This is the first time that I'm actually excited about seeing the 2nd and 3rd teams play in a preseason game. All three of the young WR are going to log heavy minutes. Brandon Harris, Whitney Mercilus, Shiloh Keo, Troy Nolan, Roc Carmichael etc will also spend a lot of time competing. Earl Mitchell with his 20 pounds of added muscle. And total unknowns like Hebron Fangupo and Case Keenum.
Can't. Wait.
__________________ "That's why I won't complain too much, because at the end of the day... We're all people. We just want to smile." - Arian Foster
This is the first time that I'm actually excited about seeing the 2nd and 3rd teams play in a preseason game. All three of the young WR are going to log heavy minutes. Brandon Harris, Whitney Mercilus, Shiloh Keo, Troy Nolan, Roc Carmichael etc will also spend a lot of time competing. Earl Mitchell with his 20 pounds of added muscle. And total unknowns like Hebron Fangupo and Case Keenum.
Can't. Wait.
I think our third stringers on defense could assassinate any david carr led team!
would be down for the channing crowder signing, especially if Mr. and the rev continue rehabbing.
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Oh man, Keenum looks like a child in that huddle. He is so screwed when it comes to making an NFL roster. He needs to hope MacGruber bites the dust or something. Matt Schaub is surprisingly tall.
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Oh man, Keenum looks like a child in that huddle. He is so screwed when it comes to making an NFL roster. He needs to hope MacGruber bites the dust or something. Matt Schaub is surprisingly tall.
Keenum measured like 6"0 at the combine. I believe at UH he was listed at 6"2. No doubt odds are against him. I think he will make the practice squad.
Oh man, Keenum looks like a child in that huddle. He is so screwed when it comes to making an NFL roster. He needs to hope MacGruber bites the dust or something. Matt Schaub is surprisingly tall.
Why are the quarterbacks standing like pregnant ladies?
(on ILB Brian Cushing’s current status) “Cush has been released (from the hospital) this morning right before we came out to practice. I’m hoping he’s over here this afternoon. He’s feeling much better. As long as he’s feeling well, he’ll go through our jog-through in the morning and he’ll get his repetitions on Saturday, so we’ll see, but he’s doing better.”
(on TE Owen Daniels sitting out of practice today) “O.D., I just rested him and (NT Shaun) Cody. It’s every fourth day (that they rest). I stated that plan. Kap (Head Athletic Trainer/Director of Sports Medicine Geoff Kaplan) thinks it’s best for them so that’s the reason we did it.”
(on anybody else who has been sitting out) No, everybody was back. (Shawn) Loiseau was back. Obviously we’re kind of in game preparation for Carolina, kind of getting ready for that. Have a live workout this afternoon and tomorrow morning we’ll get going.”
(on how anxious he is to see the guys in a live game) “They’re ready, too. It’ll be nice to do something different tomorrow and hop on a plane. They need a break. They need to get some rest in the hotel and stuff and on the plane. We need to see them all play. Somebody is going to ask me, ‘Am I playing?’ It’s obviously to play our ones for about 12 to 15 plays. Play our twos for a good quarter and a half, maybe a little more; and then player threes, a quarter and a half or maybe just the fourth quarter. That’ll be our plan moving forward and hopefully we’re ready to go.”
(on getting the players in the routine for game preparation) “We really don’t do that totally in the preseason. I’ll do that when we play New Orleans the third week. The thing you do is you get in a travel routine. We’ll travel tomorrow. We’ll meet like we normally meet. These young kids will get to see how we do things, how we operate in the hotel, how we get ready to play. So that’s important, but as far as our regular game week, we’ll do that against New Orleans.”
(on the significance of the preseason games for QB Case Keenum) “It’s huge and I will play (John) Beck before him this week. I may reverse it next week, but I hope to play all four of them this week. But man, he has made a lot of progress. I guess I’m giving him a hell of a compliment but I’ve told you guys all along, football is important to him. He really works at it. I really like the way he’s responded to his opportunity here in Houston. I think we’re all excited to see him play.”
(on ILB Keyaron Fox’s injury) “He’s out. They’re trying to make a decision now. He obviously has got a pretty good injury. It’s going to have to require some surgery here at some point. I don’t know when that’ll be. I’m sad for the kid. He got rolled up in a drill. I think he’s been playing eight or nine years so you hate to see that happen, but we’ll take care of him and he’ll be a part of our team this year.”
