Chron: Pendry seeks to boost Texans

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3360969

Pendry aims to bring confidence, comfort to Carr, NFL's worst offense
By JOHN MCCLAIN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

After shaking up his coaching staff Monday, Dom Capers is going to find out if new offensive coordinator Joe Pendry can do what his predecessor, Chris Palmer, could not — keep quarterback David Carr from regressing.

Consecutive losses to Buffalo and Pittsburgh in which the Texans scored two touchdowns, allowed 13 sacks and committed six turnovers led to Palmer's exit.

Two games into his fourth season with the Texans, Palmer was fired by Capers.

Now the pressure falls on Pendry, who reached the playoffs in six of his 10 seasons as offensive coordinator at Kansas City, Carolina and Buffalo. Now fans might understand why the Texans refused to let him interview this year for offensive coordinator positions at Miami and New Orleans .

"My job's to be a soldier," said Pendry, the offensive line coach who came to Houston in 2004 to tutor centers and guards. "It's not fun to go into this situation, but it's my job.

"Dom asked me to do this. I hate to do it under this situation with Chris, but I'll do everything in our power to give us the opportunity to win."

Because he coached the struggling franchise quarterback, and his offense had produced only two touchdowns, Palmer became the fall guy for a team that has underachieved in every area dating to a home loss to Cleveland in Week 17 last season.

"Donna (Palmer's wife) and I have made a lot of friends in Houston during the two times we've lived here," said Palmer, who coached the Oilers' receivers from 1990-92. "We'll always maintain those friendships. I'm just sorry it didn't work out the way everyone wanted."

Steve Marshall, who coached the offensive tackles, takes over the centers and guards. Pendry, 58, will continue to work with Marshall, but he'll also help Greg Roman coach quarterbacks.

Coming off his best season in 2004, Carr has been an early disappointment with a 53.2 completion percentage, one touchdown pass, three interceptions, two fumbles and a passer rating of 47.9.

"I just want to get back to where we feel good about going out on Sundays and feel like we have a chance to compete against the teams that we feel we're just as good as," Carr said. "The last couple of weeks, we haven't felt like we could compete in the games we felt we could win."

After meeting with owner Bob McNair and general manager Charley Casserly, Capers agonized over the decision but said he had to do something because of the Texans' start.

"We haven't performed up to our expectations, so we're making these adjustments to, hopefully, help us move forward," Capers said. "These types of decisions are never easy. Chris is one of the finest people I know. He's done an excellent job over the first three years and made a big contribution to this organization."

The Texans have an open date before returning to play at Cincinnati on Oct 2.

"It seemed that if there was going to be any decision made that this was the logical time to do it," Capers said. "There's no clear cut right or wrong, so you have to make the decision based on what you think is in the best interest of the team.

"I don't want to put it out there that Chris and I were not in sync, because we worked together for three years (but), we certainly haven't gotten as much as we've wanted on the offensive side of the ball."

The running game has been ineffective. The pass protection has been poor to mediocre, but Carr is responsible for some of the sacks.

"We have to get that position, as well as all our other positions, in a comfort zone," Pendry said. "We have to not try to put it on his shoulders. We have to put him in a position to do his job and not ask him to win the game for us every time.

"We have 10 other guys, and they have to go play. He only has to do his job."

Pendry worked under Capers at Carolina. Capers said he didn't fire Pendry after the 1997 season, as has been reported. Capers said he allowed Pendry, who was under fire for an offense that was criticized as conservative and unproductive, to interview with Buffalo coach Wade Phillips.

"I want to put that to rest," Capers said about reports he was forced to fire Pendry by Carolina owner Jerry Richardson. "Wade was interested in hiring him. Joe and I sat down and talked at great length about it.

"It was a good opportunity for Joe in more ways than one, including financially. After all discussions, I granted him permission, and he took the job."

Pendry is fortunate that his next two games aren't against the Bills and Steelers, the two best defensive teams in the NFL last season. Cincinnati and Tennessee, the next two opponents, ranked 19th and 27th in the league in 2004.

"In making these decisions, you evaluate the big picture for a period of time," Capers said. "Going back to the last game of last season and over the latter part of preseason and the first two games, we just haven't made the kind of progress I feel we needed to make."


john.mcclain@chron.com


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TEXANS SUMMARY

Sideline view

Texans new offensive coordinator Joe Pendry made one change to his job as soon as he took over. Pendry requested that he be able to remain on the sidelines. His predecessor, Chris Palmer , had called the plays from the press box.

