I acknowledge that this is a post about a list of players who will likely never don a Houston Texans uniform, because if you haven't already heard, our front office isn't exactly the type to go out and spend big bucks on free agents. Unless we're talking about FA defensive linemen who love to jump offsides and rip teammates helmets off, the only exception to the rule.

In all seriousness, I think there's a chance that this is the one off-season where Smithiak sets their eyes on some higher profile free agents than usual, given that  they surely realize that if the defense performs at or near the same level they did last year, they likely won't have their jobs. Bob McNair also might want to ease some of the heat the fan base has thrown in his direction for retaining Kubiak by bringing in a big name FA. Again, as unlikely as it is, if there's ever a year we see the Texans make a FA splash, this is it.

The establishment of a new CBA will obviously have a huge impact on free agency and when/how we're allowed to pursue players, but for fun, and mostly to serve as an informative exercise as to who MIGHT be available, I'll be detailing potential options for you, with posts being separated by positions of need. Positions like running back and quarterback obviously won't be touched on, even if you think Matt Schaub needs to go.

With all the attention being given to Nnamdi Asomugha and the Raiders front office that makes ours look holy, I'll start with cornerbacks on the market this year. Note that the analysis of the players that I provide is a compilation of what I think is the consensus surrounding that player from various NFL sites around the web, since I don't have time to watch every NFL game ever. Or, I do, but I'm too lazy. Also, be sure to check out Chris' similarly themed post over at HDH. He's much smarter than me. Now jump, you fool.

Continue reading this post »

I made a vow after the Ravens game that I wouldn't watch a single additional Texans game this season. That didn't work out at all, much to the dismay of my poor heart. I'll summarize the games and this season with an appropriate quote from my English teacher right before my final, the day after the most recent Monday Night disaster:  "I stayed up all night to watch that crap." Well said, teacher, well said.

With that, let's take a peek into the not-so-near 2011 season (because really, what else can we do at this point?). There is a major concern I have regarding the team that I feel has been somewhat ignored or overlooked by Texans' nation since the untimely event occurred: the injury of DeMeco Ryans. Now that you know (because I wasn't expecting you to figure it out from the title) what the subject of the post is, you have two options. Option 1 is to jump. Option 2 is to jump.

Continue reading this post »

Since I have no ability to write any sort of substantive post about the Texans without external aid, I've resorted to video games as my answer. Correct, I will be writing about staring mindlessly at a T.V. screen. Don't lie to yourself; you do it everyday.

Most video gamers who have any interest in football own a copy of Madden. Most likely, multiple copies from the past four years or so since the game hit the next generation consoles. While not truly realistic in its presentation, it's the closest thing to putting yourself in the shoes of Andre Johnson. Or, as you'll soon find out, Dorin Dickerson.

What better way to predict the Texans weekly match-ups than through Madden? This is the first of what I hope to be a weekly fixture of pre-game predictions from the holy game itself. Today's game is of course against the Redskins.

Here's a quick snapshot of the system preferences I play on.

System: X-Box 360 (forgot to turn on HD for this game, my apologies)

Game: Madden 10 (fear not friends, updated rosters are in place)

Difficulty: All-Pro (seriously, All-Madden is ridiculous)

Quarter Length: 6 minutes (much longer than you think for those non-Madden fans reading this)

Take the morning jump to find out how we fare against the ones they call the Redskins (hint: crush)

Continue reading this post »

Well, this is just as much a bummer today as it was yesterday. Ben Tate will undergo surgery for his severe ankle injury, one that he suffered in yesterdays game against the Cardinals.

Part of the reason this one hurts a little more than others, aside from the obvious on-the-field impact, is Tate's personality. He's a studious player who seems to commit himself fully to the sport. I distinctly remember him turning down an offer to go to a party soon after he was drafted so that he could be in tip-top shape for OTAs (I might have been doing a little Facebook stalking). You don't always see that kind of dedication from players who haven't even stepped on the field. Not only that, but he's very accessible to fans. Leave him a note on Facebook and he might even get back to you. Kerns managed to get a hold of him twice. Speaking of, Kerns has this thing for Tate...

Assuming this is a multi-month injury (according to Kubiak, a timetable for return should be released tomorrow), it's a pretty significant blow to the Texans' backfield. Not only was a second-round pick the highest the franchise had ever used on a tailback, but Tate was supposed to, at the very least, be the answer to the short-yardage, goal-line situation problems that plagued the team last year. That won't be happening. The backfield situation now looks like a combination of mostly Arian Foster, some Steve Slaton (though we know how much Kubes hates fumbles) and whoever can win the battle between Jeremiah Johnson (a former love-child of Kerns) and Chris Henry (former BE-SF, which says all you need to know about him). That's certainly not a bad group, but it has no clear-cut back who can punch it through in tough yardage situations around the goal-line. Kubiak conceded the team will probably look at the free agent market for possible answers. Bring back Chris Brown? Just kidding. Don't ban me. Too late? OK.

Sources close to the situation (i.e., Tim) have confirmed that Kerns has been taken off suicide watch now that the injury isn't necessarily season-ending. To cope with the situation he's put Tate's two carries on repeat and is currently on his 540th view, box of napkins at his side.

We should get more information on the situation tomorrow so keep your eyes glued.

UPDATE: The Chronicle is reporting Tate will definitely be placed on injured reserve. This is Pankcakes reporting though, so take it with a grain of salt. Nothing on that side of the story has come out from the Texans' official website. Stay tuned.