(on if another inside linebacker will be signed) “Yeah, that’s been something we’ve talked actually about before I came out with Rick (Smith). I know he’s working on it. I don’t know if we’ve got it done yet, but I’m concerned about the depth. We’ve got another good week of training camp yet before we get in our routine, so we’ve got to be able to continue to work. We’re talking to a couple of guys right now, but I don’t want to sit here and say who it is because I haven’t talked to him (Rick Smith) since practice was over.”
(on how QB John Beck is doing) “He’s doing good. He’s a veteran payer in a system that he should be comfortable with. I think he could be doing better than he’s doing right now. I would tell him the same thing, but now it’s time to go play and see. He’s gotten a ton of reps. To me, I told him he came here to compete with T.J. (Yates) and Case (Keenum). I think he’s doing that but I think there’s another level for him to reach. He’s been playing enough football that he should step on that field and be comfortable Saturday.”
OLB Whitney Mercilus
(on if he expects there to be a difference between NFL home and away games) “I would expect so. It’s the same thing as college. Just concentrate, be focused in on your assignments and things like that.”
(on how important it is to get football film against other players rather than teammates) “It’s very important because it shows that you can actually play; you’re dependable and accountable definitely when it comes time for the season. It shows to the coaches that they can trust you in doing the things that are right.”
(on the biggest difference between college level football and the NFL) “Well, the biggest thing is players are way smarter. These veterans have a lot of experience at this level. Everybody here is good. They got here for a reason. It’s not so much that they’re bigger, stronger, faster. You got strong guys in college, fast guys in college. The thing is these players are a lot smarter and they’ve had their experience. They’ve seen different types of looks and they’re basically two steps ahead of the game.”
(on what the it’s been like working with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips) “It means a lot. It means that Wade has a very creative system, uses everybody’s attributes to their highest ability. So he’s using my aspects to go after the passer and all that. And to see other guys, too, just putting them right in the spots where they need to be to utilize their abilities.”
(on shedding his reputation from scouts as a ‘one-hit wonder’ at Illinois) “Yeah, that’s definitely been a motivating factor for me to go out here and just play hard and just show them that now I’m not a one-hit wonder.”
(on which veteran’s been the most help) “Let me see. Man, there’s not one person who hasn’t been helpful. It’s been kind of (OLB Connor) Barwin, (OLB) Brooks Reed, (OLB) Jesse Nading, (ILB) Bradie James. All these guys have helped me out a lot.”
(on if film study is different here than it was at Illinois) “Not so much, but the thing that changed up is really formations, different types of looks, things like that. Seeing the offense as I’m standing up now.”
(on what separates RB Arian Foster from the other backs in the NFL) “Man, the guy is explosive. Every time I see him at practice, I can’t tell whether he’s running hard or whether he’s just striding or something like that. The guy is just so fluid in his movements; he’s a phenomenal back.”
(on if he’s anxious for Saturday’s game) “Oh yeah, of course. Who doesn’t want the opportunity to go out there and strut their thing against a different opponent on a Saturday night game? I’m excited for it. I know all these other rookies are excited for it. We’re just ready to go out there and have some fun.”
AFTERNOON
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on ILB Brian Cushing’s health) “He’s back. He’s in the locker room; I didn’t bring him over here. He’s feeling a lot better. He will be a part of our meeting process tonight, and we’ll evaluate him tomorrow.”
(on if ILB Brian Cushing has a chance of playing Saturday) “Yeah, I think there’s a good chance. Obviously, I’m going to know that he’s himself. I like to see him go out there and get his reps with the group. I think tomorrow’s a big day. We know he’s doing well right now. He’ll be a part of the process, as I said. We’ll be in here early tomorrow morning. All indications are that he will.”
(on ILB Mister Alexander) “He’s been impressive. He missed all the offseason with a couple surgeries. There was a question of whether or not he’d be ready for camp, and he’s held up like a champ. So, he’s getting a ton of reps, and he’s proven to be a good special teams player. Now, can he be a consistent linebacker? It’s been a big week for him, he’s handled it, so we’ll see how he does in the game.”
(on if he’s anxious to see anyone in particular perform on Saturday) “Obviously, there’s a lot of young guys. I’m looking forward to watching the young receivers play and see how they sort themselves out. I’m interested in (ILB) Mister (Alexander), (ILB Tim) Dobbins, (OLB Jesse) Nading, those guys are kind of our bread-and-butter-type players. They play special teams and back up players for us. So, I think it’s important to them. We’ve got some good battles going on for the secondary’s, some young players back there. Then obviously our right side of our offensive line, those guys are going to play probably more than anybody because we need to figure out who those starters are going to be. Those things just jump at me and, obviously, kicking the ball. We got a good battle going on there between two guys, and, hopefully, they both get some shots to do it.”
