[Official] Texans Offseason 2011

robbie380 · Aug 14, 2011

Air Langhi said: ↑

The next jason bavins?
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Yeah babin only needed 7 years before having a good season. If it works out for Okoye elsewhere then great for him, but the Texans had to move on to fix other problems.

emjohn · Aug 14, 2011

DieHard Rocket said: ↑

How does a long snapper tear his ACL? They aren't even allowed to be hit at the line.
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Another lineman crashes down into his knee?

rikesh316 · Aug 14, 2011

DieHard Rocket said: ↑

How does a long snapper tear his ACL? They aren't even allowed to be hit at the line.
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Running down the field to down a punt before hits the endzone.

monkeyboy32 · Aug 15, 2011

pacman0590 said: ↑

it would hit hard if amobi has a great year... but it wouldnt surprise me... players are people too and perform their jobs better in different envoirnments, it would kill me to see andre leave and i hope it never happens.. but i cant imagine what his seasons would be like for teams like the packers, steelers, or patriots.

if amobi were to stay here this season he wouldnt've turned it around, im happy hes goin somewhere where he is more likely to succeed on an individual level
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Hopefully we finally luck out on the receiving end of these deals with Jason Allen, former first rounder drafted before our new resident lockdown CB, Jonathan Joseph!

rcoleman15 · Aug 15, 2011

Here are Monday's Texans news items.

First up is a John McClain article on the kickoff off preseason.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7697558.html

Line 'em up and cut 'em loose
From veterans to rookies, the Texans are looking to make their first taste of live action count even if the game doesn't

By JOHN McCLAIN
Aug. 14, 2011, 9:50PM

The last time Texans quarterback Matt Leinart took a snap in a game was the 2010 preseason when he played for the Arizona Cardinals.

Leinart is one of many players whom coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith can't wait to evaluate in tonight's preseason opener at Reliant Stadium against the New York Jets. Leinart will replace starter Matt Schaub early and play at least two quarters.

"I hope to carry over what I've been doing in practice to the game — move the ball, score some points and play confident," Leinart said. "I'll probably play with some young guys, and I want to get them in the right situations.

"My last action was preseason last year, so I'm just excited to play. I'm looking forward to playing against another team."

Kubiak wanted Leinart to return as the backup so much the Texans signed him to a two-year, $5.5 million contract with $2.75 million guaranteed.

"Matt's played well in practice," Kubiak said. "The sign of a good quarterback is it doesn't matter who lines up at wide receiver, he gets the ball to the right spot and that's what you see with Matt."

Besides Leinart, the coaches are eager to see James Casey play fullback for the first time. He has replaced Vonta Leach, who signed with Baltimore, as the starter. He's trying to hold off veteran Lawrence Vickers, who wants the starting job.

Versatile player

"James has some great strengths that can make this team better, so it's time to start doing that," Kubiak said. "He's playing everywhere. He slides to tight end during practice. Sometimes he plays the third wide receiver.

"His strength is his versatility."

Because Wade Phillips was hired as defensive coordinator and he installed a 3-4, there's a lot of interest on that side of the ball. With the exception of Mario Williams moving to outside linebacker, no player is under the microscope more so than left defensive end J.J. Watt, the first-round pick.

According to the coaches, no defensive player has been more impressive in camp than Watt.

"He's been exceptional," Kubiak said. "He's very mature. He handles his business very well. We feel very good about him."

Watt (6-5, 290) is quick, strong and athletic for a player his size. Offensive tackle Eric Winston says Watt is mature for a rookie and understands things such as getting and maintaining leverage, which usually takes younger players longer to do.

"It's impressive when you can step in and hold your own right out of college," Winston said. "At this level, there's a different pad level and a different motor, but he's got all that stuff.

"J.J. has so much upside because of is talent. He's still got a lot of work ahead of him, but he's impressed everyone with his willingness to work."

Because he's a rookie, Watt might play longer than the veteran starters.

"I'm excited to get in front of the fans and get in Reliant Stadium for the first time and just kind of get that adrenaline going," Watt said. "I'm trying to get better every day - just improve every category in my game."

Keeping up the hard work

As Winston pointed out, excelling in practice is one thing, but doing it when the lights turn on for games is taking it to another level.

"I want to play in this league for a long time, so I better be able to hold my own," Watt said. "I feel like I've been working very, very hard to get to this point, and I'm going to continue working hard to make sure I stay at the top of my size and strength combination."

Barring injury, Watt should be the only rookie to start, but outside linebacker Brooks Reed and cornerback Brandon Harris, the second-round picks, should play vital roles off the bench.

Reed is competing for playing time in passing situations. Harris is trying to win the job as the nickel corner.
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Second a piece by Richard Justice on the outlook of preseason for some of the Texans.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/7697626.html

Preseason offers hope for plenty

By RICHARD JUSTICE
Aug. 14, 2011, 11:08PM

Brian Mitchell hadn't been anything special during his first NFL training camp with the Washington Redskins.

He was attempting to make the conversion from quarterback to running back and had been so shaky that he wondered if he would be cut without ever getting on the field. That's how he ended up volunteering for kickoff return duty for the 1990 preseason opener

"I had to do something to make them notice me," he said.

And then the Atlanta Falcons put the opening kickoff in his hands, and Mitchell returned it 92 yards for a touchdown. Coaches knew his name after that, and thus began a good, productive NFL career.

He played for three teams during a 14-year career, and when it ended, only Jerry Rice had topped his 23,330 total yards. There's no telling what would have happened if he hadn't returned that one kickoff, if he hadn't done that one thing to make coaches want to take a second and third look at him.

Mitchell is why NFL coaches love early preseason games like the one the Texans will play tonight against the Jets at Reliant Stadium. Both teams will look at their starters only briefly, then turn the game over to the younger players who, like Mitchell did in 1990, hope to make a name for themselves.

"We'll see who's going to step up to the plate," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

Ogbonnaya in the mix

His team has openings at defensive line, linebacker and fullback. The punting situation is unsettled. And some of the young running backs and receivers have been so good that coaches can't wait to see them in live competition.

During the first two weeks of training camp, the Texans have been thrilled at the work of running back Chris Ogbonnaya. He began camp behind Arian Foster, Derrick Ward, Ben Tate and Steve Slaton on the depth chart.

Of the players ahead of him on the depth chart, only Ward has stayed healthy. So Ogbonnaya has gotten more work than he might normally have, and has been terrific.

"When a young man has had the camp he's had, I think we're all excited to watch him go play," Kubiak said.

Now he needs to do it in live competition. He's not going to pass Foster and Ward on the depth chart, but he has performed so well that it's easy to envision him on the opening-day roster.

There are others. Second-year cornerback Sherrick McManis has been good, probably better than incumbent starter Kareem Jackson.

Improving the cornerback play is vital after a season in which the Texans were last in passing yards allowed and 23rd in interceptions. They signed veteran Johnathan Joseph to play one spot, but are trying to figure out the other.

The Texans have not neglected the position. General manager Rick Smith has taken seven corners in the past four drafts, and is hoping this is the camp a couple of them step up and win a job.

Rookie wideouts Lestar Jean and Jeff Maehl also have drawn Kubiak's praise. Likewise, J.J. Watt, Connor Barwin, Shaun Cody, Mario Williams and Earl Mitchell have done everything coaches hoped they'd do, and then some.

But beginning tonight, it matters. It's one thing to do it in practice, but the path to the opening-day roster goes through the four preseason games.

After tonight, coaches will have about three quarters of live football to evaluate, and somewhere along the way, someone will play his way onto the roster.

As for Tate, Trindon Holliday and Slaton, their time might be running out. Each has been slowed by injuries or not made a good impression, and all three need to get back on the field quickly to have any chance of making the roster.

Injuries hold some back

And there are things the Texans don't know. Brian Cushing is a huge key for this defense, but his indoctrination to a new scheme has been delayed as he recovers from offseason knee surgery.

Foster also has spent most of this camp sidelined with a hamstring injury. Kubiak would prefer him on the practice field, but his real priority is having Foster 100 percent for the opener.

This will be an important night for Matt Leinart, who will play a couple of quarters in relief of Matt Schaub. The Texans haven't felt this good about their backup quarterback situation since Sage Rosenfels departed two years ago.

Kubiak figured Leinart would sign with a team willing to allow him to compete for the starting job. When he decided to return, Kubiak couldn't have been happier.

"First off, I think he's a leader," Kubiak said. "He's got that 'it' factor that people seem to gravitate to. I hope he gets his career going again and plays 10 or 12 years and comes back as a starter. That's what we all want for him."

With Wade Phillips looking at his new 3-4 defensive scheme for the first time, with depth issues at linebacker and competition for the starting cornerback spot opposite Joseph, there's plenty coaches will learn from one preseason game.

Mainly, it's relief from teammates pounding on teammates, and as Barwin said last week, "Yeah, we're ready for that."
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Third an article by Craig Malveaux of Conner Barwin.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7697486.html

Wearing two hats
After missing a year with injury, Connor Barwin is making the most of a position change and a second chance to shine

By CRAIG MALVEAUX
Aug. 14, 2011, 10:05PM

It's not every day an NFL player gets a new lease on life. But the Texans' Connor Barwin is getting just that, something not typically afforded to severely injured players, including teammates Ben Tate and Anthony Hill.

Barwin showed promise in his rookie season with the Texans, accumulating 4 1/2 sacks in 16 appearances as a 4-3 rotational defensive end in 2009. Barwin led all first-year defensive linemen in sacks that season, and only two other rookies racked up more sacks: Pro Bowl linebackers Clay Matthews (10) and Brian Orakpo (11).

The following year, then-defensive coordinator Frank Bush had big plans for Barwin. Bush expected the second-round pick from Cincinnati to build off of his first year and play a prominent role.

Sudden end to rookie season

Barwin's would-be breakout year ended one quarter into the regular-season opener, though, after teammate Antonio Smith accidentally rolled into his leg resulting in a dislocated ankle.

