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2011 Texans Off -season thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter coolnerd
- Start date
baconisgood
Footballguy
Browns fan here-vickers is a quality player. Not amazing but solid and he can catch the ball out of the backfield a bit as well.
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://blog.chron.com/fantasyfootball/2011/07/sound-from-texans-andre-johnson-helped-recruit-johnathan-joseph/
Lots audio from Lance Z's blog
Lots audio from Lance Z's blog
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
I'm hoping they bring in a veteran minimum-type WR or two and let those guys compete with Dickerson and the rookies for the remaining WR spots. I'd like a Laurent Robinson-type in the #4 role at the very least instead of just relying on Dickerson or a rookie UDFA. And I'm all for adding any kind of depth on defense. Ty Warren would seem to be a good start to add as a rotational player at DE, and I'd like a vet NT who could give us a few plays a game as well. I'd like to see Vickers here to replace Leach, and I think I'll probably be happy that whoever the new punter is is not named Matt Turk...'GregR said:
GregR_2
Footballguy
You know, one thing I'd forgotten earlier is that the kickoff spot is being moved up 5 yards, so there won't be as many kick returns this year. Just mentioning that in reference to D. Manning's added value there. Still, better to have him than Slaton but it won't be as much as if we'd had him last year.Also wanted to share this tweet:
jamil
Footballguy
35th?!?! yikes... :X :X
GregR_2
Footballguy
Decent article on the Wade Phillips defense, if only that it provides links to a lot of other informative articles.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/786768-learning-from-history-wade-phillips-defense-against-the-houston-texans?utm_campaign=buzztap&utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/786768-learning-from-history-wade-phillips-defense-against-the-houston-texans?utm_campaign=buzztap&utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter
GregR_2
Footballguy
Case in point, I hadn't seen this video before following the link from the above article, but it was an excellent view into the defensive philosophy and how it relates to the DBs.http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Xs-and-Os-Joseph-on-secondary-/01fd92ca-8428-4d2d-8fba-b5b520ce1c09
GregR_2
Footballguy
Quotes from morning camp: http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Monday-AM-practice/8f3355fa-f75b-4588-b81d-2da54364769b
Going to just highlight one about Cushing. Cushing has a knee injury he's recovering from and worked out on a side field.
Going to just highlight one about Cushing. Cushing has a knee injury he's recovering from and worked out on a side field.
coolnerd
Footballguy
Maynard (punter) 1 year contract
http://houston.sbnation.com/2011/8/1/2310313/texans-sign-brad-maynard-set-for-punter-position-battle
http://houston.sbnation.com/2011/8/1/2310313/texans-sign-brad-maynard-set-for-punter-position-battle
Tried to get tickets to Sunday's open practice yesterday but ticketmaster kept giving me errors, so I think they were already sold out and hadn't updated it yet. I know you can usually just walk up and there are extra's but we'll see what my schedule is like that morning.
Debating taking next Friday off from work and going that morning as well.
Debating taking next Friday off from work and going that morning as well.
GregR_2
Footballguy
I should have an extra. PM me your email and I'll send you the PDF you can print from.
Sweet, PM sent! Also just got tickets for next Friday. Didn't make it at all to a practice last year, looking forward to going again.
Boulder Toads
Footballguy
Also shooting for an office escape to make next Friday ... Never been to one of the practices before, but after this summer I'm pumped for even that!'Buckna said:
gethugefast1
Footballguy
Lawrence Vickers - RB
Texans Texans signed FB Lawrence Vickers, formerly of the Browns, to a two-year, $3 million contract.After losing Vonta Leach to the Ravens, the Texans were in desperate need of a lead blocker for Arian Foster. While Vickers certainly isn't as good as Leach, he's better than any of the Texans' internal options such as TE James Casey.
Foster will be just fine.
Source: John McLain on Twitter Aug 3, 11:22 AM
Last edited by a moderator:
Nate
Footballguy
Woo!Lawrence Vickers - RB
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://blog.chron.com/texanschick/
there is info on Andre's injury, but really I am not concerned about the special teams which she reports here.
Special Teams Update.
You think you were unhappy with Texans field position last year? Special teams coach Joe Marciano is likely more unhappy than you. When he talks about it, he looks like he is in physical pain. He’s had squads that were among the best in the league in field position but that wasn’t last year, given their league worst starting field position. He pledges this will be fixed.
Punters. Yesterday and today, he was working with UDFA punter Brett Hartmann. They’ve also signed Bears veteran Brad Maynard. He tells me that he will work with both of them in a competition, but that the team is always looking for upgrades at all positions. That with the 90 person roster, it gives the team flexibility to bring in a number of people, depending on needs.
Returners. Says that a lot of different players will be looked at for return duties, and that in terms of vets, Danieal Manning will be likely doing kick off returns with Jacoby Jones doing punts. This year, the importance of kick returners may be decreased because of the rule change that moved the kick off from the 30 to the 35 yard line. Marciano says that the last time that was the rule, there were only 4 kick return touchdowns that year. The very good Pro Football Reference blog suggests that this change may end up increasing slightly the opportunity for big comebacks and “streakier” games. (Have to click on link to get detailed reasoning).
there is info on Andre's injury, but really I am not concerned about the special teams which she reports here.
Special Teams Update.
You think you were unhappy with Texans field position last year? Special teams coach Joe Marciano is likely more unhappy than you. When he talks about it, he looks like he is in physical pain. He’s had squads that were among the best in the league in field position but that wasn’t last year, given their league worst starting field position. He pledges this will be fixed.
Punters. Yesterday and today, he was working with UDFA punter Brett Hartmann. They’ve also signed Bears veteran Brad Maynard. He tells me that he will work with both of them in a competition, but that the team is always looking for upgrades at all positions. That with the 90 person roster, it gives the team flexibility to bring in a number of people, depending on needs.
Returners. Says that a lot of different players will be looked at for return duties, and that in terms of vets, Danieal Manning will be likely doing kick off returns with Jacoby Jones doing punts. This year, the importance of kick returners may be decreased because of the rule change that moved the kick off from the 30 to the 35 yard line. Marciano says that the last time that was the rule, there were only 4 kick return touchdowns that year. The very good Pro Football Reference blog suggests that this change may end up increasing slightly the opportunity for big comebacks and “streakier” games. (Have to click on link to get detailed reasoning).
