NFL Preseason Week 3: Takeaways from Sunday's Action

The 2015 NFL preseason wraps up this Thursday with all 32 teams in action.

Meanwhile, there were a pair of summertime tilts Sunday night, closing out the all-important third preseason game for all but the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers (who have played four contests to date).

What did we learn Sunday, and what have we gleaned from this preseason about the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders?

As was the case twice last week, we’ll take a closer look at what we have learned about these clubs in the early going.

Houston Texans: Offense Unspectacular but Efficient

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Houston Texans 27, New Orleans Saints 13

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans

If you are looking for mind-boggling offensive numbers in terms of scoring, the Houston Texans have not been your team this summer.

But this is a group that, under second-year NFL head coach Bill O’Brien, has done the important things this preseason he hopes will pay off this fall and winter.

The Texans' offensive unit has totaled just five touchdowns in three games—three of those coming versus the Saints. But O’Brien’s club's average time of possession this preseason is a gaudy 35:56, and his squad has yet to commit a turnover.

Against the Saints, it was backup quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Tom Savage who threw touchdown passes, while anointed starter Brian Hoyer connected on seven of his 11 throws for 82 yards. He led the Texans on a seven-play, 80-yard drive on the team’s first possession and helped give Houston a 10-3 first-quarter advantage.

With a new-look receiving corps that already included DeAndre Hopkins and now also features Cecil Shorts, Nate Washington and rookie Jaelen Strong, this is an intriguing attack that is already making sure it knows how to take care of the football.

Houston Texans: Romeo Crennel’s Defense Right on Course

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This past season, the Houston Texans made a remarkable turnaround, and it wasn’t just in terms of wins and losses.

This team rebounded from a 2-14 finish (following a 2-0 start) in 2013 to post a 9-7 record in Bill O’Brien’s debut season as head coach, and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel also made an impact.

In 2013, the Texans ranked seventh in the NFL in total yards allowed, but the team could not overcome the constant miscues by the offense. The Texans finished dead last in the NFL in turnover differential (minus-20) because the team coughed up the ball 31 times while coming up with a league-low 11 takeaways.

In 2014 and with Crennel, the suddenly opportunistic Texans forced an NFL-high 34 turnovers. In three games this summer, Houston has totaled four takeaways—two versus New Orleans.

If this team can tighten up its run defense, it could be a scary unit this season.

New Orleans Saints: FS Kenny Phillips Taking Advantage of Opportunity

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He was the final pick in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft by the then-defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Now, safety Kenny Phillips is attempting a comeback after multiple knee injuries and hopes to be on the field for a regular-season game for the first time since 2012. He totaled eight interceptions with Big Blue in five seasons but also missed 24 games over that span.

Phillips signed a free-agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, as they looked to revamp their secondary. But he was released in late August by the Birds and then finally landed with the Saints in late December.

He has started the team’s last two preseason games, getting the nod at strong safety against the Patriots and opening at free safety versus the Texans. He totaled a team-high eight tackles against Houston and has recorded 17 tackles in three games this summer.

We have yet to see safety Jairus Byrd this preseason. His debut year with the Saints in 2014 was cut short by injury. Phillips could be a nice insurance policy should Byrd be grounded a bit more this season.

New Orleans Saints: Too Many Flags, Not Enough Football

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints have yet to win a preseason game in three tries this year. As we know, that can mean nothing when it comes to the regular season.

However, there is one area that has caught head coach Sean Payton's attention, and not in a positive way.

"Penalties are still troublesome," the 10th-year Saints coach said.

This was one of the first things he mentioned in his postgame press conference. The Saints were guilty of 11 accepted penalties for 148 yards in the loss to Houston. In the preseason, New Orleans has taken 35 penalties for 379 yards.

The Saints are coming off a disappointing 7-9 campaign and have made a lot of changes this offseason. One thing the team needs to adjust immediately is its penchant for sloppy play.

Arizona Cardinals: OLB Alex Okafor a Budding Star

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Arizona Cardinals 30, Oakland Raiders 23

O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California

There was a lot of oohing and aahing in Oakland on Sunday night when it came to Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack…and rightfully so.

But Cardinals outside linebacker Alex Okafor was impressive in his own right, as he continually frustrated running backs who happened to come his way. He finished with three solo stops (two of those tackles for losses). Okafor did not record a sack but was credited with three quarterback hits.

A fourth-round pick in 2013, Okafor played in one game as a rookie and suffered a season-ending torn biceps. He rebounded in a big way this past season by totaling 30 tackles, one interception and three passes defensed in 13 games. He also led the Cardinals with eight sacks in 2014.

Continued improvement by the former Texas Longhorn could make life a lot easier for new Arizona defensive coordinator James Bettcher.

Arizona Cardinals: A Little Rust on QB Carson Palmer?

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Although he started the team’s first two preseason games this year, quarterback Carson Palmer didn’t roll up big numbers when he was on the field.

He was efficient in his comeback from a torn ACL suffered last November, connecting on seven of his 11 throws for 165 yards and a touchdown in those two outings. He had a chance to see even more action Sunday, but he didn't impress.

Palmer threw exactly twice as many passes as he did in his first two preseason appearances but hit on just eight of those attempts for 103 yards and a pair of interceptions. He also took three sacks and was knocked down on several other occasions.

Is Palmer ready to open the regular season when the Cardinals host the New Orleans Saints? Sunday may have just been a tough day against an improving defense. We will find out soon enough.

Oakland Raiders: Return of the Mack…to the Arizona Backfield

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

It was hard not to notice new Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack.

Yes, we said "new" because last year’s fifth overall pick made his mark at linebacker. This season, he is at defensive end for new head coach Jack Del Rio and new defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. Mack spent Sunday evening sharing time with Carson Palmer in the Arizona backfield.

By game’s end, the second-year defender had totaled three tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He was also credited with four quarterback hits, and it was nearly impossible to ignore his presence. Just ask one-time Raiders tackle Jared Veldheer, who didn’t fare well when attempting to block him.

This was an Oakland team that totaled just 14 takeaways and a mere 22 sacks in 2014. If Mack continues his assault on opposing quarterbacks, those numbers will change substantially.

Oakland Raiders: Running Game Not Running Yet?

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This past season, the Raiders ranked dead last in rushing. As a team, they totaled 1,240 yards on the ground, a figure surpassed by four backs in the league in 2014.

This summer, new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is hoping Latavius Murray, Roy Helu and perhaps Trent Richardson can help revive a running attack that was held to fewer than 100 yards in 12 games this past season. It also didn’t help that the Raiders totaled fewer than 20 rushing attempts in nine contests in 2014.

In the first two preseason games, Oakland ran 30 times for 102 yards and 31 times for 120 yards versus the Rams and Vikings, respectively. Against Arizona, Jack Del Rio’s squad took a step back, totaling 21 carries for just 37 yards in the 30-23 loss. In the first half, the Raiders totaled 12 attempts and gained one yard.

If Derek Carr is to survive and improve this season, he will need the support of a ground attack that has added some pieces.

All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.