As SOLIS noted here, 8-8 is worlds better than 7-9. 8-4, which is what your Houston Texans accomplished after their 0-4 start, is even more impressive when you consider that the bagel they posted through the first quarter of the season eliminated them (for all practical purposes) from postseason contention. While you'd like to believe professional athletes would have enough pride in themselves to expend maximum effort regardless of the situation, that's not always the case. The Texans didn't roll over, and that's worth noting and applauding as we enter the offseason.

That's not to say that this team is ready for 2009, because it's not. There are several areas ripe for upgrades in the starting corps, most notably DE, DT, CB, and FS. And although the offense has all the makings of an elite unit, there's always room for improvement and depth. In that vein, this PGB will spit out my thoughts on yesterday's win over the Bears with an eye toward possible offseason moves. Position by position, and then we'll end with the coaches. Now:

1. QB--I'll accept the argument that Matt Schaub is still a work in progress, but I believe the position that The Schaub can't be the starting quarterback for a playoff team is untenable based on what we've seen. Yes, he turned the ball over too much this season, and that's a problem. But he also threw for more than 3,000 yards, 15 TD, and 276.6 yards per game in about two-thirds of a season (including his near flawless 328 yard, 2 TD, O INT effort yesterday). Those are big-time numbers. The kind of numbers that should leave us no doubt that Schaub should be starting in '09.

With regard to Sage Rosenfels, I'm still of the mind that he's a fine back-up despite the fact that he provided us with what I believe was the single most horrific moment in franchise history. He's no longer the attractive trade bait he once was, so I'd count on him being Schaub's No. 2 again in '09. I'd look for the Texans to make QB a very low priority this offseason, though I think a young QB could be drafted relatively high in 2010 for grooming purposes.

2. WR--Still the strongest area on the team, led by the best wide receiver in all of football. Another Sunday, another ten (10) catch day for Andre Johnson, who finishes 2008 as the league leader in both receptions and receiving yards. Quite simply, it doesn't get any better than 'Dre. Memo to Kubes and Kyle Shanahan: That fade to 'Dre in the end zone...why isn't that in the playbook every week? It can't be stopped.

Kevin Walter quietly had another very effective season as the No. 2, though there were a handful of games where his contributions didn't show up in the stat sheet. Although K-Dub only had one catch yesterday, it was huge; that drive could have very well ended in zero points and changed the entire complexion of the game without that reception. Apostrophe Davis wasn't the factor he was in 2007, but I think his emergence in '07 was primarily due to Andre Johnson missing almost half of the season. Apostrophe is an average No. 3; his value as a return man is what really makes him a key cog in the scheme.

Jacoby Jones has been and continues to be a complete non-factor at WR and a fumble waiting to happen as a punt returner. He put another one on the ground yesterday, and I don't know how Kubes can keep running him out there. His speed is undoubtedly electrifying, to the point that I wonder if there'd be any interest in him in the trade market. If I could get a fifth round pick or better for him, I'd do it in a second if I was Rick Smith. As I sit here today, I wouldn't bet on Jacoby being a Texan in 2009; I could absolutely see him struggling in the preseason and being one of the final cuts in late August. With the possible exception of Jacoby, I'd look for the status quo to remain at WR in '09.

3. TE--Owen Daniels finished with better numbers than he did a year ago, posting 70 receptions, 12.3 YPC, and showing little sign of the ball control issues he displayed at times in '07. OD is already one of the best tight ends in the league, and he's only getting better, as witnessed by that 33-yard scamper yesterday. You can count the number of TEs in the NFL who can routinely move the chains on a single play on one hand, and OD is one of them. Draft-wise, I don't know that it's even worth spending a late-round pick on someone to replace Joel Dreessen. Dreeseen's not going to be mistaken for Tony Gonzalez, but he's a cost-effective spot player when OD isn't on the field.

4. RB--1,282 rushing yards at 4.8 YPC. 50 catches for 377 yards. 10 TD. Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe your Houston Texans have themselves a franchise running back. Yes, Smithiak needs to acquire a short-yardage bruiser to take some of those third-and-two carries away from Slaton, and I'm sure they'll do it. The question is whether that acquisition is made through the draft or via free agency. Personally, I'm guessing we could see a late-round pick burned on a big RB, though an undrafted rookie free agent taking the gig is another distinct possibility. The only thing I do know is that there's no way we're going to see Smithiak spend anything remotely resembling sizable coin on a RB.

What discussion of "sizable coin on a RB" would be complete with mentioning Ahman Green? As in, "Ahman Green won't be a Texan in '09." Ryan Moats has been intriguing in limited action (including but not limited to yesterday, when he filled in for Slaton while Slaton was in Kubes' doghouse for reasons unknown to us--was it that fumble, something else, etc.?), which may well result in an invitation to camp and the opportunity to return as a No. 3.

Something to ponder that Chris raised: Will Steve Slaton hold out? He's fresh off a monstrous season in which he proved to be invaluable to the Texans; the second year of a third-round rookie contract is no longer commensurate with his stature; and he plays a position that has perhaps the shortest shelf life in professional football. His leverage may never be greater than it is now. So what does he do? I have no idea; needless to say, it bears watching.

5. OL--Thank you, Alex Gibbs. You made an offensive line that was rather underrated last year into an undeniable strength this season. Chris Myers had the problems a smaller center is going to have with mammoth DTs, but he has to be considered one helluva return on a sixth round pick after his first year in H-Town. Chester Pitts may have had the best season of his career. Mike Brisiel proved to be a solid, inexpensive solution at RG (though I seem to remember him being a greater source of penalties than anyone else on the line throughout the season). Duane Brown had moments where he looked every bit like the rookie he is, but he showed enough flashes of promise that I have no idea why Ephraim Salaam took snaps away from him. In the final analysis, I'd have to say that I was most disappointed in the play of Eric Winston, who seemed to take a step backward from the tremendous performance he put forth in '07.