In 2011, Barwin (6-4, 260) is back and says he's healthier than ever. But instead of falling in the depth chart like Tate and Hill did after suffering season-ending injuries during their rookie campaigns, Barwin has a new position in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense and a new opportunity: starting outside linebacker.

"I think (opposing) tight ends and tackles will not know what I'm going to do every play," Barwin, 24, said. "Essentially, we try to look like I can do both (rush the QB and drop into coverage), so I think that's going to be the biggest advantage."

Like with Mario Williams, the switch to outside linebacker should benefit Barwin and maximize his skills as a pass rusher. The aggressive blitz packages in Phillips' defense provide plenty of opportunities to get after the quarterback, something Barwin says thrills him.

"Just the versatility of the defense is exciting to me," Barwin said. "I think the way you can disguise things is going to really help me with the rush and the drop."

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring said Barwin has looked comfortable and is picking up his responsibilities.

"As far as fundamentals go — doing what we ask and executing our defense - he's probably as good as it gets in our linebacking corps right now," Herring said. "He's embraced our new packages and he makes very few mistakes."

How Barwin drops into coverage is the biggest question. Fellow linebacker DeMeco Ryans said repetition is key to Barwin's success.

"It's probably a tough position for Connor pretty much because he's more of a rush guy," Ryans said. "Now he's having to cover a lot more, which he never had to do. It's going to take a little getting used to for Connor, but I think the more he reps it and does it he'll get better at that."

The sky's the limit

Coach Gary Kubiak has high hopes for Barwin , whom he says should pick up where he left, only better.

"I thought he would've been a breakout player last year, I really do," Kubiak said. "He's taking to what they are doing, very smart young man. I think there could be many (breakout players) and hopefully he's one of them."
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Fourth is "Texans training camp at a glance by John McClain."

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7697650.html

Texans training camp at a glance

By JOHN McCLAIN and JEFFREY MARTIN
Aug. 15, 2011, 12:04AM

McCLAIN’S TAKE

Q&A session on the field

The best thing about the first preseason game isn’t watching veteran players who are the stars of the team. The best thing is watching players or a scheme about whom or which you have questions.

When the Texans play the Jets at Reliant Stadium tonight, new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips probably will get more attention from ESPN than coach Gary Kubiak.

Kubiak is in charge of an offense that has been one of the league’s most productive over the past three years. He put Phillips in charge of a defense that ranked 30th last season, including 32nd against the pass.

Because of the change to a 3-4, of the regular starting players, only cornerback Kareem Jackson is in the same position as last season. Left defensive end J.J. Watt, strong-side outside linebacker Connor Barwin, cornerback Johnathan Joseph and free safety Danieal Manning will be new starters this season. But the rest of the starters will be doing so at new positions.

Phillips didn’t have an offseason with his players because of the lockout, but he wouldn’t show much against the Jets, anyway. He is expected to keep it vanilla. The key is which players can handle the vanilla without the off-season program.

The very best thing about the first preseason game means we’re one step closer to regular season, which can’t come soon enough.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Texans linebacker Brian Cushing and Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez were roommates at USC for two seasons.

• Jets offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson protected Texans quarterback Matt Schaub’s blind side at Virginia, starting at left tackle as a true freshman.

• Gary Kubiak is 0-2 in the regular season against teams coached by Rex Ryan. This is the first preseason meeting.

SCOUTING REPORT

Derrick Ward

Position: Running back.

Height: 5-11.

Weight: 228.

College: Ottawa (Kansas).

Experience: Eighth season.

Strength: Productive — career 4.9 yards per carry — and compact, delivers a blow. Can run between tackles but can also pull away from defenders.

Weakness: He never carried more 182 times in a season.

Outlook: He’s always been part of a platoon or rotation, which is exactly what he figures to be again this season — regardless of the severity of Arian Foster’s hamstring issue; a great pickup last season.

BY THE NUMBERS

92.0

Matt Schaub’s passer rating in 2010, the ninth-best in the league; the Texans quarterback trailed Tom Brady (111.0), Philip Rivers (101.8), Aaron Rodgers (101.2), Michael Vick (100.2), Ben Roethlisberger (97.0), Josh Freeman (95.9), Joe Flacco (93.6) and Matt Cassell (93.0).

59

Completions of 20 or more yards by Schaub in 2010, ranking him second in the league behind Rivers (65).

12

Runs of 20-plus yards by running back Arian Foster in 2010, good for the third-highest total in the NFL. Oakland’s Darren McFadden led the way with 14, followed by the New York Giants’ Ahmad Bradshaw and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson at 13 each.

18

Receptions of 20-plus yards by wide receiver Andre Johnson — the eight-most in the NFL in 2010. Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace led the league with 26.

HE SAID IT

“I’ve been real impressed with James Casey. He’s a hard worker and to make that switch from tight end to fullback and he’s still doing tight end stuff? To learn all of those things, those nuances to our offense from both positions, that’s a huge responsibility and he’s done a great job with it.”

—QB MATT SCHAUB, on the player he thinks has been the most impressive Texan during training camp
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Fifth is some preseason betting analysis on tonights game via madduxsports.com

Source:
http://www.madduxsports.com/blog/nfl-preseason-betting-new-york-jets-at-houston-texans-monday-night-football-picks-17130/

NFL Preseason Betting: New York Jets at Houston Texans Monday Night Football Picks

New York Jets at Houston Texans
Monday, 8/15/11, 8:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Houston -2.5
Current Betting Line: Houston -2.5
Opening Total: 35
Current Total: 34.5

New York will be facing the Houston Texans for the first time in preseason action, but comes in with a 5-0 mark versus the franchise in regular season meetings. The Jets won three of those five games by five-or-less points. Head coach Rex Ryan will enter his third season and has compiled a 20-12 regular season record and 4-2 mark in postseason action. Both of his first two years ended with losses in the AFC title game. Quarterback Mark Sanchez has been along for the ride from the beginning, as he threw for a career-high 3,291 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes a year ago.

The Jets have not had a losing preseason since 1996, a streak that spans 14 seasons and includes 10 winning marks. New York posted a 2-2 SU record during last year’s exhibition, but covered both instances as a road underdog. Ryan has led the franchise to a 4-0 ATS mark as an underdog during preseason action. Few changes have been made to the roster, as 18-of-22 starters return, but the biggest offseason acquisition was the signing of wide receiver Plaxico Burress. He became a member of the team on July 31 after serving a 20-month prison sentence on a gun charge. Burress will not make the trip to the Lone Star State.

Houston comes off a disappointing 6-10 season that started with a bang, handing the Indianapolis Colts a 34-24 defeat at Reliant Stadium. The Texans entered a Week 7 bye week with a 4-2 record, but then proceeded to drop eight of their last 10 games. Few teams are better offensively in the NFL, finishing fourth in passing yards and seventh on the ground, averaging 259 and 127.6 yards respectively. Bettors have had a hard time backing this team over the last two campaigns, entering the 2011 season with a 12-18-2 ATS mark.

The Texans struggles come on the defensive side of the ball, especially against opposing quarterbacks, ranking last in allowing 267.5 passing yards a game last year. Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips comes in and assumed the role as defensive coordinator and will be implementing a new 3-4 defensive scheme. New faces will be lining up for the unit, including free agent signings Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning. Houston also used six of its eight draft picks to help Phillips’ cause.

Bettors will likely back the Jets due to their preseason success as an underdog under Ryan, while the Texans are 2-9 ATS under head coach Gary Kubiak when favored in exhibition play.

Don’t miss out on a huge season and let the NFL handicappers at Maddux Sports go to work for you!
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Sixth is an article by Tully Corcoran on Matt Leinart via foxsportshouston.com

Source:
http://www.foxsportshouston.com/08/14/11/Leinarts-time-hasnt-come-yet-but-hes-sti/landing_texans.html?blockID=548038&feedID=3803

Leinart's time hasn't come yet, but he's still young

Tully Corcoran
August 14, 2011

HOUSTON -- Reliant Stadium doesn't just sit there. It barges into your consciousness and bullies the sky out of the way. Behind it is the Eighth Wonder of the World, a decaying Astrodome that in size and visual impact now looks like an empty tuna can sitting next to a magnum of Dom Perignon.

Across the street is the Methodist Training Center, where the Houston Texans work out. Without even tilting your head, you can see old Houston (the Oilers), you can see new Houston (the Texans), and in the foreground you can see a 28-year-old Matt Leinart trying to make his career new again, completing a out pattern to a diving Kevin Walter. Another completion for Leinart, who has rarely put a ball on the ground during this training camp.

To say Leinart has become a sensation at Texans camp is putting it too strongly. There, after all, is no opportunity for him to win a starting job here; the other Matt (Schaub) is the guy, and the Texans have more pressing issues than the performance of their No. 2 quarterback. But coaches, teammates, fans and media have all noticed his play, and the question is presented anew: What will become of this guy?

"I still want to be a starter in this league," Leinart said. "I still feel like I can."

That looks more plausible than it did this time last year. Eight days before last season started, Leinart was released by the Arizona Cardinals, who drafted him 10th overall in 2006. Two days later the Texans signed him to a one-year contract, but he spent last season as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart and hasn't played in a game since the preseason last year.

Outside doubt had turned to inside doubt.

"In Arizona my confidence was shaken a little bit," he said. "I'll be the first to say that. "

In his career, Leinart is a 57-percent passer with 14 touchdowns, 20 interceptions a rating of 70.8. His best season was his rookie one, when he threw for 2,500 yards in 12 games. He hasn't thrown for even 700 in any season since.

Leinart had some well-publicized differences with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, and now says he appreciates the way Texans coach Gary Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp coach their quarterbacks. It was the reason he re-signed with Houston, rather than pursue a starting job somewhere else.

"I thought it was a good fit for me, with the lockout and the way everything happened, this was the best spot for me this year, to keep learning in this offense, to keep growing as a quarterback, to be able to be coached the way they coach quarterbacks here," Leinart said. "Kube and Knapper, they're hard on us, they demand a lot of us, but that makes us play at a higher level. It's a huge challenge to play for quarterback for coach Kube but it's also the best job in football."

