nd & 6 – Pass, 27 yards
1st & Goal – Pass, 5 yards (negated by penalty)
1st & Goal – Run, 0 yards
1st & Goal – Run, 0 yards

1st & Goal – Run, 8 yards
2nd & 2 – Run, 3 yards
2nd & 10 – Run, 4 yards

1st & 10 – Run, 3 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 12 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 4 yards

1st & 15 – Run, 3 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 0 yards
2nd & 10 – Run, 5 yards

HALFTIME

1st & 10 – Run, 4 yards

1st & 10 – Run, 1 yard
2nd & 9 – Pass, incomplete

1st & 10 – Run, 7 yards (negated by penalty)
1st & 17 – Run, 6 yards
1st & 10 – Run, 4 yards
2nd & 6 – Run, -5 yards

1st & 10 – Run, 1 yard
2nd & 9 – Run, 10 yards
1st & 15 – Run, 1 yard
1st & 10 – Run, -5 yards

If you look at just his first half stats, it’s a really solid 4.4 yards per carry (along with a 27 yard reception). But his overall stats were brought down by the second half, when the Steelers sold out to stop the run, and he managed an abysmal 1.9 yards per carry. Either way, I think his success in the first half is a testament to his own tenacity and how well Slowik is scheming around our blocking deficiencies.

Also, I’d just like to say that that halfback pass for a touchdown gave me a football boner.

I hope y’all are having fun. I’m roaming around the woods in the sweltering heat with a bunch of junior high boys.

Well folks, I have to go on a Boy Scouts camping trip with my son this weekend, so all of the threads will be scheduled in advance. I won’t be back until sometime during the game on Sunday. Hopefully nothing weird happens, but if it does, y’all are SOL.

In honor of National Drink Beer Day, what are your favorite beers? These are mine…

• Revolver Blood & Honey
• Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale
• Shiner Bock
• Southern Star Buried Hatchet
• Killian’s Irish Red
• Galveston Bay Bull Shark Scottish Ale
• Negra Modelo

This has nothing to do with football, but we played last night, and it was fun.

What’s new, pussycat? Whoa, whoa whoa, whoa whoa!

I gotta say… I’m still on kind of a high after that win yesterday. I know it’s just one win, and we still have a long season ahead of us, but damn. I haven’t been this optimistic about the Texans in a very long time. Stroud is the real deal. Tank and Nico are killer weapons. But aside from the talent on the field, this also seems like a coaching staff we can believe in. Yes, they’ve made some rookie mistakes (and we’ve called them out for it), but DeMeco and his guys are learning, changing, adjusting, and making shit work, despite our plethora of notable injuries.

Apparently September 23rd is Redhead Appreciation Day, but we’re all gentlemen here, and none of us are superficial or anything like that, so no one would dare post GIFs of, say, Christina Hendricks, Karen Gillan, Isla Fisher, Emma Stone, Jessica Rabbit, etc.

Happy Chainmail Day from your resident medievalist!