SB Nation User Blog: Jake

Texans to Try Out Larry Johnson

Jake — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:36:07 -0000

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The Houston Texans will hold a workout for embattled running back Larry Johnson. Johnson was cut today by the Kansas City Chiefs after several run-ins with new head coach Todd Haley, most notably a recent public questioning of Haley's background followed by a homophobic slur.

I would hope that there is no chance that the Texans will claim Johnson off waivers and therefore inherit his $4.55 million base salary. If the Texans sign Johnson, it will most likely be as an unrestricted free agent after he has passed thru waivers. That will depend on if Houston makes an offer, and if that offer is favored by Johnson over any other offers he might receive.

I personally hope this is just Kubiak and company doing their due diligence. Larry Johnson is exactly the kind of person you try to keep out of your locker room. It isn't a recent development either; Johnson had a history of acting up with the Herman Edwards administration as well. And what do you get at this point in his career for your troubles? 2.7 yards per carry. Granted, the Chiefs' offensive line is abysmal, so he might do better elsewhere, but I don't think he is worth the risk.

What say you? Do you want to see Larry Johnson in a Texans uniform?

Texans Lose To The Colts--What Else Is New?

Jake — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:21:12 -0000

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The Indianapolis Colts pushed their series record against the Houston Texans to 14-1 on Sunday. As that record indicates, the Colts have regularly dismembered the eight year old franchise en route to multiple AFC South championships. Even though the result was the same, this didn't feel like the normal Colts vs. Texans matchup. This may still be a little raw for many Texans fans who saw Kris Brown's 42 yard field goal sail just wide left, but here is what I saw of note from Sunday.

I was worried that we would lose this game, but if you told me Saturday that the defense would outplay Gary Kubiak's offense, "disbelief" is an understatement of what I would have felt. To say that a game in which the opposing quarterback threw 50 times for 38 completions and 318 yards is successful is bold, especially since the tight end set a franchise record for 14 catches and 119 yards, but I believe that was the case. In a pre-game post, I wrote that the defense would have to adopt a "bend don't break" philosophy against the Colts, and that's exactly what they did. It was FAR from a perfect effort, but they gave the offense a few chances to win that game.

Antonio Smith - I feel that everyone maligning Smith as an overpaid free agent are watching different Texans games than I am. Smith added one sack to his tally, but his regular pressure forced many early throws from Peyton Manning and set up Mario Williams for a sack of his own. He seems to be getting better as the season progresses.

Connor Barwin - I've been huge on this guy since he was drafted, and I still feel that he will be a valuable contributor once he learns more than a speed rush, but those two penalties were unacceptable. Barwin is a smart guy, so for him to put the team in those situations, especially the infraction that gave the Colts field position at around the 50 in the fourth quarter, is frustrating.

Brian Cushing - For the first time since the beginning of the season, Cushing looked like a rookie. Frank Bush kept Cushing on the field for all downs, despite Dallas Clark shattering his career record for receptions in a single game. It seemed that Bush was willing to concede the soft underneath throws to ensure the defense continued to stymie the run by selling out against it. The Texans played the run well again, holding Joseph Addai to only 63 rushing yards, although he did get a touchdown and 49 receiving yards that were part of the previously mentioned underneath routes.

DeMeco Ryans - I guess Rick Smith will not negotiate with Ryans for a new contract until after the season, even though Ryans increases his value every game.

Bernard Pollard - By far the best game he's played in a Texans uniform, and he was the most valuable player on defense. The dig on Pollard coming out of Kansas City was that he was a liability in coverage, but he helped disspell that notion with two interceptions, three pass deflections and nine tackles. Granted, one of the interceptions came off a terrible playcall involving a lame duck pass from Reggie Wayne. All the same, how silly do the Chiefs look for cutting this guy?

Glover Quin - Quin is playing extremely well, especially for a rookie. He is physical, which can get him into trouble sometimes, but I love the reckless abandon he plays with. Several of his 4 pass breakups were on pivotal plays which allowed the Texans defense to get off the field. Call me crazy, but I think that he's the best cornerback we have on the roster right now, followed by Jacques Reeves and then Dunta Robinson. Whether you agree with my order or not, I think it's hard to argue that Dunta deserves to make $10 million dollars this season.