Maybe it's because I was compared to an alleged rapist, or perhaps my recent run of awesome movies (Gone Baby Gone being the latest and no, this doesn't relate at all) has inspired me, or maybe I just miss writing on here, but I have the urge to do so. And finally, after a conversation with one of my good buddies, Aaron (I Love You, Man?), I have an interesting and fun topic to play around with, that being the contract drama many teams find themselves caught up in.

I'll preface by saying there won't be much Texans-related analysis involved since the likelihood of any of these players becoming a part of or affecting the team's season is less than 2%. However, these should serve as playful "what if" trade scenarios in your mind and at the very least bring you up to the speed with the latest disgruntled player news in the NFL (really, does that list ever end?). Take the jump. Do it.

Continue reading this post »

Sorry Tim, your titles are just too good to even attempt to match. My solution is to steal them.

I was actually excited when we drafted Sherrick McManis for a couple reasons. First, he has a sweet name. Second, he goes to Northwestern. I like NU. Third, he plays at a position that the Texans need help with and he has potential to help elsewhere (after the jump). So I headed over to Sippin' On Purple, NU's SB Nation blog to search for more in-depth analysis on the newest (and only?) Texan from Northwestern. Rodger Sherman, an avid NU fan, was awesome enough to give me his thoughts on McManis' potential with the Texans; specifically his ability to play safety. Needless to say, I'm sold on this pick now.

Continue reading this post »

One of the problems I have with how people receive mock drafts is that they take them too seriously. After reading five different unqualified mock drafts from their google searches, people believe they have a general idea about where corners should go and who should be taken in what spot ahead of which player.

I'm not saying mock drafts should be banned or that one should discontinue seeking them out. What I am saying, however, is that people need to keep perspective with these things. Just because a couple people who use other mock drafts and so-called analysts to model their own say Kareem Jackson is a second round pick does not mean Kareem Jackson is a second round pick. It means some people think he is.

It's very easy to throw out the phrase "In Smithiak We Trust" and attempt to use that to justify the reasoning behind a Texans draft pick these days. It's easy, because well, it's true. We hated the Cushing pick because we felt like Clay Matthews was better; that's what the mock drafts and analysts told us. They told us he was more fluid, a better fit for a system, a more natural football player. Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak believed otherwise, and they were right. They have a magnificent track record with draft picks, aside from a few missteps here and there, and that point has been stressed around here for a while now.

After reading through many of the comments on the official pick thread, I get the feeling that a large majority of the BRB faithful are upset with the choice to take Jackson over Kyle Wilson and Devin McCourty. I get it. Kyle Wilson was projected higher in nearly every single mock draft. The same goes for McCourty. It is no coincidence that those two players were the most coveted by us here versus a guy who was projected by some to go in the second round. That is irrelevant though, because the guys up front who spent two months researching day in and day out believed Jackson was a better fit for the team than either of those two players (or anyone else still on the board at that point). That is the ultimate indicator of whether or not this was a good pick as we analyze it for the time being (obviously, the actual playing will be the only indicator as time moves on).

No, we as fans should not put blind faith in every single decision made by management. That isn't my point either. There does, however, have to be more trust than I feel we showed through comments last night (forgive me if I'm looking too much into that, but with comments like "WHAT A F****** REACH" summing up the general vibe of the posts, I feel it's a point that needs to be stressed once more). Smith and Kubiak know what they're doing. They have made mistakes, but the large majority of their decisions have been solid to great. We should give them the benefit of the doubt and not be quick to label the pick as a reach or a mistake based on others available at the time. Simply put, we do not know nearly as much about any player in the entire NFL draft than those two and the rest of the Texans front office.

End of rant and more on the actual pick itself after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

You wanted real competition for Kris Brown? You got it. Neil Rackers, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, is now a member of your Houston Texans, according to Adam Shefter.

The deal is for two years with a total of $4.1 million available to Rackers, but only $350K of it guaranteed, which means he can easily be cut if he bombs training camp and the pre-season.

I'm a big fan of this deal. After the horrendous kicking display Brown put on last season, he needs a guy like Rackers to breathe down his neck before the season. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rackers wins an open competition between the two.

Last year, Rackers hit 16 of 17 field goals, going 4/4 from 20-29 yards out, 6/6 from 30-39, and 6/7 from 40-49. Compare that to Brown (21/32 overall, 11/13 from 20-29, 6/9 from 30-39, 2/6 from 40-49, 2/4 from 50 out) and we have ourselves a winner. The only knock on Rackers is his inconsistency in the playoffs. He missed an easy kick from extra point range against the Packers in round one, and botched two vs. the Saints in the conference semifinals. In his defense, he was playing with a groin injury which, regardless of my lack of medical expertise, seems like an injury that would affect any kicker. And besides, it's not like Brown fared much better in similar situations. At all.

It's probably also a good idea to get to the playoffs before worrying about our kickers botching late post-season field goal situations.

Not much Texans related news today, so I'll quickly shower you with some random links.

Tony Pauline of SI breaks down the DB performances at the combine. Notably, Earl Thomas did very well for himself by weighing in at 208 pounds, while also reiterating the belief that he's a ballhawk in position drills. On the flip side, Joe Haden's poor 40 time (4.58 range) could cause him to slip. Malcolm Jenkins, who was widely considered to be the top cornerback heading into the draft last year, had a similar 40 time and slipped all the way to 14th where the Saints grabbed him. Interesting to look back and note that Jenkins was picked one slot before the Texans took Brian Cushing. If the Saints had taken a player other than either of those two, the Texans would have had to decide between Jenkins and Cush man. Given the controversy surrounding D-Rob at the time (he was in the process of threatening to hold out), would the Texans have taken Jenkins had he fallen? I for one am glad things worked out the way they did.

