NFL: Houston Texan Talk

2008-11-25T14:19:00.001-06:00

New developments in the Michael Vick story--he plead guilty to state dogfighting charges in order to up his chances for early release. Read the article here.

2008-10-30T13:30:00.001-05:00

They say everything's bigger in Texas, so make sure our voting lines are bigger too! Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th!!!

2008-10-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

I actually have a buddy playing in this golf tournament, so I'm going to go watch him, you know, to lend him some moral support. Oh, and also to see the unveiling of the new cheerleader calendar. I've got priorities!

Magic Wall

2008-09-03T20:11:00.001-05:00

I caught the Astros game last night versus the Cubs. One hit sent the ball into the ivy wall in the outfield, and somehow it knocked a second ball loose. I guess it had been caught in the ivy, just hanging out there for a while. Jim Edmonds' double-take was priceless, like, "What the...? Where did that one come from?"

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T11:30:00.002-05:00

Now here's the way to celebrate 4th of July. Betsy Ross married Ben Franklin today. Ha! Franklin did always like the younger ladies. Congrats on the nuptials, you two!

A blast from the past sparked by a Texans sponsor

2008-02-14T09:00:00.003-06:00

Too funny... Gallery Furniture is a Houston Texans sponsor. Talk about a quintessential Houston establishment. I remember growing up in Houston, watching that silly man hopping up and down on TV tossing cash in the air... you remember him, don't you? Gallery Furniture really will...save... you... MONEEEEEE!

Hmmm... is it strange that I'm having pleasant childhood flashbacks about Mattress Mac?

NFL Europa calls it quits

2007-06-29T13:54:00.000-05:00

In a change of strategy in its global marketing, the NFL has decided to discontinue NFL Europa in favor of a broader worldwide approach involving internationally-staged regular season games. Although Germany will miss out on a lot of the action considering that it more or less hosts NFL Europa, more destinations will get at least a quick chance to host a game or two. It seems to me that decreasing regular exposure of fans to the sport in favor of a more watered down approach is not entirely productive, but we'll see how they do with this campaign.

2007 Preseason

2007-04-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

The Texans' preseason schedule was announced Monday. While the times and exact dates have yet to be determined for the 2007 preseason schedule, the Texans do know they will face the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys at home and the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road this year in exhibition contests.

'07 schedule

2007-01-17T17:00:00.000-06:00

Of course, it's not out yet. I want it so I can start scheduling my social life around it.

WHYYYY?

2006-12-14T11:39:00.000-06:00

We were doing so good. We were up more than a touchdown. We let them take it to overtime and when we applied pressure with the blitz Young found a hole! Nice footwork Vince, way to pick a line that will score not only ending the game, but my hopes and desires as well. I am not dissatisfied with my Houston Texans, I just wanted to see a win over the Tennesee Titans. I would have put the same blitz on when they put vince in shotgun position. I mean after watching Rob Birionas kick a 60 yarder you cannot let the Titans anywhere near the uprights. The blitz was a gutsy but overall correct call. Even a 6 yard gain put Birionas in kicking distance. Carr did very well not allowing a single turnover throughout the game. Vince Young fared not so well even though he was on the winning team and made the play of the day according to everyone. I do not disagree I love seeing a QB sneak, especially one that scores. Keep your head in the game guys, you cannot mess around against the New England Patriots this Sunday.

TNT is Dynomite

2006-12-07T11:34:00.000-06:00

The Houston Texans and The Tennessee Titans face off this Sunday at noon. The Oilers left Houston after being shunned by fans for several sub par seasons and moved to Tennesee to give the folks in The Smoky Mountains a team to celebrate. They aptly named themselves, in the face of those giant mountains, The Tennessee Titans. Houston, not a city to be shown up, formed The Houston Texans and a rivalry was born. The Titans, being a pre-existing team, have always had the upper hand over thier little brothers in the AFC south. The record thus far stands at Houston with 3 wins and Tennesee with 7, more than doubling the younger team. The Texans just recently lost again to the Titans at the end of October with a score of 28-22. With both teams pushing 20+ points it was a game to watch. We can expect more of the same as Carr wanting to get 225 passing yards this game to push him up over the 13,000 career mark. Carr is also very close to accomplishing the 70% completion mark which only 3 others have done in the past 26 years. Rookie Vince Young, being from Houston, is definitely wanting to show off to his hometown crowd when the two teams face-off in Reliant Stadium December 10th.

Enough with the injuries!

2006-11-30T18:09:00.000-06:00

The Texans will put 2 more names onto the injured reserve list as of Monday when Kubiak made his press announcement after a loss to the Jets. Sage Rosenfels is going on IR with a broken thumb. The broken ribs on Mike Flanagan will keep him out for a while. Kubiak brought in veteran Bradley Van Pelt to be ready behind Carr should the team be stricken with more injuries. The team hopes to better their 3-8 record next week in California playing in front of those crazy Oakland Raiders fans.

Bring the pain

2006-11-15T19:54:00.000-06:00

The Texans will pay a heavy price for thier win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. 4 players will miss time due to injuries sustained in the game. Zach Weigert tore his ACl and will miss the rest of the season while rookie Eric Winston replaces him at right tackle. Antwan Peek, Lewis Sanders, and Travis Johnson will all be on IR for now. Glenn Earl dislocated a finger but a splint and proper care will have him ready to play. David Carr left in the second half wounded but should recover and be ready this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Jameel Cook's nagging knee injury will have him miss some practice, let's hope he can retain his form. Will Kubiak make another bold move going for first down at 4th and 1?

Clean as a whistle until the end

2006-11-09T16:42:00.000-06:00

The Houston Texans played a great game against the Giants. It was a hit or miss type of thing, and the Texans missed, twice. First with the wide 42 yard field goal attempt by Kris Brown. Then second, when we were in scoring postion, with just 5 minutes left on the clock Jameel Cook fumbled the ball and it was picked up by the Giants who then ran the clock down with 3 first downs. You played great guys. If you keep that up in the second half of the season I might have another victory to be proud of.

Giant Sacs

2006-11-03T12:57:00.000-06:00

After attaining several motion penalties in last weeks loss to the Titans, the Texans will need to focus to go up against a defense like The Giants have. I hope Carr has all his pads on straight because he is probably going to get hit this Sunday. With Texans offensive lineman Charles Spencer out for the year and replacement Ephriam Salaam now suffering injuries left tackle is not looking great. To make matters worse, right tackle, Zach Weigert is suffering from knee pain and has missed some practice time this week. Oh no. Things are looking grim as the Texans travel to meet the Giants.

Tough one

2006-10-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

It will be difficult to cheer for my Texans this sunday when they take the field against the Tennessee Titans. I, being from south Texas myself, like to watch Vince Young but also being from Houston have the hometown team feeling. It is sure to be a great match no matter whoI root for. 2 of the top 3 draft picks will be meeting up in this game so watching thier performance against each other in thier rookie year will be interesting to say the least.

Houston No Worse Than 2005

2006-10-25T14:46:00.000-05:00

Hey, it only took us to Week 7 to match our win total of last season. But enough about past times.

What was most encouraging about our solid 27-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars was that we presented a defense. I knew we kinda sucked at defense, but it hadn't sunk in how badly until the sportscasters were contrasting our 418-yards-a-game average coming into this one with the mere 220 yards we gave up this time.

Beautiful to force some turnovers, too! Especially when they blossom into TDs! Why didn't I buy tickets for that one??

The stars at night

2006-10-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

10 years ago, the Oilers left the state known for it's rich oil reserves and many derricks. A long wait of 6 years passed beofore Houston was given The Texans and 70 thousand people packed the newly constructed Reliant Stadium to witness the new team kick the snot out of thier neighbors to the north. No Houston resident was dissapointed as thier boys took the win with a 19-10 victory over the Cowboys. Well history repeats itself and after a week off the field the Texans will be heading to Dallas for another historical match again the Dallas Cowboys on thier home field, Texas Stadium. It really doesn't matter who loses when Texas Wins!

My Hometown

2006-10-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

I do miss Houston. The Bayou City with the newest NFL franchise around. The Houston Texans, led by David Carr, were showing promise in the preseason as thier record showed a 3-1 W-L ratio. The real deal is upon us though and the team is struggling, losing thier first three games of the regular season, thier record has done a 180 and now stands at a measly 1-3 W-L. Carr will have some time to think for a while as the Texans enter thier bye week after a much needed victory over the miami Dolphins. Carr and crew will return to the field on October 15th to face off against thier home state rivals, The Dallas Cowboys! I still need to go get a ticket for this one. What was I thinking!?