(on any other health issues) “No, that’s it. We do have a new guy, Omar Gaither, that we signed who’s out here today. He will not play in the game. He will make the trip with us and will go to work on Monday.”
Hot, humid and sticky Houston, where the Texans train at their normal practice facility in the shadows of Reliant Stadium. On this day, like most during training camp, coach Gary Kubiak has his team out and practicing at 8 a.m., a way to make practices more productive with the hot Texas sun not yet quite directly overhead. The team's walkthroughs typically have been in mid-to-late afternoon inside the team's air-conditioned practice bubble. And to acclimate the players to the conditions, through the first four days of camp, Kubiak would hold the final half-hour of practice in the bubble to cut down on the amount of time the players were outside. It's smart, in that it allows the coach to demand the fast pace of work he craves.
OBSERVATION DECK
1. Arian Foster looks primed for a monster season. Again. The former NFL rushing champion looked agile, decisive and fast in practice, which isn't exactly news, other than to prove Foster's new five-year, $43.5 million deal hasn't led to complacency. Seeing him freeze defenders and glide through the line at practice illustrates why Houston feels its backfield is the best in football. (Apologies, Panthers). Ben Tate might be the league's best backup at the position, and the Texans think they have a find in Justin Forsett, the former Seahawk who could potentially provide a change-of-pace option to his more conventional teammates. Throw in undrafted free agent Jonathan Grimes, who's turned some heads early in camp, and it's hard to find a more impressive stable.
2. Andre Johnson is adjusting as he ages. It was kinda jarring to look at the Houston roster and see a "10" under the experience column next to Johnson's name, but this year will, in fact, give the 31-year-old dynamo a decade in the league. Johnson missed the final three games of the 2010 season, and injuries to both hamstrings cost him nine games last year. At the start of this year's camp, he went down hard on his hip, tweaked his groin, and the Texans put him on what they call a "pitch count." Johnson says the groin injury was "blown out of whack," and he's fine now. But he's also conscious of the nicks and bruises. "I think last year going through the injuries made me look at things differently. Before that, I was still doing my massages, going to the chiropractor, things like that. Now that I'm not 22 anymore, it's something I need to do more of. ... I'm doing stuff every day, making sure I'm working on different things, making sure all my muscles are firing. When I look back on it, I think it was a great learning experience, knowing the things you need to do to make sure your body is ready to go, so you don't have to experience that again."
3. Matt Schaub is back, too. And chomping at the bit. The Texans played it safe in the offseason, holding Schaub back through the spring as he rehabbed the fractured Lisfranc joint in his right foot. He says that's paying off now, in doctors saying that the injury won't recur. But the memories of missing last fall -- he was on the bench with a headset for games, since his foot couldn't bear weight -- won't die easy. "It was tough," he said, "right until I got back out in the huddle, first day of training camp." He's tried to make up for the time off the field by drilling fundamentals and sharpening up on the mental side of the game. But the overriding thing he's taken from the past 10 months is appreciation. "There are always things you can get better at. It's the little things, the details, the footwork drills," Schaub said. "But I think the biggest thing for me is it gave me the reminder to enjoy what we're doing and not take things for granted, because of how quickly it can get taken away from you."
4. Attitude is the next step for the Texans defense. I asked one Texans official where the next step will be taken defensively under Wade Phillips, and he responded, simply, "We're salty out there." Last year, the Texans skyrocketed from 30th to second in total defense. This year, it looks like they're starting to play the part of a group that knows it's elite. On the field, Phillips said consistency from week to week will be the key to those guys becoming as good as they think they can be. "We said, 'Hey, the last two games we played last year, the two playoff games, if we can get to that level, start out at that level and play through the season that way, we could be awfully good'," he explained. Ten of 11 starters are back. Yes, they lost Mario Williams. But they didn't have him for most of last year, anyway. Young guys like J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed seem poised to take the next step, and Phillips expects to be able to do more schematically with better knowledge of his own personnel and that personnel knowing his system better. Johnson told me in the past that he wouldn't watch the game when he and the offense came off the field. "I get up and watch our defense play now," Johnson said. "I'm excited to watch those guys play on Sunday." And they're excited to see what they're capable of.
5. Kubiak is in command here. This Texans operation is smooth and fast-moving. The practice I attended was over in 105 minutes. At one point, Kubiak said to rookie quarterback Case Keenum, "Everything you do, do it a little quicker." That message seemed to be received by the whole team. And at two different points in practice, Kubiak called the whole team in -- like a coach would at the end of practice -- just to explain what they were going to try and accomplish in the next period. He addressed them again when the session was over. The point seems to be clear communication, to make every play and portion of practice count, and not waste anyone's time. Pretty interesting to watch, especially with a veteran team that's very clearly in win-now mode carrying Kubiak's plans out.
