Texans' depth shines in narrow preseason loss to Raiders

If you caught a glimpse ofThursday night's Texans-Raiders preseason game, you likely saw No. 4 lined up in Houston's backfield, but may have confused him for another more recognizable Texan.

If you continued watching, you likely wouldn't have been able to name the linebacker who intercepted Fernando Mendoza and returned it for a touchdown, either.

That's the beauty of preseason action, and of how general manager Nick Caserio has constructed these Texans in 2026. They're deep, and in preseason games, depth usually shines, especially late in the first half.

While David Montgomery's arrival (rightfully) powered most offseason discussions regarding Houston's offense, it wasn't often we heard Woody Marks' name mentioned. After an impressive showing on Houston's opening touchdown march -- a drive capped by Marks covering 20 yards on his final carry and steamrolling over Raiders defenders into the end zone -- Marks' notoriety might increase entering the regular season.

“I thought (Marks) looked great," quarterback C.J. Stroud said. "He's been amazing in practice and taking strides. I’m just proud of him not even only in the running game, but in pass protection, as well. I thought he did a great job.”

Marks' outing ended after four carries, 39 yards and the rushing score, a quality showing for a running back aiming to build on a rookie season in which he saw a larger-than-expected role due to Joe Mixon's foot injury and finished with 703 yards and two rushing scores on 196 attempts. Sure, Montgomery will serve as the lead back, but Marks' performance Thursday in Houston's 22-20 loss to Las Vegas proves the Texans have options.

The same can be said about the true strength of Houston's team: their defense. Veteran Azeez Al-Shaair is entrenched as a high-motor, violent (occasionally to his own detriment) middle linebacker, manning the Mike position with expertise. On nights like Thursday, however, experienced defenders like Al-Shaair didn't play. That opened the door for his backup, Wade Woodaz, to make his mark.

A fourth-round pick out of Clemson in April, Woodaz is even more unknown than Marks. That changed when he found himself in the perfect position to intercept a panicked pass fired by Mendoza, snagging the errant throw and sprinting past his fellow rookie (of much greater draft status) for a touchdown.

“For Wade, he just has to be disciplined with what we're asking him to do. That pick came from him just being where he's supposed to be, finding a way to catch the football and go score," coach DeMeco Ryans explained afterward. "He just has to continue to improve. Rookie that we're trying to get a ton of reps. He's done a good job of what we've given him.”

So far, it seems the high volume of reps is paying off for Woodaz, who finished with two tackles and the interception.

“I like the way he said that he's hungry to get better; last week wasn't good enough," Ryans said. "We showed him what he needs to improve upon. He did some good things in practice. Getting a pick is one play, a big play in the game, but there are more plays you have to watch to see if he's really taking all the improvements that we've asked him to do.”

As Ryans noted, acclimating to the NFL and seizing an opportunity is a process that isn't finished. Woodaz still has to finish the preseason strong in order to lock down a roster spot.

As of now, though, he has plenty of reason to feel good about his standing. And in a league in which injuries are commonplace (and often significant), you can never have enough depth.

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