Schaub was sacked 23 times this season; Sage was sacked 9 times. With three (3) new starters on the OL, one of whom is a rookie protecting the QB's blind side, that's not too shabby. Add in Slaton's success on the ground, and there's little doubt that Alex Gibbs was manna from heaven.

I'd look for your Houston Texans to draft OL for depth, but it certainly does not qualify as a priority.

Wow...that ran long. Separate post on defense and special teams forthcoming tomorrow.

I apologize in advance for the brevity of this week's "Three And Out." Quick, useless shots called concerning today's game at Oakland:

1. Kevin Walter finishes with 97 yards receiving and a TD.

2. Super Mario celebrates his Pro Bowl nod by picking up another pair of sacks. Bonus prediction--Amobi Okoye gets his first sack of the season this afternoon.

3. Something a little different here...Steve Slaton rushes for 100 yards. By the midpoint of the third quarter.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Provided your Houston Texans haven't read too many of their recent press clippings and do not underestimate the difficulty of beating any team on the road in the NFL, this is a game they should win. If Matt Schaub takes care of the ball (read: one (1) turnover or less), the Texans should win comfortably. I think Schaub will do his part. Houston 27, Oakland 16.

That was a ball, was it not? Not a pretty game aesthetically, but you won't see me even beginning to turn my nose up at the first four (4) game winning streak in franchise history. It could have been 2-0 and I'd still be ecstatic. Tons to talk about, so let's dive in:

1. I love that all it took for Andre Johnson to get some love from places outside H-Town was an 11 reception, 207 yard, 1 TD game. I'm not going to play the "no respect" card, yet it's laughable that 'Dre is the best WR in the league and 90% of NFL fans don't know it. All the guy does is make big play after big play on the field while keeping a ridiculously low profile off it. The only non-statistical headlines you ever see his name in are the ones you'd pray to see every player's name in. We should thank our lucky stars every day that we've got 'Dre. In a related story, Cortland Finnegan should thank his lucky stars every day that he only has to see Andre Johnson twice a year.

2. Although he made a few curious throws that appeared to be aimed at the dirt, I was incredibly impressed with Matt Schaub's performance yesterday. He was under a good amount of pressure all day and took some hard shots, yet he stood tall and made some huge throws. Some of those needles he threaded to 'Dre and Kevin Walter were simply ridiculous. His failure to feel pressure from Jevon Kearse and subsequent fumble aside, it was awesome to see him hang in there and move the ball against a great defense.

3. Speaking of Kearse...Eric Winston was used and abused all day. That said, I clearly remember one third down run by Steve Slaton that was essentially stopped a couple yards short of the marker until Winston single-handedly dragged Slaton to a first down. I actually jumped out of my chair and was ready to make Winston the player of the game on that play alone.

4. I thought the middle troika of Brisiel, Myers, and Pitts did yeoman work all afternoon long. They lost a few battles, but they were approximately ninety-seven (97) times better than they were in the first match-up with the Titans.

5. I remain puzzled as to why Ephraim Salaam continues to take snaps from Duane Brown. Brown ain't Orlando Pace (yet), but he's the future at LT, and he sure as heck looks better than Salaam, including but not limited to Salaam's sudden penchant for being penalized on what seems like every third snap.

6. Really, really surprised how quiet K-Dub and Owen Daniels were yesterday. I'm going to chalk that up to 'Dre imposing his will on the Titans and The Schaub exploiting that mismatch. Know this, though: We'll need big games from both of those guys on Sunday at Oakland, because Nnamdi Asomugha's going to be in 'Dre's hip pocket all day long.

7. Tell me another RB you'd rather have for the next three (3) years instead of Steve Slaton. If that list is more than five (5) players (maximum) long, I call shenanigans. I continue to be amazed with Slaton's toughness each week. He keeps his legs moving and seems to pick up tough yards you wouldn't expect from a back his size. And then he breaks one off, and there are no words to describe it, so I'm forced to make one up. And I'm going to do so right now. Scrumtrilescent.

8. It was said a couple of times in the second-half live game thread, but it bears repeating: Only one (1) player has rushed for 100 yards against the vaunted Tennessee defense all season, and said player did it both times he played 'em. Steve. Effing. Slaton.

9. Despite missing a chip shot, Kris Brown gets a free pass. He's banked more than enough capital to warrant that, and he did rebound to kick the FG that proved to be the difference.

10. It was negated by K. Brown's shank, but Apostrophe Davis had a big-time return in the third quarter to set that drive up, and he downed one of Turk's punts awfully close to the goal line. The best part about Apostrophe? Unlike Jacoby Jones, my heart doesn't drop into my stomach every time he touches the ball.

11. If you didn't watch the game, you might think that the Houston secondary had a very good day. And yes, Fred Bennett did pick Kerry Collins off, albeit on what was the equivalent of a punt by Collins; it was that bad of a throw. To my eye, the lack of success in the Titan passing game was far more about Collins' inaccuracy than the secondary's coverage. Collins was off all afternoon, and his receivers were dropping many of the balls he did put in their breadbaskets. Even on the much ballyhooed 4th and 3 play that clinched the game for the Texans (more on that in a bit), Justin McCareins had Jacques Reeves beat. The throw was juuuuuust out of McCareins' reach. Consequently, I do not see Tennessee's paltry passing stats as some sort of a breakthrough for our secondary. Kerry Collins had a greater responsibility for his team's struggles than Richard Smith's secondary did.

12. Speaking of Richard Smith...don't look now. It's happening. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

13. DelJuan Robinson was a freaking animal yesterday, getting in the backfield and making plays seemingly every time he was in there. By my count, it's now official: Every DT on the Houston roster should be playing before Travis Johnson. Yet none does. That in and of itself should be a fireable offense.