Leinart also prefers the Texans' offensive scheme to the one he was operating in Arizona. In Houston, the concepts remind him more of the offense he ran at USC.

"When Kurt (Warner) was there we were more spread out, four wides, three wides, get the ball out quick," Leinart said. "Here it's more play action, under center. It's a lot more stuff that fits the style I was in college."

Leinart's return to Houston wasn't entirely his decision, of course. It takes two parties to sign a contract, and even though Leinart didn't play in any games last season, Kubiak still believes in him.

"He's got that 'it' factor people kind of gravitate to," Kubiak said. "I know what he's going through as a quarterback. I watched his confidence come back last year and I watched the way his teammates reacted when he would go in. … I hope he gets his career going again and plays 10, 12 years and comes back as a starter. That's what we all want for him."

Leinart will take the bulk of the snaps when the Texans kick off the preseason against the New York Jets Monday night at Reliant Stadium, and he will do so mostly without the Texans' best weapons. Receiver Andre Johnson dislocated his finger early in camp and, though he is healthy enough to play, doesn't expect many reps. Running back Arian Foster, who led the NFL in rushing last season, is dealing with a hamstring injury that isn't severe but has sidelined him for most of training camp. He won't play Monday.

Besides, the Texans want to get a good look at a handful of young receivers vying for the fourth and fifth receiver spots. One of them is Lestar Jean, an imposing 6-3, 215-pound rooking from Florida Atlantic who was just a second-team All-Sun Belt selection as a senior, but has impressed Kubiak.

"I've had some of the DBs come over to me and say, 'Hey Coach, that guy is tough to handle,''" Kubiak said. "He's got a lot of ability. There's going to be two young receivers on this team, and it will be interesting to see who they are."

Another option might be Jeff Maehl, a 6-foot rookie from Oregon, or Terrence Toliver, a 6-5 former LSU star, though the Texans didn't draft any of those guys. Houston is relatively happy with its top three receivers, Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones, a self-admitted former "knucklehead" who had his best season in 2010, when he caught 51 passes for 562 yards.

But offense, of course, has never been this team's issue. The Texans ranked 30th in total defense last season and hired Wade Phillips to install and coordinate a new 3-4 alignment which moved defensive end Mario Williams to outside linebacker. It changed his position, but it doesn't change his role. Williams, who is coming off an 8.5-sack Pro Bowl season, will still rush the passer at least 90 percent of the time.

For a few years now, the Texans have appeared to have the right pieces. They have one of the NFL's most productive offenses and a Pro Bowl pass rusher and have perpetually have been the presumed up-and-comers in the AFC. But the city hasn't seen a playoff game since the Oilers lost at the Astrodome in 1994.

That Astrodome has since been deemed unsafe and closed to the public. In 2002 Reliant Stadium was built for the Texans and the Astrodome has been mostly empty ever since. There have been a thousand big ideas for the Astrodome, but few financially realistic proposals. The Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation this summer commissioned a feasibility study to sort out some options. That study won't be finished until the end of the year, but with an estimated cost of $120 million just to raze it, re-condition the area and pay off bonded debt, compared to the $2-3 million per year it costs to just leave it sitting, there is a real chance the Astrodome could just be decaying there a few more years.

Like their city's most iconic building, the Texans aren't exactly young anymore – Schaub and Johnson both turned 30 this summer -- but they probably aren't getting dismantled any time soon, either.

And like his team as a whole, Leinart is at something of a crossroads, believing in a better future while working to shed the stink of the recent past.

It is a less-scorching-than-usual Saturday morning in Houston when fans are invited to watch Texans camp for the last time this season. Leinart remains highly popular in the autograph line. He stops to talk to a young man who will tell him he went to UCLA, but offers a USC jersey for Leinart to sign. Leinart kids the guy about going to UCLA and scratches his name on the gold No. 11, the number in which Leinart won the Heisman Trophy in 2004.

That was a long time ago. Yet it wasn't.

"I'm still young," he said.
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Seventh...

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Eighth...

<object classid='clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000' id='akhaas5u' width='432' height='418' codebase='http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab' ><param name='movie' value='http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/fl/customplayer/current/customplayer.swf' /><param name='flashvars' value='player.v=ca2d7fb5-f24e-4500-ad1a-f35b1595ff49&configCsid=MSNVideo&configName=syndicationplayer&mkt=en-us&brand=v5%5e544x306&linkoverride2=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bing.com%2fvideos%2fbrowse%3fmkt%3den-us%26vid%3d%7b1%7d%26from%3d&linkback=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bing.com%2fvideos%2fbrowse' /><param name='bgcolor' value='#ffffff' /><param name='base' value='.' /><param name='quality' value='high' /><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true' /><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed id='sd8jiulm' src='http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/fl/customplayer/current/customplayer.swf' width='432' height='418' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' flashvars='player.v=ca2d7fb5-f24e-4500-ad1a-f35b1595ff49&configCsid=MSNVideo&configName=syndicationplayer&mkt=en-us&brand=v5%5e544x306&linkoverride2=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bing.com%2fvideos%2fbrowse%3fmkt%3den-us%26vid%3d%7b1%7d%26from%3d&linkback=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bing.com%2fvideos%2fbrowse' allowFullScreen='true' allowScriptAccess='always' quality='high' bgColor='#ffffff' wmode='transparent' base='.' pluginspage='http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer' ></embed><noembed><a href='http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/countdown-to-kickoff-texans/12ajq0fe?src=v5:embed::' target='_new' title='Countdown to Kickoff: Texans'>Video: Countdown to Kickoff: Texans</a></noembed></object>

Ninth...

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rcoleman15 · Aug 15, 2011

First up is Paul Kuharsky's "Three things: Jets-Texans"

Source:
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/26502/three-things-jets-texans

Three things: Jets-Texans

By Paul Kuharsky
Aug 15, 11:09 AM ET

Three things to watch for in Houston’s preseason opener against the visiting New York Jets on Monday night. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

The new 3-4 front will be on display in a game situation for the first time. Coach Gary Kubiak said starters will only go 10 to 12 plays, but it should be enough to give us a sense of how things are different in the Wade Phillips-coordinated defense. Mario Williams will stand up as a “linebacker” for the first time, but he’s still going to be at or near the line of scrimmage. Look for him to regularly find his way to the weak side and to go heavy with the bull rush from the start against D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Wayne Hunter.

Matt Leinart was labeled a “special” in the last week by Kubiak. Matt Schaub’s backup will play a lot against the Jets. Leinart looks great in practice, with solid command and a nice ball. But critics who’ve watched him regularly from close range believe he’s just a beat off in game situations. The Jets intend to play starters for the entire first quarter, so while Leinart will work with mostly second-stringers, he will get some good work against some top defensive personnel.

Meet Chris Ogbonnaya. With Arian Foster, Steve Slaton and Ben Tate all dealing with hamstring injuries, expect Derrick Ward to get the carries with the first team and Ogbonnaya to be the running back who gets the most work on the night. The team really likes him, but the four guys in front of him all have loftier pedigrees, so it will be very difficult for him to make the team.
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Next is USA Today's NFL Preseason Preview - N.Y. Jets (0-0) at Houston (0-0).

Source:
http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/nfl/game/Jets_Texans/2011/8/15

New York vs. Houston
NFL Preseason Preview - N.Y. Jets (0-0) at Houston (0-0)

(Sports Network) - The New York Jets will take the field for the first time in the 2011 season in Monday's clash with the Houston Texans, though the team will wait to wait a little longer for the debut of its most notable new addition.

This preseason opener at Reliant Stadium was supposed to mark the NFL return of Plaxico Burress from a 2 1/2-year absence away from the game. However, the controversial wide receiver came down with a sprained ankle during the early portion of training camp and has since been ruled out by head coach Rex Ryan.

Burress last participated in a game in November of the 2008 season, while then a member of the crosstown foe New York Giants. He would miss the final five contests of that campaign as a result of an accidental gunshot wound in his leg while at a Manhattan night club, then spent the next two years out of football while imprisoned on charges stemming from that incident.

The Jets weren't overly concerned about the 34-year-old's absence, signing him to a one-year, $3 million contract in late July to become a part of a remade receiver corps that will be an area to watch for the 2010 AFC Championship Game participants this preseason.

Burress joins holdover Santonio Holmes, rookie Jeremy Kerley and 14-year pro Derrick Mason, a free-agent defection from Baltimore, in a new-look cast of targets for third-year quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Jets also lost key contributors Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith through free agency and released veteran Jerricho Cotchery shortly after the start of camp.

The Jets may also be without a couple of starters on the offensive line for Monday's matchup. Right guard Brandon Moore is on the mend from offseason hip surgery and will not play, while All-Pro center Nick Mangold is questionable to suit up after sustaining a neck stinger in Thursday's practice.

One newcomer who will be in action for New York is defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, the team's first-round selection in April's draft. The Temple product is taking over at the left end spot previously manned by longtime Jet Shaun Ellis, now on the roster of the rival New England Patriots.

For the Texans, Monday's contest will offer a first glimpse of how far a totally rebuilt defense has come since their last outing. Houston has made major changes on that side of the ball, beginning with the hiring of ex-Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips as coordinator, after fielding one of the league's worst stop units in last year's disappointing 6-10 season.

The Texans added two immediate starters, cornerback Johnathan Joseph and free safety Danieal Manning, on the free-agent market and used their first-round pick on Wisconsin end J.J. Watt, who's slated to start immediately in Phillips' 3-4 scheme. In addition, standout pass rusher Mario Williams will be converting from a down lineman to an outside linebacker in the new alignment, while former corner Glover Quin has shifted to strong safety.

2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing is also undergoing a position switch, moving from outside linebacker to the inside under the 3-4 arrangement. The talented former first-round choice likely won't play on Monday, however, as he's still making his way back from a January knee procedure.