Matt Schaub - Schaub seems to be developing a tendency to start games slowly. Not many people would have thought he was in for a 75% completion, 311 yard day after the first quarter. The second interception was caused by a hit, but the first was because Matt locked onto his receiver and then threw into triple coverage. The Texans have now been outscored 47 to 31 in the first quarter, which is partially because of Schaub's performance.

Andre Johnson - 10 catches for 103 yards on paper won't blow anyone's skirt up, but those catches were amazingly clutch. Johnson gets better when more is on the line. 4 of his 6 receptions in the second half were on third down and all of those produced first downs. Also, it speaks volumes that Schaub and Kubiak had the confidence in Johnson to throw to him on fourth and 1.

Jacoby Jones - Don't look now, but someone is becoming a wide receiver. I probably just jinxed him.

Duane Brown - Brown is much better than his rookie season, but Dwight Freeney showed him and us that he still has progress to be made.

Ryan Moats/Steve Slaton - Many of the offense's inabilities to sustain drives were due to lack of production in the running game. This wasn't completely Moats or Slaton's fault, although seeing both on the field in the same game made Moats appear as more of the one-cut back at this point. Slaton is more explosive in the open field and probably a better receiver, but the fumbles need to stop for more than one game where Slaton's splitting time before his starting role is given back.

Lastly, I have a huge bone to pick with the coaching staff. Without even seeing the replay, I was scared that Moats fumbled the ball before being down/going out of bounds and was screaming for Schaub to snap the ball. Watching him run out the clock until the two minute warning was like watching a scene in a bad horror movie when you know exactly what is coming and are powerless to stop it. I just don't understand how if a majority of fans watching in their living rooms can tell it might be a fumble, no one on the entire Texans coaching staff couldn't determine the same thing and made sure the next play was executed with haste. Although there are employees of the team charged with watching for the booth for challangeable plays, this ultimately falls on Kubiak's shoulders.

Bob Sanders Hurt Again

Jake — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:52:54 -0000

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Bob Sanders not only missed his second straight day of practice for an elbow he injured in the game against San Francisco, but he also flew to Alabama to see the famous Dr. James Andrews. That can't be a great sign that Sanders couldn't wait until the day after the game, which NFL teams don't generally use to practice, to make this visit.

Sanders is quickly becoming a tragic figure. He is undoubtedly one of the best defensive players in the league when healthy enough to actually play. The problem is that since his first full season as a starter (2005), he has played in just 41 games out of a possible 71. As much as I wish to see a safety of Sanders' talent playing for the Texans someday, I would imagine it would be excruciating to know you have that kind of player but he can only get on the field about half the time. Colts fans, I'm very curious to hear your reaction to Sanders' continuous injury woes.

Texans Five on Five: Week Nine

Jake — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:56:33 -0000

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Many people are calling the game on Sunday between the Texans and the Colts the biggest football game for the City of Houston since the Oilers played there. The Texans have their best record in franchise history but are staring down the barrel of an undefeated Colts team. The Texans will have to play close to perfect to come away with what would be the most important win in their history thus far. These are the five matchups I feel will make or break the Texans on Sunday.

1. Amobi Okoye vs. Mike Pollak - Pollak, the Colts' right guard, had issues last week against San Francisco. The 49ers' defensive line was able to get penetration early and often, which did not allow Manning to step up in the pocket. Even though the Niners lost, I think they showed exactly what we need from Amobi Okoye this week--penetration.

2. Dunta Robinson vs. Reggie Wayne - I hate this matchup. I have visions of Wayne running loose all over the place on Sunday. Last time I said that Robinson had to prove he was worth the money he demands, he was burned for 5 receptions for 103 yards and a lengthy pass interference penalty to boot while covering Chad Ochocinco. Dunta will have to limit Wayne as best he can if he wants a leg to stand on next time he writes on his shoes.

3. Duane Brown vs. Dwight Freeney - Last year, Freeney abused Brown for three sacks in two games. That means that roughly 30% of Freeney's sacks in 2008 came at the expense of Brown in his rookie season. Brown has probably been the most improved player on the offense and a big reason that Matt Schaub has performed so well. Brown needs to continue to give Schaub the time he needs despite the history he has with Freeney.