14. Two (2) season-ending injuries of note for the good guys: Both Xavier Adibi and Antwaun Molden are done for the year. The silver lining with Adibi is that we have a pretty good idea what we've got with him, and it's much better than Morlon Greenwood. I'm still bent we didn't see more of Molden at CB this season.

15. Welcome back to the land of the living, Amobi. That stop of LenDale White in the early fourth quarter was HUGE.

16. While I think DeMeco could have done better in mocking the White-Johnson tandem, the message is accurate. The Titan running game was a non-factor when it mattered the most, though we should thank the Tennessee coaches for not continuing to give the ball to Chris Johnson. Seemed like he was good for ten (10) yards every time he touched the ball, especially in the first half.

17. I miss Zac Diles, but Kevin Bentley has done a great job filling in for him. Bentley has shown a knack for making plays in the backfield that we didn't really see with Diles, though that may be entirely due to Richard Smith finally allowing his linebackers to cross the line of scrimmage.

18. Thank you, Jeff Fisher. Thank you for not using Bironas to try to win the game, even though he'd hit from 51 in the first half. Yeah, yeah...the wind. Whatever. You can't fool me. My Christmas gift to you is in the mail.

19. Not to spoil the surprise, Coach, but it's a Vince Young jersey.

20. Some of the quotes from various Titans after the game simultaneously baffled and enraged me. To wit:

"Slaton didn’t do anything," Titans outside linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "Slaton busted that run (34 yards) at the end of the game, and we pretty much had him in check. To tell you the truth, I don’t think their running game hurt us at all today."

"We know this team isn’t better than us," Titans tight end Bo Scaife said. "This team isn’t going to the playoffs, and we played down to their caliber today.’’

[LenDale White said] "This game means nothing anymore. We will not be playing this team anymore. It’s a big win for them as an organization I guess or supposedly. No matter what they do they’ll still go home on playoffs. We have a lot to look forward to."

[Cortland Finnegan, on his helmet-to-helmet cheapshot on The Schaub] "If I did I was just giving him a quick, you know - kiss, welcoming him back to Houston you know from the Oilers. So that is about all that is."

Why can't these guys just say the classy thing? Something to the effect of, "Give the Texans credit; they were the better team today." Why demean the accomplishment of your opponent? What good does that do? All it does is make Houston fans hate Bud Adams' troops even more than we already do.

21. Since we're on the subject of hate, you know I couldn't let a Texans-Titans game pass without checking in with my buddy Jay. As longtime readers will recall, Jay became a bit of a legend around here after his showdown with Bud Adams in Nashville last year. As expected, Jay had a few choice words for Albert Haynesworth when he went down with an injury that will keep him sidelined until at least the postseason. Haynesworth's run his mouth and been an absolutely classless piece of garbage to Matt Schaub and the Texans, so I don't think there were many Houston fans broken up to see him go down. As you'd figure, Jay was not in the "awwwww, I hope he's okay" camp. Quotes from the man who may hate the Titans more than anyone in the world:

"You're killing the grass, Albert! Get up!"

"I hope it's broken."

"Where's your contract now, Albert?"

Classy? Perhaps not. But if anyone deserved a dose of what he's dished out over the years, it's Haynesworth.

22. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Andre Johnson; Defense--DelJuan Robinson; Special Teams--Apostrophe Davis.

On to the Black Hole, and a shot at the first .500 plus record of the season!

WR Kevin Walter is arguably the best unheralded wide receiver in the league.  He runs exact routes and has excellent hands.  Through the first thirteen games of the season, Walter has 851 yards and is among the league leaders in touchdowns (8).  Of the 31 players with at least 55 receptions, only Roddy White (ATL), Greg Jennings (GB), Steve Smith (CAR), and Calvin Johnson (DET) are averaging more yards per catch.  

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It is with glee that I come to you with the latest PGB tonight. After yesterday's dramatic win...on the road...at the most hallowed site in all of football...your Houston Texans are a game under .500 after starting out 0-4. In other words, the good guys are 6-3 since this, a moment that could have cratered a team of weaker men and served as the signature moment of a crushing 2008 season, happened.

Instead of crumbling, the Texans rallied. The naysayers can point to the ongoing disasters that are the Lions and Bengals as the perfect tonic for what was ailing a reeling team, and I'll readily admit that Houston was fortunate to play those squads (at home, no less) instead of the Giants and/or Patriots in October. And yes, the Jags and Browns have appeared to be unwilling or unable to shoulder the burden of greatness that many predicted for them in '08.

All of that is true. I don't care.

Say what you will, but don't doubt that these Texans refuse to quit. I can't say enough about the heart this team has shown in battling back from a winless first quarter of the season. The sad truth is that the players get paid win or lose. While it's despicable to see professionals roll over, it happens. The check clears regardless of the team's record, so the only thing(s) keeping guys on a losing team striving for excellence is (1) pride and/or (2) respect. From what we've seen, it's clear to me that these players have an ample supply of each, both for each other and Kubes.

I have no idea what's going to happen during the remaining three (3) weeks of the season. I only know that we can be proud to support a team like the one we saw in Green Bay yesterday. While I'm sure a great portion of this goodwill will dissipate if the Texans lay eggs against Tennessee, Oakland, and Chicago, I'm going to focus on the fact that our squad has put together two (2) three-game winning streaks this season when a single such streak had never been achieved in the previous six (6) seasons of the franchise's life. After a game like yesterday's, we should revel in the positive. On to the specifics:

1. Despite the moronic ramblings of a pathetic wannabe psychic, The Schaub did not look like a dude who'd missed the last month with a knee injury. 414 yards (a franchise record, but you knew that), 2 TD (the scoring pass to 'Dre was as good a throw as a QB can make), and a game-winning drive is all I need to say about his excellence.

