For Texans veteran defensive end Antonio Smith, conditioning was the first priority for him when he joined the defending AFC South champions on a one-year deal after J.J. Watt's season-ending back injury.
The 34-year-old acknowledged he would essentially have to play his way into shape.
Now, Smith is beginning to do that. He had a half-sack he split with outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus against the Minnesota Vikings and two quarterback hits in nine snaps off the bench.
"Yeah, he had the one, I think he had half a sack on the one where Whitney probably got most of that sack but Antonio was right there," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said.