4. Steve Slaton/Ryan Moats vs. Clint Session - The Colts have given up the fewest points in the NFL, but opponents have rushed for an average of 4.5 yards per carry against them. Outside linebacker Clint Session has the second most tackles on the team, but safety Antoine Bethea has the most, and it's never a good sign to have a member of your secondary lead that category. Whoever runs between the combo of Slaton and Moats needs to run well in order to open up the passing game.

5. Frank Bush vs. Peyton Manning - Everyone knows this is the guy you need to at least slow down in order to have a chance. If you blitz him too much, he'll gouge you with huge plays. If you don't apply any pressure, he'll nickel and dime you all the way down the field. Bush will have to come up with the right mixture to try to limit #18 as much as possible. Even though 347 yards passing doesn't sound like a bad day, San Francisco was able to frustrate Peyton for zero touchdowns. Three words will have to sum up the Texans defensive philosophy on Sunday--"Bend, Don't Break."

Texans vs Colts coverage

Texans NFL Power Rankings Week 9

Jake — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:11:58 -0000

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At the end of Week 8, the Texans find themselves with the best record in franchise history after a third consecutive win. The average ranking for the Texans rose from 17 last week to 14 after the win against the Bills. Additionally, SB Nation is now polling the writers of each blog to create their own Power Rankings, which I have for you after the jump.

ESPN: 14

The upcoming trip to Indianapolis is only the most significant game in franchise history.

Fox Sports: 18

Houston fans are itching to dive into the deep end of the Texans pool. At 5-3 with an exciting offense, this year's team represents the bet team in Houston since Warren Moon was QB-ing the Oilers.

CBS Sports: 13

The improvement of the defense to go with the passing game has really helped this team. They do have a lot of premium talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Yahoo Sports: 15

Can we commend Ryan Moats for being a lot more aggressive toward opposing tacklers than he is toward overzealous law-enforcement officers?

Pro Football Weekly: 13

Who had Ryan Moats in their fantasy lineup Sunday?

Pro Football Talk: 10

Maybe Steve Slaton can move to tight end.

NFL Experts Average Ranking: 13

My Rankings:

1. New Orleans Saints - Dominant on both sides of the ball and they find a way to win.

2. Indianapolis Colts - This team will always be good with Peyton Manning at the helm.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Brett Favre should be fourth on the team MVP vote.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers - Handed away a couple of games early but have found their stride.

5. Denver Broncos - This team is very tough, but their schedule might be tougher.

6. New England Patriots - Tom Brady has very quietly returned to form.

7. Cincinnati Bengals - The ground attack and the defense has a nasty attitude.

8. Philadelphia Eagles - Could be the best in the NFC East this year.

9. Dallas Cowboys - Beat Atlanta and Seattle, but what about division opponents?

10. Baltimore Ravens - Finally won a tough game they could have.

11. Green Bay Packers - A better offensive line makes this the best NFC North team.

12. Atlanta Falcons - On the wrong end of the most entertaining MNF game all year.

13. Houston Texans - The defense is playing well, and they'll have to against Indianapolis.

14. Arizona Cardinals - They did beat the Texans and New York, but they are so inconsistent.

15. New York Giants - Three weeks ago they were considered the best team in football.

16. San Diego Chargers - The classic underachieving team.

17. San Francisco 49ers - They might be 3-4, but this team is better than their record, specifically the defense.

18. Miami Dolphins - Have now beat trash talking Rex Ryan twice.

19. New York Jets - The combination of losing Kris Jenkins and starting a rookie QB might be too much.

20. Chicago Bears - Sure they beat Cleveland, but it wasn't very impressive.

21. Carolina Panthers- Best thing Jake Delhomme did all season was hand the ball off 41 times.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars - How can you not give MJD the ball until halfway through the second quarter?

23. Seattle Seahawks - They may not admit it, but this team is in rebuilding mode.

24. Buffalo Bills - You just can't win giving up 174 yards per game.

25. Oakland Raiders - This team would be so much better with any other quarter back.

26. Washington Redskins - This once proud franchise has turned into a circus led by Dan Snyder.

27. Tennessee Titans - Good to make your first start the same week that Chris Johnson goes for 228 yards.

28. Kansas City Chiefs - They need an offensive line in the worst kind of way.

29. St. Louis Rams - Snap a 17 game losing streak is easy when you play Detroit.

30. Detroit Lions - Fans heckling their franchise rookie quarter back is pretty bush league.

31. Cleveland Browns - Eric Mangini is the worst coach in the league.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Looking at their schedule, they might not win a game all year.

