Position Battle Preview - Week One

If you're like me, then you are counting down the seconds until your Houston Texans hit the field in Glendale, AZ to take on the Arizona Cardinals this Saturday night at 7 PM CT.

Whether you'll be at University of Phoenix Stadium, watching at the BRB Gathering, watching on TV, listening on 100.3 KILT/SportsRadio 610/La Tremenda 1010, or finding it somewhere on the Internet, pre-season football means one thing: BATTLE. As in, position BATTLES. While there is a lot of competition to make the 53-man roster, hit the jump to see the bigger position battles to focus on.

As I said before, you have a lot of guys fighting for reserve or third-string roles to make the 53-man roster come September. However, this is focusing on battles that will have more of an immediate impact during the regular season. Note: All depth chart spots comes from the depth chart on The Mothership.

Back-up Quarterback: Dan Orlovsky (current back-up) versus John David Booty
Reason To Watch: People are nervous about the depth of the position should Matt Schaub have to miss any time. Sexy Rexy was the back-up last season ahead of Dan-O, and we all saw how Rex performed.
What To Watch For: Simply put, who is more comfortable in their role as QB? Neither Dan or John David have inspired much confidence in camp due to inaccurate throws and slow decision-making, which would translate into dead drives, sacks, and interceptions in a real game. Can Orlovsky or Booty look like a competent QB or does Rick need to make a move to grab someone (Troy Smith? Sage Rosenfels?) who could fill in if necessary?

Running Back: Arian Foster (current starter) versus Steve Slaton versus Ben Tate versus Chris Henry versus Jeremiah Johnson
Reason To Watch: The team needs a starting running back who can run for a positive yard and hold onto the football. It'll be a plus if they have an accurate arm. There's also a question of whether the team will carry three or four backs, so roster spots are in play.
What To Watch For: All five have their positives, so this is where the team begins to separate them. Slaton has his speed back, but he needs to prove he's past last year's nightmare. Tate's been criticized for his body language and has had his ups and downs. In camp, Foster and Henry have gotten the most praise from bloggers, reporters, and coaches alike. Kubiak values a well-rounded RB who gives maximum effort on every play, so every little detail should be looked at.

Wide Receiver 4 & 5: Andre Davis (4th WR) versus David Anderson (5th) versus Dorin Dickerson (6th)
Reason To Watch: The Apostrophe is listed as fourth ahead of Anderson and Dickerson, who have looked better throughout camp.
What To Watch For: I have speculated for months that Davis is going to be cut due to age, price tag, and declining production, but he's going to need to be beaten on the depth chart for that to happen. Dickerson has been progressing rather nicely, so his first game should draw the watch label as both a receiver and special teamer. Watch Dorin's route-running because that should show where he is at in his development as a receiver. DA is a better receiving threat than Davis, as proven last season with Anderson becoming a contributor on offense, so people should be watching to see if those two can outshine Davis.

Interior Offensive Line (G and C): Wade Smith versus Mike Brisiel versus Chris Myers (Starting C) versus Kasey Studdard (Starting LG)
Reason To Watch: Some people place the blame for the running game's terrible performance last season on the middle of the line. Also, it'd be nice to protect Schaub from huge defensive tackles.
What To Watch For: Kubiak has insinuated that these guys will get a lot more time than most other position battles in this first preseason game. There's going to be rotation and position shuffling, so keep an eye on who is out there, who is where, and how they handle the shifting. On this note, don't be surprised if there are some QB-C exchange issues with all the shuffling. Kubiak has said that he is looking for the best combination, so no one's safe in the LG/C battle. I haven't listed RG because all indications show that the coaches want Antoine Caldwell there.

Strong Linebacker: Danny Clark versus Xavier Adibi (current back-up) versus Kevin Bentley
Reason To Watch: Starting SLB Brian Cushing will miss four games.
What To Watch For: Coverage and tackling abilities. Although Adibi and Clark are banged up and unlikely to play much (if at all) tomorrow night, I'd really like to see if one of these guys can hang with a TE, considering that the winner will see Dallas Clark, Chris Cooley/Fred Davis, and Jason Witten right off the bat. The SLB is also crucial to the run defense, so good tackling is a must in Cushing's replacement.

Cornerback: Antwaun Molden (nickel CB) versus Brice McCain (dime) versus Jacques Reeves (quarter) versus Fred Bennett versus Mark Parson versus Sherrick McManis
Reason To Watch: Six guys likely competing for four spots make it the biggest battle in terms of players and roster spots. In the passing era of the NFL, CB depth is key, which makes it a bit nerve-wracking that the secondary has been deemed the weakest unit entering training camp.
What To Watch For: With no Kareem Jackson on Saturday, the spotlight is on Molden and McCain, who will see a lot more snaps with the first team - especially #21 Brice McCain, who will start opposite Quin, according to the Mothership. Both McCain and Molden have shown promise, but they'll get a good test from the Arizona WRs. McManis has missed a lot of time, so this will be good for everyone to get a glimpse at him. Parson has had a strong camp, but if he wants a roster spot then he'll need to earn it in the game. Bennett's likely gone, but Reeves is still a contender for playing time. It's important to remember Frank Bush's apparent preference for running a zone defense. Keep an eye on where a receiver catches the ball because it is not always the cornerback's fault.

Kick Returner: Steve Slaton (KR1) versus Andre Davis (KR2) versus Trindon Holliday versus Sherrick McManis
Reason To Watch: It looks like Jakespeare will be focusing more on the offense, so there is a need to find someone who can create field position for our offense. With Andre' being a speculated bubble player, there may be a need for two new returners.
What To Watch For: Can Slaton survive a train wreck? Has Andre lost a step? Is Holliday as fast as they say? Does McManis have wheels? Kubes has indicated that Holliday will get a lot of return reps, so his speed will be on display. I'm very interested to see Slaton, as he's never returned before to my knowledge. I'm also a bit nervous as the return game consists of grown men running at full speed crashing into each other, so for Slaton's sake I hope he's healthy.

Punt Returner: Jacoby Jones (Starting PR) versus Andre Davis versus David Anderson versus Trindon Holliday
Reason To Watch: It's all about field position. Special teams can be a huge advantage for a team.
What To Watch For: Will we need to be nervous every time the Texans field a punt? Can someone step up and force Jacoby to focus solely on receiving? Can Holliday do what he was brought in to do? If you can't tell, I'm really excited to see Trindon for the first time. He really has to perform well if he wants a roster spot. He'll need to hit the lanes that open up as opposed to dancing around. Kubiak won't be happy if he dances around.

Kicker: Kris Brown (Starting K) versus Neil Rackers
Reason To Watch: Do I have to say it?
What To Watch For: The ball (hopefully) going through the uprights. Apparently, the plan is to alternate them so keep an eye out for #3 and #4.

Chime in below on which battle(s) you're most excited to see and what you expect to see tomorrow night. My friends, football is almost here.