Houston will also be short-handed in the offensive backfield for this game, with reigning rushing champion Arian Foster and reserves Steve Slaton and Ben Tate all dealing with hamstring injuries. Derrick Ward will start in Foster's place and will be backed up by former practice squad member Chris Ogbonnaya and newly-signed Javarris Williams.

This will be the first-ever preseason meeting between these teams. The Jets have won all five of their previous regular-season bouts with the Texans, including a thrilling 30-27 home victory last November in which Sanchez threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Holmes with 10 seconds left to play.
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From HoustonTexan's.com..."Five things to watch: Texans vs. Jets".

Source:
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Five-things-to-watch-Texans-vs-Jets/b25199b8-e648-42fb-8f09-b269ed502e4c

Five things to watch: Texans vs. Jets

By Nick Scurfield

Here are five things to watch for in the Texans' preseason opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football at Reliant Stadium.

1. Welcome, Wade: Tonight’s game is the debut of the Texans’ 3-4 defense under Wade Phillips.

The Texans have four new starters on defense – including free agent additions Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning – and three returning starters at entirely new positions – Mario Williams at outside linebacker, Brian Cushing at inside linebacker and Glover Quin at safety. Connor Barwin has been a buzz-worthy player in training camp at outside linebacker in his return from an ankle injury.

It’s unclear how much any key defensive starters will play, if at all. With Ryans (Achilles) and Cushing (knee) on the way back from major injuries, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both sit out. Joseph missed the last two days of practice with tightness in his groin, rendering his availability uncertain. On top of all that, Phillips is likely to use very basic packages – one, because he’s only had two weeks to install the defense with players, and two, because there’s no sense tipping your hand in games that don’t matter.

Still, this will be the first in-game glimpse at the Phillips’ 3-4. It’ll only get better from here.

2. Watt’s debut: Through two weeks of training camp, rookie defensive end J.J. Watt has been everything the Texans hoped for when they drafted him 11th overall out of Wisconsin. He has stepped right in as the starting left defensive end and consistently made plays in practice, drawing praise from coaches and teammates for his maturity, relentless effort and ability to knock down passes, all of which he showed a knack for in college.

The Texans expect Watt (6-5, 290) to be an immediate difference-maker on defense this season. That’s no easy task for any rookie, let alone one in this abbreviated 2011 offseason. But the Texans believe Watt has the mindset and skill set to get it done.

Watt was a two-year starter at Wisconsin, earning second-team All-America honors as a junior in 2010 after leading Wisconsin in tackles for loss, sacks, quarterback hurries, forced fumbles and blocked kicks.

“I’m excited,” Watt said. “I’m excited to get out there in front of the fans and get in Reliant Stadium for the first time and just kind of get that adrenaline going, get back in that game format. It should be fun.”

3. Lots of Leinart: With established starters like Matt Schaub expected to play only 10-12 snaps, backup quarterback Matt Leinart should get the lion’s share of reps on the Monday night preseason stage.

It’ll be Leinart’s first game action – preseason or regular season – in a Texans uniform. The former Heisman Trophy winner and Arizona Cardinals first-round pick, who has been razor-sharp in camp practices, signed with the Texans just before the start of last season.

“He’s had a really good camp,” Kubiak said. “He’s going to have to play with a lot of young players, especially from the receiver position, but I’m anxious for Matt to get out there and get going. I think he’s doing everything well. My biggest thing with him is trying to get him to do everything faster.”

After serving as the Texans’ third quarterback in 2010, Leinart re-signed with the Texans in late July. He’ll throw to a smattering of young receivers tonight, but he’s excited about the opportunity.

“I hope to carry over what I’ve been doing in practice to the game, just move the ball and score some points and play confident,” he said. “I want to get the guys in the right situations; I’ll probably be with some young guys out there. (I) just want to have fun. I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing against another team. My last action was preseason last year (with Arizona), so I’m just excited to get out there and play.”

4. Receiver watch: After Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones, the Texans have a wide-open competition at wide receiver. They have 11 receivers total on their 90-man roster, including six first- or second-year players.

Among them are Dorin Dickerson, a converted tight end who was a seventh-round pick out of Pitt in 2010; Derrick Townsel, who spent two weeks on the active roster as an undrafted rookie from Murray State in 2010; Trindon Holliday, last year’s speedy sixth-round pick who almost exclusively was a kick returner in college; and a talented trio of undrafted rookies in Lestar Jean (Florida Atlantic), Jeff Maehl (Oregon) and Terrence Toliver (LSU).

Devard Darling, a sixth-year veteran who played in the UFL last year, also figures to get a look in tonight’s game after signing with the Texans less than a week ago.

“We need some young guys to step up to the plate and help on special teams, and at the same time go out and line up and make plays for us when those other guys are off the field,” wide receivers coach Larry Kirksey said. “So it’s awful important for these guys to play well. It’s a great opportunity for them, but they’ve gotta perform and they’ve gotta produce when they’re out there and take advantage of the opportunities that have been given to them. “

5. Opportunity knocks: When Kubiak was asked on Saturday which player he's excited to see in the preseason opener, he didn't hesitate to name running back Chris Ogbonnaya.

"Easy answer to start with is Ogbonnaya," Kubiak said. "When a young man has had the camp he’s had for the last two weeks, I think we’re all excited as a team and everybody to watch him go play this weekend, because he’s kind of been a big bright spot in camp."

Ogbonnaya, who spent part of last season on the Texans' practice squad, entered camp as the fifth running back on the depth chart. Because of hamstring injuries to Arian Foster, Steve Slaton and Ben Tate, his workload increased in practice and he made a strong impression on Kubiak.

A standout at Houston’s Strake Jesuit who played collegiately at Texas, Ogbonnaya will likely be one of three running backs to play on Monday along with veteran Derrick Ward and newly-signed Javarris Williams.
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And here is a new video from Texans Tv Daily:

Link:
1. Texans Daily: Ready for Monday Night Football (1:34)

And finally here is a new podcast from 610am.

Description:

Texans/Jets Preview With John McClain

John McClain joined Vandermeer and Lopez and they previewed the Texans Monday night’s preseason opener versus the Jets.
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Link:
http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd0%2FdY%2FdF%2FdP%2FdE%2FYFPE_3.MP3&podcast_name=John+McClain&podcast_artist=Vandermeer+and+Lopez&station_id=63&audio_link=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON

javal_lon · Aug 15, 2011

I wanna see what Kareem has to offer besides highlight reel plays for slew-footed WR's

couple of d's · Aug 15, 2011

Kareem Jackson is not an NFL-talent player, there I said it. What is going to take for the Texans they epically failed on that pick.

DonkeyMagic · Aug 15, 2011

couple of d's said: ↑

Kareem Jackson is not an NFL-talent player, there I said it. What is going to take for the Texans they epically failed on that pick.
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more than a rookie season and 2 weeks practice in season 2.

jonjon · Aug 15, 2011

DonkeyMagic said: ↑

more than a rookie season and 2 weeks practice in season 2.
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Your infallible logic is unwanted and unappreciated...

McNultyisDrunk · Aug 15, 2011

DonkeyMagic said: ↑

more than a rookie season and 2 weeks practice in season 2.
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Once Kareem starts falling down as the nickel or dime CB against 3rd/4th WRs, he will be cut before year 3.

The precedent has already been set with the Bills cutting 2009 1st round bust Aaron Maybin.

DonkeyMagic · Aug 15, 2011

McNultyisDrunk said: ↑

Once Kareem starts falling down as the nickel or dime CB against 3rd/4th WRs, he will be cut before year 3.

The precedent has already been set with the Bills cutting 2009 1st round bust Aaron Maybin.
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there is a chance that he could get cut before season 3 but it's probably not much of a chance. Worst case scenario is that he is back his third year and gets some reps at nickel and maybe even backup safety.

The bills actually have some depth and quality at the LB position, the texans, not so much depth in the secondary.

rcoleman15 · Aug 15, 2011

New Texans Tv Daily/ABC 13 video.

Description:

Bob Allen and Spencer Tillman preview the Texans preseason opener and more in this commercial-free edition of ABC-13/KTRK's "Inside the Game".
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Link:
ABC 13's Inside the Game: August 14 (20:35)

and here is a new podcast from 610am as well.

Description:

Texans Need To Expect To Win

Boomer Esiason, the former NFL MVP, explains what the Texans need to do to make the playoffs.
Click to expand...

Link:
http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fcbshouston.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fboomer-esiason-8-15-11.mp3&podcast_name=Boomer+Esiason&podcast_artist=Ben+Nance&station_id=&audio_link=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON

Rockets34Legend · Aug 15, 2011

rcoleman15 said: ↑

New Texans Tv Daily/ABC 13 video.

Description:

Link:
ABC 13's Inside the Game: August 14 (20:35)
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Best part of the video:

rcoleman15 · Aug 16, 2011

Link:
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Texans-vs-Jets/1c60b047-9a62-4151-b71e-307dc28b55bc

Quotes: Texans vs. Jets

POSTGAME QUOTES FROM HOUSTON TEXANS

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.”
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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.”
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ILB Xavier Adibi:

(on playing the 3-4 defense) “It was different at first for us. We really like the fact that it helps us get after the quarterback. You just don’t know where (the pressure) is coming from. It makes it tough on the offensive side of the ball. It’s something that we are going to love.”

(on his defensive performance) “Coach Wade (Phillips) just dialed up some blitzes and I was just coming free off the edge and made a play.”

(on the overall performance of the defense) “We did OK. There is still some stuff that we need to correct out there. We can always get better.”

(on whether the defense is designed to sack the quarterback) “Yes, I don’t know how many we were planning on getting but six sounds good to us.” “The more snaps, the better. I feel like everybody on our defense is getting a feel for everything, and it’s coming along for us... We’ve still got a lot to put in, a lot of techniques to put in and get the feel for the whole technique of our defense.”