2. I will vote Vonta Leach to the Pro Bowl on the basis of that fourth quarter grab alone. Unbelievable catch that completely changed the complexion of Kubes' strategy; if Vonta doesn't make that catch, Kubes starts running Slaton into the pile and takes his chances in OT. Instead, the Texans win in regulation.

3. Speaking of big catches on that last drive...Owen Daniels, huh? Yes, he was sort of by himself. And yes, that fumble at the goal line was wretched. We won't remember either of those things in a year. Quite the homecoming for the former Badger.

4. Ignore Kevin Walter at your peril, NFL. After yesterday's 6 catch/146 yard/1 TD performance, K-Dub is very quietly averaging 15.5 YPC with 8 TD this season. Not bad for a seventh round draft pick from Eastern Michigan.

5. The offensive line, in particular Eric Winston and to a lesser degree Chris Myers, dealt with some adversity yesterday. On balance, however, the OL was nails. That unit has gone from mediocre to very good. Alex Gibbs is a witch.

6. I am MAYBE one week away from composing an original love song about Steve Slaton.

7. Matt Turk could walk up to me on the street, slap me in the face, and call me a nancy boy, and I could not get angry at him after he turned a sure blocked punt into a momentum-stealing first down.

8. When do we all officially decide the Jacoby Jones is too much of a liability to trust him in the return game? When he's right, he's brilliant. But those flashes of brilliance seem like they're canceled out all too often by flubs. His muffed catch of that punt was as ugly as it gets.

9. On the other hand, did anyone doubt that Kris Brown was going to nail that game-winning FG? Even after the earlier miss? Brown's as clutch as it gets.

10. A special tip o' the cap to Clark Harris, who made his first start on the road while making Bryan Pittman's struggles earlier this season even more inexplicable.

11. I think the Houston DBs made more plays on the ball yesterday than they have in a single game all year. Dunta's pick was monstrous, but Fred Bennett and even Jacques Reeves managed to knock a couple of balls away while looking like somewhat credible cornerbacks.

12. I said "somewhat." I'm still not sold on Reeves, and I remain perturbed that the Fred Bennett looked infinitely better as a rookie than he has this season.

13. The secondary really, really missed Nick Ferguson. Brandon Harrison is not anywhere close to being in Ferguson's league, and Ferguson is not exactly Ed Reed.

14. 2008 Eugene Wilson is 2007 Will Demps. Pulled off the street in early September and making big plays after being inserted into the starting lineup, Wilson's been a real find. Let's hope that 2009 Eugene Wilson is more 2008 Eugene Wilson than 2008 Will Demps.

15. Tim Bulman's timely sack on third down in the second quarter gives him four (4) sacks on the season, which places him second on the team behind a certain demigod that played collegiately at North Carolina State. If Richard Smith continues to refuse to start Frank Okam, why not use Bulman at DT? Or better yet, put Bulman at DE and let him be the bookend to Super Mario?

16. If I was Aaron Rodgers, I'd still be hearing Mario's footsteps today. No sacks for the franchise DE, but man...he was so close so many times that it had to have taken a toll on Rodgers.

17. DeMeco's sack of Rodgers late in the fourth took the Packers out of field goal range and provided the opportunity for the offense to win that game. That sack was right up there with Turk's sprint to freedom as the play of the game.

18. Blitzing? Aggressive scheming? Holding the opposition to a 10% success rate on third down? I'm now officially scared.

19. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Matt Schaub; Defense--DeMeco Ryans; Special Teams--Matt Turk. That's right, people. I thought Turk's scramble was more impressive than Kris Brown's game-winning FG as time expired. That's how spoiled we are by Kris Brown.

Now that three (3) game winning streaks are old hat, your Houston Texans have a chance to again venture into uncharted territory when Bud Adams' minions come to town on Sunday. By virtue of what I imagine is some sort of unholy alliance with the forces of evil, they've only lost once this season, and they're indisputably nasty. Can the Texans shock the world?

Have to admit, people...Monday Night games are rather fun. Not that I have anything more than a single game point of reference, but I had a heckuva time last night at Reliant. Tailgating was top-notch (many thanks to GlassJoe and the Bellville crew for their hospitality), and the atmosphere was as good as it's ever been at Reliant, which is to say that it was on par with last year's Thursday night game against Denver and/or the inaugural win over Dallas. I had a blast. And the football wasn't too shabby either.

Just when we think the season's become a foregone conclusion, your Houston Texans go on a two (2) game winning streak, complete with a road victory over a team that won ten (10) games in 2007 and a prime time win over a division rival that many pundits had tabbed as a Super Bowl contender in 2008. While it goes without saying that things haven't worked out for those two (2) teams as they had hoped this season, winning streaks in the NFL are a rarity and should be enjoyed accordingly.

That said, we should remain realistic. The Texans aren't going to the playoffs, which means they won't be winning the Super Bowl this year. In the final analysis, that's what matters. We should celebrate the positives along the way, and we should study why other facets aren't working. Lest there by any confusion, there are still several things that should continue to raise the collective eyebrow of the Battle Red community, even after a big-time win. Fortunately, that's what we have the PGB for. Away we go:

1. One guy that doesn't concern me in any way, shape, or form is this dude. Five (5) tackles, three (3) sacks, and a forced fumble. I'm beginning to think the Texans' lack of prime time games is chiefly due to a conspiracy by Goodell, the Free Masons, and Opus Dei centered around keeping Super Mario from breaking the single-season sack record. Gushing aside, we need to start a serious discussion about whether Mario Williams is the best DE in the league. If not him, then who? At minimum, if Super Mario isn't considered one of the best five (5) DEs in the league, I'd like to know who you'd rank higher.

2. You're not fooling me, Corpse Formerly Known As Anthony Weaver. Two (2) good games does not justify $6,206,720.00 this season.

