# Lance Zierlein: Zierlein expects Texans QB C.J. Stroud to play roughly 10-12 plays in Thursday's preseason game, with Davis Mills going to halftime and newly signed Brett Rypien playing the entire second half. He also said if Tank Dell isn't ready, Lewis Bond and Jaden Hall would both likely make the roster, and predicted Keelan Rutledge will be the starting center with Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith starting. **Claimed:** Aug 18, 2026 **Pundit:** Lance Zierlein — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/lance-zierlein **Outlet:** John and Lance — ESPN Houston (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/john-and-lance-espn-houston-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/audioboom.com/posts/8942533.mp3?modified=1787067099&sid=4936948&source=rss 2 checkable claims — 2 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > I think Mills takes it to the to the half, and then my guess is Ripon will go the rest of the way in the second half. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jaylin Noel to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Lewis Bond to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Lewis Bond, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jaylin Noel — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jaylin-noel - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Lewis Bond — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/lewis-bond ## What others said about the same people - John Breech on Houston Texans: Breech picks the Texans to upset the Bills in Houston, trusting Houston's defense to smother Josh Allen, and takes the Raiders to beat the Dolphins by at least a touchdown. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9da8cc61-bdc3-40fd-bd7f-c02c99fe7b00 (scored 0) - Judah Fortgang on Houston Texans: PFF's divisional-round same-game parlay picks: Tampa Bay beats Cincinnati with Cade Otton exploiting the Bengals' linebackers, Las Vegas beats Miami behind Kirk Cousins attacking a depleted Dolphins secondary, and Houston beats Buffalo with C.J. Stroud throwing effectively and Jaylin Noel benefiting from the slot matchup. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3c975cce-7d78-48c7-95ad-f5d06adbf4a8 (scored 0) - Judah Fortgang on Houston Texans: An unsigned PFF betting piece argues Cooper Rush will struggle against Pittsburgh's disruption pressure in Week 1, and that Buffalo's rebuilt secondary without Sean McDermott will be exploitable by C.J. Stroud, leading them to back Houston winning through the air. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1c4105a4-26a0-4592-b314-eacdc44833e9 (scored 0) - Simon Hunter on Houston Texans: Hunter picked Houston and the Giants as underdog money line plays, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit as favorites, and used Pittsburgh plus the Chargers as his survivor picks for week one. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5ac46502-b65b-469b-befc-16fbc672b011 (scored 0) - Chad Millman on Houston Texans: Millman backed several week one sides outright: Miami to beat the Raiders straight up, the Jets over the Titans, an underdog money line parlay of Houston and the Giants, and a favorites money line parlay of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. He also stands by his preseason take that Drake Maye is a top-five NFL quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/de991e27-ec15-4c6e-ad88-b55bdaea8665 (scored 0) - Kevin Wildes on Houston Texans: Wildes parlayed two upsets: Houston beating Buffalo and Indianapolis beating Baltimore, and had picked Dak Prescott as league MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f28f3fe2-4d14-4184-9168-052e865ecb0b (scored 0) ## More roster spot calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (scored 0) - Cody Rourke on Mitchell Fraboni: Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ecf0b4d8-7096-41e4-b8bd-f37d5cdcd8d5 (scored 0) - Sayre Bedinger on Adam Prentice: Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac244b64-ba35-48be-bad9-b54ef4f4fcfc (scored 0) - Bob Morris on Adam Prentice: Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fbd4f215-eaf5-4bff-9431-d661656ff28a (scored 100) - Erick Trickel on Adam Prentice: After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3b8bcd8c-c4ab-4a02-9bb6-39d20cae9d37 (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Aaron Donald: Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ea18c6ec-7662-4e66-91ed-4d0ef9d7d97d (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=lance-zierlein