SB Nation - Andre Davis

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Pants Seahawks

Tim — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:36:27 -0000

Didn't know your Houston Texans had it in 'em. Predictable complaints about "taking the foot off the gas" in the second half aside, that was as one-sided a game as I've seen the Texans play since Week One. This experience was far more enjoyable, however, seeing as how this one unfolded with the Texans kicking the arse instead of being on the receiving end. If it wasn't the most dominating performance by the Texans in franchise history, it's at least in the discussion.

The burn, of course, is that the win puts the Texans at 6-7 and is therefore almost surely irrelevant in terms of postseason impact. Watching my team fire on all cylinders like that inevitably causes me to wonder, "Where has that been all season?" I don't have the answer to that question, and Gary Kubiak doesn't either. The inclination may well be to cite the opponent as the primary reason for the outcome, but Seattle had the same record the Texans did going into Sunday's game (though you'd never have known that in watching the game). I guess what I'm saying is that I have no idea why the Texans play the way they do when they do. That's probably the most infuriating thing about this team--the fact that you can never really feel good or bad about what they'll do on a given Sunday. Compared to the dog days of the Capers/Casserly Era, when you knew the Texans were being led to slaughter every week, that's a pretty profound improvement. On to the specifics:

1. If 10 out of the first 15 scripted plays each game had Andre Johnson as the first option, how many points would the Texans average a game? I'm going with 64, because...

2. Surely Kris Brown would miss 6 PATs. I don't know what has happened to the kicker we once dubbed "Mr. Automatic" (stop cackling, Pittsburgh fans). It's frightening. If the Texans were truly in the wild card mix, there would be kickers auditioning this week. If Smithiak doesn't bring in a kicker or two to compete with K. Brown in training camp, they're certifiable.

3. Matt Schaub has progressed to a point as the Texans' quarterback that I'm honestly surprised when he misses a WR. Well, the one interception each game notwithstanding, anyway. The Schaub is very, very good in this offense, and how he'd handle another scheme and/or head coach should be a sizable part of the decision-making process when it comes to Kubiak's future here.

4. Now that Steve Slaton's done for the season, the collective bargaining agreement mandates that another Houston RB start fumbling immediately. Ryan Moats is a company man.

5. Arian Foster: The New Wali Lundy? Foster's a bit bigger, yes. Still, it's going to take a handful of solid games before I jump on the bandwagon. The good news for Foster is that he should be given plenty of opportunities over the last three weeks to make a statement. Kubes knows what he has in Chris Brown and Moats, and neither is consistenly productive enough to warrant taking carries away from the unknown quantity when it's going to take several other teams completely falling apart for a realistic playoff scenario to materialize. Play the kid.

6. Zero sacks of Schaub by the Seahawks. That's particularly noteworthy in light of Schaub's physical condition. Kudos to the offensive line in that respect.

7. The Houston defense played its best game of the season. Seattle convered one out of fourteen (14!) third downs and only one out of five fourth downs. Wow.

8. DeMeco Ryans was all over the field. We take him for granted. Smithiak had better not.

9. Glover Quin is the best cornerback on the roster. He's a rookie, so that's exciting. He's also not stealing from Bob McNair, unlike a certain franchised corner, so that's solid too. I'm rather interested to see if the Texans try to transition Quin to free safety this offseason. I think he's got the chops for it, but the situation at corner is dire enough that I'm not sure you have the luxury of moving him right now.

10. Rumor has it that Mike Kerns got "Pollard Forever!" tattooed in his bikini zone immediately after the game. I'm impressed with what Bernard Pollard has brought to the table, too; I just think it's a bit early to start erecting shrines to the guy. As much as it appears he likes being here, Smithiak shouldn't be breaking the bank for the guy come March.

11. Mario Williams has not looked like Mario Williams all season, yet he's still likely to finish with double-digit sacks. When your bad years are that productive, you're doing something right.

12. If Brian Cushing isn't Defensive Rookie of the Year, there should be an investigation. I told you he'd be ~~terrible~~ awesome.

13. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Andre Johnson; Defense--DeMeco Ryans; Special Teams--Andre Davis.

Up to St. Louis for another winnable game against a team the Texans should handle with relative ease. Which probably means it'll be a nail-biter. Houston Texans Football: Flip That Coin!

Seahawks vs Texans coverage

Playing The Expectations Game

bigfatdrunk — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:04:24 -0000

Over the years, I've had the pleasure of working for some of the most grossly inept and incompetent managers in known history. A couple of them would make the Pointy Haired Boss absolutely brilliant by comparison. Recent games have reminded me of a conversation I had with one of those rocket scienticians.

At the time, I was managing asset portfolios for wealthy investors. My portfolios were absolutely skyrocketing, but my boss' were doing horribly. Worst of all, he had most of the assets under his control, and he refused to change his strategy, relinquish control, or just do anything different. As a result, we were bleeding clients and money.

I had the audacity to lay out a concrete plan for him to follow in order to keep clients, but he erupted into one of his typical histrionic displays. I gave notice about an hour later.

When he tried to convince me to stay, he claimed he had done a poor job setting my expectations about his portfolios' performance. His argument was asinine. It wasn't *his* fault the portfolios were doing so poorly; it was the market's fault, and I had to stay and convince clients of this "fact." I was stunned by the lack of logic and the earnestness in which he avoided culpability. Needless to say, I left, and the company is out of business today.

By now you are probably asking yourself: What is your point? Great question! I'm so glad you asked.

I believe we, and by "we" I mean we as fans and the team, have failed the expectations game. Allow me to explain what I mean.