3. Pedestrian stats aside, last night may have been as good as Amobi Okoye played all season. Not tenth-player-taken-overall-in-2007 good enough, but improvement nonetheless. I'm intrigued by Matt's suggestion of temporarily moving him to DE, though I'm considerably less bullish about Okoye's ability to stop the run at the edge.

4. Another week of Frank Okam not even suiting up. Yet Travis Johnson continues to start. What is it we're missing here? In related news, DelJuan Robinson's forced fumble makes him a more productive Texan than Travis Johnson has been or ever will be.

5. Don't look now, but DeMeco Ryans has returned to form. That's too bad for the teams left on the Texans' schedule.

6. Xavier Adibi continues to excite me. His speed and nose for the ball make him the perfect complement for DeMeco. I said it last week, and I'll say it again: The potential LB triumvirate of Diles, Ryans, and Adibi in 2009 should be a joy to watch.

7. Speaking of last week, I said this about Jacques Reeves:

8. The stats indicate that Jacques Reeves played very well yesterday. And yes, he actually did make a nice play (with his hands!) in knocking away what could have been a TD pass to Braylon Edwards. And yes, he did show some nice awareness picking off a deflected ball. And yes, he did force a fumble. If he can replicate that effort in every game for the rest of the season, I will consider backing off my assertion that he is one of the, if not the, worst CB(s) in the NFL. Not until then.

I stand by that, even in the face of recent praise of his play. His pick last night was a thing of beauty, though, and the best read I've seen him make all season.

8. I'm still amazed every time I see Dunta Robinson on the field. I'm even more amazed that he looks significantly better with each passing week.

9. Fred Bennett, however, does not look good. At all. At one point last night, he got completely turned around and managed to lose both his assignment and the ball at the sideline. What happened to him? Do opposing teams have enough tape on him now to exploit his tendencies?

10. I continue to be impressed with Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson, especially in run support. Both of them, especially Ferguson, sure can hit. Neither guy is a long-term solution at safety, but they've stepped in and shored up what was a complete disaster of a secondary.

11. I'm going to flesh this out in a separate post, but I'll tease it here: Should we be worried that the defense may be looking too good and thus enables Richard Smith to remain as DC in 2009?

12. Bryan Pittman is the Travis Johnson of the special teams unit. He underwhelms every week, yet manages to hold onto his job. Why? I can't imagine that finding a decent long snapper who hasn't (allegedly) run afoul of the league's substance abuse policy is that tough to do.

13. Three (3) punts by Matt Turk, all of them inside the twenty, and one of them was on the JAC 1. Nice work.

14. Kris Brown has been the most consistently excellent Texan throughout the franchise's history. Andre Johnson's been the best, but you can set your watch to Kris Brown. Which is why I do not understand Kubes' refusal to let Brown tee it up from 54 yards toward the end of the first quarter. It worked out, as Turk boxed 'em in at the JAC 1, but still...let Brown boot that and take the points.

15. That last point underscores a very distinct feeling I got from Kubes once your Houston Texans went up ten (10) points: That we were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Steve Slaton rendered that feeling obsolete with his fourth quarter heroics, but the calls still struck me as too conservative.

16. That previous point begs the question as to why Kubes played it so close to the vest. The answer, I'd bet, is that he doesn't trust Sage Rosenfels. That's well and good; I can understand that. If Kubes really doesn't trust Sage, then why wasn't Matt Schaub starting?

17. The most unfortunate byproduct of Kubes/Shanahan not opening things up was that they implicitly reduced Andre Johnson's impact, which should have been much greater, especially when Rashean Mathis left the game. And that's not even playing up the fact that Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter were afterthoughts in the offensive scheme as well.

18. This is all palatable, of course, because of the singular brilliance of Steve Slaton. 182 total yards? Two (2) TDs? Are you kidding me? Now the rest of the country knows what we've known for months: Steve Slaton was the steal of the 2008 draft. If Smithiak brings in an effective short-yardage RB to shoulder some of the load next season, the running game will have been completely transformed in one year's time.

19. A big part of that transformation has been the development of the OL. They were brilliant again last night, opening up holes and not yielding a single sack. I don't know what Bob McNair is paying Alex Gibbs, but it's not enough.

20. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Steve Slaton; Defense--Mario Williams; Special Teams--Matt Turk.

21. One final point: Last night's open game threads (here and here) were the best we've ever had at BRB, both in terms of number of participants and quality of comments. Thanks to all of you; you make BRB what it is. Special thanks to HuskerDolphin and Mike Clark for being tremendously classy fans on a foreign site. Hope to see all of you back here.

Your Houston Texans have a short week before they travel to the Frozen Tundra to take on the Packers of Green Bay on Sunday. That's a tall order for any team, and it's an especially tall order for a young team that's trying to handle an unfamiliar bout with success. I don't love our chances, but we'll worry about that in another day or so. Until then, let's just savor the first Monday Night game, and the first Monday Night victory, in franchise history.

A win on the road. Whoda thunk it? The impotence of your Houston Texans on the road has been well chronicled, so no need to delve back into it in this space. It should be noted, however, that the Browns were beyond hospitable yesterday. It's a rarity for any team to turn the ball over five (5) times in a single game. It's even rarer for the Houston Texans to be on the receiving end of that kind of generosity. As is his custom, Sage Rosenfels did his best to swing the turnover margin back in favor of the opposition. Yet even Sage, in all of his nine-picks-in-five-games glory, couldn't overcome the hopelessness of Romeo Crennel's crew. Truly, yesterday was a battle of the titans, if the titans were the professional versions of the Washington and Washington State football teams.

