For once, the Hall of Fame Game lived up to the hype, not serving as one of the most highly-anticipated but underwhelming games of the year as has been the case in most seasons. Even with the game cut short due to the weather, we saw quite a bit, so let's recap what we learned last night:
Kickoffs Are... Different
We knew the change was coming as the NFL debuted its new dynamic kickoff format. The consensus opinion seems to be a bit split on the new kickoff setup with the first two kickoffs being returned to the 26-yard line and multiple kickoffs featuring a penalty on either the kicking or receiving team moving before the returner received the ball. The initial looks of it were chaos, but take that as either excitement or confusion. It'll likely be more chaos at least to start the season as Special Teams coordinators continue to get a grasp on the best approach to the new format.
Houston's Offensive Scheme Continues to Thrive
No C.J. Stroud? No problem. Even despite the starters not getting action, as expected, the Texans' offensive scheme under OC Bobby Slowik continued to run smoothly, picking up right where they left off last year. Texans QBs went 19/27 for 190 yards and 2 TDs with Davis Mills running the show early and looking very good at 10/13 for 102 and a TD. Not that the success of the backups in the preseason is an overwhelming indicator for the regular season, but it certainly gives some reassurance as to the likelihood it wasn't a 'flash in the pan' type of season from the Texans' young core.
Bears RB Depth a Question Mark
As expected, starter D'Andre Swift didn't suit up for the Hall of Fame Game, but very surprisingly backups Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson not only played but played a fair amount in a competition for the RB2 role behind Swift. Johnson got the initial snaps, starting off hot with a 9-yard run and 24 total yards on his first four touches (3 carries, 1 catch), ending the night with a modest 6 for 24 on the ground with 1 catch for 7 yards via the air. However, it was worth noting that Johnson played the entire first half except for a lone Herbert drive in the 2nd quarter. Speaking of Herbert, he also looked good, going 4 for 35 (8.8 YPC) with a long of 19 yards on the night. It appears that Johnson has the edge in the competition to be Swift's backup but the lack of a definitive split between Johnson and Herbert suggests that the Bears' coaching staff is truly entertaining the competition.
Definitive Split Between Notable Starters and Backups for Texans
We knew we weren't going to get to see the likes of C.J. Stroud, Joe Mixon, Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, or Dalton Schultz, but Dameon Pierce and Brevin Jordan not seeing any action while the likes of Dare Ogunbowale (RB3), John Metchie III (WR4), and Cade Stover (TE3) receiving significant action spanning into the 2nd quarter suggests a pretty definitive separation between the starters/meaningful skill position players in Houston and the rest. It seems that we're likely not going to see a depth guy such as Metchie or Stover make a significant impact in 2024 barring multiple injuries to their respective positions.
Cam Akers' Return to Action
It's unlikely he will play a notable role this year with the Texans, seeing as he entered the night as the RB4 on the depth chart, but it's a positive story nonetheless - Cam Akers returned to the NFL field after suffering yet another torn Achilles back in November. Akers looked pretty good, especially for someone coming off their second Achilles tear in three years, going for 5 carries and 13 yards (2.6 YPC) while finding the endzone via the air (2 for 18 and a TD) in a feel-good story for the opening game of the preseason.