GregR_2
Footballguy
Interested to see what we do to get under. Think I read Mario counts something like $14M against the cap this year as he's in the last year of his #1 pick overall deal. I wonder if they will do something with him or wait to see how he adjusts to playing OLB.
I think Schaub counts something like $9M and only has one more year left on his deal after this season. We could possibly see an extension there.
I think Schaub counts something like $9M and only has one more year left on his deal after this season. We could possibly see an extension there.
Looks like Andre, DeMeco & Antonio Smith all agreed to restructure to get us under the cap. Just need to work out the details and they can get back to practicing.
GregR_2
Footballguy
A lot of teams pushed their practice back past 4pm so they could have the newly signed players practice. Texans still practiced this morning. At first I was WTF, but after thinking about it, they probably decided they'd rather practice in the morning and not have everyone involved rather than wait until now and have them practice in 99 degrees weather.
GregR_2
Footballguy
Afternoon session streaming live:
http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/LIVE-Texans-Training-Camp-PM-practice-Day-4/85aa4b34-dc0c-4edf-a915-96e225145581
http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/LIVE-Texans-Training-Camp-PM-practice-Day-4/85aa4b34-dc0c-4edf-a915-96e225145581
GregR_2
Footballguy
Houston Texans
Houston Texans' 2011 single-game tickets just went on sale: http://www.houstontexans.com/tickets/individual-tickets.html
Houston Texans' 2011 single-game tickets just went on sale: http://www.houstontexans.com/tickets/individual-tickets.html
I am curious as well but there wont be much to go on yet. Cushing isnt practicing yet, just running. DeMeco will have to hold out of practices until they restructure his contract. Hopefully there will be more to tell once the open practices start this weekend.
gethugefast1
Footballguy
Heat, flu, Foster's injury hamper Texans' practice
By DALE ROBERTSON
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 5, 2011, 11:31AM
The Texans were supposed to be at full strength for the first time Friday with 85 players practicing up from 71 Thursday morning but a spreading stomach flu bug, Arian Fosters strained hamstring and sweltering conditions dampened their enthusiasm.
Head coach Gary Kubiak dismissed ailing tight end Owen Daniels during pre-practice stretching, then saw Foster pull up lame and grab his leg after a 40-yard run to the end zone on the first play of 11-on-11 scrimmage.
Foster, the NFLs rushing champion last season, was working out for the first time after been stuck in limbo while the new collective bargaining agreement was being finalized. Speaking after practice, Kubiak admitted he didnt yet know how bad the injury was.
I dont know, but he didnt feel good so I just said Get out, Kubiak said. He went 35, 40 minutes (in practice) and looked great, so Im hoping hell be right back out here. Well see.
Foster stayed on the field for the rest of practice as a spectator only. He declined interview requests afterwards.
Kubiak, asked if he was worried, replied: No, Im not, not right now. I could probably answer better this afternoon.
Besides Foster and the former Pro Bowler Daniels, the Texans were also missing star receiver Andre Johnson, whos recovering from a dislocated finger suffered in the first practice Monday and also has been laid low by the flu.
Offensively were missing some key pieces, Kubiak said. When Andres not practicing, Owens not practicing and Arians not practicing, that concerns me. But, at the same time, it does give you a chance to get better because all those other guys are getting the reps. Weve got to just stay focused on them.
Daniels came out intending to practice, but Kubiak told him to take the morning off.
New free safety Danieal Manning was also under the weather, but he made it through the workout before being taken to get an IV to replenish lost fluids.
With almost no breeze, the conditions were the most difficult the Texans have yet encountered in the first week of training camp.
Kubiak said two or three players each day have been under the weather.
Its going around, he said. I have no idea why. A couple of guys have been able to push through. Three of them did practice.
Linebacker DeMeco Ryans admitted its making him a little less social than usual.
Im trying to stay away from guys, he said, laughing. Im not shaking hands, covering my face, things like that."
By DALE ROBERTSON
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 5, 2011, 11:31AM
The Texans were supposed to be at full strength for the first time Friday with 85 players practicing up from 71 Thursday morning but a spreading stomach flu bug, Arian Fosters strained hamstring and sweltering conditions dampened their enthusiasm.
Head coach Gary Kubiak dismissed ailing tight end Owen Daniels during pre-practice stretching, then saw Foster pull up lame and grab his leg after a 40-yard run to the end zone on the first play of 11-on-11 scrimmage.
Foster, the NFLs rushing champion last season, was working out for the first time after been stuck in limbo while the new collective bargaining agreement was being finalized. Speaking after practice, Kubiak admitted he didnt yet know how bad the injury was.
I dont know, but he didnt feel good so I just said Get out, Kubiak said. He went 35, 40 minutes (in practice) and looked great, so Im hoping hell be right back out here. Well see.
Foster stayed on the field for the rest of practice as a spectator only. He declined interview requests afterwards.
Kubiak, asked if he was worried, replied: No, Im not, not right now. I could probably answer better this afternoon.
Besides Foster and the former Pro Bowler Daniels, the Texans were also missing star receiver Andre Johnson, whos recovering from a dislocated finger suffered in the first practice Monday and also has been laid low by the flu.
Offensively were missing some key pieces, Kubiak said. When Andres not practicing, Owens not practicing and Arians not practicing, that concerns me. But, at the same time, it does give you a chance to get better because all those other guys are getting the reps. Weve got to just stay focused on them.
Daniels came out intending to practice, but Kubiak told him to take the morning off.
New free safety Danieal Manning was also under the weather, but he made it through the workout before being taken to get an IV to replenish lost fluids.
With almost no breeze, the conditions were the most difficult the Texans have yet encountered in the first week of training camp.
Kubiak said two or three players each day have been under the weather.
Its going around, he said. I have no idea why. A couple of guys have been able to push through. Three of them did practice.
Linebacker DeMeco Ryans admitted its making him a little less social than usual.