Pat Kirwan of NFL.com put out his first mock draft of the off-season. He has Thomas, who many are hoping the Texans pick to shore up their free safety issues, off the board at #12 to the Dolphins, who are in desperate need of a playmaking safety. Kirwan has the Texans taking Boise State CB Kyle Wilson. Here's Rivers' take on him from his time at the Combine.

Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State: Wilson praised his brother a lot of this press conference, and said he'd helped him get into college football by sending a recruiting video to all the top 50 teams.  He thought that "level of competition" between BCS auto-bid conferences and non-auto-bid conferences was pretty negligible.  Wilson thought his time in the WAC, playing against all those spread offenses, will help him in the NFL.

Considering our CB situation (Brice McCain is our third corner as of today), I wouldn't mind a CB such as Wilson. He seems like a fairly good playmaker (five interceptions his junior year) with solid coverage skills.

Kirwan also lists his top 50 free agents of this off-season. Of those of potential interest to the Texans (though really, who has any idea), Thomas Jones is fourth, Ryan Clark is eighth, and Leigh Bodden is thirteenth. Oh, and there's that Dunta Robinson guy. He sounds pretty familiar. He's seventh. If I had it my way, he wouldn't be on this list.

Have a great day everyone.

Paul Kuharsky thinks the Texans should look into the idea of bringing in Thomas Jones.. Jones' past two years in the league have been pretty awesome. In 2008 he rushed for 1,312 yards at a 4.5 YPC clip, with 13 TDs. This past season Jones managed 1,402 rushing yards and 14 TDs. Looks like an easy decision, right?

Problem is, Jones is going to be 32 in August. How he's managed to hold up these past two seasons at the time most running backs empirically fall off is a testament to his work effort, but how long can he keep this up? We need not go into the statistics of how many 30+ year old running backs have failed once they hit that age. Been there done that. Kuharsky, however, does bring out an interesting statistic.

In 148 NFL games over 10 years, he’s averaged 17.4 touches on offense.

It's still a decent number of touches, but not nearly the same amount that the heavy workload backs get. Still, since 2005, Jones has gotten less than 295 carries just once (2008). It may seem redundant to keep bringing up the age, but 32 is a scary number to have attributed to a starting back, not to mention he'd be coming from a pretty solid run-blocking line with the Jets to a unit that performed very inconsistently here in Houston. Also, Jones would be a stop-gap solution at best and it might be better to develop the young guys now rather than later. I'd look elsewhere unless his price tag drops an incredible amount.

More good guy stuff. Love Amobi Okoye, love the group of guys we have on our team right now.

I value Tim's opinion. Evan Higgins does not. At all. Now, I've never been introduced to Mr. Higgins' writings before, nor do I hang around the bleacher report all that much. I hold no disrespect towards Mr. Higgins even if I may disagree with him on some things here and there. However, this article was too good to pass up. And by good I mean, what the f*** is he smoking?

Continue reading this post »

No need to post the news regarding Dunta Robinson. What's done is done. My lasting memory of Robinson will be the embedded videos along with the energy he provided to the crowd and team when he returned from a devastating injury in 2008 against the Lions. Yes, the "Pay Me, Rick" escapade and general douchiness this past off-season does stand out, but I prefer to remember the good times for now.

Ah, who am I kidding? F*** Dunta.

Best wishes to Kubes as he recovers from nose surgery. Unfortunately, he won't be able to participate at the combine, but I can imagine all he's doing these days is watching game tape of potential draftees in his bedroom.

Great story on Mario Williams. Super Mario is one of four players in the entire league who will travel to Asia to meet with U.S. troops. It's great to see stories like this in which players, regardless of monetary income, still support family members and others less fortunate than them, which is what he's doing with his sister-in-law and outside organizations.

Also, great thing the Texans have going on in regards to food contribution. For every sack the Texans managed last season, $1000 was allocated to food for less fortunate people in the Houston area.

Dunta Robinson Return (via Carr2Johnson)

Dunta INT vs Steve Smith (via PaulChildres)

That's right, fellas. You thought it/I was gone. It and I are both back. Whether that's a good or bad thing (probably bad), I leave it up to you to decide.

With that I bring you... the return of Down 'N Dirty: the most awesome daily links compilation in Texans blogosphere history! The boring off-season beckons for me.

If only there were any interesting links to share. As the days go by and the draft nears ever closer they will come, but for now we're stuck with little to nothing to work with. Here goes.

Owen Daniels had an interview with Sporting News writer Vinnie Iyer recently. This normally wouldn't mean much, especially since the interview doesn't shed light on any new information. However, take note that the interviewer is an Indian. Represent.

James Casey did a nice deed and chatted with some fans for Texans.com yesterday. Congratulations to Thor on his soon-to-be son. Dickie Justice (Age 12) also did a piece on him, but I won't link to it. Just because.

Some draft news! Mike Mayock, who is widely believed to be one of the best draft analysts out there (and my personal favorite), has his updated list of top draft prospects up. Interesting to note that he has Earl Thomas ranked ahead of Eric Berry for the top safety position. Chris' awesome Mock Draft Tracker shows the mocks have Thomas going to us 34% of the time.