The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You, Mario!

2006-10-01T18:38:00.000-05:00

Yep, all the Houston Texans folks were watching when Mario Williams reached up and popped the football out of its trajectory towards Miami's Chris Chambers and a two-point conversion that would have tied today's game with the Miami Dolphins at 17 with seconds to go. Well, everybody was watching but Gary Kubiak, that is; the coach said sometimes he finds he just has to make the call and walk away.

One thing Kubiak can look at now is the end of our winless streak, which stood at 3 losses this season plus a couple from last year if you wanted to go back that far. Me, I'd rather look at this and look ahead to an extra week of gearing up to take on the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on the 15th. Got your tickets, Texans?

Twice the frustration for Houston

2006-08-17T13:03:00.000-05:00

Been away for awhile, but this time of year there’s more MLB action than NFL. And one thing with baseball – sometimes your ticket buys you extra innings. The other night at Minute Maid Park Houston Astros fans got two games’ worth of play for the price of one. Unfortunately, the final outcome was Chicago Cubs 8, Astros 6.

Rare as this is, there were two games that went 18 innings Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. In the other one, the Arizona Diamondbacks finally beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1 at Coors Field.

Come on Coach. Put me in!

2006-07-11T12:29:00.000-05:00

Linebacker DeMeco Ryans has been signed to the Houston Texans. The second-round draft pick will be competing for a starting job in training camp this summer. Training camp starts July 27^th and a lot of changes are going to be made. Some I will understand and others I will have to ponder. The Texans have been famous for poor decision making and weak strategies in their short history. Hopefully the changes being made will bring us one step closer to our goal of turning the Texans into a real contender. A winner.

The Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals

2006-05-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

The Dallas Mavericks won game 3 of the Western Conference Finals last nigh despite trailing the Phoenix Suns for most of the firs half. The 95-88 victory was due mostly to stellar performances from Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. They played error free and Nowitzki ended the night with 28 points and a whopping 17 rebounds while Josh put forth 22 points and 12 rebounds for his part. If we can do that in Phoenix there is no doubt in my mind that we can win again on Tuesday and back home on Thursday.

What were they thinking?

2006-04-30T19:26:00.000-05:00

The Texans were not out to shock anyone with their first round draft choice but seemed to anyway. Of course everyone was expecting us to go for Vince Young but we chose Mario Williams for his talents as a pass rusher. This apparently is a very important area of expertise in the eyes of Bob McNair and the Houston Texans. I hope they are right because I am feeling a little weird about our choice not to pick a star QB. I thought we needed that a little more than a beefed up pass rush.

What I do with my evenings.

2006-04-10T11:49:00.000-05:00

I love to watch the Daily Show on Comedy Central. That show is so witty and cutting edge. Jon Stewart says all the things that should be said about the inconsistencies and mistakes of the current administration in this country. I love that he calls attention to the lies we are being told about the Iraq war and the terrorism threat. Hopefully more and more people will realize that the liberal agenda is not to gain party control but to improve the way this country’s democracy functions.

Longhorns Advance While Texans Rebuild

2006-03-19T13:43:00.000-06:00

While the Houston Texans rebuild, my attention has been drawn away by March Madness. I watched Texas beat Pennsylvania and it was quite a game. The Longhorns are a great squad and have as much talent as the Longhorns of college football.

Mathis and Hall Meet Again

2006-02-12T22:26:00.000-06:00

Houston Texans fans had all eyes on Jerome Mathis this week. The Pro Bowl kick returner faced off against his old high school rival DeAngelo Hall of the Atlanta Falcons and lost by a hair. The two grew up in neighboring towns in Virginia and had run side-by-side many times prior to meeting to compete for the NFL’s fastest man.

Coordinators Make Good Coaches

2006-01-21T23:49:00.000-06:00

Well I don’t know about you, but I am cheering for the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers this Sunday. A Super Bowl between those two teams sounds like great entertainment to me. I’ll still be wearing my Houston Texans ball cap though so don’t get mad at me.

Nice to See You, Vince Young!

2006-01-18T16:24:00.000-06:00

It was great to catch a glimpse of Houston's own Vince Young, who came home to serve as Grand Marshal of our Martin Luther King Day Parade. But, even though the National Champion Texas Longhorns are sorry to lose their amazing quarterback...we're hoping Austin's loss will be our gain. Vince, you know you will be right at home with the Houston Texans!

Don’t Lose Hope for the Texans

2006-01-14T19:02:00.001-06:00

The hope that the Houston Texans will get Reggie Bush or Vince Young is hanging in the balance. We are looking to build a team that will be respected in the NFL and that is going to take a miracle after our 2005 season flopped. Who will be our next head coach and who will be our first draft pick are the big questions looming over us right now. We were building on our team and our record before we lost control of the 2005 season and are now far from becoming one of the NFL’s elite. Anything can happen in 2006 so I don’t want to lose hope.

Capers Reflective After Release

2006-01-03T19:09:00.000-06:00

The Texans abysmal season ended this week with the dismissal of head coach Don Capers. The players appeared shaken by the news and one in particular, Todd Washington, made a point to personally thank the coach for bringing him from Tampa and giving him a chance to play. Capers did express a sense of disappointment that things didn’t work out the way he had hoped and it looks like it is hard for him to leave because he never got to see his team start winning games. He will be remembered for being our first head coach but hopefully we will be moving on to better days under new leadership.

Grief Strike Colts and Bucs

2005-12-28T16:49:00.000-06:00

In NFL news, Tony Dungy’s son James died a few days before Christmas. The Indianapolis Colts and Buccaneers teams are mourning the beloved Dungy family’s loss and many attended the funeral proceedings. Both in Tampa and Indianapolis, Dungy is considered a great man, who treated his players as equals and encouraged them to be good role models through their actions. James was often seen attending practices his father coached and was sometimes even mistaken for a player because of his size. James was often called a gentle giant and many have expressed he will be sorely missed.

There is no word on when Dungy will return to coaching but he has gone public thanking everyone for their support and expressing his belief that his son is in a better place now.

Bush on the Block for Season Ender

2005-12-21T17:36:00.000-06:00

Jerome Mathis is headed for the Pro Bowl in his rookie year. It is amazing to think that it has only been a year because Mathis achieved a lot in that time. We won against the Arizona Cardinals and I thought that was a pretty exciting game for us. Our season ender with the San Francisco 49ers will be even more exhilarating due to the fact that the loser of that match up gets first dibs on Reggie Bush. He is the Heisman Trophy winner from the USC Trojans who are going to be three time national champions very soon.

Brown Lets Texans Down

2005-12-12T17:36:00.000-06:00

Once again the Texans had a chance to win a very close game and fell apart trying. The Texans had eight penalties for 72 yards in the game. Our wide receivers couldn’t get any yards, but Domanick Davis had a season high 139 yards rushing and one touchdown. This wasn’t our worst game but it could have been so much better if we could have avoided the mistakes that cost us so many yards. The Titans special teams played better than ours and made some big plays for the victor. The chance we had to tie the game was foiled when Kris Brown kicked a 31-yard field goal far left, missing the uprights completely.

Texans Fall Victim to Fourth Quarter Heroics

2005-12-06T21:01:00.000-06:00

The Houston Texans played a reasonable game on Sunday against the Ravens. The score was close, 16-15, and our defense looked as good as it has all year. Inevitably the Ravens last minute power surge on offense made our defensive achievements of the game seem inadequate at best. We had the lead in the fourth quarter and it honestly looked like the Texans might win. In the final seconds the Ravens pulled off a field goal and we had no time for a comeback. So once again the Houston Texans fall victim to a fourth quarter change of fate.

Texan Lose, Breaking Records Along the Way

2005-11-30T19:03:00.000-06:00

Disappointment is the theme again this season. The Baltimore Ravens are a team we have a chance of beating however. For a team that has a 1-10 record that may be saying a lot but I still have hope for this team to do something exciting before the season is over. We had a glimmer of hope in last week’s overtime loss to the St. Louis Rams when three of our players scored receiving touchdowns, a franchise first. David Carr completed over 70 percent of his passes and the defense racked up seven sacks, another franchise record. Overall I hope our Houston Texans can carry that intensity into the game against the Ravens.

Chiefs Score Heavy on Texans

2005-11-22T18:38:00.000-06:00

The Houston Texans chalked up another loss Sunday. This one was to the Kansas City Chiefs and the score was 45-17. Our special teams had an amazing day with 315 return yards and Jerome Mathis became the first player to have two kickoff returns for a touchdown this season. David Carr only got sacked once for the game; which was a pleasant surprise considering how poor our pass protection has been. But how can we have all these great plays and great stats and not a winning season. Domanick Davis had a touchdown and 110 rushing yards. Now that he is back we will probably see a return of the running game.