Is The Texans Defense Actually Good?

Jake — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:19:22 -0000

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As Tim alluded to in his postgame writeup, the defense came to play last Sunday. Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton owe the defensive squad a few baskets of muffins for giving up only 7 points on three first quarter turnovers. While the Ryan Fitzpatrick-led Bills are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, allowing zero second half points is impressive against any NFL team.

Speaking of playing a sub-standard offensive team, the issue of nitpicking because of the competition came up after a strong showing by the defense against the Oakland Raiders. Since that game though, the defense has played what in my estimation is likely the best five consecutive games in Texans franchise history.

In the offseason, there was a general consensus among the commenters on this site. The defense obviously needed to improve the abysmal play under Richard Smith, but several areas were specifically identified. The defense was shredded regularly in the preseason and after the first three games of the season, and for good reason--the improvements were nowhere to be found. What areas have the Texans improved, and which ones still haven't appeared yet?

1. Stop the run - The turn around in the defense's ability to stymie the run is remarkable. After the first three games of the year, the Texans were dead last in rush defense, averaging 205 yards allowed. Since that time, the defense has given up a paltry 291 total in five games. That's only 52 yards per opponent. Before anyone criticizes those opponents, four of those teams have averaged over 100 yards rushing a game when not playing the Texans (Cincinnati 141, Buffalo 112, San Francisco 107, Oakland 101).

It's been a team effort to create this change. The defensive linemen have all improved at the point of attack, especially Amobi Okoye and Antonio Smith. Neither has crazy statistics, but both are having success penetrating into opposing backfields. While the Jacques Reeves interception was namely due to miscommunication between Fitzpatrick and Terrell Owens, Amobi Okoye forced the early errant throw. The combination of Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans at the second level has been incredible because not only do both have a nose for the ball but they have rarely missed tackles (in the last five games). Lastly, the Texans have three defensive backs that are extremely good at defending the run and screen passes--Bernard Pollard, Glover Quin and despite all criticism, Dunta Robinson.

That's only half the answer though. The other half is that Frank Bush has been selling out against the run. It is very common to see Pollard creep into the box leaving only three defensive backs in coverage positions. This is one reason why two halves of these five games were marred by aerial attacks that garnered 21 points each (Cardinals and 49ers). While this has been working, someone will burn the Texans beyond anything the offense can repair in one game because of the next point.

2. Create Pressure/Sacks - I put both for a reason. The Texans have created a decent amount of pressure, but not nearly enough sacks. Only the Jaguars and the Chiefs have produced less sacks than the Texans, although quarterbacks are often hurried by a mixture of natural pass rush from the front four and a myriad of blitzes called by Frank Bush.

There are two problems with this phenomenon. First of all, supplying pressure without the sack works well against inexperienced/bad quarterbacks, but good/great quarterbacks deliver the ball whether they're going to get hit or not. The other problem is that the Texans secondary, while very good at supporting the run and short passes, is not great in coverage. Pollard is a true strong safety, Quin is learning, and Dunta just hasn't shown the ability to cover No. 1 receivers anymore. Eugene Wilson is good, but you need more than just one good coverage safety.

Antonio Smith was brought in to create disruption that opposing teams would have to focus on and therefore not double-team Mario Williams all of the time. Sometimes it works the other way around; both sacks against Buffalo were caused by Williams' pressure. In fact, despite a lingering shoulder injury, Wlliams often makes opposing quarterbacks to change their position in the pocket. If Bush can figure out a way to capitalize on this more regularly, like he did with Brian Cushing on his blitz on Sunday, we could start to see more sacks. Pressure also leads to one more thing...

3. Turnovers - The Texans had created 9 defensive turnovers at the halfway mark last year and had 22 at the end of the season. They have 15 this season, 11 of which have come in this particular five-game swing. Of those 16, only 6 are interceptions, going back to the point that the Texans do not employ a coverage-oriented secondary. The turnover numbers aren't record setting, but a 66% improvement is substantial.