After back-to-back years of 8-8 ball, it's fair to have greater expectations and believe we'll be better year-in/year-out as fans. The reality is this isn't so easy to accomplish. Every fan base has this expectation (except for the Lions, of course) that their team is good enough to compete. So we get excited and hopeful. Gary Kubiak should also have these expectations, especially from a younger team.

Where we have failed is recognizing that our talent is still simply not there. Talent acquisition is, sadly, a prolonged process. The team Kubiak and Rick Smith inherited was almost completely devoid of NFL-quality talent. Not only do I believe we need time to build and diversify our talent base, I'm not convinced we are adequately addressing our weaknesses.

Now, this isn't to say we aren't trying, but it is clear we have serious holes throughout our starting 22 and depth problems everywhere except for TE and WLB (which needs a real quality starter).

Here's an example: Our offensive line has become a true weakness thanks in part to injuries, but also due to the lack of talent here. Duane Brown and Eric Winston have been decent but beatable. Our G and C play has been absolutely atrocious this year, even before injuries took down Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel.

In other words, if we aren't winning the most basic, in-the-trenches battles, how can we possibly expect to win games?

Then, of course, are our expectations of FAIL. The team, at least. I had hoped the Miami game last year moved us beyond this. Or even the first BE-SF game this year. Especially in the second game against the Colts, you could see our body language change in the fourth quarter. We played down to our expectations, and it was depressing. If the Colts were in this position, there's no way they'd be hanging their heads in the same situation.

Obviously, part of the problem is Kubiak. I don't believe the team is under-prepared as much as poorly managed, both from a personnel and in-game perspective. But the lack of quality personnel is still the primary issue. However, Kubiak has got to do a better job in getting this team to play a full 60 minute game. The closest we've come to this was against the Bengals and somewhat versus the Bills. This is not acceptable.

Do I believe we need to fire Kubiak? I don't know. The offense especially is built around Kubiak's offensive style. The simple fact he believes Chris Brown is a legitimate goal-line back is an indictment of his ability to build a roster. Kubiak needs a more firm hand, and a better grip, of building his roster to meet his needs. At the same time, he has improved his in-game skills from last year (did somebody finally buy him Madden?).

Here's what I would like to see from a purely coaching standpoint:

Replace Bill Kollar (defensive line coach), Frank Bush, or both. I'm not sure who thought either of these guys would be a solution, but they clearly are not. When a Bills fan is taunting you about Kollar, you damn well know something is wrong.
Joe Marciano, special teams coach, should clearly go away. Not only do we make copious amounts of penalties, but he's managed to turn Andre Davis into a tip-toer on returns.
And we give Kubiak one. More. Year. That's it. No mas.

Again, I simply do not think we have the talent, on a personnel basis, to compete today. When you throw in the tremendous number of injuries to key elements of the team (Chester Pitts, Mike Brisiel, Owen Daniels, Antwaun Molden, Steve Slaton, Glover Quin, Eugene Wilson), we are going to be in trouble. Injuries are exacerbated by our obvious lack of depth, a problem that cannot be fixed in just one, two, or even three years. This is about expectations, and thoughts that we were a 12-4 team were optimistic and obviously misplaced. With a few breaks, was this possible? Chris Brown says "yes." We are, however probably better than 5-7 as well.

At this point, I don't see firing Kubiak as the answer. We need to let our current crop of rookies age just one more year, and another year of drafting will be helpful. This team was a massive sack of shit when Smithiak took over, and we have seen improvement. We all hoped the consolidation phase was over, but it was not. I think they deserve one more year to prove themselves incapable.

Take The Half-Season Poll: Most Outstanding Offensive Player For Your Houston Texans?

Tim — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:33:50 -0000

Let's turn our attention to the other side of the ball. Through nine games, who has been the most outstanding offensive player for your Houston Texans? Once again, note that I said "most outstanding" as opposed to "most valuable." In other words, who's been the absolute best on that side of the ball so far? The "Brian Cushing of the Offense," if you will? Vote in the poll below and let us know why you voted the way you did in the Comments.

Poll

Who Has Been the Most Outstanding Player on the Texans' Offense Through Nine Games?

Matt Schaub

386 votes

Andre Johnson

121 votes

Owen Daniels

119 votes

Duane Brown

2 votes

Eric Winston

0 votes

Apostrophe Davis

0 votes

Jacoby Jones

8 votes

Steve Slaton

5 votes

Ryan Moats

9 votes

David Anderson (feel free to factor in the hilarity that is his presence on 1560 The Game)

2 votes

652 votes | Poll has closed

Keys to Victory: Buffalo Bills vs Houston Texans

Kurupt — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:03:48 -0000

The Buffalo Bills host the Houston Texans at 1PM Sunday, as both teams are coming in hot. The Bills have won consecutive road games, while the Texans have won three of four and have an offense that is really clicking. The teams have some similarities, but will be playing much different styles of football in this game. The Texans are looking to build their playoff resume and move towards a playoff berth, while the Bills are looking to continue making a move towards a surprising late season run. What do the Bills need to do to win this week? Let's find out.

Get after Schaub: I've watched the Texans a lot the past couple of seasons, mostly because they have an exciting offense and it makes me jealous. I've noticed that Matt Schaub will throw off his back foot and get very little on his passes when he can't fully step into them. This tendency has led to interceptions and overall poor throws in the past, and the Bills defense needs to make that happen again. If Schaub is allowed to sit back there unscathed, and find Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Steve Slaton and the other Texans' weapons, the Bills will have little chance of pulling out a victory. He's not going to self destruct and give the game to the Bills like Mark Sanchez or Jake Delhomme.