I don’t want to give up on the Texans now, but can we take what we learned this season, keep some key players and replace some others, and have a winning season in 2006.

Another Good Looking Loss

2005-11-18T17:39:00.000-06:00

We will be facing the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time this season next Sunday. The Texans made a good showing against the Indianapolis Colts last week but couldn’t convert and didn’t win. David Car looked his best and there were some key turnovers. Overall we’re not in playoff contention and can’t seem to become a cohesive unit. What is the real root of the Houston Texans 1-8 record? Coaching? Or is it that we just haven’t gotten the best players in the draft and can’t attract any free agents

Houston Texans Take a Vacation

2005-09-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

The Houston Texans get a bye week while Houstonians leave the city. Hurricane Rita looked like it was heading to Galveston Island, which made everyone in Houston flip out, causing the worse traffic jam known to man. From Austin to Houston is a 2- to 3-hour drive--during last weekend it took people 15 hours to make that trip. The news teams in Houston said that the traffic jam was a hundred miles long. People were running out of gas and getting out and riding with other people to get out of town. There are still cars along Highway 183 from Lockhart to Austin that are just sitting there out of gas. Most of the gas stations were out of gas. You can call it a little insane but you can’t blame anyone due to Hurricane Rita coming right on the heels of Hurricane Katrina.

The next game for the Houston Texans will be against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati. I hate to talk bad about the Texans, but this will be an easy win for the Bengals.

Houston Texans Get Creamed

2005-09-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

Houston Texans hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers at home and losing 27-7. I do not like to play the blame-game when a team is doing as bad as they are, but firing the offensive coordinator Chris Palmer is a start. It seems that the offense is designed to be a passing team but they do not have a offensive line to hold back the defenders to give Carr enough time to pass the ball nor the receivers to catch the people. There are so many different talents on this team it is a shame that they can’t get it together. Luckily they have this week off so they can get ready for the Cincinnati Bengals for week four in Cincinnati. What team has disappointed you this year already?

Houston Texans Fans Feel Let Down

2005-09-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

Houston Texans played the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Buffalo. Leaving the Houston Texans feeling lost in the season. Even though it was the first game, the Houston Texans fans know that it is going to be a long season. There is not much to say about the Texans losing to Buffalo Bills 22-7. J.P. Losman passing over 164 yards and David Carr only passing 25 yards. This is one of the reasons the Houston Texans lost--there are many but one stands out: you can’t expect a good season when nobody steps up. The Houston Texans need to get a line for Carr to be behind. David Carr being sacked 5 times for 45 yards lost. Texans defense only bringing home one sack. The Houston Texans better figure something out because they are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in the Reliant Stadium. Here is a question for all those Houston Texans fans out there: Is David Carr really going to be who we all thought he was going to be?

Texans Get Beat By the Dallas Cowboys

2005-09-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

With David Carr having a bad day at passing on Saturday at Texas Stadium. Throwing an interception in the beginning of the 2nd quarter. I could not tell who was really playing: the “rookie” David Carr or the one that has been playing these last few years.

This Thursday, they’ll be playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, kick-off at 6:30pm. Hopefully the Houston Texans can beat the Buccaneers –after all, they have been playing the last pre-season game for four years. This should be an exciting week for all teams since September 11, 2005 is just around the corner.

Here is a question for thought: Who do you think will be out there competing for the most passing yards out of the whole NFL?

Houston Texans Are Ready

2005-08-25T15:54:00.000-05:00

The first regular season game is on Sept. 11 against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. This should start the Texans’ season off well since both teams seem to be healthy. It all depends on the arm of Carr since they like to run the ball to open the pass play up, but truthfully I think they should use the pass to open the run game. It will be exciting to see this year the combo of Carr and Andre Johnson on the field. The real test of the season I think would be against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is only the second game of the season--that would be the game to be at. So don’t just sit there, be there!

More Ragone

2005-06-07T17:36:00.000-05:00

The Houston Texans have to be happy with the production of back up quarterback Dave Ragone. Ragone has leaded his NFL Europe team, Berlin Thunder, to the World Bowl. Not only has he been winning but he has been doing it with ease.

He also leads the league in passer rating by 15 points. It really isn’t any competition for Ragone right now. Ragone was once thought of as a first round draft pick but had a terrible seniors since thanks to a badly put together offensive line.

Dave Rangone

2005-05-26T14:44:00.000-05:00

Dave Rangone, who has been in the third seat for David Carr, has been thriving in the NFLEL (National Football League Europe). Rangone has been playing with NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder, where he has been maintaining his arm and showing that he might have the skills to come back as back-up to Carr.

Rangone has been leading the Thunder to a 6-2 record, which makes them one of the top teams in NFLEL. In their last game against Hamburg, Rangone threw for 258 yards and three scores. This gave them the victory with a score of 27-17.

HONING THEIR GAMES:

2005-05-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

Carr has all the tools to be a special quarterback, and he continues to improve as the Texans upgrade the talent around him. Carr stands to make the biggest improvement with timing routes, something the Texans plan to emphasize more of this season. The fourth-year quarterback has been sacked more than anyone in the league since 2002, and the Texans hope to improve in that area by putting more timing routes into their scheme. In order for that approach to work, Carr must make good decisions and get rid of the ball more quickly than he has at times during the past three seasons.

Corners are Set

2005-05-17T17:32:00.000-05:00

When Houston first started their expansion draft, they made sure to fill up the corners with veteran players and they did so. Marcus Coleman and Aaron Glenn came to Houston and topped the charts through 2002-2003 with interceptions. Aaron Glenn has moved over to the Cowboys since and Coleman is now playing free safety.

With the spaces open, Houston has had the ability to bring in youthful talent and of course, they have done just this. Dunta Robinson has already shined in this position. Now with the addition of Phillip Buchanon, there should be great prowess in the corners.

Buchanon was acquired by Texas in a trade for two draft picks with Oakland. He was able to rack up 11 career picks, averaging 29.6 yards per return.

Kris Brown

2005-05-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

Kris Brown has 74 percent effectiveness in field goal kicking for the Texans. Good enough for us. Brown has been resigned to a contract extension with the Texans. He joined the organization in 2002 as a restricted free agent from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brown began his football career being drafted by Pittsburgh in 1999. He is 81/81 on extra points and has been busting up his stats every year since joining the Texans.

“Kris has been a major part of our team over the first three years. We expect him to continue to kick at a high level as our team improves. Kris is solid guy who is not only a good player but also has all of the leadership characteristics you look for in a football player.”
- Head coach Dom Capers

Team Report:

2005-05-03T18:23:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

One sign the Texans are establishing more depth in their fourth year is the fact none of their draft picks is assured a starting job. In fact, fourth-round pick Jerome Mathis is more likely to start than first- or third-round pick Vernand Morency. Defensive lineman Travis Johnson was the team's first-round pick, but he'll play behind starters Gary Walker, Seth Payne and Robaire, and be worked into the rotation. Johnson definitely will play in passing situations. If Domanick Davis' history of nagging training-camp injuries continue, Morency could sneak into a starting job, but expect Mathis, a speedy receiver from Hampton, to be too explosive to keep off the field. . . .

The Texans will have to decide whether they want CB Phillip Buchanon to return punts. Buchanon was a dangerous punt returner in Oakland, but some teams shy away from using a starting player on returns because of the risk of injuries. Texans coach Dom Capers was reluctant to use CB Aaron Glenn in that role despite the fact Glenn excelled on returns earlier in his career with the Jets. However, when Capers was the coach in Carolina, he used 1,000-yard rusher Anthony Johnson on kickoffs. This much is certain: with Buchanon and Mathis, who returns kickoffs, on the roster, return specialist J.J. Moses' days with the Texans are numbered.

Delay but Still Good

2005-04-28T17:20:00.000-05:00

As assumed, the Houston Texans were able to get the draft choice they were looking for. Houston began in the 13th slot, but decided to trade down for a third round choice in the next draft. The owner’s saw this as a good deal and it paid of. The player that they were looking to get, defensive tackle Travis Johnson, was still undrafted at 16. The Texans traded picks with the New Orleans Saints.