And with that, I end our first Down 'N Dirty of the year. Obviously necessary poll attached.

There's so much discussion to be had over the multitude of playoff scenarios surrounding the Texans and frankly... I want no more of it. My head is still reeling from the fact that we beat the Rams by just three points and adding complex statistics to the fray doesn't help. With that I turn to a bit of an off-topic discussion, though one that is still relevant to the team's near future.

Steve Slaton.

No, I'm not going to put on my nonexistent analyst hat to try and dissect what the hell happened to him this year, because that's already been done by people much smarter than me. I'll only briefly recap the many theories for the sharp drop-off in production from a once rookie sensation to sophomore slumper. The problem isn't figuring out his problem(s); it's what to do with them/him.

Continue reading this post »

I am quite possibly one of the least creative people on the planet. "Day [insert number] Recap Ediiton" again?

I love me some training camp fights! Yes, if anyone was seriously injured I would not love them, but fights such as the one that broke out between DeMeco Ryans and Jeremy Shockey can be entertaining. Ryans put the b*tch in his place. For that alone he deserves a new contract.

One look at the picture accompanying this article, and you may begin to lick your chops at the thought of the defensive line this season. Frank Okam looks like he means some serious business. I don't know what it has been that has made him so commited this off-season. Even at Texas he had a reputation for being boom on one play and bust on the next. That certainly continued over into his first professional season (though there were never any booms). This year, though he still has his moments of inconsistency, he has lowered his weight and shown increased ability to disrupt the quarterback. Keep it up, big guy.

Amobi Okoye recently sat down for an interview with team reporters. I'll touch on the on the interesting material in the quotes section.

Richard Justice thinks the Texans will make the playoffs. We're doomed.

Here's yesterday's recap from the Chronicle and the team website. Drew Brees made his first appearance against the Texans yesterday. It's unfortunate the defense did not get to work against him more during the joint practice, as he truly is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Glover Quin and Brice McCain are still staging an intense battle for the nickel corner spot. There is no clear cut favorite at this point, both have been outstanding thus far.

And now the best quotes of the day:

"I thought we were a bit sluggish, to be honest with you. We need to pick up the tempo. And we will." - Gary Kubiak

"I thought we were sharp and crisp in what were doing. Guys were getting into it mentally." - Matt Schaub

It's probably not a good thing when your starting quarterback and head coach are on different ends of the spectrum regarding practice. Still, it's nothing to be concerned about. It's natural for a coach to expect the best out of his team and rarely be satisfied.

Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston watched his teammates get into six fights with the Saints in the morning practice. He compared it to a movie but not Fight Club.

 

"It was very Gangs of New York-esque," he said. - John McClain

Sorry, BFD. You were close.

Last year, I had a good, decent year for a second-year player. I just didn't have the expected year that I wanted, and so definitely there's always going to be pressures to be better." - Amobi Okoye

Wait a second? Amobi calls one sack and 24 tackles "decent" for a sophomore? Please, raise your expectations.

(on who will be playing on Saturday night) "We'll just up the ones. They'll basically play about a quarter-and-a-half of the game, then the twos will play about a quarter-and-a-half and then the threes will finish the game. Play count's probably going to be somewhere around 25 for the first group." - Gary Kubiak

Starters should be out there a little longer this game. Still, the backups are always the focus point of intense fans in the pre-season and they will continue to be.

(on if RB Arian Foster will play) "Well, I saw how he looked this morning, and he looked like he was OK. Obviously, he's missed a lot of time, so we'll see how he comes out of today and if he's fine, then I'd like to play him." - Kubiak

Foster needs to play in his first game on Saturday. It will be a huge step for him to be healthy enough to participate. It's time for him to prove why he believes he should be the backup running back. The way Chris Brown has looked so far, he's quickly running out of time.

(on LB Brian Cushing) "You know what, he's doing really well. He ran yesterday a little bit, I don't know if y'all have watched him. It's my understanding he ran a little bit today. He's on schedule; we don't have any doubts that he'll be ready to go opening week. Do we play him in the preseason next week or Tampa Bay? I think that's still up in the air. Our target date is to make sure he's ready to go against the Jets." - Kubiak

Given his injury history, I wouldn't want to jeaporadize his regular season by playing him too early. However, he's progressed quickly and could be back earlier than we expected.

(on what happened between he and Shockey) "Oh, he just got to pushing and shoving on a little pass play, and I told my defensive guys that we're not going to just let them come into our house and think they can take over when they come to Houston. This is our house, and we had to let them know that, and we get a chance to do that again on Saturday." - DeMeco Ryans

Where's his money?

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 defense 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.

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!!!

The wait is over! Eric Winston has a new video blog out. In it, he discusses the botched play that led to a sack of Matt Schaub in the first pre-season game. He chalks the play up to a good play by the defense. He also had some praise to dish out to the running game as well as some of the young rookies on the defensive side of the ball.

With the loss of Boomer Grigsby, the Texans have turned to James Casey to fill in as the backup fullback. Ideally, Casey would be entrenched in one position (tight end), but we all know just how versatile Casey is when it comes to positions on the field. The man will do whatever is asked to him. Replacement for Dunta Robinson, anyone? No? OK. Regardless, it'll be interesting to see how Casey performs in the backfield and what type of blocking ability he provides from that area. It's just one more aspect of the game to focus on come Saturday against the Saints.