Slow Johnson and Daniels: Teams that have beaten the Texans this year have done a pretty good job of slowing down Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. In the Texans' three losses, Johnson has caught 16 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while Daniels added 17 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown. In the four wins, including last week when he left with a bruised lung, Johnson has 22 receptions for 412 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels has caught 22 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns in the wins. Obviously, the numbers aren't bad in the losses but you can see that the yards per catch for both is higher in wins, which shouldn't come as a surprise. If the Bills can limit the deep and intermediate passes with Johnson and Daniels and hold them to the underneath stuff, the likelihood of holding them down increases.

Keep getting Evans involved: Pretty obvious, right? Lee Evans has looked energized with Ryan Fitzpatrick in the lineup, putting up 9 receptions, 143 yards and two touchdowns these past two games. To better understand how big of an improvement that is, consider that in the five previous games, Evans had just 12 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Besides the next key to victory, Evans may have been the biggest factor for why the Bills have consecutive road victories under their belt. With Terrell Owens looking totally washed up, the Bills need Evans' big play ability to come through once again.

Win the turnover battle: Actually, it'd be nice to dominate it again. This is probably the biggest key to victory for this week, as turnovers have played such a huge role in Bills games, wins and losses, so far this season. Protecting the ball on offense and avoiding giving the Texans short fields will be crucial. Giving Fitzpatrick and the offense short fields is just what the doctor ordered (see last week). Let's hope the slew of turnovers forced continues for the Bills defense on Sunday.

Don't get down big early: The Bills aren't winning this game if they fall behind by multiple scores early. I don't believe Fitzpatrick can lead this offense to enough points, if that were to be the case. I also find it hard to believe the Bills defense would be able to hold the Texans down for the rest of the game in such a situation. The Bills need this to be another ugly game. A shootout isn't happening with the Bills offense involved, so keeping the game close and the Texans out of the end zone will be huge. The Texans struggled to hold onto a 21-point lead last week against the 49ers, but can any of you envision a Fitzpatrick-lead Bills offense coming back from such a deficit? I can't.

Put a helmet on Slaton: Steve Slaton has been a fumbling machine, to the tune of SIX fumbles (and four lost) so far this year. Putting a helmet on the ball when he's carrying it or trying to rip it out may result in a cheap turnover or two. If the Bills are to win the turnover battle, this is a good place to start.

Get Mr. Wilson that ring: After confusion about why the ring ceremony to celebrate Bills' owner Ralph Wilson's Hall of Fame induction was postponed during the Browns game, let's hope there is no reason for controversy this week. Mr. Wilson is scheduled to be presented with his ring at halftime this week, so it'd be nice if the team played a strong first half so he can get his proper recognition without being bombarded with boos.

Win Special Teams: The Texans have a very good return duo in Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis, and both have had big returns over the past few seasons. The Bills have begun to cut out some of their costly special teams errors, so they'll need that to continue this week. Good kick coverage and keeping the Texans deeper in their own territory will be a big part of deciding whether the Bills will win their third straight. There's no need to give a good offense a special teams touchdown or good field position in a game like this.

Continue limiting mistakes: Turnovers and penalties (only 3 last week!) have gone down in the past two wins. That trend needs to continue. The young players have limited their penalties recently; now they just need to step up their play.

*****

The Texans are playing good football and seem to be flying under the radar right now. This is not going to be an easy game for Buffalo, even at home and coming off a pair of victories. Matt Schaub and the Texans' offense present a major challenge to the injury depleted Bills defense. The entire team needs to step it up this week if the Bills are going to pull off the semi-upset. Let's go Buffalo!

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Win In Tennessee

Tim — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:10:07 -0000

How do you even begin to describe what we saw yesterday in Nashville? While I realize that some of the bolder among us might have called a win (not me, of course; I thought we were doomed), yesterday was a game that the Texans historically do not win. Going on the road against a playoff team/divisional rival is generally a recipe for disaster (see, e.g., the lifetime records at Indianapolis and Tennessee). Prior to the game, if someone had told me that Chris Johnson was going to rush for 197 yards and 2 TD while adding another 87 yards and a third TD through the air, I would've figured the Texans made it two eggs in a row. And I would've been wrong. Very, very wrong.

Your Houston Texans are far from a flawless team. The running game has been almost totally nonexistent, there are still far more questions than answers on defense, and every Jacoby Jones return is akin to playing Russian Roulette, except with three bullets in the chamber instead of one. In that respect, I'm in agreement with BFD that the 2009 version of the Texans has not looked much different than the 2008 Texans.

I would note, however, that the 2008 Houston Texans do not win the game the 2009 squad did yesterday. No way, no how. It just doesn't happen, chiefly because the 2008 Texans defense does not bow up in the second half like the 2009 version did yesterday. Whether that newfound resoluteness is the product of Frank Bush, Brian Cushing, or a defensive scheme that actually adjusts to what the offense is doing is not for me to say. What I will say is that there's an awful lot to like about what we saw yesterday, and that's infinitely more than what I could've said a week ago. Onto the specifics:

1. Matt. Freaking. Schaub. We can debate whether yesterday's performance or last year's beauty at Green Bay was more impressive, but we can all agree that Schaub was simply excellent. Remember--Schaub was missing his No. 2 WR (Kevin Walter) and No. 3 WR (Apostrophe Davis). No matter. Schaub stood tall, found Andre Johnson deep, and killed the Titans in the middle of the field via the TE. Something you might not have seen on TV...Schaub getting visibly pissed and yelling at the sideline after futile running plays. He wanted the ball in his hands, people. Just outstanding.