In 10 previous seasons as an offensive coordinator, Pendry always called the plays from the field except with the Panthers while Dom Capers was their first head coach.

"I feel more comfortable," Pendry said. "I'll be real honest with you, my personality, if I'm up in a press box I get too ex-cited, I scream and I yell. When I'm on the sideline I can see it."

Marshall plan

Texans coach Dom Capers handed more responsibility to assistant coach Steve Marshall on Monday morning by giving him oversight of the entire offensive line.

Marshall was the Texans' assistant offensive line coach in 2002 and 2003. He became the tackles coach last season, while Joe Pendry coached the guards and centers.

"Steve and Joe have worked very closely together, Capers said. "I've been in most of their offensive line meetings. ... I think it'll be a smooth transition."

Serving No. 8

Joe Pendry realizes one of his biggest jobs will be trying to help quarterback David Carr become comfortable in the offense. Carr has struggled to run the offense efficiently in the first two games and has been sacked 13 times.

"We have to get that position as well as all our other positions in a comfort zone," Pendry said. "We have to put him in a position to do his job and not ask him to go win the game for us every time."

MEGAN MANFULL

 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/fb/texans/3361073

Palmer's firing comes as shock to many Texans
Players respect move, however, as best for team
By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Coach Dom Capers didn't expect that all of the Texans would embrace his decision to fire offensive coordinator Chris Palmer on Monday morning. And Capers was right.

A number of players were shocked by the decision to dismiss Palmer, with whom many had spent the past three seasons. But the players also made it clear they respected the move and hoped the offense would improve following the promotion of offensive line coach Joe Pendry.

"Coach Palmer is what you could say was 'my guy,' " left guard Chester Pitts said. "He was my coach. The guy that stood up for me in the draft room the first year of our expansion team and said, 'Chester Pitts is a guy I believe this team needs.' To me, it's more of a blow than any other coach getting fired.

"But at the same time, I've been with coach Capers the same amount of time, and all he's wanted is what he felt is best for his team."

Carr: Confidence needed

The Texans have never made a coaching change during a season, and few players know what to expect when they return to Reliant Park for practice today.

The players realize a coaching move alone won't improve an offense that has reached the red zone only twice in the first two games, scored only 14 points and allowed 13 sacks. But quarterback David Carr wants to see how Pendry might help lead a turnaround.

"I know (Pendry) has some great ideas as far as offensive scheme goes," Carr said. "I think he's going to do what's in the players' best interests. I think that's the most important thing that he does for his offensive linemen, he tries to do what they do well. I think that's what we need around here, someone like coach Pendry who's going to do what we do well. I'm kind of excited about that."

Carr is hopeful the move not only changes the Texans' production on the field but also their mindset.

"I don't know that it's Chris' fault, I don't know whose fault it is," Carr said. "There's just a mindset around our offense that we look around and we see the talent we have, and we wonder why we're not executing.

"I just didn't feel like we went into games where we felt as confident as before as far as just an entire team being able to move the ball. ... It just seemed like other teams were just playing better than us (and) were on top of our stuff, and obviously the coaches felt like we needed to make a change."

Some of the changes will be obvious from the start.

"Coach P is a firecracker," Pitts said. "He's definitely more of an in-your-face coach. When you mess up on something that he told you to do, he lets you know and lets you know with some authority behind it. He doesn't mess around. He doesn't play around.

"The way he calls plays differently or what can be expected, I can't comment on that. That will all be determined real soon. I just know coach Pendry is a good coach."

Few ripples

Even with the differences, the players expect the transition to be smooth. Pendry has been around the Texans for more than a year and an NFL offensive coordinator for 10 seasons.

"It's not like promoting an assistant coach who has never been there," center Steve McKinney said. "He's done it in several places and been successful. I have full confidence in him that he'll be able to put us in good situations and really use the talent that we have."

The players look forward to moving on from their 0-2 start, but many admitted there will be a void when meetings and practices begin today.

"As a member of the organization, I have to roll with it, accept the change and know that we have to move on," tight end Mark Bruener said. "But personally, my feelings come into it, with regards to Chris and how great of a person he is and how great of a coordinator he is. I'm disappointed that he is no longer able to continue on our journey.

"This is a great game, but it's an extremely tough business."