Despite the complete lack of aesthetic value in the contest, there were several items of note to discuss. Without further ado:

1. The Texans' first offensive drive of the game was the sharpest they've looked all season. Fourteen (14) plays. Seventy-nine (79) yards. 8:11 off the clock. And capped off with a beautiful TD pass from Sage to Kevin Walter. Simply amazing. The only negative I found was that the drive's conclusion meant that Houston's defense would have to take the field.

2. For much of the first half, it looked like Kubes and Shanahan were content with implementing their patented 'Dre-As-Decoy strategy. Though I grow apoplectic when this plan is put into motion, I have to admit that Kevin Walter made it tolerable. The return to 'Dre, especially that twenty-two (22) yard catch he made on fourth down to set up Kris Brown's FG right before half, set me at ease (though I still wish Sage would look at 'Dre more in the red zone).

3. More Owen Daniels, please. The guy's a Pro Bowl TE. He should be targeted accordingly.

4. I was on record that Shaun Rogers would eat Chris Myers alive and boy, was I wrong. Myers, with help from Brisiel and/or Pitts, was tremendous. It was easily the best Myers has fared against a mammoth DT, and it's very encouraging.

5. For much of the game, the OL was opening up sizable holes for Slaton and Green. The progress of their run-blocking each week has been one of the few consistently awesome sights of the season.

6. If you're looking for a single stat from the offense that indicates why your Houston Texans won, look no further than the fact that they had the ball for 37:25.

7. Was it just me, or was anyone else disappointed that Kubes didn't order a shot or two at the end zone on that second possession of the game when the Texans had first and ten at the CLE 12? It reeked of settling for a FG and/or not trusting your QB. Certainly, the latter is totally understandable considering Sage's habit of making Christmas come early for opposing defenses. I'd still like to see a more aggressive mindset that early in the game. You're only up a TD; don't start playing not to lose before half, for crying out loud.

8. The stats indicate that Jacques Reeves played very well yesterday. And yes, he actually did make a nice play (with his hands!) in knocking away what could have been a TD pass to Braylon Edwards. And yes, he did show some nice awareness picking off a deflected ball. And yes, he did force a fumble. If he can replicate that effort in every game for the rest of the season, I will consider backing off my assertion that he is one of the, if not the, worst CB(s) in the NFL. Not until then.

9. On Braylon Edwards...wow. The crew over at Dawgs By Nature tried to prepare me for it, but I had to see it to believe it. I honestly cannot recall the last time I saw such a set of stone hands on a wide receiver. Edwards should have had at least ten (10) catches for 150 yards yesterday.

10. Excellent INT by Fred Bennett. Here's hoping it's the spark he needs to return to his 2007 form.

11. Anthony Weaver had an interception. Not saying that Brady Quinn should give up football or anything, but he'd be nuts not to question it.

12. I can say without any reservation that Anthony Weaver played the best game of his Texans career yesterday. That shouldn't make me sad, but it does.

13. Although Super Mario didn't pick up a sack against the Browns, he did do two (2) things I have never seen on a football field. First, he actually picked up Jamal Lewis and body slammed him. Second, he nearly sacked Derek Anderson over and/or through Joe Thomas. Seriously...after pushing his way into the pocket, Mario Williams almost got a sack with a stud LT in between him and the QB. Unreal.

14. You know who's going to start being labeled a bust pretty darn soon? Amobi Okoye. And unlike when we rushed to Super Mario's defense, there's not very much evidence available to defend against that assertion.

15. Something to look forward to in 2009? A starting LB corps of Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, and Zac Diles. That troika could be very, very nasty.

16. As Solis texted me during the game, we had an Antwaun Molden sighting! I don't recall much of what he did at CB, and that's probably a good thing; means he didn't get torched. He also was vital on special teams...

17. ....by recovering Jacoby Jones' fumble. I fear that we're never going to able to completely trust Jacoby with the ball.

18. Dunta Robinson started his first game in over a year yesterday, and the Houston Texans won on the road. His last start, you ask? Why, it also occurred the last time the Texans won on the road, more than a year ago! Coincidence? I think not.

19. It had to come to an end sometime, Kris Brown. Don't beat yourself up too much. But feel free to toss a haymaker or two Bryan Pittman's way. He's back to snapping like it's October 2007, albeit keeping things fresh by snapping low instead of high this time around.

20. There's nothing Richard Smith can do to save his job, right? Holding a team to six (6) points on the road is nowhere near enough, correct? Even if the defense pitches shutouts the rest of the season, Richard Smith has to be a goner, huh? I need reassurance.

21. A non-Texan related note: What was Romeo Crennel trying to accomplish by pulling Quinn in favor of Anderson? Is he begging to get canned? How can you do that to the young QB you just installed a week or two ago?

22. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Kevin Walter; Defense--Anthony Weaver (I'm as surprised as you are); Special Teams--Kris Brown.

No football this Sunday, baby, because MNF comes to Houston! I'm pretty sure watching two 4-7 "stalwarts" tangle with nearly nothing on the line was not exactly what ESPN had in mind when they selected this game. No matter. It's Monday Night Football, and I'm psyched. Bring on the Jags!

I'd really love the opportunity to gush over your Houston Texans in a PGB. Truly, I would. It's infinitely better than having to make chicken salad out of chicken fecal matter. The Texans, however, apparently do not see fit to give their fans something to cheer about. Instead, we're treated to another week of coach-speak about "going to work," "finding ways to be effective," "playing clean," and the like. At this point, that garbage is simply nauseating muzak in the proverbial Texan fan's elevator. We've heard it too many times for it to be anything but background noise.