2. Schaub's success, of course, was due in large part to the offensive line's pass-blocking. After getting manhandled the week prior, Alex Gibbs' charges answered the bell in memorable fashion, giving up zero sacks and creating a pocket for Schaub to pick apart the opposition. As LZ astutely noted, Schaub isn't the type of QB who will reguarly make plays if the defense is in his kitchen. Give him time, though, and he can pick you apart. The OL gave him that time, and The Schaub did what The Schaub can do.

3. As good as the OL looked in pass protection, they still seemed unable to consistently create holes for Steve Slaton. They were better than the week prior, but it still looked nothing like what we saw last season. That running game needs to get fixed, and quick, or we'll soon see teams selling out to defend the pass. And if the Texans can't make them pay for that, the offense becomes completely one-dimensional and that much less effective.

4. Although the OL didn't do him any favors, Steve Slaton still looks off. I don't know if he's anticipating that first hit, or if the extra weight is slowing him down, or what it is. While Slaton looked considerably better blocking this week, he only looked like the Steve Slaton of old on one of his carries yesterday--the one that went for 12 yards. On a fantasy-related note, he should be brought up on charges for first-degree murder of his owners (of which I am one) the past two weeks.

5. I thought Kubes going to Chris Brown during the fourth quarter was pretty telling. Most important snaps of the game, and Slaton's standing on the sidelines. Seems to me that it was a thinly veiled reminder to Slaton that you have to hold onto the football to play RB for Gary Kubiak and Alex Gibbs. Unless you return kicks and punts, in which case you can cough up the ball whenever you want without fear of retribution. More on that momentarily.

6. Andre Johnson got all the attention (and deservedly so; he's a witch), but Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen quietly had monster contributions, particularly on third down. OD was virtually invisible in Week One; that definitely wasn't the case in Week Two. Nice to see Schaub re-discover the TE as a viable option when 'Dre is covered.

7. Jacoby Jones' touchdown catch was as good a grab as I've ever seen. I honestly could not have been more surprised. The potential and athleticism he showed there are the only reason he's still employed. Because...

8. He's a complete liability on special teams. There is not a Texans fan alive who feels good about seeing Jacoby back there on kick or punt returns. You're just constantly waiting for him to put the ball on the turf. Which he predictably did, only to be saved from himself by a ridiculous and archaic rule. If that fumble had stood, we're likely 0-2. For someone allegedly obsessed with protecting the football, there's a real double standard in the way that Kubes treats Jacoby as opposed to every other player. It's reached the point where it really is inexplicable for Jacoby to be fielding punts or kicks. Please, Kubes--put someone else back there. David Anderson, Glenn Martinez, J.J. Moses, your mother...anyone but Jacoby.

9. Glenn Martinez, Kevin Bentley, and James Casey were all difference-makers on special teams. Martinez in particular also threw a couple of great blocks while lined up at WR in the second half.

10. MAR-EE-O! MAR-EE-O! MAR-EE-O! In addition to the sack, he was a major reason for the repeated false starts by the Titans' OL. Which is fair, because visions of Super Mario should haunt the dreams of every offensive lineman in the NFL.

11. It's not showing up in the stat line, but Amobi Okoye has looked rather active and somewhat effective against two very good offensive lines. I think it may translate to big plays sooner rather than later.

12. Eugene Wilson is the Ed Reed of the Texans secondary. Which is to say he looks like Ed Reed compared to Dunta Robinson, Fred Bennett, Nick Ferguson, and the like. Wilson's pick was enormous, and he makes the secondary exponentially better. Curiously, that makes me both happy and very, very sad.

13. Didn't see much of Dunta Robinson yesterday, which could mean that Kerry Collins threw away from his side of the field most of the day. Why that would be, especially considering that Dunta seems to have foregone tackling like the Dunta of old in favor of diving at the shoelaces of wide receivers, I don't know.

14. What happened to Fred Bennett? At least Amobi's showing signs of fighting regression. Bennett appears to be embracing it.

15. Although the fight happened right in front of me, I have no idea what specifically brought it about. To their credit, I did see Dunta and Super Mario wade in to the scrum. Didn't see any punches thrown, but you can bet that the NFL's going to analyze the bejeezus out of the film. If hands were thrown, cross your fingers that the Texans involved are fined instead of suspended. A Mario-less defensive line is enough to give me night terrors. The Texans aren't deep enough to weather suspensions to any of their starters.

16. After he recovered Collins' fumble to ice the game, I briefly contemplated buying a Jeff Zgonina jersey. If such a creature existed, anyway.

17. Whose responsibility was it to cover Chris Johnson on the 69 yard TD reception? I've heard Dunta and Dominique Barber blamed for the gaffe. In the stadium, it was even worse. The crowd actually saw that Johnson was totally uncovered a few seconds before the snap, so there was a buzz that soon turned into a roar. Not coincidentally, I had my head in my hands at that moment.

18. The linebacker play yesterday was a study in feast or famine. They got absolutely abused by Chris Johnson, often on third down, and periodically for touchdowns. Again, I don't know who each of the prison breaks was actually on--DeMeco, Cushing, Diles, etc.--I just know they were nowhere to be found on those plays. On the 91 yard run, Eugene Wilson was the only Texan I saw anywhere in Johnson's vicinity, and he was blocked out of the play fairly easily.

19. That said, we saw a different Texans defense in the second half. The linebackers in particular took it to another level, began forcing three-and-outs (and even a stand on fourth down), and limited the Titans to only seven (7) second-half points. After giving up big play after big play and 24 points in the first half, the defense stood up and refused to back down. It even appeared like Frank Bush made adjustments at halftime, which is unheard of for the Texans.