Antwuan Molden is finally back. After a rookie season that was derailed early due to an ankle injury and a nine month rehab process, Molden is finally back on the field participating in drills. His return cannot be understated. He may be behind both Brice McCain and Glover Quin on the depth chart as of now, but he flashed serious potential his rookie year and was a special teams star. If he progresses at all from his play last year he could make a late push for the nickel corner job. The race could turn out much more interesting than it already was between just McCain and GQ. The team plans to ease Molden into the lineup slowly, but he is certainly someone to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Khary Campbell, formerly of the Washington Redskins, is your newest Houston Texan. With Brian Cushing, Xavier Adibi, Zac Diles, and Cato June all slowed by injuries, Campbell should fill in as a camp body. Though the player  was unknown at the time, you had to expect this one to be coming given the injury situation.

The uniform combinations for 2009 have been released! Battle Red Day is much earlier this year than last, coming in the third game of the season against Jacksonville. Also, as Chris noted, that day will no longer consist of red on white, but rather red on red. I'd prefer we save the red on red for night games on national television. Other than that small quip, the combinations seem solid. Another great season of... uniforms.

Here's the day's recap from the Chronicle and the Texans' website. Nothing too special or extraordinary happened, but there were some good jokes dished out by Frank Okam and Gary Kubiak, which we'll get to in a second.

And now for the best quotes of the day:

(on the plan for the starters' reps for the coming week) "We'll up the reps. We came out of the game with our first-team offense playing 18 snaps. Our first-team defense only played 10, so they got a little bit out of whack. But we'll definitely pick it up, probably start with the idea of a quarter-and-a-half for the first group and go from there." - Gary Kubiak

We'll get to see Schaub and the first team offense pick up from where they left of last week - a perfect 7-7 throwing the ball. Also, this could be an opportunity for a bounce-back game from Steve Slaton.

(on DT Frank Okam's approval that his comment came from an Aggie to a Longhorn) "That's what I told him. I don't give out those attaboys very often, especially to a Longhorn, but he and (G) Kasey (Studdard) earned a couple of them. I told him that those last about as long as a butt chewing, not long, so get back out there and keep doing it." - Kubes

Bye, Travis Johnson.

(on DT Frank Okam's recent performance) "Frank was impressive in the game. Played a lot of plays. I told the team this morning, you're starting to see young veteran backup players starting to play like they belong on the field a lot. We're talking about a (G Kasey) Studdard or a (C) Chris (White) or a Frank or a (DT) DelJuan (Robinson), and that's important for our team. So it's a big step forward for Frank." - Kubes

No, seriously, pack up TJ.

(on the status of DT Travis Johnson) "He's upping his work this week. He's working with (defensive line coach) Bill (Kollar) after practice, doing more, so that'll be our schedule with him this week, and we'll see."

Don't even attempt a comeback. You're done, man.

(on having three quarterbacks on the roster during the season) "Well, it's like I told ya'll, from what I've been through the last two years, I would like to, but I'm not going to keep three guys just to have three bodies. Whoever that guy is, I'm going to have to feel good about (him) playing. We have a long way to go. We'll see how that pans out here in the next few weeks, but I'm not just going to keep three guys to keep bodies around." - Kubes

I think it's safe to say Kubiak is on the verge of trashing the three quarterback experiment after Sexy Rexy's bomb on his first play in the Chiefs game.

(on getting K Kris Brown and RB Chris Brown's names mixed up) "Between he and Kris? Oh, it's very difficult. Many times, someone says ‘Chris Brown came up to your office' and I'll get the wrong Chris Brown. So just tell me kicker or back and you can usually find them." - Kubes, again

Hah.

(on his weight compared to last year) "It's close to the same. It's about 335 pounds, just put in better places. I'm a little quicker and a little more solid. I'm stronger and I'm faster, so I think that'll pay dividends this year." - Frank Okam

I think BFD might have just passed out laughing.

You know, there's something cool about Andre Johnson's demeanor. Yeah, he's quiet, but it's a cool quiet. I can't quite point out what exactly it is.  I can't imagine him being the guy to entertain a group of friends for hours upon end, but I do think hanging out with him would be a cool experience. What am I saying? No idea. Check out his all access video.

Not many links today, unfortunately, aside from the usual practice recaps. Speaking of, here's the Chronicle's as well as the team website's. It's good to hear that Eugene Wilson is backing up a solid end to last season with an impressive training camp. You had to question how much of an impact he could make when he came to the Texans, but he's really solidified himself as the starting free safety of the team since his arrival. The real big news from the day came from the announcement that Brice McCain, a sixth round pick, would start opposite Fred Bennett for the pre-season opener against the Chiefs. McCain has been the most impressive corner at camp so far, even holding his own (if that's even possible) with Andre Johnson on some occassions. He's one of the, if not the, fastest players on the team and some thought his immediate contributions would be in the return game. Few could have foreseen this from the speedy corner out of Utah.

Here are the best quotes of day 13:

Second-year cornerback Antwaun Molden, who is on the physically unable to perform list while he recovers from foot surgery in December, improves every day. He could come off PUP as early as next week, or the Texans could wait until the week after. He stays after practice every day to work by himself. It’s against the rules for him to practice with his teammates. - John McClain

It's good to see Molden on his way back to practices. He flashed some noteworthy skills last year around this time and was a force to be reckoned with on special teams before he injured his foot and ended up missing the last two games of the season. He could provide a boost to what is an otherwise depleted secondary with no Dunta Robinson and an injured Jacques Reeves.