Be honest with us, Smithiak. Your charges have won thirty percent (30%) of their games this season. That means they're actually running behind the franchise's abysmal lifetime winning pace. That's like losing a footrace to a blind man with no legs. Your team looks to be a virtual lock to go winless on the road. The offense is capable of putting together very solid efforts that will inevitably collapse when it matters most, primarily due to quarterbacks who have an innate ability to give the opposition the ball at the absolute worst possible time. Thanks to a breathtaking combination of mind-boggling coaching decisions and a secondary that should be accompanied by a Surgeon General's Warning, the defense is a complete and utter joke. If not for Super Mario and DeMeco, the Houston defense wouldn't be good enough to stop a Division III offense. Your best defensive back and team leader is coming off a horrific injury and, while gamely trying to shake the rust off, is still another offseason away from making a tangible difference in the weakest area of your team.

In short, this is a bad football team. We know it. You know it. Let's stop the charade.

That's not to say that all is lost; there's most assuredly a healthy amount of talent on this team in addition to Mario, DeMeco, and Dunta. Andre Johnson is the best wide receiver in football. Owen Daniels is one of the best tight ends in football. Kevin Walter is a fine WR2. Steve Slaton is the kind of explosive threat at RB this team has never had. Jacoby Jones is a weapon in the return game (though hanging onto the ball is still a concern). The offensive line shows flashes of dominance and has improved throughout the season. And Jebus help him, Matt Schaub could be the answer at QB if he (1) is able to stay on the field for more than three consecutive weeks at a time and (2) realizes that the terms of his contract do not require one to two turnovers per game. The cupboard is not bare. There's plenty of work to be done and plenty of talent to be upgraded, but there's enough here to form a foundation from which success can be built.

We know Rome wasn't built in a day, and you did inherit a 2-14 mess. We know that. Yet the same old platitudes do nothing for us. They're grating. They don't show anywhere near the frustration that we're feeling. The frustration you should be feeling. Shake things up, for crying out loud. You know who's not performing. If you don't, go ahead and search BRB, DGDB&D, Houston Diehards, Stephanie Stradley, and/or any other Texans message board or fan site for the following phrases:

"Anthony Weaver"
"Travis Johnson"
"Jacques Reeves"
"Petey Faggins"

You could add Morlon Greenwood to that list, but an injury has made him a non-issue for now. I'd love nothing more than to add any Houston safety to the list as well, but I think the Wilson-Ferguson tandem may be the best option in a bad lot right now.

Play Frank Okam. Play Antwaun Molden. Play Tim Bulman. Play Earl Cochran. Play Fred Bennett (who looked like arse yesterday, but remains a youngster with promise). Keep Xavier Adibi out there, even if Greenwood gets healthy. None of those guys may prove to be the answer at their respective positions. Maybe one of them will, though. Maybe two. Maybe all of them. Try 'em and see. You are a 3-7 football team. Find out which areas need to be targeted with the greatest intensity in the draft (and to a lesser extent, free agency). You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Do it.

Limited chestnuts from the latest loss to Peyton Manning & Co.:

1. See what happens when Steve Slaton gets the ball? As good as he was (and he was awesome), kudos to the OL for run-blocking at the highest level we've seen all year. They were dynamite.

2. Special props to Ahman Green. That second TD was due to a tremendous second effort. I fully expected him to tear an ACL celebrating.

3. If Duane Brown can't figure out how to stop speed rushers off the end, we are in deep trouble. Alex Gibbs, you're our only hope.

4. I get that the plan was to keep Peyton Manning off the field by running the ball. That's a good plan. But something's still wrong when Owen Daniels only has one catch and Andre Johnson only has five (5); I don't think the latter even got a pass thrown his way in the second or third quarters. You have to figure out a way to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers.

5. As echoed by Matt here, there wasn't a single Texans fan whose surname is not "Rosenfels" who did not call that game-ending interception well before it happened. I couldn't even muster any anger about it. Just bleak resignation. Crippler of my soul, thy name is Sage.

6. Super Mario didn't register a sack, but he was thisfreakingclose to sacking Peyton on at least a half-dozen plays that I saw. Yes, Peyton Manning is that good, though you have to give Richard Smith credit for totally disregarding a blatant mismatch.

7. It's 10:17 p.m., and Richard Smith is still gainfully employed as the defensive coordinator of your Houston Texans. What he did in a previous life to deserve this kind of invincibility, I'll never know.

8. The secondary still drains me of my will to live. Nothing new there.

9. What is new, however, is The X-Factor. I've made no bones about the man-crush I have on Adibi; I feel like a proud father right now. Or I would. If I had kids, and one of them was Xavier Adibi. I'm getting light-headed.

10. Another Texans loss, another case of questionable timeout management by the coaching staff. Really would've been nice to have one or two extra timeouts on that last drive, huh? Especially when one of them was burned due to having thirteen (13!) players on the field and therefore avoidable under every circumstance? Oh, Richard Smith...you are evil. What dark force injected you into this earthly plane?

11. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Steve Slaton; Defense--Xavier Adibi; Special Teams--Kris Brown.

Your Houston Texans travel to the Dawg Pound on Sunday. Yup, it's a road game. Yup, we're dead in the water.

I'm really up in the air about tomorrow's game against the Ravens. On the one hand, it's at home, where your Houston Texans are 3-1 this season, 9-4 the last two (2) years, and 13-9 since Smithiak rolled into town in 2006. On the other hand, Petey Faggins and Jacques Reeves are still expected to start at CB; that's the equivalent of Joe Flacco & Co. facing a nine (9) man defense. On one hand, the Houston offense is putting up 373.8 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the entire league. On the other hand, said offense is going to be led by Sage Rosenfels, who gave us all what may be the most painful single moment (or three (3) moments) in franchise history. Added bonus: Sage will be facing the second-stingiest defense in the league. Truth be told, I'll probably go back and forth about who I think will win tomorrow at least two dozen more times before kickoff. On to the predictions!

1. Don't expect much from Steve Slaton and/or an allegedly returning Ahman Green. I don't see more than 70 total rushing yards coming from the Houston running game.