Im trying to stay away from guys, he said, laughing. Im not shaking hands, covering my face, things like that."
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GregR_2
Footballguy
A few comments from John McClain on 610 today.
He said the Texans didn't talk to Aubrayo Franklin at all, and that Wade Phillips really likes Earl Mitchell.
He mentioned practice squad player Tori Wilson is to watch for making the roster at safety.
Asked about Kareem Jackson, he said Jackson has good cover skills but he lacks speed to make up for an error and ball skills when the ball gets there. (Yeah, I know, not a great revelation there). He mentioned that Jason Allen has great ball skills, but what has been killing him is missed assignments, that that is why he got released by the Dolphins.
Said that Quinn is transitioning well to safety. Hasn't made any mental errors in the transition so far, and spent some time talking about how everyone in the secondary now are corners or former corners.
He said the Texans didn't talk to Aubrayo Franklin at all, and that Wade Phillips really likes Earl Mitchell.
He mentioned practice squad player Tori Wilson is to watch for making the roster at safety.
Asked about Kareem Jackson, he said Jackson has good cover skills but he lacks speed to make up for an error and ball skills when the ball gets there. (Yeah, I know, not a great revelation there). He mentioned that Jason Allen has great ball skills, but what has been killing him is missed assignments, that that is why he got released by the Dolphins.
Said that Quinn is transitioning well to safety. Hasn't made any mental errors in the transition so far, and spent some time talking about how everyone in the secondary now are corners or former corners.
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/05/arian-foster-pulls-hamstring-in-his-first-2011-practice/
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7684895.html
Or, in Arian Foster’s case, chronic.
Foster’s defense of his improbable 2010 NFL rushing title began four days late Friday morning after labor-issue technicalities kept him sidelined, impatiently champing at the bit. And perhaps he paid a price for the pent-up adrenal rush he felt after finally joining the huddle. On his first 11-on-11 carry of this new season, barely more than a half-hour into the practice session, he blew through a hole and, legs churning, sprinted 35 yards into the end zone.
Foster, one of only two undrafted players to lead the lead in rushing when he gained 1,616 yards, was feeling his oats and following orders, not strutting his stuff.
“They’re supposed to finish everything,” running backs coach Chic Harris said of his ball carriers. “We expect them to finish hard on every play.”
Unfortunately, Foster finished clutching his left hamstring, the grimace on his face speaking volumes. It would be his last carry of the day.
What happened? Foster declined to say, rebuffing interview requests after each session. In the afternoon, he did nothing but stand in as the faux quarterback during a running-back drill and spectate. In parting, he promised to discuss the injury, which could be nothing or could be a hindrance for weeks, today, when the Texans will be in full pads for an open-to-the public practice that starts at 8 a.m.
Fans who intend to convene to take a gander at the Texans’ high-octane offense figure to be sorely disappointed. Foster, tight end Owen Daniels and receiver Andre Johnson will be doing more observing than participating.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7684895.html#ixzz1UGBI61WE
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7684895.html
Or, in Arian Foster’s case, chronic.
Foster’s defense of his improbable 2010 NFL rushing title began four days late Friday morning after labor-issue technicalities kept him sidelined, impatiently champing at the bit. And perhaps he paid a price for the pent-up adrenal rush he felt after finally joining the huddle. On his first 11-on-11 carry of this new season, barely more than a half-hour into the practice session, he blew through a hole and, legs churning, sprinted 35 yards into the end zone.
Foster, one of only two undrafted players to lead the lead in rushing when he gained 1,616 yards, was feeling his oats and following orders, not strutting his stuff.
“They’re supposed to finish everything,” running backs coach Chic Harris said of his ball carriers. “We expect them to finish hard on every play.”
Unfortunately, Foster finished clutching his left hamstring, the grimace on his face speaking volumes. It would be his last carry of the day.
What happened? Foster declined to say, rebuffing interview requests after each session. In the afternoon, he did nothing but stand in as the faux quarterback during a running-back drill and spectate. In parting, he promised to discuss the injury, which could be nothing or could be a hindrance for weeks, today, when the Texans will be in full pads for an open-to-the public practice that starts at 8 a.m.
Fans who intend to convene to take a gander at the Texans’ high-octane offense figure to be sorely disappointed. Foster, tight end Owen Daniels and receiver Andre Johnson will be doing more observing than participating.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7684895.html#ixzz1UGBI61WE
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://texans.studiotigaapps.net/transcripts/august-6,-2011-am-practice.aspx
on the status of WR Andre Johnson and RB Arian Foster) "I think Andre (Johnson) could practice tomorrow. We'll see. I think Arian's (Foster) definitely going to miss a few days. I think he'll be day-to-day, but he won't be back before we come back from our break after tomorrow."
RB Arian Foster
(on if he is in a precautionary mode with his hamstring injury) "I think anytime you have a hamstring injury, you have to rest it. That's the only thing that can heal it. So that's what we're doing right now."
(on if he is worried about his hamstring injury) "No."
(on if he had a little too much energy or pent-up adrenaline when he injured his hamstring) "Probably. I probably was going a little bit too hard, feeling good being back on the first day, but that's part of life, so you have to roll with it."
(on his initial reaction when he realized he tweaked his hamstring) "I tweaked my hamstring."
(on head coach Gary Kubiak's comment that he has problems with his hamstring in the past) "Well, I popped my hamstring in the Senior Bowl and then I had tweaked in training camp my rookie year."
(on how long it took him to feel good the last time he tweaked his hamstring) "About a week."
(on if his last hamstring injury was on the same leg) "I can't even remember, actually. I think it might have been the other one."
(on if a hamstring injury is frightening for a running back) "No. Knee injuries are frightening. Hamstrings are part of the business."
(on what he can do to work his way back to health with his injury) "Rest. Lightly stretch it with a little bit of ice."
(on what he can gain from watching practice instead of participating) "You just get to sharpen your skills mentally. You get to see the plays before they're ran, so you see them. You just go over your assignment and get more detailed mentally."
(on if there is a part of him that wants to prove that his performance last year wasn't a fluke) "No. I'm not trying to prove anybody wrong. I'm trying to play the game of football. I can't go around trying to prove everybody right, or wrong."
