SB Nation - Kasey Studdard

The Thief Of The 2009 Season: The Running Game

Jake — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:24:42 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

The 2009 season for the Houston Texans has been wildly inconsistent and disappointing. For the third straight year, they find themselves looking at a 6-7 record and possibly a third consecutive .500 season. Although the numbers in the W and L columns are the same, the way they got there is different.

Back in the offseason, many Texans fans speculated that even a slightly improved defense, combined with the impressive offense, would catapult this team directly into the playoffs. Since the record is the same, the casual observer would assume that the defense failed to make this minor improvement, but they'd be wrong. Frank Bush's defensive squad is currently ranked 13th in total defense thus far after finishing 22nd last year.

So what gives? Matt Schaub is having a career year and doing his best to shake to "injury prone" description commonly associated with him. Andre Johnson is again leading the league in receiving yards and has equaled his touchdown total from last year. There's only one possibility left--the run game.

Last year Steve Slaton was seriously considered for the title of Offensive Rookie of the Year. 1,659 all-purpose yards made General Manager Rick Smith look like a genius for drafting Slaton in the third round despite widespread belief that he was too small to be an every-down back. This week Slaton was placed on the injured reserve with 437 rushing yards and 3.3 yards per attempt, a full yard and a half down from his average of 2008.

Slaton's sophomore slump was mostly mental prior to his season-ending neck injury. Slaton didn't show the conviction to hit holes when they appeared and also lost 7 fumbles in just 11 games. To put it all on Slaton would be unfair though. As of last week, Slaton had 40 more receiving yards than last year, averaging 15 more yards through the air per game than he did last season. The increased involvement of Slaton in the passing game was an attempt to get Slaton out in space, a strategy made necessary because of a lack of holes to run through.

Alex Gibbs is widely considered one of the best positional coaches in all of the NFL. Wherever he has coached offensive lines throughout his career, the rushing attacks have been good to dominant, including the Texans last year. The entire Texans offensive line starting all 16 games last year was a phenomenon that was new to even him, however, and that continuity allowed those players to gel and produce fantastic results down the stretch.

The line has not been so lucky with injuries this year. Left guard Chester Pitts was placed on the injured reserve after Week 2, and right guard Mike Brisiel followed after Week 5. The team wasn't exactly dominating the line of scrimmage in those initial games of the season, but two of the four 100 yard rushing games came during that period. By way of comparison, the Texans rushed for 100 yards in all but five games in 2008.

Chester Pitts will be an unrestricted free agent following this year. As long as it is determined that he is healthy, he needs to be re-signed at all costs. His and Brisiel's absence has highlighted how substandard Chris Myers is at the center position. Myers continually loses at the point of attack while run blocking. If you want to see for yourself, watch him block throughout the Seattle game to see opposing defensive tackles push him aside. Then watch rookie Antoine Caldwell in the one play after Myers is hurt push his man five yards down the field.

That brings me to my next point. Why isn't Caldwell getting a shot at center? Myers not only loses regularly while run blocking, but he continues to have issues with larger defensive tackles while in pass protection. Myers is a great story, going from a practice squad to starting every game last year, but without good to great guards to help him, he is simply too small to be effective.

Another factor that has adversely affected the Texans in general this year, especially in the run game, is a lack of depth. Once Slaton started his mental problems, Gary Kubiak had Chris Brown, Arian Foster and Ryan Moats to rely on, which is woefully inadequate. Furthermore, Kasey Studdard and Chris White might not be terrible guards but when both are thrust into the lineup at the same time next to an inferior center, bad things will happen. All the same, an acquisition of a more quality interior lineman for next year couldn't hurt.

One last aspect that cannot be overlooked is the absence of Owen Daniels. Obviously Matt Schaub misses him as a target, but a tight end that can run routes and catch as well as run block is an enormous benefit for the run game. Daniels has deceiving blocking ability but his prolific talent as a receiver keeps a linebacker or a safety from attacking the line of scrimmage automatically. Both offensive tackles Duane Brown and Eric Winston have played well this year, but if OD clears out a linebacker, that frees one of them to get to the next level in order to block downfield.