The biggest catalyst of turnovers?... Brian Cushing. We've kicked the "I was wrong and I am so glad" horse beyond death, but criticism of Cushing remains. He's not an All Pro, maybe not even a Pro Bowler, but what would you have done for a SLB with a statline of 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 7 pass deflections, 1 safety and 66 tackles halfway through last season?

Who is responsible for these changes? Is it the new defensive coordinator? Is it the free agent pickups (Smith, Cody, Pollard)? Maybe the rookies (Cushing, Quin)? Probably a little of all of the above. That creates one more interesting and possibly detrimental aspect though; this is a young defense that is still learing how to play together. There are five current starters who didn't play in Houston last year, and that number goes up to seven if you count Dunta Robinson and Zac Diles, who both missed at least half of last season due to injury.

The defense will continue to have lapses of inconsistency because of youth and inexperience. In the offseason though, we were hoping for marginal improvement. After all, the confidence in the offense is as high as ever, so the theory of "a mediocre defense makes this team good" remains valid. There will be highs and lows, but if the defense plays close to the level that they've shown in the last five games, they can be much better than mediocre.

Owen Daniels "Likely Done For The Year"

Jake — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:49:21 -0000

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I know everyone is celebrating the win, but today wasn't an all out victory for the Texans. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Owen Daniels is likely out for the season with a torn ligament in his knee. Obviously, this suck for both the Texans and Daniels who was on pace to shatter his career bests in yardage, receptions and touch downs.

I guess Rick Smith has the ability to look like a genius for drafting two tight ends this year. One way or another, it will be interesting to see what they have in James Casey. He didn't look phenomenal or bad today, but he'll have a full week with the starters to try and fill OD's shoes against one of the biggest games of the year in Indianapolis. Sorry to crap in everyone's cereal.

Is There Hope For The Run Game?

Jake — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:42:07 -0000

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Over the offseason, many Texans fans felt confident about the offense. One of the reasons was the emergence of Steve Slaton last year running behind an Alex Gibbs coached line. Something has gone wrong though. The Houston Texans have the 27th ranked rushing offense in the league. That's down from 13th over the course of the 2008 season. So is it getting better and can it get fixed?

Having played 7 out of 16 games, the level of the competition must be taken into account. The Texans have played the 1st, 5th, 6th, 9th, 13th, 22nd and 30th ranked rush defenses in the NFL so far. While it might make the average Texans fan feel better to know that they've played stiff rush defenses, the fact that the Texans contributed to those opponents' success by rushing 75% below those teams' collective yards allowed average isn't comforting.

Is it getting better though? The good news is that for the last two weeks the Texans have been right at the average yards allowed against the 5th (Bengals) and 6th (49ers) ranked rush defenses, and they were both wins. The bad news is that was only good for 87 and 90 yards rushing, respectively. The yards per carry averages were two of the higher marks of the season, although no one would consider 2.9 and 3.3 very respectable.

Usually matching the average isn't cause for excitement, but consider that the remainder of the rush defenses the Texans will face average 113 yards allowed per game. If the Texans were able to gain close to that yardage on the ground for the remainder of the year, this would be an amazingly potent offense with the success that Matt Schaub is having through the air.

The litmus test for this theory will be in Buffalo on Sunday. The Bills have given up a league-worst 172 yards per game. Even Jamal Lewis, who hadn't previously gained over 100 yards on the ground since 2007, was able to run for 117 against the Bills in week 5.

I'm not suggesting that the Texans need to rush for 170 yards on Sunday to prove anything. They have a pass-oriented offense, which I'm okay with because I believe that's what you need to have in order to win today in the NFL. Even 75% of 172 is 129 yards, which would qualify as the Texans' best day rushing day in 2009.

I do think, however, that if the Texans can't run against the Bills this weekend that there is something seriously wrong that will get worse. If you can't run the football, then safeties will not be fooled on play action, something our passing attack is predicated on. If that happens, Schaub and the passing offense will come back down to Earth...quickly.

Texans vs Bills coverage

Texans NFL Power Rankings Week 8

Jake — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:39:39 -0000

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Week 7 has come and gone and the Houston Texans have their first streak, winning or losing, of the season. This win raised the average ranking from 19 last week to 17. There are only 13 teams with a better record than 4-3, but the second half defensive collapse probably cost the Texans some confidence points.