(on if the media can expect to see 1,400- and 1,500-yard performances from him every year) "You can expect whatever you want. I'm just going to go play the game."
(on if he just goes out with the mindset to run to daylight) "Yeah. You can't worry about what people think. People are negative. People are dream-killers. You can't worry about what they think."
(on what he's seen from FB Lawrence Vickers since he joined the team) "Well, he's still learning the system and things like that but I'm more than confident he'll come along and be a valuable option for us."
(on his level of concern about his hamstring injury) "It's just a hamstring. It's a muscle, a soft-tissue injury that will heal, eventually."
(on how frustrating it is to pull his hamstring) "You want to be out here practicing with you teammates. It gets a little frustrating."
on the status of WR Andre Johnson and RB Arian Foster) "I think Andre (Johnson) could practice tomorrow. We'll see. I think Arian's (Foster) definitely going to miss a few days. I think he'll be day-to-day, but he won't be back before we come back from our break after tomorrow."
RB Arian Foster
(on if he is in a precautionary mode with his hamstring injury) "I think anytime you have a hamstring injury, you have to rest it. That's the only thing that can heal it. So that's what we're doing right now."
(on if he is worried about his hamstring injury) "No."
(on if he had a little too much energy or pent-up adrenaline when he injured his hamstring) "Probably. I probably was going a little bit too hard, feeling good being back on the first day, but that's part of life, so you have to roll with it."
(on his initial reaction when he realized he tweaked his hamstring) "I tweaked my hamstring."
(on head coach Gary Kubiak's comment that he has problems with his hamstring in the past) "Well, I popped my hamstring in the Senior Bowl and then I had tweaked in training camp my rookie year."
(on how long it took him to feel good the last time he tweaked his hamstring) "About a week."
(on if his last hamstring injury was on the same leg) "I can't even remember, actually. I think it might have been the other one."
(on if a hamstring injury is frightening for a running back) "No. Knee injuries are frightening. Hamstrings are part of the business."
(on what he can do to work his way back to health with his injury) "Rest. Lightly stretch it with a little bit of ice."
(on what he can gain from watching practice instead of participating) "You just get to sharpen your skills mentally. You get to see the plays before they're ran, so you see them. You just go over your assignment and get more detailed mentally."
(on if there is a part of him that wants to prove that his performance last year wasn't a fluke) "No. I'm not trying to prove anybody wrong. I'm trying to play the game of football. I can't go around trying to prove everybody right, or wrong."
(on if the media can expect to see 1,400- and 1,500-yard performances from him every year) "You can expect whatever you want. I'm just going to go play the game."
(on if he just goes out with the mindset to run to daylight) "Yeah. You can't worry about what people think. People are negative. People are dream-killers. You can't worry about what they think."
(on what he's seen from FB Lawrence Vickers since he joined the team) "Well, he's still learning the system and things like that but I'm more than confident he'll come along and be a valuable option for us."
(on his level of concern about his hamstring injury) "It's just a hamstring. It's a muscle, a soft-tissue injury that will heal, eventually."
(on how frustrating it is to pull his hamstring) "You want to be out here practicing with you teammates. It gets a little frustrating."
coolnerd
Footballguy
Texans agreed to terms with ILB Tim Dobbins, formerly of the Dolphins. Analysis: An excellent run defender, Dobbins should be given a legitimate to chance to crack the Texans roster. It doesn't hurt his chances that new Texans DC Wade Phillips served in the same role for the Chargers when Dobbins was a rookie in 2006.
GregR
Footballguy
I posted a training camp report here. Tate impressed me.
By the way, for anyone planning to attend training camp sessions...
The Purple Lot filled up and was closed at about 7:45 am. I was the third car in line when they closed it.
If the Purple Lot fills up, the Red Lot is overflow for it. From the Purple Lot, take McNee back towards the stadium, take a left on Kirby and it's the big lot on your right just north of the stadium.
By the way, for anyone planning to attend training camp sessions...
The Purple Lot filled up and was closed at about 7:45 am. I was the third car in line when they closed it.
If the Purple Lot fills up, the Red Lot is overflow for it. From the Purple Lot, take McNee back towards the stadium, take a left on Kirby and it's the big lot on your right just north of the stadium.
coolnerd
Footballguy
BTW, congrats on staff.
GregR
Footballguy
Thank you!
Jeff Tefertiller
Footballguy
Congrats as well. Welcome to staffThank you!
GregR
Footballguy
Texans first depth chart, as well as a good write up about it.
Edit: Format doesn't cut and paste well, use the link: http://www.houstontexans.com/team/depth-chart.html
http://www.battleredblog.com/2011/8/9/2352749/houston-texans-depth-chart-roster-observations-on-the-initial-chart
Edit: Format doesn't cut and paste well, use the link: http://www.houstontexans.com/team/depth-chart.html
http://www.battleredblog.com/2011/8/9/2352749/houston-texans-depth-chart-roster-observations-on-the-initial-chart
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coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Wednesday-practice/e36e5a03-abf2-452a-bfd7-665bd829f923
Texans Owner Bob McNair
(on his impression of the team so far) “Well, they’re really playing with a lot of intensity and I love the athleticism that I see, especially with these young guys, the new ones we brought in and the veterans. With (S Danieal) Manning and (CB Johnathan) Joseph, I think they’ve really added a lot of athleticism to the defense especially.”
(on his expectations this season) “We said that our offense had done a good job for the last three years. Of course, you always want to do better, but it’s been more than adequate for us to be competitive. The problem has been our defense and we had to improve our defense, so we took steps in the off-season to do that. We brought (Defensive Coordinator) Wade Phillips in, he’s a big addition, and (Linebackers Coach) Reggie Herring and (Defensive Backs Coach) Vance Joseph. I think those three guys as coaches are going to be outstanding. So then in the draft, we go out there, and of course (DE) J.J. Watt and these other young guys are just doing a fantastic job. J.J., he’s more than what we expected. Then we have the free agents. We tried to deal with what we perceived to be the problems and I think that we’ve taken care of those problems, so there’s no reason why we can’t go out with the expectation that every game we play in that we’re going to win it.”
