I think Newton will be fine. Remember, he goes against JJ Watt everyday in practice. If he can hold his own against Watt then he should be good against Mario.
I have tix to Sunday's game and a parking pass in the Red lot, which is at the corner of Kirby and McNee, just north of the stadium. What's the best way to enter that lot - from the north on Kirby or south via the loop?
Well firstly, he can't hold his own against Watt. Secondly, the Texans would be stupid not to at least send help to the right side, especially considering how anemic their entire D line has been this year.
Newton - he's going to get plenty of help on Mario. The staff isn't dumb. You either keep a TE home to double, or you have your RB shade to Matt's right to help. Sometimes both. You can also double using Ben Jones and ask Myers and Smith to handle Dareus and Kyle Williams one on one (occasionally - I wouldn't try this too often). The good thing about Mario switching sides is that it makes Duane Brown's job a whole lot easier. Wannstedt rarely sends extra blitzers, so our 3 interior linemen can handle their 2 tackles, and Brown only has to worry about Kelsay. This may be his easiest assignment of the season. All that said, I'm still wary of Mario. For all that crap he's taken, it's plain that when his switch is on, he can still devastate you in Super Mario mode. I don't think that will swing the game....but the last thing we want to see is Schaub go down. North, for sure.
Friday's quotes: Head Coach Gary Kubiak Spoiler (on the team’s health) “(RB Ben) Tate is out. He did not practice today. He will not play in the game. Obviously (ILB Darryl) Sharpton has not come back to practice yet. Other than that, everybody is back to work. (G/C) Cody (White), who was sick, was back to work and everybody is ready to go. So that’s where we’re at.” (on if he’s noticed WR Andre Johnson’s improved health and performance) “I have, and a matter of fact, he and I talked about that this week. After what he’d been through for a year and a half almost and then he came to camp and there was some missed time in camp. I can’t remember exactly what happened that held him back there, just hasn’t been that total rhythm. But now there’s been some rhythm. He’s been there every week. I think when we got off the turf in New York, the next two weeks he’s played his best football. He’s running better right now to me. He’s starting to look closer to himself. I think he’s only going to get better so it’s very encouraging for us. He and I talked about the same thing.” (on his confidence in RB Justin Forsett and RB Jonathan Grimes) “I can you tell you this, there is not another player I could have picked up in the middle of the week that I think could actually go in and play for us and help us, but I feel that way about (RB Jonathan) Grimes. He’s going to play special teams. (RB) Justin (Forsett), I just have a ton of confidence in him. There’s just certain guys that come to camp and earn their keep and earn their way on the team and they earn it every day. Boy, he’s really respected by our team, and every time we’ve given him a chance he’s done good stuff. We’ll keep the rotation. He’ll basically take Ben’s (Tate) spot. We’ll continue to rotate between him and (RB) Arian (Foster) and we have a lot of confidence in him.” TE Owen Daniels Spoiler (on if his 2012 season has been his best season) “I think with the way our team has been playing and what I’ve been doing it’s definitely the best year. No question, you put that stuff together so I think it’s good to be playing well at this point in my career.” (on if he’s back to how he felt during his Pro Bowl season) “It’s hard to say. I think I’m more of a complete player. It’s meant a lot to me to get back and be playing like that again. It was my goal to get back to that level of play. I don’t know if I’m as quick as I was, but I think I’m moving around people good. I feel pretty good about it right now.” (on overcoming his knee injury) “It’s a pretty common injury for guys in the league and athletes. That doesn’t make it any easier to come back from and continue to want to do what you’re doing. I think all along I’ve always wanted to play football. When I got hurt the first couple times, I didn’t want that to stand in the way of my chance to make it to where I’m at now. I wasn’t going to let it stop me from continuing to do what I’m doing now. That’s kind of been my mindset with it.” RB Arian Foster Spoiler (on Buffalo’s poor run defense) “We haven’t played them yet so it doesn’t matter what they’ve done. They had a bye. I’m positive they made corrections and they’re looking to fix their woes and we’re looking to fix ours. It’s a new game.” (on if he’s anticipating going against a soft run defense) “I’m anticipating playing a football game, but all that soft against the run stuff, it doesn’t mean anything because it just doesn’t.” (on why the Bills defense has struggled against the run) “I’m not sure, but that’s not really my concern what another team is struggling with is. We can only focus on what we have to do.” (on what stands out about the Bills defense on tape) “Obviously, I think their defensive line is a really good defensive line. We know one of their players very well. They have all the talent in the world. You never know when that can click on, so you’ve got to approach it accordingly.” (on facing Bills DE Mario Williams) “He’s one of the best physical specimens in the game today. You have to account for that. He’s going to be a tough defender to go against.” (on RB Justin Forsett) “He’s proven he’s been capable anytime he gets an opportunity. I’m looking forward to him stepping up in that role.” (on the offense’s identity at this point) “I think it’s kind of what it’s been since I’ve been here. It’s a balanced identity. We can beat you multiple ways. We have many weapons. I feel like we can execute when we need to. It’s fun being a part of an offense like that.” (on Houston Rockets guard James Harden’s beard) “He’s killing my beard. He’s killing mine, but I don’t put much effort into it. Maybe I should.” http://www.houstontexans.com/news/a...practice/d88ddb55-a5f8-45ea-8b69-297cbcf5b2ba
I'm not saying Newton will be left alone on every play. I'm sure the Texans will have help from a TE. There will be some plays, however, that Newton will have to be on his own. If Newton does have trouble with Mario the good news is that he is on the right side, so Schaub should see the pressure and act accordingly. I think going up against Watt in practice can only help Newton, not just against Mario but every d-lineman in the league. This will really help him down the road.
Not me, but at least we got the bye behind us and can look forward to nine straight weeks of football. Texans crush the Bills. 7-1 Book it.
I Miss watching the Texans. the game will be on soon enough. I skipped going to the casino to be able to watch the game tomorrow lets go Texans!!
Slightly nervous about this game. Yes, I'm serious. We're better in ever facet of the game, though, so we should win. I'm pumped as this is the first midday start that I'll get to watch on my tv. Normally, I have to resort to choppy internet feeds hooked up from the laptop to the tv.
This will be the 2nd game this season that I won't be able to watch live, so far undefeated with the Games missed, all 1 of them- lol- so the streak continues. We will win
Sure hope JJ Watt doesn't kill us defensively like he always does. I'm so tired of that guy holding our defense back.
I have been reading fantasy news, and a lot of pages, are saying that Forsett is a sleeper this week and could score some good points. so my point is that people is expecting a big game from the texans, so foster can rest the end of the game, and forsett getting garbage time.
I was supposed to go to the game in Chicago. Found out I had to do something for work very early in the morning Monday, so there's no way for me to get back in time. So disappointed : (
