Is Antonio Smith a likeable guy? That interview on the sideline with Bob Allen I guess didn't leave me admiring his character the way the most of the other interviews did.
You cannot tell that from preseason games. Keep in mind that the Lions won all of their preseason games last year, turned around and went 0-16 in the regular season.
I was thinking the same thing. He sounded very annoyed and uneducated. I REALLY hope they did their homework before signing him. I liked it at the time but am now having second thoughts...Barwin and Bulman both have much better motors on them, and frankly I'd like to see those guys on the field as much as possible. I'd even put Bulman at DT over Okoye in some circumstances. But going back to Smith, I hope they studied film on more than just the playoffs last year to see if he was really disruptive.
LOL! Man, it must have been HELL being a Lions fan....if they exist. As for the loss against the Saints.....It's a the pre-season.... Who gives a crap lol.
I DVR'd the whole game and I just saw the interview. My questions is what were you watching? I thought he conducted the interview pretty well, and nothing stood out to me at all other than maybe comparing our D-line to the Cardinals' D-line. He's probably exaggerating, but kudos to him for being optimistic. What exactly did he say that would make you question his character?
The Texans waived Boomer Grigsby. After placing him on IR last week I guess the team reached an injury settlement with him. It was a long shot for him to make the team so not a big loss. Also, Travis Johnson is now off the PUP list. http://www.houstontexans.com/team/Transactions.asp
Good news. What's his timetable looking like? I was also wondering when Chester Pitts will return to action.
Travis worked on individual drills yesterday. He didn't practice with the team. It's not known whether he'll be ready for the Minnesota game yet. If he can't go Monday then he should be ready for the last preseason game against the Bucs. Looks like Chester is good to go. He practiced with the team yesterday and he should see some playing time against the Vikings Monday night.
Molden returned to practice today and supposedly knocked down a couple passes in the endzone. Hopefully he'll play against the Vikings because from what I've heard from the coaches, he sounds like the best active CB on the roster right now.
Texans in playoffs? Deal …or no deal By RICHARD JUSTICE Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle It's no longer just about talent, because the Texans have enough to make the playoffs. They’re not the NFL’s best or deepest team, but they have enough. At this point in their history, talent isn’t the thing that will be debated. The Texans have potential stars on both sides of the ball. Besides, talent can be measured. What the Texans need can’t be. It’s that special something good teams have. An NFL coach once described it as “catching lightning in a bottle.” He said that at some point in every successful season, teams begin to function as one and do whatever is necessary to win a game. Those teams could win 3-0 games and they could win 30-28 games. If they needed one play to win, they were going to get that play, and it didn’t matter if it was the offense, defense or special teams making it. It’s about teamwork and chemistry and confidence. It’s about playing with one heartbeat, being able to overcome stumbles and making plays at winning time. Need to finish The Texans are close to being good, maybe really good, but then so are maybe two dozen other NFL teams. The Texans were close last season as well, but they were unable to close the deal in too many games. They lost four times by seven points or less. Winning those four games would have changed the perception of the entire franchise. In those games, the Texans were perhaps one play away from winning. In the last two years, they’ve lost six times by seven points or less and nine times by 10 points or less. After all the meetings and all the planning, this season likely will come down to making one or two plays in the fourth quarter. Still, there are reasons to believe, things to measure. Here now are 10 unscientific reasons the Texans can make the playoffs in 2009. Clip and save at your own risk. Or mine. 1. They’re a team. It took a long time to define the Texans as a team, and at times, it seemed like it would never happen. In those early years, they performed like 53 independent contractors. No more. The Texans have methodically built a core of solid, reliable players, and they’ve come to lean on and trust one another. It was most clear after the victory in Green Bay last year. That might have been the first time the whole was greater than the sum of the parts, and in the locker room afterward, there was a feeling that we had accomplished something. 2. No glaring holes. For the first time ever, they went to training camp without gaping holes on their two-deep depth chart. We still don’t know how good the defensive line is going to be or what the depth behind Steve Slaton will be. Injuries could wipe the Texans out, but injuries could wipe any team out. For the first time, though, there’s across-the-board talent, playmakers dotted all over the field. 3. Playmakers. It’s one thing to have filled all the holes. Good teams need players who change games, win games, make a difference. The Texans have Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, DeMeco Ryans, Slaton, Owen Daniels, Brian Cushing, Connor Barwin and Dunta Robinson. There could be others. Stay tuned. But the first thing is that the stars must perform as stars. Solid at the top 4. Gary Kubiak. When Charley Casserly was fired, he went out of his way to tell people how impressed he was with Gary Kubiak and how he was convinced he’s going to be good. Likewise, some of the people who have been let go from the organization still sing Kubiak’s praises. First, he knows football. He can coach quarterbacks and call plays. Second, there’s a decency and an honesty to the man that gives him credibility both with fans and players. What you see is what you get. He may not be perfect, but he has a chance to be a very, very good NFL coach. He’s comfortable in his own skin and has been unafraid to bring in tough, veteran coaches like Mike Sherman, Ray Rhodes and Alex Gibbs. He wanted people on his staff who would challenge him. 5. Coaching staff. Alex Gibbs is a Hall of Fame-caliber assistant coach. He transformed the running game last year. Frank Bush could be a successful defensive coordinator. Kyle Shanahan has a chance to be a star as an offensive coach. It wasn’t smooth sailing along the way, but Kubiak has succeeded in constructing a good coaching staff. 6. Reliant Stadium. The Texans have gone 12-4 at home the last two years and need to win there consistently again in 2009 to make the playoffs. They should beat the Jets, Jags, Raiders, 49ers and Seahawks. They’ll be underdogs against the Titans, Colts and Patriots. If they could win two of the three, they’d have a huge head start on making the playoffs. Those road games against the Bengals, Bills, Jags and Rams could decide whether the Texans are playing important games in December for the first time. Protect the QB 7. Matt Schaub. His health may be the single most important factor in determining whether the Texans succeed in 2009 or not. If you think he’s injury prone, you’re wrong. He has been hurt because he has been hit too hard too often. The key to keeping him healthy is a successful running game. If the Texans can run it, that will soften the pass rush and keep Schaub cleaner. 8. Chris Brown. Keep your fingers crossed. If he can stay on the field, he gives the Texans a nice second option at running back. To have two productive backs could elevate the running game into the top 10, and running the ball is a key to keeping Schaub on the field and the defense off it. 9. Amobi Okoye. He has worked harder than ever, and he’s older and has a chance to be productive at a position where the Texans most need production. Frank Bush has enough depth to move the pieces along and hopefully to free up Williams and Ryans to make more plays. Okoye, a first-round pick by the Texans in 2007, is vital. 10. Robinson, Daniels, Ryans. These guys are going to be playing with major chips on their shoulders because they’re not happy with how their contracts have been handled. The best way to get more money is to play well and help the Texans win. If the team wins, everyone wins. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6588778.html
Uprising, you might be interested to know that CBS19 KYTX The Eye of East Texas will be showing 10 Texans games out of a possible 13. Click here to view their football schedule. I thought I would let you know so you can plan accordingly.