20. I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong. If yesterday afternoon was an indication of what Brian Cushing is going to bring to the table week after week, I was very wrong about him. While he looked horrendous in coverage (troubling for a SLB who's going to have responsibility for the TE), Cushing was all over the place on run defense. Even better, he looked to be on the field most, if not every, third down. What's more, the dude has an attitude. Maybe it was just me, but I could've sworn I saw him talking after every tackle. For a team that hasn't had any kind of mean streak, a little 'tude could go a long way.

21. The coaching staff got a lot of heat last week for how unprepared the Texans looked in Week One. While one week does not a season make, the coaches ought to get some love for instilling a sense of urgency and fight in their charges yesterday. The Texans battled the whole day. It would've been awfully easy for them to roll over when they went down 21-7 early. Instead, they beared down, righted the ship, and made us all remember why we support this team even after games like the loss to the Jets. Great win.

22. Game Balls: Offense--Matt Schaub; Defense--Mario Williams; Special Teams--Kris Brown (for another perfect day and hitting what turned out to be the game-winner).

Bring on the Jags. Not to jinx it, but your Houston Texans have a chance to equal the number of AFC South wins they had in 2008 next week, in just the third game of the season. If that doesn't get you fired up, I don't know what will.

Jets 24 Texans 7: M-A-R-K Mark! Mark! Mark!

John B — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:53:28 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

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The Rex Ryan Era could not be off to a better start. The Jets totally dominated the Texans in the opener today to go 1-0. The victory ended New York's odd year opener hex. This is the first time Gang Green starts 1-0 on an odd numbered year since 1997. If our wildest dreams, we could not have hoped for a better start to the season. This team deserves to get a hero's welcome returning to the local area for the home opener.

More after the jump

The Good:

Mark Sanchez: We'll start with the franchise quarterback. This was not an ideal place to make his start, against an aggressive defense in a very hostile environment. You have to remember that Sanchez is still young enough that he could have started at Ohio State last night. The numbers tell the story. 18 of 31 for 272 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception is an excellent performance for anybody, let alone a guy who made his last real start eight months ago against Penn State.

Going into this game, the main thought was the Jets would lean on their rushing game and hope Sanchez doesn't lose the game. What happened was just the opposite. The Texans loaded up the box to stop the run game and threw the kitchen sink at the rookie. He responded with the poise of a ten year veteran. When the Texans came after him on third down, he delivered almost every time. On the most pressure packed play a quarterback faces, Sanchez hit over three-quarters of his passes and threw for his only touchdown.

There are two types of mobility for a quarterback. Some quarterbacks like Michael Vick are threats to make big plays on the ground as running threats. That's a nice accessory. The other, pocket mobility, is a necessity. Quarterbacks in this day and age need to be able to buy themselves some time. Sanchez used his feet to prolong plays and kept his eyes downfield, a trait a lot of rookies don't have. The fact the Texans did not sack him is in part credit to the offensive line, but Sanchez handled plenty of breakdowns in his protection with great poise.

You also have to love how he responded to a mistake. With a 17 point lead, he threw a terrible pick 6 in the fourth quarter. The crowd went nuts. The Texans were back in the game. That would rattle many youngsters making their first start. Mark calmly led a touchdown drive on the next series, hitting Dustin Keller on a critical third down to ice the game.

How can you not love the job he did? How can anybody doubt the decision to make him the starter now? He carried the offense when the run game was struggling early. If you told me Thomas Jones would be averaging just over a yard per carry in the third, I would have guessed it was a long day for the Jets.

Rex Ryan's Scheme: This is all we ever wanted, some creativity on defense. Not always lining up with three down linemen and four linebackers. Not always rushing the three linemen and sometimes one of the outside linebackers. This scheme showed great creativity and brought constant pressure to Matt Schaub. It's tough to figure out blocking shemes when the defense is showing different fronts and rushing different guys on every play. We saw everything. There was 4-3. There was 3-4. There was 2-5 with Kris Jenkins blitzing from middle linebacker. The Jets constantly drilled Matt Schaub. Even when they weren't sacking him, Schaub was forced to rush his throws before his men got open. It got to the point he was rushing his throws even when his protection held because he was expecting a pass rush. The Jets don't have big time pass rushers. Football is a beautiful sport because design can make up for a lot. Houston's high powered offense didn't score a point.

Darrelle Revis: A lot of people think Andre Johnson is the best receiver in football. He had 4 receptions for under 50 yards today. His impact on the game was even less than the numbers would indicate. Revis totally took away the Texans' best weapon from them. You may say he's proven he's a top five corner. Let's start including him in the discussion for the best in the game. On the instances where the Texans picked up New York's blitz the Jets still recorded pressures because nobody was open. Revis keyed the defense. It becomes easier to blitz when you know you can trust a guy like Revis on an island because it allows extra time for the rushers to beat blockers.

Kris Jenkins: He was a man among boys, totally dominating Chris Myers. Steve Slaton had only 17 yards on 9 carries. He was a major factor in the pass rush as well. It's a lot easier to effectively blitz when the other team has to dedicate three blockers to one player.

Donald Strickland: The new nickel back showed a real nose for the football, getting his helmet on the ball to force a fumble with the Texans driving in the second, breaking up a couple of passes, and pressuring Schaub on a blitz to force a duck and an interception.