(on how it felt playing middle) “It’s different, but I had a lot of fun out there. I’ve always been an outside guy, and I’ve played middle here and there but the overall fact that it’s a 3-4 means you’ve got to do a lot more reading that just coming downhill.”
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OLB Connor Barwin:

(on the defense) “That’s the thing with this defense, you know. We’re going to blitz, and we’re going to try to get after the quarterback as much as we can. And we’re not going to do it from one angle - we’ll do it from the middle, the left, the right, both inside and outside.”
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WR Lestar Jean:

(on how it feels to play in his first NFL game) “It’s just a blessing to be in this situation. I worked real hard and the opportunity came and I just made the best of it.”

(on how it felt to make the catches he made) “It felt great, T.J. (Yates) made a great throw and I was just in a good place to make the catch and I just got to thank God for the opportunity.”

(on if he knew his position with his catches) “I was just looking up to make a play. The guy grabbed my shoulder pad a little bit and he kind of turned me with the ball and I just made a play. T.J. (Yates) threw a great ball he just put in a spot where only I could catch it and God gave me the strength to make the play.

(on if he grew more confident) “Yeah, as I learned the plays I grew more and more confident. Just trying to get better every day working with the receivers like Jacoby (Jones), Dre (Andre Johnson), (Kevin) Walter, (Jeff) Maehl and (Terrence) Toliver. All of us are trying to get better every day and I feel like they just keep helping me.”
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QB Matt Leinart:

(on how he felt during the game) “I felt loose and comfortable out there and I just really want to build on this game and keep progressing and keep progressing in practice. We have a short turnaround this week and game in five days. I felt good though, I was happy and that’s what it’s all about, it was fun.”

(on what he likes most about offense) “I just like the concepts. I like the way he (Coach Gary Kubiak) calls plays. Obviously we have great personnel. We have great guys on the outside that can run and catch. We have a great offensive line and I just feel like it fits my style of play. It’s similar to what we ran at USC. I just really like it I think the coaching is phenomenal and that just makes it easier.”

(on if game plan changed with RB deficiency) “Well it’s been tough you know. A lot of backs have been hurt all camp. Chris Obi (Ogbonnaya) had a great game tonight. He took the load out there and really showed us what he’s really made of. It’s tough when I got to go more one back stuff and we’re just trying to mix in some of the new guys. It kind of makes it harder to call plays in certain personnel groups but we got through it and TJ (Yates) had a great drive at the end to help us win that game. Everyone stepped up despite some of the injuries.”

(on if he got the most of his reps) “Yeah I think so. There were a couple of plays that I just got to keep getting better. Overall, I just got to keep moving the offense and getting more comfortable. That’s what I was hoping to do, just go in there and move the ball put some points on the board. The interception was a tough break on the tipped ball but you just bounce back and keep going so I just look at the film and keep doing what I was doing and get better.”
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RB Chris Ogbannaya:

(on if he knew he would play as much as he did tonight) “I felt like I needed to be ready to go because Derrick (Ward) is a veteran. He’s been playing for a while now. With the injuries we have at our position and lack of depth, I knew I had to step up and go for a little bit, but that’s the name of the game. Training camp is a grind. This time of the year is a grind and you just have to be ready for the opportunity when it comes.”

(on if he feels like he’s a good fit for this offense) “Yeah, I think Coach Kubiak last year told me when the offseason comes around, get in my book, get with the guys, especially during the lockout is what I did. I just prepared myself to be better and take my time during training camp to learn the nuances of the offense. There were some plays I wish I could have back this evening just running the ball. I wish I could have had more productivity there, but I’m just happy with the win. It’s a team game, a team victory and we put it up.”

(on the competition at the running back position) “Yeah, like you said, a lot of guys are injured, but hopefully we get some of the guys back. It’s a tight group. We’re very close and it’s very competitive. Really good players and I’m just hoping I can make a name for myself in this offense.”
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QB Matt Schaub:

(on the first half) “We came out and we wanted to try to run the football, establish ourselves running the football and mix in some of our play action game. We didn’t convert on a couple third downs, missed on a couple throws, but there was some tight coverage in there. It’s just some things we need to work out, but I felt guys were really tuned in and locked in. We didn’t have any mental mistakes. We didn’t have any procedure penalties. Guys were really on top of their assignments. For the first time out after being together for two weeks here, it went well, but across the board there’s always stuff we can get better at and things we need to clean up.”

(on QB Matt Leinart’s performance) “He came in and played really well, distributed the ball, got rid of it. Some guys did some work for him. The offensive line did a great job protecting him and working for him. Across the board, he did a great job, knew where he had to go with the football.”

(on RB Chris Ogbannaya) “He was a warrior. There weren’t many other guys to go in and play his position, so he really just strapped it on and played hard all night. He made some big plays for us in the pass game as well as the run game. He picked up a few blitzes. After a few big runs for him in a row, to pick one of those up with a guy coming off the edge screaming, he did a great job stepping up for his quarterback. He played really big tonight.”
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DE J.J. Watt:

(on his first performance as a Houston Texan) “It was good to get out there. I won’t be able to rate (my performance) until I see the film.”

(on whether he was nervous) “I can’t have butterflies; I’ve got to go out there and play football.” “It felt good to get out there and face another team, a good football team.”

(on what it was like playing in Reliant Stadium) “This place is loud. It’s surprising how loud Reliant got, and I can’t wait to see it 100 percent packed and the place going crazy.”

(on what he noticed first about his team and teammates) “We communicate really well out there, and that’s one thing that I noticed right away is that we have good communication on the field, and that’s going to keep growing as we install more packages and put our full game plan into effect. I think it will be a lot of fun to play with this defense.”

(on expectations he has for himself) “I’m trying to treat it like I’m not a rookie, because I need to come out here and play like I’m not a rookie. I’m trying to come out with the mentality of a humble guy who’s going to work hard, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

(on what it was like playing as a professional athlete) “It was fun, a lot of fun. I haven’t played, since January 1, in a real football game, so it felt good. It kind of takes you back, and you realize why you love the game so much; because of that adrenaline rush you get and all the fun you get to have.”

(on Wade Phillips) “He said, ‘We’ve been studying our playbooks hard, we’ve been practicing hard, so just go out there and play football.’”
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QB T.J. Yates:

(on his performance) “It felt good. I started off pretty good. I had some struggles there in the fourth quarter, but we got the win. (WR) Lestar (Jean) came up with a big catch there at the end of the game and (RB) Chris (Ogbonnaya) put it in.”

(on the difference between the NFL and Collegiate game) “It’s obviously a little different. You kind of got to wait around for your turn to get in there late in the game. The jitters and the nerves kind of went away in the first half. By the time I got my chance to get in I was ready. I was nice and calm and ready to go.”

(on whether the speed of the game is the biggest difference between the Collegiate and Professional game) “A little bit. It’s takes a little getting adjusted to, but you do that in practice a lot. The first couple days of practice I was ready to get adjusted to the speed. Once we got into the game it was a little bit faster but you’re on adrenaline so you’re playing faster as well.”
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POSTGAME QUOTES FROM NEW YORK JETS

Head Coach Rex Ryan:

(opening statement) “Obviously I hate losing; our team hates losing. I don’t care if it’s preseason or not. We know in the big picture you forget about what your record is, but still, at the time, I hate losing. The Texans, good for them. We did some good things. QB Mark Sanchez was six for seven. I like QB Greg McElroy. It looked like to me that we were trying to find out how tough that kid was and I think we found out. That’s a tough guy; he got sacked five times and hit every time he threw it seemed like. So clearly we’ve got a long way to go with our protections. We didn’t have C Nick Mangold, G Brandon Moore and then OL Robert Turner went out. We had OL Matt Kroul who just had one week of practice, but there are no excuses. When we’re in there we’ve got to figure this thing out. It’s ridiculous, a simple nickel pressure and the guy isn’t touched. One time we turned a defensive lineman loose; to say I’m disappointed with those things is, I think, an understatement. I’m happy with the way the defense performed; they played well with the exception of the long pass and what we call the ‘woody boots.’ It’s kind of odd that we would not cover that since we are supposed to have two guys on it. We fixed it and then our guys gave a standing ovation when it was done. That was disappointing for the defense and the twelve guys on the field was also disappointing. We’ve got to make sure the back-up groups understand we have two goal line teams and not three. Too many guys out there and we had to burn a time out. Some injuries in this game, Rob Turner will have an MRI tomorrow for his ankle injury, and then we will know the severity. OL Chris Stewart had a shoulder injury and another had a head injury. We don’t know the severity of those yet.”

(on the play of DL Muhammad Wilkerson and DT Kendrick Ellis) “They did do an outstanding job. Ellis had the tipped ball for the interception. They made some nice plays, chasing the ball down and some screens. I was happy with those two guys.

(on concern of offensive line depth) “Our O-line has been the strength for a long time and I think we’ll feel better when Mangold and Moore get back out and as you know Rob Turner is our number one back-up inside so him going out is a concern for us. Hopefully it’s not too bad of an injury. OL Vladimir Ducasse had to play three positions today for us. He had to play right tackle, right guard and left guard. That’s tough. He made some mistakes; there is no question he got beat a couple of times. He was late off the snap one time and they got a big sack fumble, but the kid is getting better. It’s unfortunate we wanted him to play just tackle but he has had to play guard for us. I commend Kroul for getting in there after such limited practice and all of that type of stuff, he was battling. We had a face mask penalty and a couple things on him but at least he is battling. I know we’re tough enough and we’ll see. We’ve got to do a great job practicing and picking up our blitzes.”

(on QB Mark Sanchez and WR Derrick Mason making connections) “The guy is a great receiver; I think we all know that. His whole thing right now is that there are some similarities in the package that he, Derrick, has to get our formations and alignments down because they are all called differently. We all know Derrick Mason is a great receiver.”

(on if Mason can catch 90 or 100 passes) “Absolutely. A slot receiver in this league can catch about 60 balls, but he is exceptional. I’ve seen him play and I think with those two guys we have on the outside with WR Plaxico Burress and CB Antonio Cromartie he should be a special slot receiver.”