Keep in mind how inconsistent this team has been this year. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde halves, the fourth quarter collapses...they can all be partially attributed to the lack of running success. The Texans have been successful converting 3rd or 4th and 2 yards or less 64% of the time running to the right, and a terrible 44% running up the middle. No matter how successful you are with the pass, if you continually live by the sword, you will eventually die by the sword. Take for example Matt Schaub's 13 interceptions. That sounds a little high until you take into account that equals one INT for every 36.4 attempts. That's still a little high, but when opposing defenses know that you have to pass to move the ball whether you have a lead or not, it stacks the deck against you.

Gary Kubiak has come under intense scrutiny because of game situations that have cost the Texans several games near the end. This season, Kubiak finally got a better defense, only to lose his running game. Last year's average of 115 yards per game would be the fourth best rushing output for this year's team. I'm trying to avoid the apologist angle, but if the running game was even close to last year's, I don't think that we would be discussing the jeopardy of Kubiak's future in Houston. Even yesterday's offensive outpouring included only 85 yards on the ground. In my opinion, Bob McNair should worry more about the replacement of a few offensive linemen and running backs, rather than a head coach.

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

Tim — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:30:37 -0000

We've tackled the debate over who has been most outstanding member of the offense; time to look at the other end of the spectrum. Which offensive player on the Texans has disappointed you the most thus far? 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 Disappointing Player on the Texans' Offense Through Nine Games?

Kevin Walter

30 votes

Chris Myers

50 votes

Kasey Studdard

6 votes

Chris White

9 votes

Chris Brown

46 votes

Steve Slaton

525 votes

Antoine Caldwell

2 votes

Dan Orlovsky

12 votes

680 votes | Poll has closed

Three And Out: Useless Predictions For Sunday's Game

Tim — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:47:04 -0000

No doubt about it--last week's "Three And Out" was likely as close as I'll ever get to credibility. You might think I'd quit while I was (relatively) ahead. But when has that philosophy ever worked? Besides in Vegas, I mean? Onward!

1. Your starting offensive line, barring another season-ending injury to someone while deplaning, will likely be Duane Brown, Kasey Studdard, Chris Myers, Antoine Caldwell, and Eric Winston. In other words, 40% of your starting OL is absent. What's more, the new 40% of your line flanks a center who's repeatedly been victimized. Methinks this bodes rather terribly for Steve Slaton and/or, God forbid, Chris "No Yards and a Cloud of Dust" Brown. Total rushing yards for your Houston Texans on Sunday: 79. And only because Kubes is going to insist upon 20+ carries.

2. Once upon a time, Kevin Walter was a Bengal. When K-Dub played his former team last year, he went off for 70 yards and 2 TDs. This year, I foresee more yards and less TDs. I'm calling 82 yards receiving and 1 TD.

3. If this one comes to pass, I'm on the next flight to Sin City: Tim Bulman strips Carson Palmer. Said fumble is recovered by Antonio Smith.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Say what you will about Kubiak, but he's shown a knack for getting his charges ready to play the week after a loss. And aren't the Bengals primed for a letdown after the emotional intradivision wins they've had the past few weeks? It's very easy to talk yourself into predicting a Texans upset on Sunday. Too easy, I think. Cincinnati's defense is salty, and unlike the Texans, their offense boasts a running game that complements the passing game. In other words, the Bengals are a pretty balanced team. The Texans, of course, are not. Give me the balanced team playing at home over the unbalanced team playing on the road, letdown potential be damned. Texans 23, Bengals 27.

Texans vs Bengals coverage

Post-Game Breakdown: Cardinals Hold When It Counts

Tim — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:21:59 -0000

I thought letting an extra day pass would make Sunday's loss a bit easier to digest. It hasn't.

What we witnessed on Sunday was a microcosm of the alternately thrilling and nauseating roller coaster that has been your 2009 Houston Texans. The first half featured a defense that couldn't stop anyone (if not for Eugene Wilson's hit and DeMeco Ryans' recovery on the goal line, the score would've been 28-0 at half) and an offense that couldn't move the ball against anyone. The second half featured a stifling defense and an offense that was as nasty as any team's in the league (excepting Schaub's INT, which was pretty bad, and the infamous goal line stand by the Cardinals). Watching this team is like furiously pounding beers in between hits of meth--highs and lows, crushing agony and glorious ecstasy. Part of me would actually prefer getting blown out to experiencing the emotional floor going out from underneath me at various points each Sunday. At least then I wouldn't be the completely manic lunatic that is increasingly leaning toward watching all Texans games by himself to avoid subjecting others to his wild mood swings. If this keeps up, I'm checking myself into a sanitarium.