Bart Scott: He was all over the field today. The stat sheet says 2 tackles, but he was in the middle of a lot of plays. I remember a lot of Ravens fans talking about how the Ravens would never let Scott get away. They claimed he'd be a bust once he left Baltimore because he was a system guy. Good thing for the Jets they run the same system he became such a big time player in. He looked great today.

David Harris: Harris was also all over the place. 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass he broke up because Andre Davis heard footsteps and knew he was going to get drilled.

Brian Schottenheimer: Say what you will about the guy (and I certainly have on this site). He called a great game. He had a lot of simple passes early, particularly on third down to build Sanchez's confidence. Screens helped to counter Houston's aggression on the rookie. 19 touches on offense for Leon Washington is a very encouraging sign he is making fundamental changes. Also he did most of the work getting Sanchez ready for this game. The quarterback looked totally prepared. His mentor deserves a lot of credit for that.

The Seminole Formation: Leon Washington is more dangerous than Brad Smith in the open field. Smith isn't much fo a thrower. I'm glad to see Leon taking the snaps out of this formation. He's the better weapon. Again, this shows Schottenheimer is making a real effort to properly utilize Leon's ability. Even when Washington isn't getting the ball, he forces defenses to keep an eye on him to open things up for others.

Leon Washington: 84 yards in his 19 touches. This is the start of a breakout season.

Jerricho Cotchery: Remember how he was supposed to be totally shut down as defenses made him a focal point. He isn't good enough to be a number one. 6 catches for 90 yards.

Dustin Keller: Speaking of breakout seasons, this matchup nightmare went for 94 yards on his 4 receptions, including the critical 40 yard grab on third down after the Houston touchdown. He beat a defensive back in man coverage badly. He's going to become a favorite Sanchez target.

Chansi Stuckey: Mr. Opening Day caught another touchdown down the middle. This time he got open and had an easy grab. This was much more simple than the jump ball from Brett Favre last year in Miami.

Jamaal Westerman: The training camp standout had his first career sack.

Sione Pouha: Kind of under the radar, but I noticed Sione won a lot of his matchups and kept Houston's run game at bay when Jenkins was out. Last year, Sione constantly got pushed off the ball. Maybe Rex's attack system has lit a fire under him.

The Bad:

Thomas Jones: The final numbers looked great, but TJ struggled early on. The Texans loaded up the box to force Sanchez to throw. The blocking wasn't great either. Still Jones didn't make guys miss or break tackles. Please don't take this to mean I thought he had a bad game. Part of being a running back is pounding to wear down the defense late. He did that and went off in the fourth quarter. When the game was competitive, though, he was pretty quiet.

Run Blocking: Again, the line wore down the Texans and dominated in the fourth. They also faced a lot of tough fronts. Still, the Jets didn't want to have to be in a position where Sanchez had to win the game. Luckily, he did just that.

The Interception: When you have a 17 point lead in the fourth, you can't force passes, especially when Tony Richardson is open in the flat. It's all part of the learning experience. With any rookie (or some seventeen year veterans for that matter), there will be plenty of moments where you want to bury your head in your palms. Again, the important thing wasn't the mistake. It was how he bounced back. I was also impressed with how he laid out his body hustling to try and make a tackle. In the end, you need to be lucky. The Jets largely were today. The Texans weren't able to turn other bad throws into interceptions. In the end, this isn't all that important, just part of the process.

The Dive: I love seeing heart from the franchise quarterback, but Mark shouldn't be diving head first with 5:00 left in a 17 point game.

Leon Over TJ on Third Down: There were too many third down cases where Leon Washington was in the game to block. Either have him in as a receiver or put the bigger, better blocker, Jones, in. Leon missed a blitz pick up that got Sanchez whacked.

John B: I apologize to all fantasy teams I torpedoed by telling you to sit Sanchez, Cotchery, and the defense. At least I told you to play Jones. I promise a cowriter does the fantasy advice next week.

Other Thoughts:

Kris Jenkins sat a lot more than we were used to last season. It seems like Rex realizes how he wore down and wants to keep him fresh. Good idea. If Pouha plays like he did today, the Jets won't miss a beat.
Just think of what the defense will look like when Shaun Ellis and Calvin Pace get back. The Jets just dominated a good offense without them.
Let's not go too crazy. Sanchez is still a rookie quarterback. There will be plenty of bad days. There will be games when he makes more throws like the interception and less like the touchdown. Just be sure to think back to today when this happens. Today showed his potential. Soon all of his games may be like this.
Vernon Gholston didn't make a huge impact, but he did make a few tackles and held his own in matchups on the line. He's still a work in progress, and this was an improvement. Not what you'd want from a top ten pick, but adequate for now.
Last year's 9-7 record was a bitter failure. This year, the Jets might end up with a worse record and have a successful season. It all depends on whether Sanchez and the defense can come together like they did today and build a foundation for the future. They don't need to look this good to have a positive outcome.

Well go crazy and let this sink in. No team is ever as good as it looks at its best or as bad as it looks at its worst. Not everything will always click like it did today. The Pats still have the most talent in the division, but we saw the long term potential of this team. One day, most games may look like this. Maybe that day will be this year. Maybe it won't. Either way, the Jets showed today that it should be a fun year.

Bring on the Pats.

Decision Day: 53-Man Roster Speculation

bigfatdrunk — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:13:47 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

3 months ago: Houston Texans' David Anderson (89) congratulates James Casey (86) after Casey's 11-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Rex Grossman during the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Browse more photos »

With cuts due by 3pm CDT (I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong), I wanted to pontifibate one last time on the 53-man roster. It's not going to be much different than my first take.