“Clearly, when we got to 13, there was a group of players, and we would’ve been happy with any of them. We would’ve taken Travis Johnson at 13, but we were offered the chance to move back with an extra pick for next year—a third-round pick, which is a good pick—to move back three spots. We felt comfortable that Travis Johnson could be there, and other players could be there.”
- Charley Casserly

David Carr and Juvenile Diabetes

2005-04-12T15:58:00.000-05:00

David Carr has been making efforts in order to boost the discovery of preventive care for juvenile diabetes. This is due to Carr having a son, Austin, who was diagnosed with this ailment. Now Carr is taking up the path of such people as Boomer Esiason and Doug Flutie in finding a cure for their child as any father would.

“I always remember watching guys like Boomer Esiason and Doug Flutie, who had sons that needed to be taken care of but in turn they were able to reach millions of people and raise awareness. I always thought that was something that I would eventually be blessed to do.”
- David Carr

It’s a great thing when people who face stardom on a daily basis are able bring about more awareness to problems we all face. Carr may have never even thought about juvenile diabetes before, but now he is making all efforts in his power to find a cure.

SCOUTING REPORT:

2005-04-07T14:40:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

Running back Domanick Davis has surpassed 1,000 yards each of his first two seasons, but the jury is still out on his durability. Davis is short, but hardly small. His lower body strength is as good as any back in the league. Nevertheless, staying healthy has been an issue. The Texans would like to be able to count on Davis as their back of the future, but don't be surprised if they draft a running back to provide insurance in the event Davis battles injuries for a third consecutive year. If healthy, Davis is the complete package. In addition to being a determined runner with great vision and cutback skills, Davis also is a sure-handed receiver who has become a safety blanket when quarterback David Carr has to get rid of the ball in a hurry.

Running Back Prospects

2005-03-31T19:09:00.000-06:00

Houston is currently looking towards running backs sparkling in the eyes of the scouts. Typically running backs are further down the line for demands, taking positions much later in draft picks. The Texans have three particular prospects in demand.

The first is Carnell “Cadillac” Williams from the Auburn Tigers. During his stint with Auburn, he stacked up 3,872 career rushing yards and 45 touchdowns. Along with him, Ronnie Brown also is out of Auburn. Being secondary to Williams, Brown rushed 2,725 yards and 28 touchdowns himself and has shown versatility. Since he is a little bit bigger than Williams, Brown has been able to jump over to pass blocker and receiver with no problem.

And holding up the end, Cedric Benson is the hot prospect out of the University of Texas (GO LONGHORNS!). Benson stacked up 5,577 yards with four 1,000-yard seasons. These were real high stats but also a lot of wear and tear.

OFFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS:

2005-03-24T14:33:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

The Texans' emphasis will be on providing better protection for Carr, who has been sacked more than any quarterback in the league over the past three years. Carr is too mobile -- not to mention too valuable -- to justify the beating he has taken. Expect the team to use more three-step drops to get the ball out of Carr's hand more quickly. The team also should continue to develop the moving-pocket schemes that worked so well early last season. Carr seemed to be most vulnerable when the pocket collapsed and he couldn't get outside. Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer will make protecting Carr the No. 1 priority even if it means sending fewer receivers on passing routes. . . .

When TE Bennie Joppru finally gets over the groin injury that robbed the first two years of his career, he'll add another dimension to the offense. Joppru has great hands and was considered a gifted blocker coming out of Michigan in 2003, but he hasn't played an NFL game in two years and remains a mystery to the Texans.

Preseason Schedule

2005-03-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

The opening games of the preseason schedule have been released. The Texans will begin with a game against the Denver Broncos. Houston has lost all three of the previous meetings with Denver (two preseason games and a regular season game).

Afterwards, Houston will take on the Oakland Raiders during Week 2. This will be the first preseason game the Texans have faced against the Raiders.

Week 3 will be on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas Stadium. The two previous games will be hosted at home in Houston at the Reliant Stadium. These two teams have met on three different occasions.

The closeout game will be against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is the fourth-consecutive year that the Texans will closeout the preseason against the Bucs.

All other aspects of preseason scheduling are still up in the air.

GO TEXANS!!!

Eric Sutulovich Returns

2005-03-12T18:23:00.000-06:00

After a 3- year term as Assistant Special Teams/Administrative Assistant, Eric Sutulovich will be returning to the Texans for another year. Sutulovich began his career as a tight end for Louisiana Tech from 1993-95. He was also part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes between 1992 and 1999.

Sutulovich’s Coaching Extent :

2002-05: Assistant Special Teams/Administrative Assistant, Houston Texans
2001: Offensive Coordinator, Fort Scott Community College
2000-2001: Offensive Graduate Assistant, University of Pittsburgh
2000: Assistant Head Coach /Offensive Coordinator, Casper Cavalry
1999: Assistant Football Coach, Bishop Ward High School
1997-99: Offensive Graduate Assistant, Louisiana Tech University

Updating Houstonians

2005-03-06T14:57:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

The Texans anticipated Seattle and St. Louis locking up Pro Bowl left tackles Walter Jones and Orlando Pace, respectively, but had their fingers crossed nonetheless. Quarterback David Carr's backside was vulnerable last season, and if the Texans had a chance to land a premier left tackle, they were prepared to pursue it in free agency, but now it's more likely the team will stick with Seth Wand and hope he improves in his second full season as a starter. Coaches drew similarities between Wand and Tony Boselli when the Texans picked Wand in the third round of the 2003 draft. Wand played at tiny Northwest Missouri State and is very raw. His run blocking is miles ahead of his pass protection, and at times he appears better suited to play right tackle. Speed rushers gave him problems in 2004, but the coaches still believe he will develop into a quality left tackle. . . .

The Texans are pleased with the progress free safety Marcus Coleman is making in his recovery from a shoulder injury that prematurely ended his season. Coleman made a smooth transition from cornerback to free safety in 2004, and he solidified a position that had been a problem spot for the Texans. With Coleman at free safety and Glenn Earl, who is entering his second season, manning the strong safety position, the Texans feel good about their starters, but depth could be a concern. Jason Simmons and Marlon McCree were the top reserves at the positions last season, but both are free agents and could bolt for other teams, although Simmons seems content with his role as a special teams player and utility defensive back. The Texans believe former college option quarterback Jammal Lord potentially could emerge as a viable backup to Coleman. Ramon Walker is an option behind Earl at strong safety, but he missed most of last season recovering from knee surgery, and he is more of a special teams contributor. Finding a safety should be in the Texans' draft day plans. . . .

The Texans aren't likely to add a player who single-handedly fixes their pass rush. That's more likely to come from a player currently on the roster, perhaps outside linebackers Jason Babin or Antwan Peek. In the meantime, the team will explore scheme options to get more pressure on the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio held back much of his playbook last season because the Texans started three rookies on defense, and he didn't want to overwhelm them. Inside linebacker Jamie Sharper, cornerback Dunta Robinson and free safety Marcus Coleman are excellent blitzers, and if the Texans can't generate a pass rush the conventional way, expect them to pressure the quarterback from different angles more than they have the previous three seasons.

Andre Johnson

2005-02-22T17:38:00.000-06:00

- from the official site of the Houston Texans

PRO: One of the league’s best receivers and fastest-rising offensive stars…possesses enviable combination of speed and strength…earned a Pro Bowl berth in just his second season, the first Texans offensive player to make the trip to Honolulu…has already hauled in 145 career passes for 2,118 yards (14.6 avg.), holding Texans career marks in both categories…also has 10 career TD catches, including six last season, which tied a franchise record…has seven career 100-yard receiving games, most in club annals…has caught in pass in all 32 career games…broke his own club records in 2004 for single-season receptions (79) and receiving yards (1,129)…also set single-game team marks with 12 receptions and 170 yards versus Minnesota…dangerous in the open field, leading the NFL in yards after catch (6.1 per reception) this past season after ranking fourth in that category in 2003…exploded onto the scene as a rookie, catching 66 passes for 976 yards and four TDs…led all AFC rookies in receptions and receiving yards…finalist for NFL Rookie of the Year Award after snagging two NFL Rookie of the Week honors…originally selected by the Texans in the first round (third overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft.

FCA Honoring McNair

2005-02-08T18:16:00.000-06:00

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is about to award Robert McNair (Chairman/CEO of the Houston Texans) with the President George H. W. Bush Community Impact Award. This award is given to someone who has had a beneficial impact on their surrounding society as a positive role model, retained Christian leadership, and had some level of athletic achievement.

McNair is best known for his former ownership of Cogen Electronics (sold in 1998). He formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998 and became a great proponent in bringing the sport back to the city.