(on the first drop that didn’t get to the end zone) “It’s disappointing. We did stall and were able to move the football, but certainly we’d like to be able to punch it in to the end zone. That happens though. No excuses.”

(on looking at the good things the offensive line did without being the full Jets offensive) “I don’t look at it in a positive way like I probably should. You’ve got two Pro Bowl guys that weren’t in there that are special but the next guy has to step up and go in and maintain the level that the starter has or even improve it. We think of it that way and when that doesn’t occur we’ve still got a ways to go.”

(on if offense performed smoothly after struggling through Friday’s practice) “Yeah I think so. I think our number one defense is good and when you look at it, probably end up being the best in the league. But when you’re going against these ones all the time, you’re not always going to look so good. This defense isn’t up to our caliber. I’m sure it’s going to get better with Wade (Phillips) so I wasn’t surprised that we went out and performed and moved the ball but I would have liked to finish.”

(on if QB Mark Brunell’s injury is a concern) “No, it’s not a concern. It’s just 19 years of playing football and we thought he must have hit a helmet but he was taking a snap and I’m not sure if it was a dislocated finger or what, but it’s not broken or anything major like that.”

(on if he’s discussed the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys with his brother, Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan) “No not really. I saw him play a little bit of that game and I appreciated and it was great that they were in a flex defense and for that first snap – I thought that was pretty funny. They played good red zone so I was happy to see that.”

(on if QB Mark Sanchez guided the offense enough to give an indication of how he will perform this season) “Well maybe that’s a little too much credit for playing in a preseason game but he’s a six for seven and a 92 QB rating, so that’s good. I’m impressed with his enthusiasm, encouragement and leadership on the sidelines. I’m not surprised by that, I think he’s going to take a big step forward this year.”

(on Shonn Greene’s performance despite offensive line mistakes) “He had five carries for 32 yards so yeah, that’s Shonn and we expect it from him. He’s a talented guy as we all know.”

(on QB Mark Sanchez’s recent quote to GQ magazine on being upset with Ryan for wanting to bench him last season) “Well I heard he wanted to fight me but that’s a long line; I think he’s still behind Channing Crowder. But that’s what you want –

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you want that guy that is competitive. We are both competitive guys and all we want is what is best for our team. At that

time, I wanted to send a message that we can bench anyone on this team with the exception of (Darrelle) Revis obviously. It was one of those things when I’m like come on kid, I know you got more to give and of course I know how competitive he is and that’s how he’s going to respond. He knows that what’s best for this team is for him to be out there and sometimes you butt heads with each other.”
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QB Mark Brunell:

(on learning from preseason despite being a veteran) “You can always learn, you always have to work on your craft, regardless of regular season or preseason. Football is a very simple yet many times complex game, so there’s always things you can learn.”

(on what to take from this loss) “We’ll learn a lot watching the film about that last drive and we’ll try and continue to develop and get better.”

(on how different this training camp is without having OTAs) “OTAs are very valuable, particularly for the younger players and the team as a whole. It’s great to just get that extra work, so with no OTAs this last offseason we’ve had to play catch up, particularly that first week. But at least it’s the same for every team out there.”
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DT Kenrick Ellis:

(on why his adjustment to the NFL) “The speed. This is a long way from Hampton. It just felt like guys were a lot faster and a lot stronger. It’s just the speed of the game. Once I get the speed everything will be okay.”

(on what he feels he needs to do to better his chances of playing) “Just keep working. I think for the most part I need to work on my leverage. Playing a little bit lower and just get my knowledge about the game. Technique wise I’m not as solid as I need to be. Keep on working.”

(on if his first game went as expected) “It was more than I expected to be honest with you. At first I was just shocked at how quick those guys were. After that I just settled down and did my job. It’s not easy. I just need to keep trying to improve myself.”

(on what the play where the interception occurred looked like to him) “I was just fighting on a one-on-one block. I was just trying to get a little bit of a pass rush. I saw the quarterback’s hand come off the ball and I jumped as high as I could and I tipped it.”

(on how he felt the coaches thought he played) “I just have to keep working. Nothing is ever perfect. It’s never as bad as you think and never as good. It was just a lot quicker than I thought. Again, I went to a small school so it was average to see guys that quick moving at 300 pounds.”
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RB Shonn Greene:

(on noticing differences of preseason game without OTAs and as much time to practice) “Guys still went out there and played football. As expected in any preseason game there’s going to be mistakes. We’ve just got to clean that up.”

(on liking head coach Rex Ryan’s bravado) “Absolutely. With him being our coach we have to back him up. We want to win Super Bowls not only for him but for ourselves. He’s a hard worker and so is this team so we have no problem with him saying what he says. ”
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WR Santonio Holmes:

(on his thoughts about the first half) “We did some pretty good things out there tonight. The biggest thing is that we have got to cut down on the penalties. That was shooting us in the foot. We minimize those penalties, we move the ball into the end-zone, and we’ll have a comfortable lead to put our threes and fours in and let those guys go to work.”

(on if it was disappointing to not score on the first trip to the end zone) “That was one of our goals. Our goal was to score over 60% in the red zone and I don’t think we accomplished that goal. We’ll just go back in and check out the film to see what we did wrong and how we can correct it and make sure it doesn’t happen again next time.”

(on how he assessed the offense while still missing key players) “You play with what you’ve got and work with what you have and you have got to keep on. You can’t worry about what you don’t have at the time. We lined up about 60 or 70 guys tonight so we were ready to go with all the guys we did have. We couldn’t assess what we don’t have.”

(on how he felt the rookie QB Greg McElroy played) “It’s going to take some time. I was making sure I kept his spirits up the whole time. Even the times he was going out on the field I told him to keep calm and just put the ball in the hands of the receivers to make plays and go and have fun. I thought he did have fun. He threw a couple balls down field and a couple got away from him. It was his first time in the bright lights. He has a lot to learn and he is continuing to grow.”

(on if any young players stood out to him) “We have a lot of work to do.”
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QB Mark Sanchez:

(on his response to the public’s perception of the GQ article) “There was a point in the season I wasn’t playing well and Head Coach Rex Ryan considered benching me. Me being a competitor, you get too competitive. It’s part of the reason they drafted me because I value this job. It’s my life and if somebody wanted to take it away from me that’s personal. Was I going to fight Rex (Ryan), obviously not. That’s like De La Hoya fighting George Foreman. He’s way out of my weight class. That’s just the way it came out in the article and it looked worse than it is when read in the whole article. It’s just something we did during the lockout, so I’m sure I’ll get a good razzing about it but that’s okay. ”

(on the GQ article) “I did it during the lockout so I’m not worried about. It’s okay. (Head Coach) Rex (Ryan) and I laughed about it before the game so it’s all good.”
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Now here are Tuesdays Texans news articles.

First up a piece via HoustonTexans.com on the defense.

Source:
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Defense-propels-Texans-to-preseason-opening-win/c7f8e10d-e04e-4b35-bf3a-1bb55dc565e7

Defense propels Texans to preseason-opening win

By Nick Scurfield

*Watch Texans TV on Tuesday, August 16 at 3:30 p.m. CT for head coach Gary Kubiak's live press conference.

Wade Phillips’ debut as Texans defensive coordinator was a smashing success. Just ask Greg McElroy.

The New York Jets’ backup quarterback was sacked five times in three quarters at Reliant Stadium on Monday night. The Texans had seven sacks overall – they had eight in the entire preseason last year –and 16 quarterback hits as they beat the Jets 20-16 in their preseason opener, which also served as the first look at Phillips’ 3-4 defense.

“I thought we did a good job,” Phillips said. “We played hard. We made some mistakes, obviously, but we’re looking for effort and assignment. I didn’t expect that many sacks, because most of the stuff we ran was base defense and we didn’t run any blitzes.”

Linebacker Xavier Adibi had two sacks, undrafted rookie linebackers Bryan Braman and Steven Friday had 1.5 apiece and defensive tackle Earl Mitchell and linebacker Jesse Nading both had one as the Texans constantly harassed McElroy and Mark Sanchez.

“I think we should have had about 12 (sacks),” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “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. Jesse and Bryan 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.”

Most of the Texans’ starters played for about a quarter before giving way to backups. Rookie defensive end J.J. Watt and outside linebacker Mario Williams made their much-anticipated 2011 debuts. Williams played about 14 snaps in his first game since moving from defensive end.

“I think he was comfortable,” Phillips said. “He didn’t get ‘em (sacks), but we got ‘em probably because they were sliding towards him a lot. I thought he had a good outing.”

Second-string quarterback Matt Leinart went 8-of-14 for 78 yards, one touchdown and one interception in almost two full quarters of action. Chris Ogbonnaya was the Texans’ only available running back after Derrick Ward left early with a head injury, and he finished with 104 yards of offense and both of the Texans’ touchdowns.

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Lestar Jean had two big catches for 53 yards in the fourth quarter, including one that set up Ogbonnaya’s game-winning touchdown run. Texans rookie quarterback T.J. Yates went 6-of-12 for 97 yards.

After falling behind 3-0 on New York’s first drive of the game, the Texans shut out the Jets for the rest of the first half. Leinart came in to start the second quarter and led the Texans to a 49-yard field goal by kicker Neil Rackers.

On the next series, Nading flattened McElroy for an eight-yard sack at the Jets’ 14-yard line, forcing a fumble that Tim Jamison recovered. Six plays later, the Texans scored on a four-yard pass from Leinart to Ogbonnaya to make it 10-3. Rackers added a 47-yard field goal with one minute left before halftime, and Adibi ended the half with his second sack of the game.

The Jets cut the gap to 13-6 with a 35-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. The Texans’ ensuing drive lasted just one play, as Leinart’s pass on first down was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted at the Houston 23-yard line. Four plays later, McElroy hit wide receiver Patrick Turner for a two-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 13.

With six minutes left in the game, the Jets went up by three on a 40-yard field goal by Nick Folk. The Texans were unable to answer offensively, but Braman and Friday got the ball back for Houston with a drive-ending sack at the New York seven-yard line.