As a refresher, here's the composition of the Texans original 53-man roster last year:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

Again, there's substantial reason to believe the roster will be similarly composed. So here goes:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Arian Foster (over Ryan Moats)
1 FB: Vonta Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis, Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Again, that leaves us with 52 of the 53 spots. I think it's going to come down to:

Rex Grossman: He'll be tough to cut after last night's performance.
Glenn Martinez: Was a fiend on special teams all preseason.
Joel Dreessen: Your basic, but very good, utility TE.

After Anthony Hill's performance last night, I believe Dreessen takes the last spot. While Casey needs some time to mature into the position, Hill is definitely not ready. Dreessen will be the steady hand.

As far as Grossman, I believe there's a chance he still makes the team over Jeff Zgonina. Kubiak hasn't shown any indication he's going to take three QBs, and after last night's game, he seemed pretty non-committal about keeping Rex. Personally, I don't believe Rex makes the team.

I'll be out of town when the cuts are made, but I'll be back this afternoon.

bfd's First Take at the 53-Man Roster

bigfatdrunk — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:31:53 -0000

Great discussion last week on the possible composition of the 53-man roster started by Texans-Brocos. Here's my take with a little bit of background.

Last year, the Texans' opening roster consisted of:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

I think it's reasonable to believe the 2009 roster will be similarly composed. After last night's game, here's my guess as to how the 53-man is shaping up:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Ryan Moats (depending on his injury)
1 FB: Vonta "Human Coke Machine" Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones (almost by default)
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill (no Joel Dreessen, which is our loss)
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers (depending on his health, obviously)
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina (no Travis Johnson)
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis (depending on Cato June's health), Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden (no Dunta Robinson...just in case)
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Several differences from last year, though nothing crazy. Last year, we carried 6 DEs and 5 DTs, whereas I have us carrying 5 DEs this year. Sadly, I still have us carrying Jeff Zgonina as I just don't see anybody on the roster otherwise. There's the difference in OGs and OTs, and I have us keeping 5 CBs and 4 Ss, where that was swapped last year.

Also, and I doubt you noticed, but I have listed only 52 players for 2009. If Dunta signs, I do believe we'll keep 6 CBs on the roster as I believe the Texans, rightly so, would be afraid to release either McCain or Molden, who are the two I believe to be most on the bubble. I also believe that one of the CBs will be in line for a position change to S.

One guy who really intrigues me is Glenn Martinez, as he was the most "on" last night. He can return punts and kickoffs and looks like an excellent gunner on special teams. As I said in the game thread, he reminds me of Steve Tasker in the way he plays. There's a chance he overtakes Jones, but because we're carrying extra CBs, it'll make it tougher for Martinez to win a job.

What do y'all think?

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Day 16 Recap Edition

DreKeem — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:00:16 -0000

We know the offense is going to be explosive this year. That's a fact. It's undeniable. The defense? There are unanswered question marks all around. Will Amobi Okoye bounce back? Will the cornerbacks hold up? Will the new defensive scheme pan out? Is Frank Bush ready to handle full time defensive duties? Who is this man and why is he hitting on my girlfriend? All valid concerns that haven't quite been solved. However, good reports are always nice and all we can hope for at this time of year.

Paul Kuharsky, who's currently in Houston visiting training camp, had some nice things to say about the defens e and potential contributors. Connor Barwin is looking good, continuing his quick, explosive play from the Chiefs game. Amobi Okoye, unfortunately, was beat on two consecutive snaps by the Saints right guard, Jahri Evans. Concerning? A little bit. Recently, I've heard nothing but solid reviews on Okoye's play, so this might be just a minor setback. It's not like he should be expected to dominate on every play. Still, it's a little worrisome that he was beat "with ease."

The offense really bogged down in the afternoon and made some nice plays. Kuharsky expressed some concern that Ryan Moats was taking the majority of snaps away from backup Chris Brown. To that, I say the team does not want to risk Brown injuring himself. He's been durable thus far and played well in the Chiefs game, but he's still an injury risk on any given play, which surely concerns Kubiak. It's no surprise that Moats is being given some extra reps in place of Brown, especially given the team was practicing inside on turf.

Interesting read on the nature of many of the players jersey numbers. Mario Williams said he thought 90 would look "pretty." Hey, if Mario believes it, I believe it.

Not enough credit from the success of the receiving corps goes to their coach, Larry Kirksey. The man has done an outstanding job improving an already amazing Andre Johnson, turning Andre Davis into a potential starter, and progressing David Anderson, among other many accomplishments.

Here's the day's recap from the Chronicle and the team website. The two teams are really going at it with each other, practicing in pads against each other for the first time yesterday. Today should be interesting, as there will be full contact drills as well as the return of Drew Brees. Brees' return will be a true measuring stick for how far the Texans defense has come, as Brees is easily in the discussion as to who the best quarterback in the league is right now.

Best quotes of the day:

The first time he took a handoff, Saints running back Reggie Bush burst through the Texans' defense as if he wanted to make a point. - John McClain

Make what point? That you've been injury prone the past two years and have regressed statistically each year you've been in the league? Or, that you're a glorified third down back? Which one of those points are you trying to reiterate again? OK, maybe I'm being too harsh. Not. Bush should be producing much more as the second overall pick.

On the Texans' second offensive play, running back Steve Slaton broke to the outside of the pack and burned linebacker Scott Fujita. Fujita showed much frustration after watching Slaton trail several yards up the field on what would likely have been a breakaway touchdown run. Texans fans in the stands cheered and probably took a sigh of relief after Slaton didn't show much against the Chiefs. - Jordan Godwin

Glad to see this. Though it was always more likely that Slaton just had an off day coupled with poor blocking, it's still a relief to see that he's back to tearing up opposing defenses.