ESPN: 17

If the Texans beat host Buffalo, they'll have a 5-3 record for the first time ever.

Fox Sports: 21 (Writer's Note: Notice that the 49ers are ranked 17)

So far, it's been mission accomplished for Matt Schaub. His goal entering the season was simply to stay healthy and play all 16 games for once. The results? Schaub leads the league in both passing yards and TD passes.

CBS Sports: 16

At 4-3, they're over .500 and the offense is playing good football. I still wonder about the pass defense, especially after what Alex Smith did in the second half.

Yahoo Sports: 16

With two former presidents serving as honorary co-captains for the Houston Texans on Sunday, did any fans at Reliant Stadium think they were witnessing a remake of "Point Break"?

Pro Football Weekly: 16

Breathing a sigh of relief over Andre Johnson's chest inury.

Pro Football Talk: 15

If they make the playoffs, there will be no more dangerous team than the Texans.

NFL Experts Average Ranking: 17

Texans Five on Five: Week 7

Jake — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:19:40 -0000

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This week's contest against the San Francisco 49ers will have huge implications for the 3-3 Houston Texans. If they win and establish the first streak (winning or losing) of the season, the Texans will be in the driver's seat heading into Buffalo and then a string of four pivotal division games. If they lose, then the chances will be high that the club will be .500 heading into the aforementioned AFC South gauntlet and all the momentum from the Bengals game will be lost. Here are the five matchups that I think are most pivotal to keeping the momentum going.

1. Antonio Smith vs. Adam Snyder/Tony Pashos/Chilo Rachal - Contrary to what seems like popular opinion on this blog, Antonio Smith has played well this year. This will be his game to prove it. Rachal recently lost his starting job at RG because of terrible play. Snyder, who is taking Rachal's place, lost his job to Pashos because of his bad play. Pashos was let go by Jacksonville in favor of two rookie tackles. The 49ers offensive line has given up 3 sacks to defensive tackles and 4 to left defensive ends, both of which Smith will play during this game.

2. Owen Daniels vs. Manny Lawson/Parys Haralson - You can never tell what a coaching staff is focusing on until the game, but the San Francisco media is certainly zeroed in on Andre Johnson. After the way that Roddy White torched this secondary, I would not be surprised at all to see double coverage on ;Dre all day long. This takes a safety away from helping with OD, who is having a career season. I know that Niners fans love Lawson because of his speed, but Daniels is in the class of tight ends with Antonio Gates and Dallas Clark that simply cannot be covered by a linebacker. If San Francisco chooses to do so, I think Daniels and Matt Schaub will make them pay.

3. Brian Cushing vs. Frank Gore - Don't be fooled by the Crabtree hoopla. Gore is the focal point of this offense by a long shot. Even if Crabtree is the second coming of Jerry Rice, Shaun Hill has a 56% completion rate, which isn't quite on par with Montana or Young. Gore's 6.2 yards per carry looks great because of his 207 yards on 16 carries against Seattle, but his 23 rushes for 34 yards outside of that game shows the other side. If Cushing continues his high level of play that he has shown in the last few games, it is possible to contain Gore (notice I didn't say stop).

4. Glover Quin vs. Michael Crabtree - I haven't heard whether Quin will continue starting this week or if Jacques Reeves will step back into the lineup, but believe it or not, I'd rather have Quin on Crabtree than Reeves. I think Reeves is a better cover corner, but I believe that Quin is better sniffing out and stuffing bubble screens and swing passes, which is exactly what I expect the 49ers to do with Crabtree. Isaac Bruce isn't much of a deep threat any longer, as shown by his 12.8 yards per reception (the lowest of his long career), so Eugene Wilson could be readily dispatched to help Quin if he needed help over the top.

5. Texans fans vs. tailgating - I've never been to a game at Reliant because I've been away from Houston since 2002, but I've heard from multiple sources that the parking lots around the stadium are a great place to be on Sundays whether the Texans win or lose after the games. This team needs every bit of a homefield advantage this week that we as fans can give them. I really hope that this week we can keep the house packed and LOUD.