Thoughts from the game:

1. In looking at the offense thus far this season, we've got (1) a poor two halves against the Jets; (2) two pretty strong halves against the Titans; (3) two salty halves against the Jaguars; (4) a somewhat strong first half, followed by a just-protect-the-lead second half against the Raiders; and (5) a horrific first half, followed by a furious-why-can't-they-do-this-every-week half against the Cardinals. In other words, the offense has played about 1.5 games of below-average football through five games. With a defense that could be labeled as "reprehensible" for every bit of three full games (entire Jets game, half of the Titans game, entire Jaguars game, and half of the Cardinals game) thus far, the offense doesn't have the luxury of misfiring for an entire half.

2. What I've really seen is that the offense goes completely as Matt Schaub goes. This might seem somewhat obvious, what with him being the QB and all, but I think it bears noting because...

3. The running game is almost completely useless. Steve Slaton has shown a few brief flashes of what he was last year. That's it. And the offensive line...well, they've been close to exceptional in the passing game. The running game? I honestly don't know if Slaton is the problem, or if it's more a function of his line. What I do know is that the OL seems to get thrown backward far more often than I remember last year. I don't see it getting any better, either. Early returns indicate that the drop off from Chester Pitts to Kasey Studdard is substantial, and there's no reason to feel good about a switch from Mike Brisiel to Chris White or Antoine Caldwell. Now you've got Chris Myers flanked by Studdard and White or Caldwell. Running between the tackles could prove to be totally futile, and as neat as it's been to see some success running wide, it's extraordinarily rare for a running attack to succeed in the NFL with its running backs trying to make a living by running for the sideline. The defenses are simply too fast.

4. All of this is to say, I guess, that Kubes' attempts to force a running game are going to get even more frustrating. What we've seen so far isn't working, but we haven't seen any inclination that there'll be any changes.

5. We can complain about Chris Brown not being a goal line back all we want, but I don't know who could have broken the plane with the way the middle of the offensive line got lit up on that last series. It was doomed from the start, which is why...

6. I don't understand for the life of me why Kubes or Kyle Shanahan would try to run the ball, straight up the gut, on fourth down, with the game on the line. They should know their offensive line can't get a push, and they should know that trying to run the ball up the middle won't work. It hasn't worked all year. Ideally, your offensive line and running back should be able to pick up half of a yard. Unfortunately, this is reality, and we have not seen any evidence that the interior of the Houston OL and/or Chris Brown can consistently pick up half a yard. You know that. I know that. How can the coaching staff not know that? The Texans' greatest asset is their receiving corps. Why not spread the field out to make the defense account for those weapons? More importantly...

7. WHY IS THE BEST WIDE RECEIVER ON THE PLANET STANDING ON THE SIDELINES DURING THE BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME? HE'S ANDRE FREAKING JOHNSON! HE'S ALREADY NOTCHED TWO TOUCHDOWNS, ONE OF WHICH FEATURED HIM HANDLING CONTACT BETTER THAN ANY RUNNING BACK ON THE ROSTER! LOUD NOISES!

8. One more note about Schaub...we need to accept that he's good for at least one turnover a game. Yes, this hurts. The good news is that Schaub seems to be good for 2-3 TDs a game. Give me that TD/TO ratio any day of the week.

9. Soooooo...how 'bout that Houston defense? For the record, I disagree with BFD about whether the defense looked better in the second half, versus the notion that we simply benefited from Arizona playing not to lose when they had the ball. While there's little doubt Arizona got conservative, they did try to open it back up as the half progressed and the Texans cut into the lead. And instead of reverting to first-half form, the Texans' defense responded and held the line. Jacques Reeves was a clear upgrade in the secondary, and I remain encouraged by what Bernard Pollard and Glover Quin bring to the table (that is, they actually tackle). If Frank Bush learns nothing else from the game, I hope that it's the idea that he can and should get creative with bringing pressure from the linebackers. Bush has increasingly turned Cushing loose after the QB, but Sunday was the first time I remember seeing Captain 'Meco hounding the QB more than once or twice. It was a welcome sign.