2. That shouldn't be a death knell, however, as discussed here. The Texans should be able to take to the air with some success. While I think the Ravens will make it a point to roll a safety Andre Johnson's way on the deep patterns and/or a linebacker to the middle of the field to prevent the quick slant, I'm still calling a TD for 'Dre. What's more, I like Kevin Walter to have a big day tomorrow; I'll peg him at 87 yards and a TD of his own.

3. Jacoby Jones scores his third TD of the season on a punt return. Special teams hurt Baltimore last week, and it needs to sting 'em again tomorrow for your Houston Texans to keep a crowd that'll surely be waiting for disaster to strike in the game. Jacoby seized control of the game in the win over Miami, and I believe he'll do it again.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: As mentioned in the first paragraph, I'm nearly certain to change my mind about this. But right now? I see Sage having a good game, despite the fact that he's going to get absolutely smacked by Terrell Suggs a time or three. The Houston defense won't be great, but I'm feeling a forced turnover, probably via fumble by Flacco. Throw in the aforementioned special teams TD, and it'll be enough to beat a better team at home. Ravens 20, Texans 24.

Better late than never, right? As Baltimore is fast ahead, let's put the latest road loss in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible...

1. The most maddening thing I think I've read all season, courtesy of Jacques "I Make Petey Faggins Look Good" Reeves:

"That’s what I want," Reeves said about quarterbacks trying to pick on him. "It gives me a chance to make plays, so I have no problem with it."

You have got to be kidding me. News flash, Pepe Le Pew: You're awful. Every Sunday, you make me want to go on a killing spree. You make Petey Faggins, widely considered to be the worst defensive back in all of football, look like Deion Sanders. I hate you, Frenchy. The reason teams throw at you is precisely because you do not make plays (Sunday's fluke pick-six aside). They're going to throw at you regardless, so the least you could do is not encourage them to do so. It's akin to dousing yourself in gasoline and then dancing around a campfire. I want to scream right now.

2. There are lots of reasons to think Richard Smith is an incompetent boob. The refusal to blitz. The insistence on playing defensive linemen who are nowhere near as productive as the younger guys below them on the depth chart. The inability to maximize the skills of his personnel. These are all good reasons. But in my opinion, there is no bigger reason to want Smith's head on a platter than his cornerback rotation. I'm willing to be lenient about his use of Dunta Robinson; Dunta's still rounding into shape after a horrific injury and is shaking the rust off (e.g., getting beat for a TD by Sidney Rice). No such benefit of the doubt, however, when it comes to Richard Smith's bizarre use of Fred Bennett and absolute refusal to incorporate Antwaun Molden into the rotation. Bennett was a revelation last year; now he can't even get consistent snaps in front of Jacques Reeves and/or Petey Faggins? I'll make this perfectly clear: I would rather see Fred Bennett wearing his helmet backwards and lined up across from Jerry Rice than be subjected to another second of Reeves or Faggins. Simply put, there's no way Bennett is worse than either of those guys. It's not possible. I have no idea if Molden is an answer at CB, but give me the potential that he is over the known quantity that is the poisonous non-coverage skills of the incumbents any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Again, I want to scream.

3. Hey, Dick Smith: Tim Bulman and Earl Cochran each notched a sack. In light of that success, as well as the fact that they've clearly outplayed the guys ahead of them all season, any chance Bulman and Cochran supplant Travis Johnson and The Corpse Formerly Known As Anthony Weaver as the starters? Or even take snaps away from them? Of course not.

6. I think DeMeco's ankle is really messed up. He's spoiled us since his rookie year, so it blows to have to see him look less than the stellar Pro Bowler we're used to.

7. The last memory I'll have of Zac Diles this season is him biting on that fake and allowing Visanthe Shiancoe to score the winning TD for the Vikings. I hate that.

8. If Owen Daniels isn't in Honolulu in February, there should be an investigation. 11 catches for 133 yards? Tight ends don't put up those kind of numbers.

9. The Vikes neutralized Andre Johnson as well as a team not named the Texans can do it. As opposed to years past, the nice thing is that the Texans have enough other weapons that the offense doesn't completely grind to a halt if 'Dre has a quieter game. The offense may not be as explosive without 'Dre hovering around 100 receiving yards, but guys like OD, K-Dub, and Steve Slaton still give the QB options. That's a treat.

10. Duane Brown and Ephraim Salaam should be ashamed of themselves. I know Jared Allen's a stud and all, but they were outclassed the entire game. As I noted here, one play of Salaam getting pancaked really sticks out in my mind. The fact that Brown has to face another 3-4 defense on Sunday (remember what James Harrison and Joey Porter did to ol' Duane) should have Sage increasing his life insurance policy.

11. Staying on Sage...that pick into double coverage (in the end zone, no less) that effectively ended the game was atrocious. Communication issues aside, there was no excuse for that throw. The worst part about it? Tell me you didn't see it coming. You're lying.

12. The Texans' defense is far too crappy for the offense to be able to turn the ball over at all, much less inside the red zone. It's a chronic problem that doesn't seem to get better at all, and I don't know why. Is it simply execution by the players? Is it coaching? What's the deal?

13. Matt Schaub shouldn't have been out there after he started limping, though I appreciate his toughness. His INT on the wounded duck to Vonta Leach looked to be the result of his inability to put his whole body into the throw. No player ever wants to come out, so that's on Kubes.

14. What's not on Kubes, however, is Schaub's fumbling. It's also a problem that's not going away.

15. Thought the interior of the Houston OL did a very admirable job against the one ton of push that is the Williams Wall. That was unexpected.

16. I'm tired and now much angrier than when I started writing this, so I'm wrapping this up. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Owen Daniels; Defense--Zac Diles; Special Teams--Kris Brown (by default).

Sunday brings the Ike'd out game against Baltimore, and your Houston Texans will be without their starting QB and leading tackler. The only way this could be any more ominous is if it was on the road.