Defensive end Mario Williams had one of the highlight reel plays of Wednesday's morning practice when he manhandled Saints left tackle Jamaal Brown in one-on-one pass rush drills. During his first rep, Williams got Brown off-balance and tossed him aside, knocking the former Oklahoma tackle to the ground as he reached the pocket. - Team website

I love that man. I'm not afraid to admit it.

Smith went against starting left guard Carl Nicks and didn't do much on his first try, then got around him off the right edge on his second try. - Paul Kuharsky

Smith was nonexistent in the opening pre-season game, so this is encouraging news. Smith played under a similar defensive scheme in Arizona, so it probably isn't a matter of familiarity. Hopefully we see something out of him in the game against the Saints.

(on if the University of Texas or USC is going to win the NCAA national championship) "This year? I think we (USC) got you guys, man. If our quarterback gets right, I think we got you. Vince Young's (former Texas QB) gone, that's when you guys got it, with Vince Young." - Shaun Cody

Oh man, is he trying to start something here involving beefy, BFD, and Tim? Any USC fans reading that feel like sparking an argument?

"I picked 89 because it's a really popular receiver number," David Anderson said. "(It's) not because I want to look cool or anything but just in case some big-time receiver comes here wanting his No. 89. Like if Steve Smith ever comes here, I'll get a pretty big buyout." - David Anderson

Gotta love the man.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Day 15 Recap Edition

DreKeem — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00:23 -0000

While reading James Casey's latest (and as usual, extremely interesting) rookie diary entry, I noticed a shocking connection. On James Casey's first play as a Texan in a pre-season game, he made the tackle for his team. Similarly, in DeMeco Ryan's first pre-season play, he managed the first tackle. Just sayin'.

Kasey Studdard has performed admirably in camp and throughout the pre-season filling in for Chester Pitts. I'm really excited to see Studdard continue to progress throughout the year, as Pitts' contract has reached its last year. Though Pitts hasn't missed a game in franchise history and had an extremely good season last year, he will be 31 at season's end and you have to be skeptical about giving in to what is sure to be hefty demands by his agent. We've been over the situations with DeMeco and Owen Daniels, so adding Pitts to the list just makes my head hurt. Studdard's solid play makes me believe the likely loss of Pitts may not be as harsh as it might have seemed earlier.

Here's the day's recap from the Chronicle and the team website. Former Baylor fullback Jonathan Evans was signed as a camp body to take away a few reps from Vonta Leach. As expected, Antwuan Molden isn't quite up to full speed yet and still isn't participating fully in all team drills. Luckily, there were no signs of pain for the returning cornerback. John Busing continues to make plays. He added another interception to his list yesterday. He didn't particularly stand out in the Chiefs game, but he could see more playing time against the Saints.

And now the best quotes of the day:

It was a tough morning practice for fourth-round pick Anthony Hill, a tight end known primarily for his blocking ability. The Texans ran several pass plays to Hill, and he missed multiple passes thrown by quarterback Matt Schaub. One time, coach Gary Kubiak said, "Come on, 87, make the play!" On a similar pass play about 15 yards up the middle, Hill caught a pass but was stripped by free safety Brandon Harrison. Later, Hill caught a touchdown pass in the red zone and got a lot of encouragement from his teammates. He has to catch the ball in practice and continue to prove his ability to block. - Jordan Godwin

Hill will see playing time regardless if he blocks as well as he was said to in college, especially in the red zone. That being said, he needs to become a better pass catcher to see consistent playing time and become a regular contributor with the team. Is it a lack of focus or a lack of soft hands in general? Either way, Hill has to sort the issue out.

After a huge game on Saturday against the Chiefs, defensive tackle Frank Okam deflected a pass thrown by backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky. Okam made a leaping effort and deflected the pass with his mammoth right hand. The pass ricocheted into the air and strong safety Nick Ferguson made a diving catch for the interception. If Okam can continue to play up to his potential, the injured Travis Johnson may have some competition when he returns. - Godwin

Hahaha. Some competition? Hilarious.

(on why he was running with his team after practice) "I was late to the Bowling Derby (on Monday night). A bunch of coaches working, a few minutes late, so we hold ourselves to the same standard." - Gary Kubiak

Good man.

(on the team working on the Wildcat offense in practice) "We've got to work against it. We're going to see it during the season, so our defense needs to see it. We've got a few guys capable of doing it, but that's not how we make our living. Like I said, we've got to work on our cat, and work on the wildcat later." - Kubiak

Wait, something about a cat? I'm lost. If I had to place a bet, I'd say James Casey, Jacoby Jones (due to the one, albeit miserable, play they ran with him at quarterback last year), and Andre Davis (he's an explosive athlete) all tried their hand at the Wildcat.

(on the Minnesota preseason game suddenly becoming bigger with Brett Favre joining the Vikings) "I'm worried about New Orleans. One week at a time. I didn't even know until I came over here and heard some guys talking. For sure, that will add some spice to the story next week when we get together, but we've got a lot of work to do between now and then." - Kubiak

Please. No. Brett. F*cking. Favre.

For the second consecutive day of practice, linebacker DeMeco Ryans randomly yelled out at the top of his lungs, "GREAT DAY TO BE ALIIIIIIVE!!!" Maybe it's after the Texans' preseason victory over the Chiefs, or maybe Ryans is just genuinely happy to be alive. - Godwin

GREAT DAY TO BE ALIIIIIIVE!!!