Being only the fifth person to receive this award, this must be a great honor for McNair. The award will be presented to him by President George W. Bush and his wife Mrs. Bush. Tom Landry has also been a recipient of this honor. The banquet will be held March 8th, 2005.

Texans and Tsunami Relief

2005-01-30T18:12:00.000-06:00

Recently, the Houston Texans donated $300,000 to the Bush-Clinton Fund. The Bush-Clinton Fund was setup as a relief effort for the devastation that was caused by the tsunami in late December.

This marks a great point in this franchise history, no matter how youthful it is. The team made this effort in order to give a helping hand to areas that really need it right now. With efforts being made by all sides, Houstonians are trying to get together to make a donation of $100 million by the end of the month.

"To me the Houston Texans are the class of the NFL and they exhibit that in so many ways, just like today by stepping up with the biggest contribution of any NFL team to help the victims of this horrible tragedy."
- Jim McIngvale, Texans corporate partner

Passing Protection

2005-01-24T13:36:00.000-06:00

In consideration that David Carr is the Texans franchise quarterback. One would have to think that protection for the young talent would be top priority, and from the end of 2002 through the entire 2003 season, it was.

In 2004 that was not the case.

Some argue it might be the scheme set up for Carr, I beg to defer. I feel the personal is what must be change. There was three new addition to the O-line. On the left side there was Seth Wand at left tackle and Chester Pitts at left guard. These are the guys that protect Carr's blind side. I would look to free agency for a new left tackle and use the draft to groom a left guard.

The other newbe was Todd Wade at right tackle and even though he struggle here and there I think he will be fine after this next off-season.

The Cards Your Dealt

2005-01-16T17:01:00.000-06:00

It is true at the beginning of everything, whether it is birth, or a relationship, or in this case a season; everyone is dealt their own hand and there is nothing you can do about it.

It isn't such a bad thing either. Simply because, it is how you play your hand that counts. And so far the Texans have been slowing playing the NFL and little by little the Texans are make themselves known as competitor instead of the "expansion team". As the card will unfold next year, the NFL will come to terms with the young and hungry Texans.

Every single category that Dom Capers set for improving from last year did in fact improve. Improve so much that six rookies starting for the Texans did not play like rookies.

"And It's Only Getting Better"

2005-01-05T17:29:00.000-06:00

It is tough to be an expansion team, but it is not like the Texans are not making strides in improving. Now they have a pro- bowl receiver in Andre Johnson, they also have 1000 yard rusher D. Davis.

David Carr is learning and probable has the hardest job on the team with the biggest shoes to fill.

And Dom Cappers knows this, but Cappers keep his faith in his first draft as the Houston's number cruncher. Though it is no secret that Cappers his a guru when it comes to the numbers.

With the season over for the Texans all we can do is wait and see. I'll will do my best to keep you all informed of the behind the scenes. And up to date with playoffs and draft.

Dunta's Inferno

2004-12-29T19:03:00.000-06:00

Who would of thought rookie corner back Dunta Robinson was going to be this good. He definitely contributed to Houston's defense, which hasn't allowed a touchdown for seven straight quarters.

The Texans play their best football when the defense takes it chances. So why doesn't Defensive coordinator Fangio blitz more?

Robinson has been a big part of the blitz package. It helps that he is the fastest player on defense. His angles are not that shabby either. Robinson was also the only player to sack Colts QB Peyton Manning twice in the same game this season. Of course until Steve Foley sacked Manning three time the following week.

As a rookie Dunta is second on the Texans in tackles with 81 tackles. Dunta also has 3 sacks, yet always a constant pressure. Along side his sacks Dunta all so has 6 interception and 3 forced fumbles.

This kid is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Texans march at Soldier Field

2004-12-20T10:36:00.000-06:00

By Katie Lewis, HoustonTexans.com

The Texans received a not-so-warm welcome today at Soldier Field with temperatures swirling around 12 degrees and an even lower wind chill factor of minus-11. It marked the coldest game the Texans have ever played. The temperature even set a mark in the Bears history books as the third-lowest temperature ever when Chicago has played host.

In front of 62,122 bundled up Bears fans, the Texans defensive unit had a banner day, preventing the Bears from scoring an offensive touchdown. It marked the third time in Texans history the defense held the opposing team out of the end zone. Houston's defense allowed the lowest point total scored in club annals in the 24-5 win.

"Any time you come to Chicago and play in the month of December you know it's going to be a tough, physical game," head coach Dom Capers said. "I really like the attitude, effort, determination of our football team. We thought it may be a hard-fought, close, low-scoring game.

"I thought our defense did a tremendous job of hanging in there and continuing to go out and make plays at times that we struggled on the offensive side of things."

The defense also set records for fewest total yards allowed (203), fewest rushing yards (54) and tied with fewest first downs give up (11).

The cold and windy conditions made for a slow and disjointed start. But the Texans got warmed up when Corey Bradford and Domanick Davis delivered with touchdowns to give the team an edge. Charlie Anderson's 60-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter put things out of reach for Chicago and sealed Houston's 24-5 victory.

Carr finished the day completing 13 of 28 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. Gaffney recorded his first NFL 100-yard receiveing day after catching four balls for 109 yards.

Cornerback Dunta Robinson paced the defense with seven tackles, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble.

"We just gave it a total team effort," Robinson said. "When the offense wasn't moving the ball to well we went in there and made plays on defense and put them in position to score points and that's what they did."

Frigid temperatures didn't seem to slow Chicago running back Thomas Jones who carried eight times for 32 yards on Chicago's opening drive. But on 3rd and 3 from the Houston 20, quarterback Chad Hutchinson's exchange with Jones was bobbled and the ball fell loose. Texans linebacker Jason Babin scooped up the ball and added another 15 yards to give Houston's offense a shot at scoring. It was Babin's first career fumble recovery.

Davis led the Texans first drive, picking up nine yards on two carries. He hurdled a group of Bears defenders and rambled for another 23 yards. But three plays later, Davis' four-yard run came up a yard short of moving the chains and Kris Brown was called in to kick a 42-yard field goal.

Brown's kick sailed wide right and the score remained at zero as the Bears took over at their own 33. But Chicago's offensive unit was only able to generate seven yards on the drive sending in the punt unit.

The Texans offense didn't look much different. After three tries at a first down, Chad Stanley was called in to punt. The cold conditions didn't work in Stanley's favor though. The stiff ball only sailed 23 yards putting the Bears in good position at their own 48.

Chicago wasn't able to captitalize on the good drive start. Paul Edinger came in to kick a 53-yard field goal but he faked the kick and looked for defensive end Israel Idonije to pick up a first down. Edinger's pass was tipped by Texans linebacker Kailee Wong and cornerback Aaron Glenn nabbed the ball, picking off his 35th career interception.

But Houston was forced to punt on 3rd and 14 and Chicago took another crack at crossing the goal line.

Hutchinson found Desmond Clark for a 14-yard gain to get the ball rolling. On the next play, Babin and safety Glenn Earl blew up Bears running back Bernard Berrian for a 10-yard loss after he took the ball from Thomas on a reverse. A false start penalty on 4th and 1 pushed the Bears back and Edinger was called in to attempt another field goal. But his 39-yard attempt dropped in front of the crossbar to keep the score at zero.

The Texans offense was able to get anything started on the ensuing drive. Running back Jonathan Wells and Carr ran for three yards each. On 3rd and 4 Jabar Gaffney stretched up and reeled in an 11-yarder from Carr to move the chains. But three plays later, Houston wasn't able to convert on 3rd and 13 and Stanley punted for the third time.

Houston's defense held the Bears from scoring and the Texans offense began their two-minute drill as the second quarter wound down. Carr hit receiver Andre Johnson on 3rd and 10 with a 26-yard strike and on the next shot sailed a beauty right over Bradford's shoulder for a 37-yard touchdown. Bradford's 20th career score gave Houston a 7-0 lead with 34 seconds remaining in the first half.

Hutchinson looked for Clark on the first snap of the Bears ensuing drive, but his pass was picked off by Robinson at the Houston 25. Robinson returned the theft 40 yards to the Chicago 35 with nine seconds remaining. The Texans had time to take two shots at the end zone but weren't able to get any more points as the half came to a close.

The Bears and Texans punted three times to start off the third quarter. Carr found Gaffney for a 12-yard connection with just under five minutes remaining in the quarter, but the Texans didn't advance any further. Carr threw incomplete to tight end Mark Bruener and was penalized four yards for delay of game on the next snap, placing the ball at the Houston 5.