10. I'd write something positive about the return game here, but I don't want to jinx it.

11. Bottom line is that the Texans once again failed to show up when the game started. They were a different team after halftime, and that does speak to the fact that they responded to adversity. The issue is, of course, that they had a huge handle in creating that adversity with the way they played in the first half. No matter how big of a Kubes fan you are, you have to admit that it does not bode well that he and/or his staff have failed to have the Texans ready to play at the start of 40% of their games this young season.

On to Cincinnati to play a suprising Bengals squad, albeit one that could well be primed for a letdown after all the tight division wins they've pulled out. If the Texans are truly going to break the mold of inconsistency and mediocrity, they must win on Sunday. First step toward achieving that goal is actually showing up ready to play.

Post-Game Breakdown: Jaguars Defeat Texans

Tim — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:52:18 -0000

Yak.

As passionate as I am about your Houston Texans, I generally try not to overreact to a single game. Admittedly, I sometimes fail. This is one of those times. With that warning in mind, go ahead and skip the rest of this post if you're looking for pick-me-ups or they'll-get-'em-next-times. After yesterday's latest kick to the collective groin of the Texans fan base, those commodities are in relatively short supply. Not totally absent, but scarce. Let's get to it. We'll even start with the good:

1. One horrendous early pick aside (and it was a horrible throw/decision in every sense of the word), Matt Schaub played very well. He hit seven (7) different receivers, and it would've been eight if Joel Dreessen's TD catch hadn't been nullified by Kevin Walter's alleged offensive pass interference. As we saw in Tennessee, Schaub will put points on the board for this team if he's given time to throw. His greatest flaw is not his durability. It's his inability to play defensive back.

2. Kevin Walter makes this offense so much better that it's not even funny. He did a tremendous job adjusting his routes whenever Schaub got in trouble, and he works the middle of the field better than any receiver the Texans have ever had. Most importantly, he showed no signs of that tweaked hamstring.

3. As I texted BFD during the game, how is it that Jacoby Jones' hands can be so sure at WR yet such a liability in the return game? I know he didn't put the ball on the ground yesterday, but what does it say about your return man when every fan in the stands is praying that the ball will go over his head on every kick?

4. What was the general consensus on Kasey Studdard's first start? Overall, I thought the offensive line did a solid job in pass protection and a decent (as in, it got better as the game progressed) job run blocking. Although I was nervous about Studdard's debut, Schaub stayed upright for the overwhelming majority of the game and didn't appear to take many hits, so does Studdard get a passing grade?

5. I remain as perplexed as ever about Steve Slaton. While he looked better than he has all season, had a couple of 10+ yard runs, and a made monstrous 22 yard catch on third down late in the third quarter in what was easily his best game of the young season, Slaton still appears to be bracing for first contact whenever he takes a hand-off, which is something I don't recall him doing last year. Whatever the cause of his struggles, said problem(s) render Slaton, and to a large extent the running game, a total afterthought in the red zone. If the Texans were inside Jacksonville's 20, Slaton wasn't getting the ball.

6. Was it just me, or did Andre Johnson once again seem to go way too long between targets?

7. Owen Daniels already has the same number of TDs in 2009 that he had in all of 2008. He and his agent have to be rather pleased with that. Quick...someone check his Facebook to see if he's expressed that glee in print.

8. Helluva call by Kyle Shanahan to run K-Dub on 4th and 1. No one saw that coming.

And that's enough praise. On to the other side of the ball...BFD already did yeoman work pointing out the myriad inadequacies of the defense, so I'm going to do my best not to repeat him. Bear with me.

9. Words cannot describe how much the Houston secondary sucks. They do not cover, and they do not tackle. Fred Bennett might as well have a bullseye on his back, and I'd be even more down on him if not for this FanPost making such a convincing case that Bennett is merely the unfortunate whipping boy of a doomed scheme. Right or wrong, however, watching him get attacked did bring back memories of how Petey Faggins virtually sported a neon flashing "THROW HERE!" in place of a number during his tenure with the Texans.