(on his expectations for the postseason) “Well, we have to be there. It’s time for us to make it happen and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t. That’s what I fully expect.”
(on how Head Coach Gary Kubiak fits in the organization) “I think Gary and I think everybody in the league recognizes that he’s just done an outstanding job with the offense. Where are you going to go and get somebody than better with an offense than Gary? So, you take him and shore him up on the defensive side with (Defensive Coordinator) Wade Phillips, who’s as good as anybody in the business. Now you’ve got both sides of the ball covered with outstanding people who are not going to be outcoached. I think we’re in good shape. This is the strongest coaching staff we’ve had.”
(on whether his patience is running out) “Well, it’s time for us to make it happen. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I think that’s true with all of us. We’re tired of talking about it and we want to see it happen. Players want to see it and coaches want to see it and that’s what we expect.”
(on the criticism that Texans are not a tough team) “Well, we lost a number of games at the end of the game. You ask somebody a question and they try to figure out, ‘Why did they lose the games?’ Well, that’s his explanation. I don’t think that’s a good explanation. I mean, we were out of position, we misplaced some balls, we did some things we shouldn’t have done. It wasn’t because of the toughness, and I think what it’s referring to is the physical toughness. What I’m referring to is the mental toughness. I do think we need to be mentally tougher. There’s no question about it because when you get in those critical situations, you’ve just got to be so focused on what you’re doing that there’s not going to be any error.”
(on what he expects from OLB Mario Williams) “I think Mario has always played hard for us. He’s had a number of injuries and he doesn’t complain about it, he doesn’t publicize it and people tend to overlook it. He had some sports hernia injuries last year and played through it as long as he could. I think that Coach (Defensive Coordinator Wade) Phillips is putting him in a position where he has a chance to have an outstanding year. We’ll how this works out, but so far he looks like he’s doing a good job.”
(on how he phrases his frustrations to the organization) “The same way. The exact same way. They know that. They feel the same way. We’re all on the same page and we all know we have to work together to make it happen. My job is to make sure that I’ve given them the resources that will let them do it, and that’s what I try to do in the off-season. We brought in outstanding coaches and we brought in some outstanding players and I think that we’ve got the players in place to make it happen. I think the coaches will, I think they’ll get the performance out of them.”
(on what WR Andre Johnson brings to the team) “Well, you just couldn’t ask for anybody to be a better teammate than Andre because not only is he a great player but he goes out there and plays as hard or harder than anybody, he never complains, he does his job, he’s willing to sacrifice and he doesn’t complain about how many balls you’ve thrown to him. That’s what you’re looking for. This is a team sport and a lot of what happens depends upon the chemistry of that team. Andre helps set the right chemistry for us.”
(on if he expects for the team to make this playoffs this season) “Well, I’m not even considering the other (option). It’s the playoffs. That’s what we expect and have no reason to believe we won’t be there. We’re going to do whatever we have to do to win, period. Of course, that means you’re going to be in the playoffs. We’re going to make those judgments as we go along, but it’s all about winning and we’ve had adequate time to get there and we’ve been very close. We just need to make that determination that we’re going to make it happen.”
(on if he’ll have to convince fans this is a different year) “No, I think most fans are pretty intelligent and they follow the team. As with anything, you sit down, if things didn’t work out the way you wanted them, you sit down and say, ‘What went wrong?’ and then you say, ‘Okay, what needs to be corrected?’ Well, that’s what we’ve done and our fans have seen that. Now, you can question our personnel choices, you can question who we’ve selected as coaches, but we’ve taken action to take care of those problem areas. Now we’ll see whether the people we’ve selected will step up and perform and eliminate those weaknesses, and I think they will.”
(on if he’s concerned about injuries) “Well, we had some injuries last year that hurt us more than we anticipated, especially on defense. We had a very young secondary and when we lost (ILB) DeMeco (Ryans), all of a sudden those guys were sort of back there by themselves. Then when things went wrong, there was nobody to pick them up. They just, it was death spiral, sort of. They just kept going down, down, down and it undermines their confidence. Well, we’ve got some veterans back there now that can step in if somebody makes a bad play, they can step in and say, ‘That’s alright, forget it. That’s history. Let’s go to the next play’. That’s what you have to do.”
(on what it means for RB Arian Foster to not complain about his salary) “Well I think Arian understands that if he goes out there and performs this year, shows that he can be consistent, he’ll be rewarded. That’s how the game works, but you don’t do it based on one season. One of the things that makes great players is consistency. The players that can go out there, they’ll be on the field and you can rely on them to be there, and they’re going to go out there and produce the same results year after year. That’s what makes Hall of Fame players.”
(on how concerned he is about ILB Brian Cushing) “He practiced some today and I think he’s going to be fine. I think with (Head Coach) Gary (Kubiak) and (Defensive Coordinator) Wade (Phillips), he’s not going to be a good player, he’s going to be a great player. I think this year he’ll have a chance to be out there for the full year and it’ll make a quite a difference for him.”
Texans Owner Bob McNair
(on his impression of the team so far) “Well, they’re really playing with a lot of intensity and I love the athleticism that I see, especially with these young guys, the new ones we brought in and the veterans. With (S Danieal) Manning and (CB Johnathan) Joseph, I think they’ve really added a lot of athleticism to the defense especially.”
(on his expectations this season) “We said that our offense had done a good job for the last three years. Of course, you always want to do better, but it’s been more than adequate for us to be competitive. The problem has been our defense and we had to improve our defense, so we took steps in the off-season to do that. We brought (Defensive Coordinator) Wade Phillips in, he’s a big addition, and (Linebackers Coach) Reggie Herring and (Defensive Backs Coach) Vance Joseph. I think those three guys as coaches are going to be outstanding. So then in the draft, we go out there, and of course (DE) J.J. Watt and these other young guys are just doing a fantastic job. J.J., he’s more than what we expected. Then we have the free agents. We tried to deal with what we perceived to be the problems and I think that we’ve taken care of those problems, so there’s no reason why we can’t go out with the expectation that every game we play in that we’re going to win it.”