The Bears defense brought pressure on 2nd and 19 and Carr was forced to throw out of bounds from the end zone. The play was ruled intentional grounding to give the Bears a safety and two points. Chicago now trailed 7-2.

The Texans kicked off, putting the ball back into Chicago's possession but the Bears punted shortly after. Houston took over and was pinned deep in its own territory as the Bears threatened Carr in the end zone again. Chicago's defense held strong and Stanley punted short, placing the Bears offense at the Houston 33.

Four plays later the Bears put Edinger in field goal range where he split the uprights from 43 yards out to put the score at 7-5 still in favor of the Texans.

But Houston answered swiftly. On 3rd and 7 Carr delivered a laser to Gaffney from the Houston 24. Gaffney followed with a 69-yard gain to surpass the 100-yard mark for the day. From the Chicago 7, Davis lost one yard on the next run but gained it back when Carr hit him on a five-yarder to the Bears 3. The Texans weren't able to cross the goal line but Brown hit his 20-yard field goal to seal the 76-yard scoring drive while extending Houston's lead 10-5.

The Bears took over but Hutchinson's efforts weren't accurate. He missed Jones on the first pass of the drive and his second to Berrian also fell incomplete. Texans defensive end Robaire Smith brought heat on the next snap, pushing Hutchinson back 13 yards on the sack. A five-yard face mask penalty on Smith was called on the play, putting Chicago right back at the line of scrimmage. But the Bears weren't able to push forward any further and Brad Maynard punted.

The Texans were then able to burn 5:38 off of the game clock en route to a 13-play, 56-yard scoring drive. Carr got the ball rolling when he found Gaffney for a seven-yard strike. Davis chipped in runs of five and three yards on the drive before rambling 11 yards into the end zone to extend Houston's lead 17-5.

The Bears took over with under five minutes remaining. Chicago's offense advanced 10 yards to the Houston 48 before Robinson caused his second disruption of the day. Robinson beat his guy around the edge and took Hutchinson down for a seven-yard sack and forced fumble. Texans linebacker Charlie Anderson scooped up the ball and sprinted 60 yards into the end zone for his first career fumble recovery and touchdown to extend the scoring gap 24-5 in favor of Houston.

Houston's defense held the Bears from scoring on their final effort and the Texans offense ran the clock down to seal the team's sixth win of the season.

"We came in here at the half with a lead and we just wanted to go out and finish the game," Gaffney said. "Everybody was saying that we couldn't finish a game and put two halves together and we went out there and did that today."

Colts Hang on to Beat Texans

2004-12-13T11:21:00.000-06:00

By Carter Toole, HoustonTexans.com

Today's game against the Colts at Reliant Stadium couldn't have started any worse for the Texans.

Houston's first two offensive possessions resulted in an interception and a three-and-out. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning took swift advantage, throwing two touchdowns to stake Indianapolis to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Colts looked well on their way to another lopsided win and Manning looked poised to break the league's single-season record for touchdown passes.

But the Texans (and their crowd) didn't fold. Houston's defense stiffened and the offense slowly got its sea legs. The Texans ran the ball effectively and kept Indianapolis kicking field goals instead of extra points.

In the end, however, that early deficit was too much to overcome. The Colts defeated Houston 23-14 Sunday before a sun-splashed crowd of 70,762. Indianpolis clinches its second consecutive division title, improving to 10-3 with its sixth consecutive win. The Texans dropped to 5-8 and have lost five of their last six games.

Running back Domanick Davis rushed for 128 yards and one touchdown, helping Houston churn out 148 yards on the ground. But the Texans couldn't force a turnover and committed two of their own. Houston also allowed quarterback David Carr to be sacked five times and committed five false starts.

"We were our own worst enemy," Carr said.

Indeed. After struggling at the outset, the Texans clawed back with a chance to take the lead, only to watch the Colts make the plays that they could not.

"You just can't have plays against a team like Indianapolis," head coach Dom Capers said. "Every game you're only going to get so many opportunities and they converted more today than we did."

Despite not finding the end zone after the first quarter, the Colts still gained 382 total yards and ended three second-half drives with field goals, consuming 16:39 of clock time in the second stanza. The Texans, while controlling the tempo with Davis, still managed just 273 total yards and didn't have an offensive play of more than 20 yards.

The result was a frustrated locker room.

"It’s frustrating," center Steve McKinney said. "You have a team like that on the ropes with a chance to beat them and you don’t quite get it done. It happens to good teams. We hurt ourselves early in the first quarter and put them in a position to score points. We just weren’t able to overcome that."

The Texans opened with the ball and did exactly what you can't do against the Colts' high-powered offense -- turn it over. Colts cornerback Jason David picked off Carr on Houston's third snap, giving Indianapolis the ball at the Texans 37.

From there, the Colts fed running back Edgerrin James, who moved the ball to the three-yard line on three carries and a 12-yard reception. Manning then hit wide receiver Marvin Harrison for a three-yard touchdown, giving him 45 touchdown passes on the season. Indianapolis led 7-0.

Houston's second possession didn't fare much better. A false start on guard Zach Wiegert pushed the ball back five yards. After Davis scampered for eight yards, Carr was sacked by Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, losing 10 yards. The Texans punted.

Manning went back to work, hitting tight end Marcus Pollard for 18 yards to move the ball into Texans territory. Six plays later, Manning fired a 12-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. The Colts had a two-touchdown lead.

Davis got untracked a bit on the next possession, rushing for 21 yards on two carries to get the ball past midfield. But another false start and another sack pushed the Texans into a 3rd and 26 that they couldn't convert.

Houston's defense responded at the outset of the second quarter. Cornerback Dunta Robinson sacked Manning for 10 yards to push the ball back to the Colts 10, eventually forcing a three-and-out. The Texans got the ball in terrific field position at the Colts 42.

Carr hit Davis for 16 yards before three Davis runs moved the ball to the Colts 10. On 3rd and goal from the three-yard line, Carr found running back Jonathan Wells out of the backfield for a touchdown that cut the Colts' lead to 14-7.

Manning marched the Colts down to the Texans 27 before Robinson again made his presence felt. He blitzed from the right side and nailed Manning, forcing a fumble...or perhaps an incompletion. Referee Ed Hochuli ruled Manning's throwing arm was going forward. Capers challenged and was ruled correct -- but since the whistle blew there was no actual fumble recovery.

Nevertheless, the play pushed the Colts back six yards and Manning threw incomplete on the next play. Indianapolis was forced to punt and the Texans got the ball at their own 20 with 3:08 left in the half.

"Obviously we didn’t play well enough to win the game, but Peyton didn’t do what they what they thought he was going to do against us," Robinson said. "We just played hard and physical."

The Texans kept feeding Davis and it worked. Two runs netted 25 yards before Carr found Davis on a screen pass for 16 yards to the Colts 44. But on 3rd and 11 from the Colts 32, Carr fumbled the shotgun snap from McKinney. Colts defensive end Raheem Brock recovered at the 39-yard line with 37 seconds left.

Indianapolis got the ball to start the second half. After finding Pollard for a first down to the Colts 47, Manning lofted a 34-yard pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley. But the Texans held, forcing a 30-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt that pushed the Colts' lead to 17-7.

But the Texans went right back to work. Davis gained a first down to push him ove the 100-yard rushing mark before Carr found wide receiver Corey Bradford for 19 yards to the Colts 43. Carr then found Bradford again for eight yards to convert a 3rd and 5.

Carr's 12-yard completion to tight end Billy Miller got the Texans into the red zone and Davis took it from there, gliding 12 yards to the end zone to cut the lead to 17-14. It was Davis' 10th touchdown of the season, his eighth in the past six games.

It was the defense's turn to respond and it did, allowing one first down before stopping the Colts at the Texans 44. Houston took over at its own 11.

On 3rd and 5 from the 16-yard line, Carr hit wide receiver Andre Johnson on a crossing route for 12 yards to give the Texans some breathing room. Then came a 3rd and 10, which Carr promptly converted with a 13-yard pass to Johnson. But Freeney killed another drive with a nine-yard sack of Carr. The Texans punted and Indianapolis took over at its own 11.

Manning then began to peck away. First it was a 15-yarder to Stokley to convert a third down. Then Manning lofted a 26-yarder to Wayne, putting the ball at the Texans 41. On 3rd and 1 from the Texans 24, James was stopped by linebacker Jason Babin. The Colts settled for a 43-yard field goal by Vanderjagt and a six-point lead.