(on the playing time schedule for Kansas City) "Our first group will probably play 12 to 15 snaps in the game. There are some guys in our first group, very young players, who will play more than that. They will play probably 20 to 25 snaps. Our twos will basically play the second and third quarters, then our threes will play the fourth quarter, so that's the way we go about it. There'll be an adjustment here or there." - Gary Kubiak

I know I'll be most looking forward to how the backups play. I'll be paying attention to the starters the most when the third game rolls around and they play for three quarters or so. Until then, young players such as Glover Quin or Dominique Barber will have my eye most of the time.

I'm excited to see how (DT) Amobi (Okoye) plays. I think he's had a great camp. I want to see how he plays those 15 snaps." - Kubes

Kubes seems genuinely excited about Amobi's progress thus far. It looks like he's really moved on from last season's troubles and evolved into the playmaker he was his rookie year. Let's hope he continues to improve, as he is an integral part of the upcoming season.

Also, check out Chris' analysis of Kubiak's quotes. He's much better at this gig than I am. Have a good Friday all and be sure to be a part of the gamethread here tomorrow.

Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that I believed Dwayne Bowe was the "best receiver not known" in the NFL. Without a doubt, I'd place Kevin Walter second on that short list. Though it certainly helps playing alongside the most talented (OK, OK, maybe Calvin Johnson is better on a pure talent base), hard working receiver in all of football, Walter has really come into his own as a receiver. When 'Dre missed seven games in 2007, Walter quietly put up 41 catches for 528, including a 12 catch, 160 yard performance against Jacksonville on the road. Sure, not the receiving numbers you'd expect out of a number one receiver in that situation, but for a number two thrown into the fray, it was an outstanding effort. Last year, "the unknown" compiled 60 receptions for 899 yards and eight touchdown catches. That, my friends, is what you call quality numbers from your second receiver. Unfortunately, as Tim alluded to, another spectacular year from Walter and he's probably gone. The team won't be able to support DeMeco Ryans, Owen Daniels, and Steve Slaton (if you think he's going a third year with his current contract, you're delusional) among others along with Walter. As much as I love Walter, one thing I'm going to have to question him about is his use of leg stockings. What sane man wears stockings in 90 degree heat?

James Casey put out another rookie diary. As usual, it's definitely worth your time to read. I'm curious to see the powerpoint that he and Anthony Hill put together.

Here's yesterday's practice recap from the Chronicle. John Busing has really made a name for himself this camp. According to reports, he's a big hitter who's beginning to show some coverage skills. I'm excited to see this guy play in the pre-season. Brice McCain has looked like the real deal so far. He's doing everything from covering Andre Johnson to making interceptions and batting down close passes. If he continues this, he could be much higher on the depth chart than anyone imagined.

And we move on to the most interesting quotes of the day:

(on why LB Kevin Bentley will move to Will instead of LBs Cato June or Xavier Adibi) "Well, Cato is hurt, too. Cato hasn't practiced in two days. His knee has been swelling up on him. We knew we were in a one-a-day mode with him, so that's the biggest reason right now." - Gary Kubiak

Still not sure of Kubiak's reasoning behind this one. Throughout camp we've heard about the battle that was taking place between Adibi and Diles for the WLB spot, and now Bentley is being moved ahead of Adibi as Diles is moved over to SAM? It doesn't make much sense.

Anthony is a great guy and he's a really good friend of mine, but it's a strange deal staying in a hotel with a guy and at the same time having a wife that's literally a mile-and-a-half or two miles away. But she still comes by, so when I have a little time off, I get to see her here and there. Like I said, it's a little strange, but you just have to go with the flow. - James Casey

Yeah, can't argue with Casey on that one. Anthony Hill = replacement wife? I don't think so.

We spent some time looking on the Internet, Googling images and putting together Houston Texans look-alikes as far as players, coaches and anybody we could think of. We got about 12 guys and put it on the slideshow. It went over really well. Everybody was clapping really hard, and we didn't get booed off the stage, thrown in a cold tub or taped to the field goal post or anything like that, so that was good - Thor

Any suggestions on who the pairs might have been?

The hardest hit of the day was turned in by 220-pound safety Brandon Harrison. When running back Ryan Moats came through the middle, Harrison was waiting for him. Even though they’re not supposed to tackle, Harrison took down Moats like it was regular season. - Anna-Megan Raley

Two more days. Two more days, damnit.

Better now than later? That's my first reaction to this predicament. Cushing's numerous injuries throughout college are well documented and that was certainly a major concern attributed to him heading into the draft. His senior year of high school, Cushing missed three games due to a similar ankle sprain. In both his freshman and junior campaigns in college, he managed to miss five games due to injury. It's been a recurring theme throughout his career and part of the reason why Tim hates him so dearly (though, that's only a minor factor).

So what exactly does this mean? In the immediate, obvious sense of things, Cushing will miss the first pre-season game and some valuable practice time. Kubiak's exact words on the subject were that he "will be out awhile". Kubes probably isn't up to date on the extent of the injury, as Cushing just recently took the MRI.

Long term, if this is the same type of injury that forced Cushing to miss three games in highschool, things could turn out a little more troublesome than expected. As much as Cushing has been praised throughout camp, he won't get much better by watching Zac Diles from the sidelines. It's essential that he's out there exercising the playbook and refining his technique. That being said, I have no doubt in my mind that he will do all in his power to get better even without playing... whatever that means.