THE NEW GUYS
Brandon Brooks: The outsized third-rounder might have seemed a funny fit for the Texans' zone-blocking scheme, and he was called out at minicamp by Kubiak for needing to cut weight. But in the early parts of camp, he's impressed. Houston needs help on the right side of its line. Brooks could well be the answer to the guard part of that equation.
Keshawn Martin: Martin sticks out among the other Texans receivers in size. Or lack thereof. He doesn't measure up to the rangy pair of Johnson and Kevin Walter, but he's quick, elusive, and the fourth-rounder has outplayed his old Big Ten rival DeVier Posey, whom Houston took in the third round. Martin could well wind up being the primary slot guy for the Texans' potent offense.
Whitney Mercilus: In San Diego, Phillips birthed the "Charger" package, which put edge rushers Shawne Merriman, Steve Foley and Shaun Phillips on the field together. He did the same in Dallas, with the "Cowboy" package boasting DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Anthony Spencer. Early signs are that he'll be able to do the same this year, with Mercilus juicing up a pass rush led by Reed and Connor Barwin.
OVERHEARD
Two years after washing out in Dallas, Phillips seems to be in his element as a coordinator in Houston, so much so that last January he pulled out of an interview for the Tampa Bay job. And you couldn't have had a better picture of that Wednesday, with his 88-year-old dad Bum out on the steamy practice field, proudly wearing a gigantic old Houston Oilers belt buckle with his name burned on it. Wade Phillips was smiling ear-to-ear when he said, "You grow up, your dad's you're hero. Then, your high school coach is your hero. Then your college coach is your hero. And the guy you work for for 10 years is your hero. For me, it's all the same guy."
EXTRA POINTS
1. Former first-round pick Kareem Jackson has been a major disappointment to this point in his career, but Johnson indicated the ex-Alabama star "is improving a whole lot." Giving Johnathan Joseph a capable bookend at corner could make the Texans defense scary.
2. J.J. Watt couldn't practice Wednesday. So how did he spend the time, with his left elbow dislocated? Try this: Catching balls one-handed off the JUGS machine with his right arm. Let's just say you could tell he used to be a tight end.
3. The Texans were just another team that wasn't shy about contact in the camp practice I attended. No, they didn't do Oklahomas, like the Bengals did. They didn't go live on the quarterback, like the Jets did on Tebow. But they were hitting. And that, this summer, has most certainly been a commonality of many of the places I hit.
OUTLOOK
It's no secret around here. The Texans expect to be good. They were 10-6 last year, won a playoff game and gave Baltimore all it could handle -- in a stadium the Ravens hadn't lost in all year -- in the divisional playoffs. And they did it without Schaub down the stretch, without Johnson for a good chunk of the season, and having to replace Williams on the fly. Simple logic says this is a team that should be a juggernaut in 2012, and that's an assessment the players don't disagree with. "I think just going through what we went through last year as a team, that boosted our confidence," Johnson said. "I think it really showed what type of team we had, and we found out about some other players that we really didn't know about. That's what makes this year, the expectation level so high, not just from us but also the fans around here. And it's up to us now to get it done." There's plenty of reason to believe that these guys are, indeed, capable of getting it done.
Talk about a feelgood article - even spinning the Phillips'/TB thing in a positive light. Hope the part about Kareem Jackson is true, we could use him against all these elite QB's we'll be facing.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocketman95
hurry, someone call ziggy a whaaaaaaambulance. jesus, my three month old daughter doesn't cry as much as aggy. you're going to sec, don't worry you big baby. you'll be enjoying 5th place in the sec west in no time!
Wah, wah, cry, cry, 5th place, doormat of the SEC -- suckers.
How amazing would it be if Kareem Jackson really did improve dramatically and became an above average cornerback opposite J. Joseph? This defense would be utterly dominant. All the blitz packages Wade can dream up would be feasible because his DBs are trustworthy to cover their guys. Sack City.
I'm not really getting my hopes up too much because after some of the turd defenses this team has fielded in seasons past, it seems way too much to hope that we literally have a defense with NO weak links to speak of. But that's what we would be. Shaun Cody would then become the least talented/productive player on your defense, and he is at least average as a NT.
Damn it feels good to have football again.
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Ride, Captain, ride upon your mystery ship
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08-09-2012, 11:16 AM
#201
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