Houston had a legitimate shot to make things interesting with a 3 and 2 from its own 44. But Carr was sacked by Colts defensive end Robert Mathis for a four-yard loss. Indianapolis got the ball back and Manning converted a crucial 3rd and 10 with a 14-yard pass to Wayne. The Colts eventually reached Vanderjagt's range and his 44-yard field goal with 1:56 left sealed the win.

The Come Back Kids

2004-11-29T10:11:00.000-06:00

Deep in the heart of the Texans, there was something that wouldn't shut down. The three year young franchise over came it's biggest deficit. It was 18 points to be exact.

It could be the fact that Carr is becoming a better quaterback every day, or that this young team final understands what it takes to win, or just maybe it was because the Tennessee Titans (A.K.A Houston Oilers) came in to town.

It wasn't that Tennessee had a bad game, despite a few key mistake by veteran quaterback Steve McNair, it was because Carr took after his child hood idol. Who happens Brett Farve.

Trailing 21-3 at half time, the Texans came out the second half hungry. The Texans scored 28 un-answered points to send the Titans back to Tennessee with a sour 31-21 loss.

Road Block

2004-11-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

By J. Michael Moore, HoustonTexans.com

Denver, Colo. – The road that cuts through an NFL season is never straight. It has bumps, curves, pot holes and dips.

It seems the Houston Texans got caught up in some sort of narrow mountain pass Sunday afternoon here in the Mile High City. It was tough. Narrow. Hard to get out of.

With the Rocky Mountains towering in the distance Houston dropped its first game in more than two weeks, falling to the Denver Broncos 31-13.

This was a day where nothing went right, beginning with a promising opening drive that ended in a missed Kris Brown field goal.

The Texans defense held the Broncos to three-and-out on their first drive, but Denver responded with a Jake Plummer to Jeb Putzier touchdown pass and a Jason Elam field goal on its next two possessions to take a 10-0 lead.

The Putzier touchdown capped a 99-yard drive by the Broncos offense.

Houston (4-4) linebacker Antwan Peek blocked a punt that Jonathan Wells recovered on the one-yard line leading to a Domanick Davis touchdown run, but the game quickly slipped out of reach.

“It’s just kind of a snowball effect,” quarterback David Carr said. “On our first drive we should have got points. If we get a touchdown there or we get three it might have changed the game a little bit but in the NFL if it starts snowballing like that, it’s hard.”

Hard is also a good word to describe the Broncos offense which seemed to rediscover its identity Sunday.

Reuben Droughns rushed for 120 yards, while Plummer completed 16 of 24 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns.

“They didn’t do anything we hadn’t worked on,” starting defensive end Gary Walker said. “So that’s the most frustrating part. We got guys running free, running backs running through tackles. We didn’t tackle, we didn’t cover, we didn’t pressure the quarterback. We had opportunities to do some things but we didn’t get it done.”

The Broncos (6-3) had lost two-straight games entering Sunday and spoke all week of the importance of getting a convincing win heading into the team’s bye week.

Perhaps that intensity – and the defining moment of the Texans miscues – was exemplified on the Broncos 99-yard scoring drive.

Cornerback Aaron Glenn was called for pass interference on the drive, turning an incomplete pass to wide receiver Ashley Lelie into a 36-yard gain. The Texans were less than pleased with the call.

In all the Texans were penalized nine times for a season-high 109 yards. So when a solid Bronco defense wasn’t stopping Carr and the offense, they were stopping themselves.

Carr threw for 245 yards but no touchdowns in the game, the team’s only other score came on a Davis touchdown run with 6:53 left in the game.

Davis had perhaps his best game since the season opener, rushing for 71 yards on 19 carries and catching two passes for 19 yards. But he was rendered largely ineffective in the second half.

The Broncos scored on the first drive of the third quarter and the Texans were left one dimensional in the comeback effort. Denver responded by pressuring Carr on four-man rushes, sacking the quarterback four times for 17 yards. Wide receiver Andre Johnson, who entered the game fourth in the NFL in receiving yards, was held to 28 yards on three catches.

Denver defensive ends entered the game having recording only two sacks in the previous five games. They got two Sunday.

On the flip side the Texans defense did not get a turnover for the first time in two games.

Part of the credit goes to Plummer who made no mistakes and, according to linebacker Kailee Wong, did an excellent job of managing the game.

Maybe it was a lack of pressure – the Texans had only one sack in the game – or breakdowns in coverage. No matter what, Wong said Sunday’s game shows there is always work to be done.

“The defense works together,” he said. “You need to have pressure and you need to have coverage and those two things go hand-in-hand. If you don’t have one or the other or you don’t have both, then you really get in trouble.

“We definitely have to keep working. We haven’t arrived. We have to keep preparing and we have to come out and play well. Otherwise, we can get it handed to us on Sunday.”

Now back to the road.

Defining Moment

2004-10-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

By J. Michael Moore, HoustonTexans.com

Never has sweat looked so nice.

With 9:25 left here Sunday the Texans took the ball and started driving.

Jonathan Wells left, Jonathan Wells right, and in just a few plays the Titans columbia blue jerseys were turning darker with perspiration. At one point, most of Tennessee’s front seven stood with hands on hips, sucking wind before the Texans offensive line set for another play.

That’s what happens when the Texans execute.

“That’s a sign of a good football team,” starting tight end Mark Bruener said of the nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown run by Wells.

It may not have been the ultimate defining drive every team has during the course of the season but it was exactly what the Texans needed to secure a 20-10 victory over the Titans.

But the drive that secured the Texans (3-3, 1-0) first victory over the Titans in two years of existence signified plenty about the improvement of the team.

For starters, the defense picked off Titans quarterback Steve McNair four times in the game, twice in the fourth quarter, and held Tennessee scoreless for the entire second half. Last week’s AFC Offensive Play of the Week Chris Brown was knocked out of the game in the third quarter and finished with 52 yards on 13 carries.

It all set up one of the key moments of the game for the Texans offensive line, which blew the Titans defensive line off the ball play after play. Each time they pushed a little bit harder and the Titans appeared a little more fatigued.

Wells rushed six times on the scoring drive, which ran 4:43 seconds off the clock and forced McNair into a hurry up for the rest of the game.

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson also made two of his four receptions on the drive, both on quick passes to the outside where he beat Titans cornerback Samari Rolle in one-on-one coverage.

Wells dove into the end zone from four yards out with 4:45 remaining, following a Zach Wiegert block for his second rushing touchdown of the season.

The Titans (2-4, 0-3) got the ball back with more than four minutes remaining but McNair threw his final interception of the day to free safety Marcus Coleman on fourth-and-goal from the two.

A couple of plays later the Texans were able to take a knee.

“We have been a real football team, we just haven’t won a lot of games,” said Wells, who rushed for 73 yards after replacing an injured Domanick Davis. “We have been battling and we just have to keep going. If we keep getting better, there is no telling what we can do. We know we have a long way to go, but we are doing a lot of things well right now.”

The Texans defense has been doing well over the last month as well.

Houston has won three of its last four games. The team has a total of 10 takeaways in those three victories.

“In the games we’ve won, we’ve always won the turnover battle.” Texans cornerback Aaron Glenn said. “I think if we continue to do that, we’ll continue to have a lot more wins. We know what our keys to success are. We have to continue to do that.”

McNair threw for 210 yards, but the Titans never got into a solid rhythm against an aggressive Texans defense. Houston only had one sack to show for its efforts, but did plenty in its 27 minutes on the field.

Most importantly, the defense helped take a normally raucous Tennessee crowd out of the action.

Then it was up to the offense to make the Titans sweat.

“We knew coming in here would be a big challenge,” head coach Dom Capers said. “This is not an easy place to come in and play against a good Tennessee team. What we got to do is take this win and try to build on it.”

Heart Break City

2004-10-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

It was a heart breaker. This past Sunday the Texans fought back from a 21 point deficit to send the game into overtime with the score 28-28. But that is where it ended, in overtime, as Cullpepper's arrant pass found it's way to the endzone for the game winning TD.

Texans QB David Carr

(On the difference between the first and second halves) “It was hard the first half because we only had 17 plays. We missed 3 rd and 1, 3 rd and 2. We get that and that’s a guaranteed six more plays at least. So that was tough – we only had 17 plays at halftime and that’s our own fault. In the second half we kind of pulled it together a little bit.”

(On the character of the team) “It’s the same for the entire team. We’re never going to give up. It’s just the strength of the character of the guys in the huddle and how they carry themselves. There was never a sign of giving up, never a sign that we can’t score 21 or whatever we need to score to come back in the game.”