We'll probably know more about the length of his abscense as the day progresses, so stay tuned. More likely than not given Cushing's injury riddled past, this could linger on into much of training camp.

Hey look, I'm on time today. What's that? I should be prompt everyday? No idea what you're talking about. I have to say, these titles are becoming even more bland by the day. Any suggestions for some new ones?

What defines an elite NFL quarterback? Elite stats, or elite leadership skills? Someone who leads the league in total yards, or someone who is average in that regard, but outstanding at motivating a team? In almost all cases, the quarterback that combines those two abilities is considered one of the best at his position. You'd be hard pressed to find a follower of the NFL who categorizes Rex Grossman or Michael Vick elite. Jeffri Chadiha and Kyle Shanahan agree with the assessment that "elite" involves not only the ability to rack up yards and points, but being competent enough to stay calm and guide a team to the playoffs. As has been said around here and by the players, it's playoffs or bust and if Schaub is at the helms of a post-season appearance, he'll have reached elite status in my book.

According to Gary Mihoces of USA Today, Andre Johnson still holds the title of "best receiver no one knows". I'm going to disagree with him and argue that 'Dre is pretty well recognized after his 115 catches, 1,575 yards season last year. Oh sure, Larry Fitzgerald is probably atop most fans lists of best receivers in the league, but I feel very confident in saying that those same people would undoubtedly have Johnson second. The whole "unkown star" persona is nice, but I think it's a bit misplaced at this point. And 'cmon, how could a commercial like this not coment your place in stardom? "Don't forget to stay hydrated." As for who does hold that prestigious title, I'll put my money with Dwayne Bowe, who the Texans corners will be forced to cover come the first pre-season game. Since the regular season is still a while away, I'm all for him proving me right.

Andre Caldwell loves to use the words "fast" and "faster". Seriously. How much would you be willing to bet that was the first word he ever muttered?

Here's a recap of yesterday's practice from the Chronicle and the Texans official website. The biggest news is that Dominique Barber was given first team reps over last year's starter, 34 year old Nick Ferguson. It's great to hear about the progress Barber is making as a former sixth round pick to potential starter, but it also speaks to the lack of quality depth at the position for the Texans. Depending on the play of the group this year, it could be a key point of interest next off-season.

And here we go with the most interesting quotes from yesterday's practice:

(on how DT Shaun Cody has played) "We've been impressed. He had really good OTAs with us. I like his quickness off the ball. And what we're trying to do with Shaun, it's about me practicing him the right way, keeping him off the turf, and I think he can contribute to this team a great deal." - Gary Kubiak

Could the team finally have legitamate depth on the defensive line for the upcoming season? If Cody continues to improve, he could be invaluable as a key rotational lineman. The Texans have never had consistent play from their backups, which will be needed in case Amobi Okoye's knee continues to derail his play.

(on LT Duane Brown's development as a player) "Yeah, he's a better player in year two than he was in year one. He's got to become one, because think about the guys he plays. You talk about (Kyle) Vanden Bosch and (Dwight) Freeney, those guys that he lines up against on a regular basis, he's got to work to a Pro Bowl-level player, so he's having a good camp. He's a better player this year than last year." - Kubes

If Brown really is meeting Kubiak's expectations of playing at a "pro bowl-level", he's certainly come along farther than expected in what is only his second training camp.

(on CBs Brice McCain and Glover Quin saying they're learning a lot from the receivers) "Yeah, well at the same time, we learn from them. We have our battles. Some battles are real physical and it just makes us better. Not only in knowing how to beat a guy and be wide open, but learning how to beat a guy when he's right on you. So we're out here just trying to make each other better and get ready for the Chiefs." - Andre Johnson

McCain and Quin have impressed greatly in camp, to both players and coaches. GQ's playmaking skills have been on display recently and if he keeps it up into the pre-season, Mr. Holdout will lose even more leverage on his contract. Even with the loss of Reeves for 6-8 weeks, he's still not in a position to demand more than what was offered to him previously. McCain has turned out to be an outstanding find in the sixth round so far.

Speaking of McCain...

(on ever being beat in a race) "I lost in a couple of track meets, but a track meet is different from a 40, that's a 100-yard dash. No, I never lost even in a street race." - McCain

Dude is quick.

(on if he's taken any grief about his commercial) "Everybody on the team was kind of messing with me about it. I think (FB) Vonta (Leach) and (G) Chester (Pitts) have probably given me the most hell about it. They were in practice yesterday reciting the whole commercial. So it's been fun. A lot of my friends have been calling me, texting me saying they've seen it. A lot of people were surprised that I did it. Everyone says that I don't talk and they were wondering what did they do to get me to talk that much on the commercial? It was a lot of fun." - 'Dre

This team is awesome.

Am I late? A little bit. OK, really late. Alarm problems? Hey, at least I'm here damnit. Let's ignore my tardiness and recap the day's links.

Andre Davis continues to impress in camp. Remember two seasons ago when Davis filled in for Andre Johnson's seven missed games to compile 33 receptions for 583 yards? That's a 17.7 yards per catch average. The man is a legitimate deep threat when healthy. Last year he was slowed down by injuries to his hand, but a recovered Davis adds another dimension to the Texans offense. Aside from Johnson, do you recall many deep downfield receptions last year? They were few and far between from the rest of the crew, but expect a change this year. He's also vying for punt return duties. He flashed game-changing explosiveness two years ago when he had three kick returns for touchdowns. Last year though, just like his receiving game, it was nonexistent. Needless to say, I'm excited about the prospects of a healthy Apostrophe.