(on his expectations for the postseason) “Well, we have to be there. It’s time for us to make it happen and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t. That’s what I fully expect.”
(on how Head Coach Gary Kubiak fits in the organization) “I think Gary and I think everybody in the league recognizes that he’s just done an outstanding job with the offense. Where are you going to go and get somebody than better with an offense than Gary? So, you take him and shore him up on the defensive side with (Defensive Coordinator) Wade Phillips, who’s as good as anybody in the business. Now you’ve got both sides of the ball covered with outstanding people who are not going to be outcoached. I think we’re in good shape. This is the strongest coaching staff we’ve had.”
(on whether his patience is running out) “Well, it’s time for us to make it happen. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I think that’s true with all of us. We’re tired of talking about it and we want to see it happen. Players want to see it and coaches want to see it and that’s what we expect.”
(on the criticism that Texans are not a tough team) “Well, we lost a number of games at the end of the game. You ask somebody a question and they try to figure out, ‘Why did they lose the games?’ Well, that’s his explanation. I don’t think that’s a good explanation. I mean, we were out of position, we misplaced some balls, we did some things we shouldn’t have done. It wasn’t because of the toughness, and I think what it’s referring to is the physical toughness. What I’m referring to is the mental toughness. I do think we need to be mentally tougher. There’s no question about it because when you get in those critical situations, you’ve just got to be so focused on what you’re doing that there’s not going to be any error.”
(on what he expects from OLB Mario Williams) “I think Mario has always played hard for us. He’s had a number of injuries and he doesn’t complain about it, he doesn’t publicize it and people tend to overlook it. He had some sports hernia injuries last year and played through it as long as he could. I think that Coach (Defensive Coordinator Wade) Phillips is putting him in a position where he has a chance to have an outstanding year. We’ll how this works out, but so far he looks like he’s doing a good job.”
(on how he phrases his frustrations to the organization) “The same way. The exact same way. They know that. They feel the same way. We’re all on the same page and we all know we have to work together to make it happen. My job is to make sure that I’ve given them the resources that will let them do it, and that’s what I try to do in the off-season. We brought in outstanding coaches and we brought in some outstanding players and I think that we’ve got the players in place to make it happen. I think the coaches will, I think they’ll get the performance out of them.”
(on what WR Andre Johnson brings to the team) “Well, you just couldn’t ask for anybody to be a better teammate than Andre because not only is he a great player but he goes out there and plays as hard or harder than anybody, he never complains, he does his job, he’s willing to sacrifice and he doesn’t complain about how many balls you’ve thrown to him. That’s what you’re looking for. This is a team sport and a lot of what happens depends upon the chemistry of that team. Andre helps set the right chemistry for us.”
(on if he expects for the team to make this playoffs this season) “Well, I’m not even considering the other (option). It’s the playoffs. That’s what we expect and have no reason to believe we won’t be there. We’re going to do whatever we have to do to win, period. Of course, that means you’re going to be in the playoffs. We’re going to make those judgments as we go along, but it’s all about winning and we’ve had adequate time to get there and we’ve been very close. We just need to make that determination that we’re going to make it happen.”
(on if he’ll have to convince fans this is a different year) “No, I think most fans are pretty intelligent and they follow the team. As with anything, you sit down, if things didn’t work out the way you wanted them, you sit down and say, ‘What went wrong?’ and then you say, ‘Okay, what needs to be corrected?’ Well, that’s what we’ve done and our fans have seen that. Now, you can question our personnel choices, you can question who we’ve selected as coaches, but we’ve taken action to take care of those problem areas. Now we’ll see whether the people we’ve selected will step up and perform and eliminate those weaknesses, and I think they will.”
(on if he’s concerned about injuries) “Well, we had some injuries last year that hurt us more than we anticipated, especially on defense. We had a very young secondary and when we lost (ILB) DeMeco (Ryans), all of a sudden those guys were sort of back there by themselves. Then when things went wrong, there was nobody to pick them up. They just, it was death spiral, sort of. They just kept going down, down, down and it undermines their confidence. Well, we’ve got some veterans back there now that can step in if somebody makes a bad play, they can step in and say, ‘That’s alright, forget it. That’s history. Let’s go to the next play’. That’s what you have to do.”
(on what it means for RB Arian Foster to not complain about his salary) “Well I think Arian understands that if he goes out there and performs this year, shows that he can be consistent, he’ll be rewarded. That’s how the game works, but you don’t do it based on one season. One of the things that makes great players is consistency. The players that can go out there, they’ll be on the field and you can rely on them to be there, and they’re going to go out there and produce the same results year after year. That’s what makes Hall of Fame players.”
(on how concerned he is about ILB Brian Cushing) “He practiced some today and I think he’s going to be fine. I think with (Head Coach) Gary (Kubiak) and (Defensive Coordinator) Wade (Phillips), he’s not going to be a good player, he’s going to be a great player. I think this year he’ll have a chance to be out there for the full year and it’ll make a quite a difference for him.”
coolnerd
Footballguy
From the link in my previous post looks like he practiced yesterday and looked rusty.
GregR
Footballguy
Not exactly football news, but figured other Houstonians might appreciate this. This is from the Texans official twitter feed:
HoustonTexans Houston Texans
If Texans score on MNF in 1st drive of 2nd half, you get a FREE 20oz. slush at #Sonic on Tues. Mention the Texans' Drive to Sonic promotion.
HoustonTexans Houston Texans
If Texans score on MNF in 1st drive of 2nd half, you get a FREE 20oz. slush at #Sonic on Tues. Mention the Texans' Drive to Sonic promotion.