Derrick Townsel had a 19-yard punt return to give the Texans good field position. Yates hit Jean for a 27-yard pass to the one-yard line, and Ogbonnaya punched it in a play later for the game-winning score with 1:56 remaining.

Braman, a terror in the second half, sacked McElroy for a 10-yard loss with 21 seconds remaining. The game ended two plays later when McElroy chucked the ball toward the end zone after he already had scrambled 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.

"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," Kubiak said. "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... That’s been a difference in our team. ”
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Second a "PostGame Notebook" via the HoustonTexans.com

Source:
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Postgame-Notebook-Texans-vs-Jets/3b2a6e31-97cc-43bb-bae4-00d0fa2ffe79

Jean Hangs On: Rookie undrafted free agent Lestar Jean caught a pair of passes on Monday night for a total of 53 yards. The first catch came at midfield, in traffic, as Jean hauled in a 26-yarder from T.J. Yates to move the Texans from their own 16 up to their own 42.

A drive later, Jean caught what looked like a 28-yard touchdown, but replay officials ruled that his knee was down. Hence, it became a 27-yarder and running back Chris Ogbonnaya punched it in for a touchdown a play later. On both catches, Jean displayed a good degree of concentration.

“I was just looking up to make a play,” Jean said. “The guy grabbed my shoulder pad a little bit and he kind of turned me with the ball and I just made a play.”

In all, Jean finished with a game-high 26.5 yards per catch, and he built on what head coach Gary Kubiak has termed is a “good camp.”

West Texas Whirlwind: Outside linebacker Bryan Braman made things uncomfortable for the Jets' offense, finishing with a game-best six combined tackles, a sack-and-a-half, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. An undrafted free agent rookie from West Texas A&M, Braman mightily impressed Kubiak on Monday.

“He’s been exceptional,” Kubiak said. “He’s a very gifted athlete…and he’s got some ability so we’ll see if we can channel it all in the right direction.”

Leinart Shines: Texans backup quarterback Matt Leinart did a “good job,” in the words of Kubiak on Monday night. The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner finished with 78 yards and completed eight of his 14 pass attempts. One interception came after a pass was deflected, but Leinart also threw the Texans' only touchdown pass when he connected with Ogbonnaya at the 7:45 mark of the second quarter.

“Let’s remember he hasn’t really played a lot of football in a long time,” Kubiak said of Leinart, whose last game action came as a Cardinal in the 2010 preseason. “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.”

Leinart started the Texans’ first series of the second quarter and then exited after the first series of the third. He’s enthusiastic about playing in this style of offense.

“I just like the concepts," Leinart said. "I like the way (Kubiak) calls plays. Obviously we have great personnel. We have great guys on the outside that can run and catch. We have a great offensive line and I just feel like it fits my style of play. It’s similar to what we ran at USC."

Starter Matt Schaub was impressed by what Leinart did.

“He came in and played really well, distributed the ball, got rid of it,” Schaub said. “Across the board, he did a great job, knew where he had to go with the football.”
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Third is a piece by Jerome Solomon on the Texans overall progress.

Source::
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7699024.html

Progress is evident all over field

By JEROME SOLOMON
Aug. 16, 2011, 12:34AM

It might not count in the standings, but at least they didn't get pushed around.

The last time the Texans welcomed the New York Jets to town, Gary Kubiak's squad was far more accommodating. In deference to the Jets' superiority, they even wore all white to signify the all-out surrender.

Monday night at the comfy confines of Reliant Stadium (wind chill 25 degrees cooler inside than out), the new-look Texans offered quite a bit more resistance in a 20-16 victory.

The score matters little in exhibition games, particularly the first one, as the chief goal in such contests is to avoid major injuries. Taking steps toward developing a rhythm ranks No. 2 on the list of practice game objectives.

But the Texans, who won just two of their last 10 games in a dreadful 6-10 season, approached this game as an opportunity to show they are a different team.

New York is one of the best teams in the NFL, a legitimate Super Bowl contender. So even in a contest in which few starters played more than a quarter, the Jets, who have been to consecutive AFC Championship Games, offer a solid measuring stick. As does Saturday's opponent New Orleans

The Jets are what the Texans want to be. Of course, the Jets are what the Texans might never be until there is a different level of accountability throughout the organization. Owner Bob McNair says that will be the case this season, which is why this preseason might be more intense.

Thus far the Texans have responded.

Though the offense seemed a little out of sync with its top two weapons — receiver Andre Johnson and running back Arian Foster— watching from the sideline, the Texans debuted defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 to much success.

Sack exchange

If the first fake game is a real indicator, this Texans squad will be the most aggressive defense a Houston NFL team has produced since the House of Pain was open for business next door at the Astrodome.

The Texans had three sacks in the first 16 minutes, four sacks in the first half and seven in the game.

OK, so four of the sacks came against rookie Greg McElroy, who was playing in his first game as a professional, but the Texans didn't have four sacks in any half last season, and only twice had four in a whole game. (The team record for sacks in a game is seven, set against St. Louis in 2005.)

"I thought in general you could see the aggressive nature of the defense," Kubiak said.

Aggression is something the Texans have long lacked.

Before these teams played in the regular-season opener two years ago, Jets' coach Rex Ryan told his team that the Texans were a soft bunch and absolutely no match for his squad.

The proof was in the pushing in a 24-7 Jets thrashing. It was one of the most embarrassing losses in Kubiak's career.

"You play that poorly, it starts with the coach," Kubiak said at the time, and how right he was.

Sanchez pays

The Texans barely laid a finger on then-rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who wasn't sacked in the game. On Monday Sanchez was sacked on each of the two series of downs in which he played, and Kubiak described his defense's play as "really, really exceptional."

Put Game 1 of 2011, albeit an exhibition, down as a success.

If we ignore the dropped potential game-winning touchdown in the final minute that brought flashbacks of last season's late-game failures in the Texans' secondary, Kubiak can smile brightly because when the two teams put their best feet forward, the Texans didn't get their teeth kicked in.

That's progress. It doesn't have to count to matter.
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Fourth is an article on Chris Ogbonnaya by Jeffrey Martin.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7699006.html

Ex-Horn Ogbonnaya makes most of opportunity
With chance to shine after injury to Ward, RB scores pair of TDs

By JEFFREY MARTIN
Aug. 16, 2011, 12:16AM

The joint was flat.

Given the setup — the Texans' preseason opener, Monday Night Football, and at least one legitimate Super Bowl contender on the field — it was hard to fathom. Yet Reliant Stadium, with an announced attendance of 70,511, was stale, devoid of any buzz.

Unfortunately, the actual play was equally listless.

Matt Schaub, who has completed 65 percent of his passes during his seven years in the NFL, overthrew a wide-open Owen Daniels on the second drive. A rookie named Greg McElroy was under center for the Jets to start the second quarter in relief of GQ cover boy Mark Sanchez.

Energy was lacking Monday, so Chris Ogbonnaya did what any resourceful free-agent running back from the University of Texas trying to impress his hometown team's coaching staff might do: He created some.

Not an inordinate amount, mind you. Maybe not even enough to guarantee a spot in a decidedly crowded position. But a jolt nonetheless that provided a lift in the Texans' 20-16 victory and left him (still) in lofty standing with Gary Kubiak.

"Hopefully I can do enough to make a statement," Ogbonnaya said.

The numbers won't overwhelm — 17 rushes for 37 yards, one touchdown; six receptions for 67 yards, one touchdown — but his 1-yard scoring plunge with 1:56 left accounted for the final margin.

And isn't that what the preseason is about? Players on the fringe seizing an opportunity dangling out there? Capitalizing on promise? Few others were able to do the same — rookie free-agent wide receiver Lestar Jean (two receptions for 53 yards) flashed some of the athleticism the coaches have raved about late in the fourth quarter, setting up Ogbonnaya's heroics with a 28-yard reception — so credit must be given where it's due.

"He was a warrior," Schaub said. "There weren't many other guys to go in and play his position, so he really just strapped it on and played hard all night. He made some big plays for us in the pass game as well as the run game. … He played really big tonight."

Ogbonnaya carried a total of 140 times at UT. At halftime, he had 12, one more than he had in 11/2 seasons with St. Louis. Down to two healthy running backs after Derrick Ward — starting in place of Arian Foster, who was nursing a strained hamstring — left in the first quarter with a head injury, Ogbonnaya was forced to shoulder the load.

"Some guys go down, somebody has to step up," Ogbonnaya said. "That's my job right now."

So there was Ogbonnaya, resembling Foster on an 8-yard gain to the left side late in the second quarter, making the first Jet miss on a nifty spin move. There weren't many running lanes — outside of that dash and a 15-yard scamper just before the two-minute warning in the first half, most of his runs were for a yard or no gain.

But, like Foster, he was proficient in the passing game, working magic with backup quarterback Matt Leinart on play action. In the second quarter, he rumbled 29 yards on one catch and 4 yards for a touchdown (his first) on the ensuing drive, giving the Texans a 10-3 lead.

Given an opportunity, he pounced.

"I go to practice every day with that mindset — do something to make this team and help make this team better," said Ogbonnaya, who played Monday in front of his father, sister and girlfriend.

Understand, he's not Foster — even though he mimicked the 2010 rushing champ's touchdown bow celebration following his score, drawing laughter from Foster. There might not be another story like that. Ogbonnaya's tale is compelling enough — in part, two of his brothers died in 2002 and the Strake Jesuit graduate played fullback/third-down back in Austin -but his most likely scenario is to stick on the practice squad here or maybe on an active roster elsewhere.

He's a long shot, but he's also what makes the preseason fascinating.

Boring? Maybe. But fascinating nonetheless.
Click to expand...

