HBO 'Hard Knocks' 2015: Best Texans Storylines, Moments, Reaction for Episode 2

The Houston Texans took center stage Tuesday night in the second episode of the 2015 edition of Hard Knocks, and fans were given a behind-the-scenes view of intriguing storylines such as Jadeveon Clowney's rehab, the quarterback battle, how difficult it is to block linebacker Brian Cushing and how much J.J. Watt and Vince Wilfork love breakfast and brunch.

Watt's and Wilfork's breakfast choices may not impact Houston's season as much as Clowney's health and the eventual quarterback winner, but it underscored the dynamic of choosing the Texans for Hard Knocks this year.

Watt is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and one of the few defensive players in the league who serves as the face of a franchise. Both Watt and Wilfork boast outgoing personalities, and that was perfectly clear during their discussion, as Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle and the Texans' Twitter account noted:

Those lighthearted moments always stand out on Hard Knocks, but football fans likely took note of the battle on the field between Cushing and running back Alfred Blue. Cushing was not afraid to talk some trash to the smaller back, and he even called Blue back out for a second effort at blocking his blitz attempt.

It didn't end well for Blue, as the NFL and Smith pointed out:

Blocking Cushing is difficult enough, but Texans fans can only dream of an unblockable defensive line that includes Watt, Wilfork and Clowney. Tuesday's episode of Hard Knocks caught up with the No. 1 overall pick from the 2014 draft and highlighted some of his rehab work as he recovers from December's microfracture knee surgery.

It was an encouraging montage of work for the explosive defender, especially since he only appeared in four games last season with health concerns. Coach Bill O'Brien even talked to Clowney about how badly the former South Carolina star wants to return to the field, per Smith, and head trainer Geoff Kaplan gave him a straightforward task, per Drew Dougherty of Texans TV:

Clowney discussed his mindset, per Deepi Sidhu of HoustonTexans.com:

"

After everybody was telling me about the surgery, on how hard it was going to be and a lot of guys don’t do this after the surgery, don’t do that, I was like, 'I’m going to try to beat the odds.' I’ve always been that way my whole life, so I was going to work hard and just try to push for a good time to come back and I’m feeling great.

"

There were a number of amusing sequences in Tuesday's episode outside of Clowney's highlight package, including discussions of stylish socks among various team members, DeAndre Hopkins' shopping habits and horrible rookie haircuts.

The haircut sequence in particular stood out as veterans shaved the youngsters' heads into ridiculous patterns. Even Coach O'Brien got in on the fun and forced the rookies to take their hats off in the meeting room.

Despite the antics, the most important aspect of Tuesday's episode was the preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Houston won the game 23-10, but the performance of quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett in the middle of a positional battle was the real storyline. 

Hoyer started the game and led the Texans down the field with a touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts. Mallett was also impressive in relief and completed 10 of his 11 passes, although he did not match Hoyer's touchdown. Mallett led the Texans to the 1-yard line, but the offense failed to punch it in on seven straight chances (the drive was extended on a pass interference penalty).

Smith described the scenes from the game with a focus on the two quarterbacks: 

George Bridges/Associated Press

The quarterback battle is the biggest storyline in the Texans camp, and both looked impressive during Tuesday's episode. 

The battle took on even more significance this offseason when star running back Arian Foster underwent groin surgery. Foster has been to four Pro Bowls in six seasons and only sits behind LeSean McCoy and Marshawn Lynch in combined rushing yards over the past five years. The starting quarterback will likely be asked to pick up more yardage without Foster moving the chains on a consistent basis.

The fact that Blue was highlighted in Tuesday's episode also stands out because he will serve as Foster's replacement until the former Tennessee Volunteer returns to the field. Blue may not have effectively blocked Cushing, but he did tally 59 rushing yards on only nine carries against the 49ers.

He also deserves some credit for even having the willingness to stand in front of a blitzing Cushing.

The Texans have playoff aspirations this season, and they offered glimpses of hope during Hard Knocks. Both quarterbacks performed admirably, Watt is still a star despite his overwhelming love of breakfast, and Clowney could return to the field soon.

There is reason for optimism in the Houston camp. 

*HBO will re-air the show's episodes on Wednesdays at 11 p.m. ET.