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Texans-vs-Jets/1c60b047-9a62-4151-b71e-307dc28b55bc
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on the defense) “Well you know it was exciting to find a way to win the game there at the end because we played really, really exceptionally on the defensive side of the ball throughout the game. We had some struggles offensively, had some problems physically with some injuries that we’re trying to work through in the football game. But we have to step up and make plays at the end. The young quarterback (T.J. Yates) did at the end, (Lestar) Jean has been doing a good job in camp and defensively we can set up and make those plays at. That’s been a difference in our team. Some of those games we’ve been letting get away from us. We let the young guys out there; it was nice to see it happen. ”
(on amount of sacks in tonight game) “I think we should have had about 12 (sacks) .We have to do a better job of wrapping up when we get there but we had some young guys really doing a good job. (OLB) Jesse (Nading) and (OLB) Bryan (Braman) got there a couple times. I just thought, in general, you could see the aggressive nature of the defense and we stayed away from giving up big plays and offensively we really got the ball out of the hole early in the game and defense kept us in there and we got the turnover and it got things going but then second half, struggling on offense and some personnel and defensively we held up got us a big possession.”
(on OLB Bryan Braman in camp) “He’s been exceptional. He’s a very gifted athlete and played obviously at a small school and didn’t get a lot of big time football. Bobby King, the young man on our staff from Dallas knew him very well and that’s how we got him here. But he’s got some ability so we’ll see if we can channel it all in the right direction. ”
(on RB Derrick Ward) “My list is so long I don’t know where to start, we got a lot of guys beat up, we got a couple guys with concussions, ankles, it’s too long for me to even try to remember. I would miss somebody so I apologize.”
(on if Derrick Ward is out, are they possibly picking someone up) “Well we may have to do something, hopefully we get a couple guys back this week, that’s the key. But hats off to Obi (Chris Ogbonnaya) he’s had a great camp for two weeks. He was really all we had to play the whole game because (Javarris) Williams has only been with us a couple of days. It wouldn’t have been fair to throw him in there not knowing what we do, so Chris helped out and he’s been a real warrior for us.”
(on QB Matt Leinart) “I thought he did a good job. He handled himself well. Let’s remember he hasn’t really played a lot of football in a long time. So he got the ball tipped to start the second half. You don’t ever want to end with the pick, so to speak, but I thought he did a good job. I thought he had some poise. He got hit a little bit and that’s what he needs to do to get back in the fire and he’s very capable of doing it.”
(on DE J.J. Watt and NT Earl Mitchell) “It just looked like we played very well defensively across the board. Our effort was excellent. I thought we were around the quarterback all night. I have to wait until I go back and watch the film but I thought in general, defensively, we played with great effort all night long and made the plays that we needed to make. “
(on the effort of the secondary) “I thought it was better. Obviously we had some chances to make some plays. We had the one pick called back by (Antwaun) Molden late in the game there. They ran by us a couple times but we got back there and got ourselves in position. Torri (Williams) made a great play there late in the game, but we played a lot of people so we’ll go back and evaluate it tomorrow and see how they did. I think on the defensive side of the ball we’re going to be very pleased with a lot of guys and what they did.”
(on the new kickoff rules) “Well I’ll tell you what’s amazing to me is first off, the ball got brought out of the end zone almost every time. I think except for the one squib that went through the end zone and it got brought out of the end zone effectively for them and not for us. We have to go back and look at what we’re doing. We held a couple of our kick returners tonight. We didn’t let Danieal (Manning) or Jacoby (Jones) do it, but we need to look at those other guys. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to get better at coverage, at returning kicks. We’re going to play better defense this year. We’re going to play good defense, in my opinion, and when you’re flipping the field position it gives you the best chance to win. It’s something that has to be addressed.”
(on ILB Xavier Adibi having a good game) “Yeah, I’ll tell you what happens, when you have change, you get a new coordinator to come in and some guys get new life and they’ll say, ‘This defense fits me.’ I think I’ve seen that with (Xavier Adibi) as a player, seen it with (Brice) McCain a little bit. I just think there’s some new life within the group and I think you’re going to see some of those young guys get better and better and he’s obviously had a very good camp. He’s staying healthy. He’s been nicked in the past but he’s been healthy.”
(on if OLB Jesse Nading has new life) “Yeah, boy he made some plays. The thing about Jesse (Nading) is he can play everywhere, very sharp football player, so they can give him all he wants mentally and he can handle it. We can just keep going. I thought I saw (OLB) Brooks (Reed) get there a couple times. (NT) Earl Mitchell’s effort was excellent. We’re going to play a lot of guys on defense. We’re going to rotate guys and if we get that type of effort, good things are going to happen.”
(on his early impressions of Mario Williams at linebacker) “I was talking to him. What’d he play? I think 14 plays? Something like that. I was talking to him at halftime about how this world looks standing up there. The first thing he mentioned to me was cadence, getting off on cadence, some of those things. I think it’s a growth period for him but I know he’s enjoying what he’s doing, I think he’s very excited about what we do defensively. It’s a change in his career but could be a huge, a huge step forward. His career has already been good and I think it could really take off with this change in what we’re doing.”
Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips
(on defense as a whole) “I thought we did a good job. I mean, we played hard. We made some mistakes, obviously, but we’re looking for effort and assignment, making sure we didn’t have any mental errors.”
(on the close call near the end) “That’s what you learn from. You learn from those kinds of situations how you have to win games. And our guys that were in there at the end did a good job.”
(on the number of sacks this game (7)) “I didn’t expect that many sacks, because most of the stuff we ran was base defense, and we didn’t run any blitzes. And I thought our pass rush was good.”
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on the defense) “Well you know it was exciting to find a way to win the game there at the end because we played really, really exceptionally on the defensive side of the ball throughout the game. We had some struggles offensively, had some problems physically with some injuries that we’re trying to work through in the football game. But we have to step up and make plays at the end. The young quarterback (T.J. Yates) did at the end, (Lestar) Jean has been doing a good job in camp and defensively we can set up and make those plays at. That’s been a difference in our team. Some of those games we’ve been letting get away from us. We let the young guys out there; it was nice to see it happen. ”
(on amount of sacks in tonight game) “I think we should have had about 12 (sacks) .We have to do a better job of wrapping up when we get there but we had some young guys really doing a good job. (OLB) Jesse (Nading) and (OLB) Bryan (Braman) got there a couple times. I just thought, in general, you could see the aggressive nature of the defense and we stayed away from giving up big plays and offensively we really got the ball out of the hole early in the game and defense kept us in there and we got the turnover and it got things going but then second half, struggling on offense and some personnel and defensively we held up got us a big possession.”