Fifth a piece by John McClain on the Texans rookies.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7698801.html

The kids are all right
With vets sitting or ineffective, young players make mark in opener

By JOHN McCLAIN
Aug. 16, 2011, 12:09AM

Having so many injured players serving as expensive cheerleaders was a blessing for the preseason opener between the Texans and New York Jets. The coaches didn't need to see veterans like Andre Johnson, Arian Foster and Brian Cushing, none of whom suited up for Monday night's game at Reliant Stadium.

They needed the Jets game to evaluate players like quarterback Matt Leinart, fullback James Casey, receiver Dorin Dickerson, defensive end J.J. Watt, outside linebacker Brooks Reed and the hoard of defensive backs competing to make the team.

When the game ended and the Texans had escaped with a 20-16 victory, coach Gary Kubiak was praising so many players — especially on defense — that he couldn't remember all the names.

The Texans pulled out a victory because rookie quarterback T.J. Yates and rookie receiver Lestar Jean were able to take advantage of a 19-yard punt return by receiver Derrick Townsel.

Yates, a fifth-round pick, threw two passes to Jean, an undrafted free agent from Florida Atlantic, for 53 yards and a first down at the 1-yard line.

"Jean's been doing that all camp," Kubiak said. "It was good to see him make those plays."

Chris Ogbonnaya, who began training camp as fifth on the depth chart, entered the game second behind Derrick Ward. When Ward suffered a concussion in the first quarter, Ogbonnaya got the call, and he responded with an impressive performance.

Ogbonnaya carried 17 times for only 37 yards, but the last one provided the winning touchdown. He also caught six passes for 67 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown from Leinart.

Yates couldn't move the team for a while, but when he got his last opportunity, he must have felt as if he were back at North Carolina. He was 6-of-12 for 97 yards, including what appeared to be a touchdown to Jean, but replay put the ball at the 1 and gave Ogbonnaya his chance to win the game.

Not surprisingly, the Texans' offense struggled to move the ball in the first and third quarters. The Jets are no slouch defensively, of course. The Jets have reached the AFC Championship Game in each of Rex Ryan's first two seasons as coach, and they're a genuine Super Bowl contender.

But the Jets' starters finished 3-3 against the Texans' starters in the first quarter. Then Ryan and Kubiak turned it over to the reserves.

Other than Neil Rackers kicking field goals of 49 and 47 yards, the most impressive part of the Texans' performance was the pass rush. They registered 30 sacks last season. They had eight in four preseason games in 2010. They had seven against the Jets.

New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips didn't do much fancy. He relied on four- and five-man rushes. But what a performance he got from his linebackers.

Xavier Adibi, who has been in the Witness Protection Program during camp when his name hasn't been mentioned, led the defense with two sacks. Two rookie free agents - Steven Friday and Bryan Braman - had 1½ sacks apiece. Braman added six tackles.

"Players like Braman and (outside linebacker) Jesse (Nading) really played well," Kubiak said. "I can't say enough good things about the defense across the board. They didn't give up big plays, and they made plays when it counted the most."

The backups put consistent pressure on Jets backup quarterback Greg McElroy, giving Texans fans a taste of what's to come in the regular season when Phillips holds nothing back.

The Texans are looking for depth in the defensive line and at linebacker. They showed against the Jets they have a lot of hungry players trying to prove they can fill those needs.

As for the offense, Leinart was 8-of-14 for 78 yards. He was intercepted once when his pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage.

"He played really well, distributed the ball and got rid of it," said Matt Schaub, who was 2-of-5 for 20 yards.

The Texans passed their first test, but they've got a lot of work to do before they host New Orleans. They also have a lot of players who need to get healthy fast.
Click to expand...

Sixth is a John McClain article on the passing game.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7699007.html

No reason to worry about passing game

By JOHN McCLAIN
Aug. 16, 2011, 12:23AM

One thing we know about the Texans is that no one has to worry about the passing game once the regular season begins. That’s why Matt Schaub going 2-for-5 for 20 yards in the first quarter of Monday’s 20-16 preseason victory over the Jets is nothing to be concerned about. Schaub was off target on three passes. So what?

Much more interesting is how the backup offensive players and any player on defense performed against the Jets. The coaches wanted to see how the reserves played under pressure, especially the young players. They also wanted to see how the defensive players would perform in their first game in Wade Phillips’ 3-4.

I thought Mario Williams looked more comfortable, maybe more natural, when he dropped down and rushed from his end position than when he stood up and rushed as an outside linebacker. It’s going to take time for him, as it will for many of the players, to get used to the new scheme.

An interesting statistic is that last year the Texans registered eight sacks in four preseason games. Against the Jets, they had seven, including two by Xavier Adibi and 1½ each by Bryan Braman and Steven Friday, a pair of rookie undrafted linebackers.

Phillips didn’t call much that was fancy. It was a case of backup linebackers beating the blockers or taking advantage of missed assignments.

I imagine after this one, the coaches will want to see more of rookie receiver Lestar Jean, who had two catches for 53 yards on the game-winning drive.
Click to expand...

Seventh is an "bits and pieces" article by Dale Robertson and John McClain.

Source:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7699014.html

Ogbonnaya emerges as Texans' only healthy RB

By DALE ROBERTSON and JOHN McCLAIN
Aug. 16, 2011, 12:30AM

HE SAID IT

“It’s exciting to find a way to win at the end of the game. We played well defensively across the board. We played with great effort and made plays when we needed to make them.”

— Coach Gary Kubiak, on the 20-16 victory over the Jets

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Texans have scored more than 20 points just once in 10 preseason openers.

• Two of the five Texans losses in preseason openers were to Denver when Gary Kubiak was a Broncos assistant.

• The Texans’ opponents have also scored more than 20 points just once, 34 by the Giants in the franchise’s inaugural game in 2002.

• Kubiak and Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison were on the Broncos staff with Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn from 2000 through 2002.

BY THE NUMBERS

14 — Injured Texans who didn’t dress for Monday night’s game, including four starters and three running backs.

1 — Healthy Texans tailbacks — Chris Ogbonnaya — after Derrick Ward suffered a first-quarter head injury.

23 — Touches by Ogbonnaya, who had 17 carries and six receptions and scored both of the Texans’ touchdowns.

4 — First-half sacks by the Texans, including one by Jesse Nading that forced a fumble setting up Matt Leinart’s scoring pass to Ogbonnaya.
Click to expand...

Here are three new podcast from 610am.

Description:

That Burning Is From The Defensive Heat

Texans Nose Tackle Earl Mitchell loves how the new 3-4 defense allows the team to attack their opponents, like they did in their preseason win against the New York Jets.
Click to expand...

Link:
http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd0%2FdY%2FdG%2Fd0%2FdK%2FYG0K_3.MP3&podcast_name=Earl+Mitchell&podcast_artist=Texans+Post+Game+Show&station_id=&audio_link=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON

Description:

A New Day For The Texans Defense…

… And beloved former Houston Oilers Head Coach Bum Phillips says “good morning.” Phillips was impressed with the Texans D against the New York Jets in their preseason win at Reliant Stadium.
Click to expand...

Link:
http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd0%2FdY%2FdG%2Fd0%2FdJ%2FYG0J_3.MP3&podcast_name=Bum+Phillips&podcast_artist=Texans+Post+Game+Show&station_id=&audio_link=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON

Description:

Recognize… I’m Lawrence And I Bring Swag

If there’s a new show in town, new Texans Fullback Lawrence Vickers is hosting it and he’s giving you good reason to watch.
Click to expand...

Link:
http://houston.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd0%2FdY%2FdG%2Fd0%2FdD%2FYG0D_3.MP3&podcast_name=Lawrence+Vickers&podcast_artist=Texans+Countdown+To+Kick+Off&station_id=&audio_link=true&config_file=config.xml&dcid=CBS.HOUSTON

And here are seven new videos from Texans Tv Daily.

1. Kubiak, Ogbonnaya recap MNF win (1:47)
2. Highlights: Texans beat Jets 20-16 (02:00:17)
3. Phillips' Texans debut (01:34:04)
4. Ogbonnaya runs for 2nd TD (00:24:22)
5. Ogbonnaya puts first TD on board (00:00:22:12)
6. Nading tallies sack, forced fumble (00:24:18)
7. Ogbonnaya finds open field for big yards (00:00:16:08)

And finally for those who want it here is Rex Ryan's melt down from last night.

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R-YXkBFE54g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

RunninRaven · Aug 16, 2011

I find myself really wanting to get excited about that Bryan Braman guy, but I keep reminding myself that most of his snaps last night were against a defensive lineman that the Jets were attempting to convert into an offensive lineman. I don't think we got a real good representation of what he can do because of that.

Two Sandwiches · Aug 16, 2011

I hope Ogbonnaya looks a little better in the run game next week. I wasn't too impressed by his performance, to be honest. He did well catching the ball, but his big plays were when he had tons of daylight. He showed no vision during the game, in my opinion.

Scarface281 · Aug 16, 2011

EddieWasSnubbed said: ↑

I hope Ogbonnaya looks a little better in the run game next week. I wasn't too impressed by his performance, to be honest. He did well catching the ball, but his big plays were when he had tons of daylight. He showed no vision during the game, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

He jut plowed himself straight up the middle. I saw some nice holes open up, that Foster would have cut to and burst through for a big gain.

today · Aug 16, 2011

Scarface281 said: ↑

He jut plowed himself straight up the middle. I saw some nice holes open up, that Foster would have cut to and burst through for a big gain.
Click to expand...

I had the same thought a couple of times. Foster's cuts are much quicker and more decisive. Overall though, Chris did a great job having to play so many snaps and I'm sure that it helped him to get more comfortable with the offense.

emjohn · Aug 16, 2011

Ogbonnaya did plenty to make Ben Tate nervous. Someone's got to go. Bummer about Ward - he was fantastic for us last year and didn't get enough appreciation.

Loved what I saw from Watt on the line in general. I thought Reed looked ready to go too.

Very discouraged about Mario, but it is a short season and his transition is a rush job. Hopefully it is a kick in the pants that he's got to be better prepared to read plays and shed blockers. Teams will look to exploit him if he doesn't step up. It's a tall tall order for him.

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