Chron: Carr enjoying change with Pendry calling the shots

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3372933

Carr enjoying change
Palmer's fatherly approach not missed in Texans' camp, QB hints
By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Texans quarterback David Carr has been singing the praises of his new offensive coordinator so much that he better be an extraordinary Joe.

When the Texans play at Cincinnati on Sunday, the pressure will be on Carr and Joe Pendry, who was promoted last week to replace Chris Palmer and kick-start a winless team that ranks last in the NFL in scoring (7.0 points per game), total yards (170.5) and passing yards (66.5).

"It's been a nice change as far as the intensity he brings," Carr said Tuesday about Pendry, who had been coaching the centers and guards. "You're accountable for everything. Nothing slips through the cracks with him.

"I was excited about what we were doing last week. I didn't want to leave because of some of the things we were doing."

Palmer, the first assistant to be fired by Dom Capers in four seasons, has been blamed for everything this year except Hurricane Rita.

It seems obvious to everyone who has listened to Carr before and after Palmer was fired that they were no longer on the same page when it came to the offense's direction. It's nothing that Carr has said about Palmer; it's what he says about Pendry.

"I think having Chris here for the first couple of years was good because so many things go on off the field as far as the position I was in," Carr said about being the top pick in the 2002 draft. "There's a lot of expectations. He was good to have. He was kind of like a father figure as far as making sure you got through everything smooth.

"But there comes a point when you need to take the next step as far as a team getting things done. I think Chris did a great job when he was here. (But) Joe brings another level as far as the intensity and getting things done."

Carr was asked if he had been coddled too much by Palmer, who had an easygoing manner and saved his constructive criticism for behind closed doors.

"I don't think we need to be coddled anymore," Carr said. "I don't think we need to worry about our feelings."


Carr back in school
This is Pendry's fourth team and his 11th season as an offensive coordinator. Players say he's old school. In practice, he doesn't hesitate to yell at a player, Carr included.

"If it has to come out the way Joe's putting it, I'm very receptive to that," Carr said. "I think the rest of the guys are, too. I kind of feel like I'm back in college again."

The Texans would like to see Carr produce like he did as a senior at Fresno State. He led the nation's passers with 4,839 yards and 46 touchdowns.

When the Texans were scouting Carr and deciding whether to make him the first pick in franchise history, Palmer became his biggest fan. Now Palmer's gone, and it's up to Pendry to try to get Carr out of a funk that has him with one touchdown pass, three interceptions, 13 sacks and a 47.9 passer rating.

"The relationship was like two friends," Carr said about Palmer. "It's not something either one of us did consciously, but sometimes some things can slip by. That's natural when you work with someone for so long. Joe's not really friends with anybody. He doesn't care what people think about him.

"Joe's not going to let the defense dictate what's going on. We're going to have a set of plays, and we're going to run them over and over. It's going to be plain and simple. It's not going to be rocket science."

That's a good thing, because players and coaches are flunking after two games.

"He's right about it not being rocket science, because if it was, it would be way above me," Pendry said. "We just simplify it. We don't have a lot of different plays."


Pendry tutorials
Carr's performance is just one of the problems Pendry has to address. The team can't get the ball to receiver Andre Johnson, who has seven catches for 38 yards. Running back Domanick Davis is averaging 14 carries and 53 yards. The protection has been poor, and a lot of it hasn't been the line's fault.

"You have to worry about everything," Pendry said. "If there's anything you don't have to worry about, I haven't found it yet.

"You just try to have them as prepared as you can so they know exactly what to do when they go out there and don't have to worry. They (need to) feel comfortable about, 'We know what to do. We know how to do it. We're going to do it, and let's be as physical as we can be.' "

john.mcclain@chron.com


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TEXANS SUMMARY
Sad tale to tell
Cornerback Dunta Robinson has a story to add to all of the tales that Houstonians have to tell regarding the evacuation from Hurricane Rita.

Robinson and Budda, his German Rottweiler, got stuck in traffic so long on the way to the airport that his dog died.

"I started to run out of gas, so I turned off the air conditioning and rolled down the windows," Robinson said. "When I saw how hot he was, I pulled off and found a store that had some water. I bought every bottle they had, and people didn't like it, but I had to get it for my dog."

Robinson was unable to find a station with gas. He and Budda were going home to Athens, Ga. After Robinson got back on the road and inched forward, he almost reached
the airport when Budda went limp.

Robinson pulled into a hotel, and people tried to help him. He called his vet, who told Robinson that, under the circumstances, it might take four hours to get Budda to him. By then, it was too late.

To replace Budda, Robinson is getting two German Rottweiler puppies.

"I'm doing to name one Duce," he said. "I'm still thinking about a name for the other one."

How about Trey?


Missing out
The players returned to the practice field Tuesday after five consecutive days off.

The only player who couldn't practice was defensive end Gary Walker, who's out indefinitely with a sprained shoulder. Walker has to wear a sling. He's hoping his shoulder will heal enough to allow him to play again. If not, he'll have to undergo surgery.


Protection-driven
New offensive coordinator Joe Pendry has his hands full, but he knows where to start.

"It's always been my belief that the passing game is protection-driven," he said. "It's not receiver-driven or quarterback-driven. So I guess that's what we're working on the most.

"There are a lot of factors when it's protection-driven: depth of the route. Are you at the right spot? Is the quarterback dropping right? Is the back protecting? If you don't get it (pass) off, it doesn't matter how pretty we are."

-- JOHN McCLAIN