(on OLB Bryan Braman in camp) “He’s been exceptional. He’s a very gifted athlete and played obviously at a small school and didn’t get a lot of big time football. Bobby King, the young man on our staff from Dallas knew him very well and that’s how we got him here. But he’s got some ability so we’ll see if we can channel it all in the right direction. ”
(on RB Derrick Ward) “My list is so long I don’t know where to start, we got a lot of guys beat up, we got a couple guys with concussions, ankles, it’s too long for me to even try to remember. I would miss somebody so I apologize.”
(on if Derrick Ward is out, are they possibly picking someone up) “Well we may have to do something, hopefully we get a couple guys back this week, that’s the key. But hats off to Obi (Chris Ogbonnaya) he’s had a great camp for two weeks. He was really all we had to play the whole game because (Javarris) Williams has only been with us a couple of days. It wouldn’t have been fair to throw him in there not knowing what we do, so Chris helped out and he’s been a real warrior for us.”
(on QB Matt Leinart) “I thought he did a good job. He handled himself well. Let’s remember he hasn’t really played a lot of football in a long time. So he got the ball tipped to start the second half. You don’t ever want to end with the pick, so to speak, but I thought he did a good job. I thought he had some poise. He got hit a little bit and that’s what he needs to do to get back in the fire and he’s very capable of doing it.”
(on DE J.J. Watt and NT Earl Mitchell) “It just looked like we played very well defensively across the board. Our effort was excellent. I thought we were around the quarterback all night. I have to wait until I go back and watch the film but I thought in general, defensively, we played with great effort all night long and made the plays that we needed to make. “
(on the effort of the secondary) “I thought it was better. Obviously we had some chances to make some plays. We had the one pick called back by (Antwaun) Molden late in the game there. They ran by us a couple times but we got back there and got ourselves in position. Torri (Williams) made a great play there late in the game, but we played a lot of people so we’ll go back and evaluate it tomorrow and see how they did. I think on the defensive side of the ball we’re going to be very pleased with a lot of guys and what they did.”
(on the new kickoff rules) “Well I’ll tell you what’s amazing to me is first off, the ball got brought out of the end zone almost every time. I think except for the one squib that went through the end zone and it got brought out of the end zone effectively for them and not for us. We have to go back and look at what we’re doing. We held a couple of our kick returners tonight. We didn’t let Danieal (Manning) or Jacoby (Jones) do it, but we need to look at those other guys. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to get better at coverage, at returning kicks. We’re going to play better defense this year. We’re going to play good defense, in my opinion, and when you’re flipping the field position it gives you the best chance to win. It’s something that has to be addressed.”
(on ILB Xavier Adibi having a good game) “Yeah, I’ll tell you what happens, when you have change, you get a new coordinator to come in and some guys get new life and they’ll say, ‘This defense fits me.’ I think I’ve seen that with (Xavier Adibi) as a player, seen it with (Brice) McCain a little bit. I just think there’s some new life within the group and I think you’re going to see some of those young guys get better and better and he’s obviously had a very good camp. He’s staying healthy. He’s been nicked in the past but he’s been healthy.”
(on if OLB Jesse Nading has new life) “Yeah, boy he made some plays. The thing about Jesse (Nading) is he can play everywhere, very sharp football player, so they can give him all he wants mentally and he can handle it. We can just keep going. I thought I saw (OLB) Brooks (Reed) get there a couple times. (NT) Earl Mitchell’s effort was excellent. We’re going to play a lot of guys on defense. We’re going to rotate guys and if we get that type of effort, good things are going to happen.”
(on his early impressions of Mario Williams at linebacker) “I was talking to him. What’d he play? I think 14 plays? Something like that. I was talking to him at halftime about how this world looks standing up there. The first thing he mentioned to me was cadence, getting off on cadence, some of those things. I think it’s a growth period for him but I know he’s enjoying what he’s doing, I think he’s very excited about what we do defensively. It’s a change in his career but could be a huge, a huge step forward. His career has already been good and I think it could really take off with this change in what we’re doing.”
Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips
(on defense as a whole) “I thought we did a good job. I mean, we played hard. We made some mistakes, obviously, but we’re looking for effort and assignment, making sure we didn’t have any mental errors.”
(on the close call near the end) “That’s what you learn from. You learn from those kinds of situations how you have to win games. And our guys that were in there at the end did a good job.”
(on the number of sacks this game (7)) “I didn’t expect that many sacks, because most of the stuff we ran was base defense, and we didn’t run any blitzes. And I thought our pass rush was good.”
GregR
Footballguy
I don't think I really mentioned Nading or Braman in my camp reports, but they were both guys that I recall having to go to my roster list several times at each practice to see who that guy was who had made a play. It's going to be interesting to keep watching how the OLBs do in rest of the preseason games. If everyone keeps playing at this level, and against the 1s and not just the second and third strings, OLB could turn out to be our deepest position on the team.
There is an additional interesting aspect to Braman. He was suspended indefinitely from West Texas for manufacturing a hallucinogen from mushrooms. Received 1 year of referred adjudication. I know I've heard a number of people say the Texans need to lighten up on their stance when it comes to the character of players they are willing to draft and sign. This might be a first as far as I can remember of taking someone with this kind of issue. He had a former coach who is now a Texans defensive assistant. I suppose perhaps that combined with Kubiak and Rick Smith's feeling their jobs are on the line might have made a difference.
There is an additional interesting aspect to Braman. He was suspended indefinitely from West Texas for manufacturing a hallucinogen from mushrooms. Received 1 year of referred adjudication. I know I've heard a number of people say the Texans need to lighten up on their stance when it comes to the character of players they are willing to draft and sign. This might be a first as far as I can remember of taking someone with this kind of issue. He had a former coach who is now a Texans defensive assistant. I suppose perhaps that combined with Kubiak and Rick Smith's feeling their jobs are on the line might have made a difference.
GregR
Footballguy
A lot of observations by Paul Kuharsky. I think he was spot on with the vast majority of them.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/26532/camp-confidential-houston-texans-2
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/26532/camp-confidential-houston-texans-2