(On the importance of finishing games like this one) “It was tough. Once we got into overtime we thought we had a chance. We finally got it tied up at 28, and they did a good job of covering us up on the series that we had and we didn’t get much done. We couldn’t finish it off. That’s something we’re going to have to focus on. I was kind of happy to be in that situation, but we have to get the killer mentality to take it away, kind of like the Vikings do.”

(On Andre Johnson’s presence and performance) “When number 80’s out there and we make eye contact, there’s a good chance that I’ll throw him the football. It instills confidence when you throw a ball up to a guy and he goes and jumps 15 feet in the air and pulls it down. You’d probably throw it to him. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and it’s something everyone else feeds off of. The other wide receivers made big plays – they all feed off of that. They see him make some plays and they go and make plays, and the whole offense gets some energy. That’s kind of what enabled us to g et back in the game and tie it up.”

(On Andre Johnson’s acrobatic touchdown catch) “It was a play that we’d seen on tape and that we thought we’d take advantage of. We played it similar to what they did on tape and just had to wait a little longer. We had Domanick [Davis] out in the flat trying to entice the corner to step up a little bit, and he stepped up just enough to where I could put it on the top shelf. We practiced it during the week. I just didn’t practice with him doing a flip.”

Clutch Performers

2004-09-27T13:20:00.000-05:00

HoustonTexans.com,By J. Michael Moore

Jonathan Wells used his feet all day against the Kansas City Chiefs. He got those tough, punishing yards for nearly four quarters.

But the running back’s soft hands on the game’s final drive made up for all the aches and pains he’ll have in his legs and knees Monday morning.

Wells replaced starting running back Domanick Davis early in the Texans 24-21 victory over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. He then faced some of the more intense action he had seen since he led the team in rushing in 2002.

He stepped up numerous times, but a first-down catch out of the back field on third-and-seven kept the Texans final drive alive – a drive which culminated in Kris Brown’s game-winning field goal.

It was Wells’ only catch of the day and one of only three successful third-down conversions for the Texans (1-2).

“I’m always ready to play,” he said. “I work hard. I’ve just been waiting to get an opportunity. Today (Davis) went down so I felt it’s my duty to step up and play for the other guys on this team.”

Wells was banged up throughout training camp and moved to number two on the depth chart two weeks ago when Tony Hollings injured his knee. He carried the ball 10 times for 37 yards and scored on a two-point conversion against the Chiefs (0-3).

Davis suffered a sprained ankle in the game. The team doesn’t expect it to limit him much in the coming week.

Wells also played heavily on special teams, a role he has embraced as the Texans running attack changed since 2002.

But it was good to run the ball again.

Go Texas!

Four Times to Many

2004-09-14T16:00:00.000-05:00

It's a simple plan really. Win. Just three seasons into there franchise, fans in Houston are seeking more production from there Texans. I know I am. Defensive guru, Dom Caper, didn't seem to bring the needed pressure on quaterback Drew Brees. Allowing Brees to complete 17 of 24 passes for 209 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Capers 3-4 front failed to stop the other L.T. Tomlinson ran for a buck 21 and score on top of Brees' performance.

Yet there is still faith in Houston for Capers. It is only the first game. The problem is lack of personal rather than the coaching and the scheming on the sidelines.

Even at that, it still isn't the reason for the 27-20 loss to the Chargers. The reason for the loss is the FOUR turnovers provided by the Texans offense. Next time that happens, you might as well gift wrap it, because all turnovers do is give the other team another chance and the momentum. No one is going to win a game with FOUR turnovers. No one.

Go Texans!

Texans Players...

2004-09-03T17:49:00.000-05:00

from houstontexans.com:

...all the defensive and offensive starters are expected to return to practice, giving an early advantage in preparing for the opening day opponent.

Starters will play an even more critical role across the league in 2004 since teams are allowed to keep eight players on a practice squad instead of five. Capers said the increase will limit the amount of talent a team can pick up during the season.

For the first time in team history the Texans will start no rookies on offense. Altered practice schedules helped keep the team fresh throughout training camp. Capers said the change was a result of hard work the team put in during spring drills.

Way to go! Let's hope that all that hard work pays off.

Texan Cuts

2004-08-30T18:13:00.000-05:00

from houstontexans.com:

The Texans released strong safety Curry Burns, running back KaRon Coleman, guard Curry Dawson, cornerback Vontez Duff, guard Brandon Evans, cornerback Rober’ Freeman, tight end John Frieser, wide receiver Albert Johnson, tackle Brad Lekkerkerker, wide receiver Jermaine Lewis, center Andrew Martin, linebacker Raheem Orr, defensive end D.J. Renteria, kicker Todd Sievers, wide receiver Andrae Thurman and defensive end Bryce Wyatt.

17 more players have to be released by Sunday. We'll see who goes next.

Practicing Zone Tactics

2004-08-25T17:08:00.000-05:00

from houstontexans.com:

Sure tackle Todd Wade was as disappointed as the rest of the team’s offensive linemen after a lackluster performance at Pittsburgh Aug. 21. The team lost 38-3 and managed 54 rushing yards.

But he and others say the new zone blocking scheme is close to vastly improving the Texans running game...

Zone blocking is designed to allow players to double-team defenders depending on their area of the field. This differs from man blocking, where players may have individual responsibilities.

Let's hope that they're able to put these new skills to good use against Denver! GO TEXANS!!!

Texans Battle Steelers

2004-08-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

from houstontexans.com

Yes, it is a preseason game. Yes, it technically doesn’t count. And finally, yes, the Texans aren’t exactly building an extravagant game plan for Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But that does not mean the game is less important.

“Our goal is to go into Pittsburgh and see how much improvement we can make over our performance last Saturday night,” Texans head coach Dom Capers said. “It’s always a big challenge when you go on the road the first time and deal with all the distractions of playing on the road – the crowd noise and the focus and concentration it takes.”

The Texans look to make some more history Saturday when they travel to Pittsburgh for the first preseason game between the two teams. A win and the Texans would have won back-to-back preseason games for the first time in team history.

Go Texans!!!

Dolphins Come to Town

2004-08-05T12:08:00.000-05:00

So it's about time for some scrimmages....

The Texans held a hard-hitting session under the lights Wednesday night to wrap
up their third two-a-day of training camp.

The Texans have one
more practice Thursday before the Dolphins come to town for three practices and
a controlled scrimmage. It's time to start hitting somebody with a
different logo on their helmet.

Bet the Dolphins are glad to get out of Miami... but they're in for a hard time in Texas!

Training Camp Updates

2004-08-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

So, training camp has begun and we're beginning to see who's going to contribute to a Texan winning season. Here's the coach's assesment of the team:

“I think they had the right attitude, the guys who have been through came with
us a couple of years they know what we expect," head coach Dom
Capers said. "I think their focus and attention has been good. Really,
that’s the challenge of training camp. You have to come out here every day and
work to get better because these days go by fast.”

The Texans will practice once today, twice Wednesday and once Thursday before the Dolphins arrive in Houston for two practices and a scrimmage in Reliant Stadium on August 7.

Training Camp Begins 7/29

2004-07-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to see how things shape up during training camp. Here's the lowdown of the new recruits:

As of today, the Texans have 93 players on the
roster. The team is allowed to bring 91 players to camp
(80 regular roster, 10 NFLE exemptions and one
national exemption). Houston made the following key
acquisitions this offseason: TE Mark Bruener (Steelers),
CB Eric Kelly (Vikings), LB DaShon Polk (Bills), OT
Marcus Spears (Chiefs), DE Robaire Smith (Titans) and
OT Todd Wade (Dolphins).
The Texans selected nine players in the 2004
NFL draft: CB Dunta Robinson, LB Jason Babin, S
Glenn Earl, CB Vontez Duff, S Jammal Lord, LB
Charlie Anderson, LB Raheem Orr, WR Sloan Thomas,
and QB B.J. Symons.

I'll be waiting to see what happens!! GO TEXANS!!!!

This is going to be a GREAT season!

2004-07-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a little info from the Texan's website:

There’s been just one addition but a whole lot of shuffling to Houston’s offensive line. And the Texans are convinced that this unit will be stronger in 2004.

Why? Versatility and depth. The Texans finally boast enough depth to deal with the attrition that inevitably comes with life in the trenches. Plus, depth leads to increased competition in camp. And the unit's versatility will enable the Texans to move players around if and when the coaching staff sees fit.

So, what do you think? I think that we're going in strong and are going to have a GREAT season!!! GO TEXANS!!!

Houston Texans Blog

2004-07-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Houston,

Thanks for stopping by. I'm not quite up and running yet, but check back soon for updates.