And now for the best/most interesting quotes of the day:

(on the progress of DT Amobi Okoye) "Well, he's practicing better. The first few days, I didn't think he was himself, but then he settled down and practiced pretty darn good. Usually, with most players, that relates to how they play the game, so we'll see, but he's definitely going to get his time on Saturday night. But I like the camp he's having and I think he's been brought along the right way and he's having a good camp." - Gary Kubiak

Whew. I was worried about Manchild. Last year was horrendous to watch until the very end. He attributes the poor play to health, which is fine, as long as he's healthy this year. He looks to be on top of that now and he's showing flashes of the prowess he exhibited his rookie season. Awesome.

(on TE Owen Daniels returning after offseason turmoil) "That tells you what he's made of. I know it's been disappointing for him that we weren't able to get something done, but he's a pro, and we all know that. You don't even know that OD is out here. He never says a word, he just does his job and makes 10 or 15 plays a day. That's why he's going to last a long time and play great football. I think he's going to be fine in the other situation, too. He's what you look for." - Kubes

Was I concerned about how the off-season would effect OD? A little bit, sure. I've been reminded who it is we're talking about though. If there are a few players in the Texans clubhouse not to question, Daniels is one of them.

(on offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan) "Yeah, for how young he is and how much he knows, it's pretty unbelievable. He does a really good job of just communicating with us. With him being younger, he has that ability to get to us and have us understand what he wants out of us. His knowledge and that type of communication is key." - OD

(on offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan) "I'll tell you what, Kyle knows his stuff. He knows how to throw the ball, run the ball. He impresses me each year, and he's getting better. He's real creative with his plays, and it's a pleasure playing in his offense. It's a lot of fun. Obviously, we're going to run the ball well. We're going to pass the ball downfield. We're going to complete the ball a lot. So his offense is fun." - Kevin Walter

Does it seem like I'm admitting a lot of minor worries today? Guess so. Not that I ever doubted Shanahan had the tools to be a great offensive coordinator, but I was intrigued as to how he would follow up his outstanding play calling against Chicago. It seems obvious that it's carried over to training camp. Problem solved.

Shaun Cody and Dan Orlovsky may be happy to be in a winning environment now with the Texans, but they haven't forgotten their not-so-distant past. Unfortunately for them, David Anderson doesn't help the two move on. I can only imagine Anderson's impression of the misstep(s).

Matt Turk wants to end up the oldest player in NFL history. Should I be happy about that? Hmm, what a great poll question. Guess I'll end on that note.

I'm back! *Tries to shake off the moans and groans* Chicago is over with, as is work for the time being. I should be back in the full swing of things from here on out. I owe Jake many thanks for handling the extra workload of DND every day. Luckily, as training camp progresses there are more and more stories being published everyday that are worth the read. Just one more month...

I'd like to again profess my love for Steve Slaton. Can the guy get any better and at the same time, stay so humble? One look at the Titans' website and I'm reminded of why I like this team. They're not a bunch of assholes. Oilers uniforms? Really? Back to Slaton for a second--once again the emphasis is on pass protection. The man understands his duties as a star running back include being smart against the blitz.

Jerome Solomon put up a pretty good recap of the first week of training camp action, but for the best analysis on that look no further than Gary Kubiak. A few quick thoughts gathered from Kubiak's words:

• The coaches love Arian Foster, when he's healthy. If not, they don't. They sound genuinely upset that Foster has missed the past few days due to an injury. It's obvious they expect significant contributions from him during the season and don't want him to miss a chance to better himself.
• Chris Brown is still alive. Is it really true? Apparently. The coaches are raving about him. Brown sounds fully committed, as much as some of the most competitive players on the team. He still has a long way to go to reach reliable status. To get there, he must stay fully healthy for an entire season. Can he? I'm skeptical.
• Andre Johnson is even better than last year. I'm not surprised and expect nothing less of him.

Fred Bennett's sophomore season continues to be a mystery. There were rumblings around BRB that the talented corner might have been a bit of a headcase with the coaching staff to be so low on the depth chart. It's safe to say that theory is no longer valid. He sounds in sync with the rest of the team; his only goal is to improve to playoff standards. I can't see Bennett as the one to complain. Obviously, it's not helping that Dunta is out for so long, but at least this gives Bennett more opportunities to line up against 'Dre. Sure, it might be a bit emberassing at times, but it's only going to make him better, just as battling Mario Williams has improved Duane Brown infinitely.

Vic Carucci believes the Texans are legitmate contenders for the AFC South title. According to Carucci, the defense really is constantly attacking and looking to force the offense to make a good play, rather than expect the defense to make a bad one. It seems obvious for a defense to do that, but when Richard Smith is your defensive coordinator, rationality tends to blur itself.

Lastly, David Anderson is picking on Matt Schaub. That is all. Here's to improved health and performance in week two of training camp!

The Texans have just come to terms with cornerback Glover Quin, who the team selected with the 12th pick of the fourth round and the 112th pick overall. Terms of the contract have not yet been disclosed. So far the Texans have signed four rookies: Quin, fellow corner Brice McCain, tight end Anthony Hill, and safety Troy Nolan.

Quin completes a cornerback staff that includes Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, McCain, Antwaun Molden, and himself. Well, if your standard of "complete" doesn't include Dunta Robinson, who's contract situation still hasn't been resolved and won't be in the new future.

How do you feel about Quin officially joining the team?