10. The safety play simply cannot get any worse. I now wonder whether Eugene Wilson and his appallingly deficient counterpart should just line up a few steps inside the pylons before every snap.

11. Dunta Robinson made two (2) big-time plays on Sunday--he had a great deflection, and he had that strip of Sims-Walker late in the fourth. He still prefers diving at ankles to wrapping up, and his overall play continues to make me think that he'll never get anywhere close to the deal he turned down from the Texans from any other team this off-season. In that regard: Good news, Dunta. Keep it up and there's no way the Texans will franchise you again.

12. Brian Cushing continues to show he has a real nose for the ball. Unless David Garrard has the ball, in which case he freezes and lets Garrard waltz into the end zone untouched. Lest anyone think I'm being unfair in that assessment, I'll readily admit that Garrard was almost certainly in regardless of how Cushing reacted, due to the wide swath of open field and the complete absence of any help on that side of the field. But Cushing did freeze, and he didn't lay a finger on Garrard as he crossed the goal line despite appearing to be in position to pop him.

13. Staying on Garrard--his stats were totally pedestrian, but watching the game, I would've sworn he had much better numbers. It seemed like he made a play every time one needed to be made.

14. The numbers make a pretty damning case for Frank Bush being a bad defensive coordinator with a bad scheme. After being subjected to Richard Smith's virulent opposition to the concept of blitzing for three (3) years, I love that Bush seems committed to sending more than his four linemen after the QB. What I don't love is that bringing that additional pressure leaves the middle of the field wide open and further exploits a terrible secondary. Whereas I once thought that blitzing would buttress a crappy secondary (e.g., the QB has less time to throw and thus the DBs don't have to cover as long), I'm now forced to question that stance. Then again, if you don't blitz, you're asking a pathetic secondary to cover their assignments even longer, and you know that isn't going to work. Bush seems damned if he does and damned if he doesn't in that respect, doesn't he?

15. No matter how much you might blame Frank Bush for the atrocities his defense has visited upon us the last three weeks, you cannot blame him for the lack of talent, especially in the secondary. There's not a DB on the roster who would start for a good NFL team.

16. There will be a separate post concerning what happened during the last four minutes and twenty-five seconds of the game, and I should have it up sometime tomorrow (Tuesday). Here's a teaser: I found Gary Kubiak's strategy so amazingly poor that I lost my mind during the end and immediately after the game. Now, more than 24 hours later, that emotion has crystallized into the first real, sustaining doubt I've ever had about whether Gary Kubiak should be coaching your Houston Texans.

Dear Richard Smith: All is Forgiven

bigfatdrunk — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:16:10 -0000

Err, OK, not really. But after three games, it's starting to look like our defense is regressing under Frank Bush. I see little reason for optimism defensively. The problem isn't just that the defense is bad. We are horribly, comically, and historically bad.

After today's effort, the defense is allowing 436 yards per game. To put this in current context, the 2008 Detroit Lions gave up 404 yards/game. You have to go back to 1950 to find a team as helpful defensively as your 2009 Houston Texans. The 1950 Colts allowed 450 yards/game, an ignominious record still well within our reach. (Note: If anybody knows of a database I can drop into Excel, please let me know.)

Let's look at the teams we've played: New York Jets, Tennessee BE-SFs, and Jacksonville Jaguars. In games NOT against us, these teams have averaged 242, 260, and 300 yards/game, respectively. This would rank them all in the bottom nine offensively. Yet, our defense has managed to turn them all into the New Orleans Saints. What the hell are teams like Arizona, Buffalo, Cincinnati, and for the love of Durga, Indianapolis going to do to us? You know, those with actually decent offenses.

And it's not like we're making up for our new "aggressive" defense by creating more turnovers or sacks. We've created only three turnovers this year (no, I don't count the Kerry Collins gimme fumble). Worst of all, and something Frank Bush and Bill Kollar were supposed to specifically solve, we have created one sack. One.

There is plenty of blame to go around. Dunta Robinson and especially Fred Bennett have been off-the-charts bad. At best, our safety play has been dog shit. And there's no logical reason to believe any of these guys are reliable tacklers. Our LB play has been equally poor. We are susceptible in the short and intermediate passing plays, and that we've given up a number of huge runs is a direct indictment of their play (and play-calling). We need to give Antonio Smith the number 98 and just be done with it. Connor Barwin, for all the hype and expectations, has a grand total of one solo and one assist.

Not even Mario is immune. Teams have learned he has one move, a speed move upfield, and they are taking advantage of his losing containment. And Busing and Cushing and Diles and Robinson, for that matter. Our complete ignorance of talent at safety and NT is killing us.

Offensively, wow. There really aren't enough superlatives to go around. Kevin Walter's 2009 debut was a grand success. When you consider his pass-catching, run blocking, and his new-found rushing skills, my goodness. I had been lukewarm on re-signing him, but he's a truly special player. Kasey Studdard's play is worrisome, but we did a fine job protecting Teh Schaub all game. One of his two sacks was just poor decision-making on Schaub's part.

Hell, Kubiak even won his first ever challenge!

I know a couple people believe we didn't deserve to win the game. But the fact is we are an offensive force. That, alone, keeps us in games.

This is a team of extremes, and it makes the whole experience frustrating. And bi-polar. Roller coaster. Nauseating. DisplacedTexan killing. And kinda fun. At times, it's like watching a real-life version of Tecmo Bowl, and both teams have Bo Jackson.

Unless we make massive changes defensively, and we simply don't have the personnel or, obviously, coaching talent to do so, I suggest we just enjoy the fireworks. At this rate, this will be Gary Kubiak's last season. Somebody will have to take the blame for the team's lack of defensive preparedness...and just the fact we hired Frank Bush. We are blessed with an offense that's a blast to watch (unless we are playing a 3-4 defense with a capable NT). Because of this, we'll win a couple of games, so let's enjoy what we have.

Thursday Thoughts: On Fines, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, And The Like

Tim — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:04:48 -0000

First off...whew. As great as it's been basking in that victory over Tennessee, a small part of me was just waiting for the other shoe, in the form of suspensions, to drop. Freaking fantastic to see that your Houston Texans will not be without the services of the best wide receiver on the planet. In a related story, freaking terrifying to see that your Houston Texans will not be without the services of quite possibly the shakiest return man in the NFL.

I've given some more thought to the idea of an offensive line without Chester Pitts, and I'm getting increasingly concerned about it. First and foremost, you have to feel for Pitts. Dude has never missed a start and now, on the cusp of free agency, he goes down and undergoes a procedure that isn't exactly conducive to bouncing back, much less bouncing back and getting big dollars on the free agent market. We've seen a version of this song before; remember Fred Weary and his broken leg? While Chester Pitts may not ever take the field as a Texan again, I'm going to be rooting for him to make it back from this injury somewhere.

In terms of how Pitts' absence affects the Texans on the field, I'm perturbed. Kasey Studdard has shown flashes of competence in the limited time he's seen the field, but you have to wonder if he's ready for the increased responsibility and wearing a bullseye for opposing defenses. And I say that as someone who absolutely loved the Studdard pick back in '07. I'm hopeful he steps in and the OL doesn't miss a beat, but Pitts is leaving fairly big shoes to fill. Pitts made it that much harder for defenses to blow up the left side of the line, and that's HUGE, considering Duane Brown isn't exactly a ten-year starter. It's going to be on Eric Winston, Chris Myers, Mike Brisiel and, most importantly, Alex Gibbs, to cover for Studdard during the transition. If Studdard can't get the job done, Antoine Caldwell or Chris White had better be ready to go.

From a long-term standpoint, Pitts' injury could feasibly benefit the Texans. The Texans get to see if Studdard can be a viable solution at guard, and presumably Caldwell should get some more work as well. The stars were aligning for the Texans to have a very hard decision to make about Pitts at the end of the season. Now, the decision, at least football-wise, would appear to be much easier. For the purpose of putting the best team out there this year, though? Little doubt the Texans suffered a sizable blow in Nashville a few days ago.

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 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!!!