I'm beginning to feel a bit better about the Texans' chances on Sunday, notwithstanding the fact that the Colts aren't nearly as ravaged by injuries as I originally thought. The Houston offense looked great in Jacksonville, and the defense has played a solid half of football in each of the past two (2) games. The pessimist (realist?) in me says that the preceding statement means the defense has been pathetic for the equivalent of 50% of the past two (2) games (and about 80% of the game in Pittsburgh), yet I'm going to stay positive. With that newfound lease on life in mind, here are three (3) things that shall occur on Sunday in the home opener of your Houston Texans:

1. Matt Schaub's going to have another good game, and Andre Johnson is going to be a big part of that reality. I see 260 yards passing and 2 TDs for The Schaub, 102 yards and 1 TD of which are going to be courtesy of 'Dre.

2. Here's a bold one for you: The Colts will do a yeoman job keeping Super Mario in check. That superb effort, however, will be somewhat diminished by the fact that Earl Cochran is going to register a sack of Peyton Manning.

3. I'd love nothing more than to predict a great game by someone in the Houston secondary. I just can't. Peyton Manning is going to throw for 290 yards, and I'm going to curse the mothers of Jacques Reeves and Will Demps on at least one occasion each.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Fact is, if the Texans lose this game, it's going to be a loooooooong season in Space City. That also translates to a looooooong and depressing season here at BRB, and I'm going to fight that with every last ounce of my prognosticating skills. Call it Colts 27, Texans 30 via a winning FG by Kris Brown. Let us pray.

Pardon the blatant abuse of Bon Jovi in the title to this post, if you will. As I was debating how to recap yesterday's game, I was struck by the duality of your Houston Texans after their loss to the Jaguars of Jacksonville. On one hand, the passing game looked terrific. On the other hand, the running game continued to look like it has since the franchise's inception. Which is to say, inconsistent at best, and nonexistent at worst. Still, that middling effort was far better than what we saw out of the defense, particularly in the second half. And no matter what kind of spin we try to put on it, the fact remains that your Houston Texans have lost three (3) in a row, two (2) of which were within the division. Dress it up all you want, but that burns.

The breaking dawn on the horizon, of course, is that the good guys don't have to leave their new open-air stadium for the next month. And while I'd certainly rather be catching the Colts with a semblance of momentum and/or not coming off their bye week, they haven't looked like the Colts we've grown accustomed to crushing our collective will to live playing, and they've got some real injury issues of their own. After Indy, the Texans host Miami, Detroit, and Cincinnati. While it's admittedly unreasonable to think the hometown team is going to rattle off four (4) wins in a row, it's not entirely insane to hope that they take three (3) of the next four.

So how does this tie in to yesterday afternoon's loss? Before yesterday, the Texans had not given us a reason to think they were capable of winning three (3) games all season, much less three of their next four. Now? We can at least hope. As I've realized that being a Texans fan is the sporting equivalent of being Andy Dufresne, all I can say is that hope is a good thing, and no good thing ever dies. Unless your secondary murders it. Segue, baby!

1. I really have nothing good to say about any of the Houston defensive backs. They can't tackle, and they can't cover. I'm no expert, but I think the chronic failure to do both of those things bodes very poorly for them (and by extension, us) for the rest of the season.

2. Staying on the secondary, C.C. Brown broke his arm and is out for the season. Normally, it'd be a huge blow to lose your starting strong safety. And hell, maybe it will be in C.C.'s case. But I believe there's an excellent chance that whoever takes over the starting gig (Dominique Barber? Nick Ferguson?) cannot be any worse. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

3. Jacques Reeves can stay stride for stride with any WR in the league. Unfortunately for us, playing CB requires the occasional movement of one's arms and/or turning of one's head. Both of those qualities seem to be beyond Pepe Le Pew's skill set.

4. Fred Bennett just makes me sad. Remember how good he was last year?

5. DeMeco made some unreal plays yesterday, but he also missed what might have been the biggest tackle of his professional career in overtime (ended up setting up the winning FG for Scobee). Scobee would've probably hit anything closer than 55 yards out, so in the final analysis, it's not like it was catastrophic, but still...I expect more from the leader of the defense.

6. When did Quincy Monk steal Morlon Greenwood's identity and roster spot?

7. The pass rush is still mostly a figment of my imagination, but the Texans did put David Garrard on his back quite a few times, albeit not for sacks. Super Mario might as well have had a saddle on his back throughout most of the game, yet he still managed to be disruptive. I also really liked what I saw from Earl Cochran; he was about 758 times more active than Anthony Weaver's corpse usually is.

8. At DT, Amobi Okoye continues to be a complete non-factor. What the hell's the deal? Is he too small/light to penetrate and/or tie up blockers? Does he need a planetoid like Frank Okam playing next to him to allow him to contribute? Whatever the hold-up is, Richard Smith had better figure out how to take advantage of Okoye's talent. I hesitate to put too much of Okoye's struggles on Okoye himself, purely because I remember how effective he looked early in his rookie season. Plus, the thought of the Texans whiffing on two (2) first-round defensive tackles in a three (3) year period makes me want to jam a pair of scissors in my eye.

9. Travis Johnson was healthy enough to play, yet he didn't get the start. Jeff Zgonina ain't Warren Sapp, but at least he's not a headcase liable to pick up a personal foul or two, all the while running his mouth at a rate approximately 235 times faster than he moves in the trenches.

10. In the time it's taken you to read this far, David Garrard could have completed fifteen (15) consecutive slants without Richard Smith making a single adjustment. On a related note, perhaps our venerable defensive coordinator has used the thirty (30) hours since the game ended to figure out that maybe, just maybe, it might be a good idea to spy David Garrard instead of letting him singlehandedly scramble down the middle of the field what seemed like eight (8) straight times.

11. Kris Brown continues to be the most consistent player on the entire roster.

12. What does it say about Jacoby Jones that I would have rather had him not touch the ball, allowing it to be downed at the one-yard line, instead of picking it up and trying to return it? I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown every time he fields a punt and/or catches a pass.

13. Final word on special teams: I'm no professional football player or coach, but I believe a timeout might be warranted when you notice Jacksonville's "punt team" does not actually feature anyone lining up to punt the ball. And as bad as that was, the abhorrent tackling featured after the snap actually took the cake. Bravo, Petey Faggins.

14. The Schaub was, in a word, brilliant. He made the right reads, went through his progressions, protected the ball, and all in all looked absolutely nothing like the fraud we saw in the first two games of the season. It was undeniably the biggest game of his professional career, and Matt Schaub played his position about as well as it can be played. Kudos to Kubes as well for scripting the first several plays to feature short passes that would allow Schaub to get into a rhythm and build his confidence. Simply a superlative performance, and I have no doubt The Schaub would have led the Texans to victory if we hadn't lost the coin flip at the beginning of overtime.

15. Owen Daniels showed why he is one of the, if not the, best young TE(s) in the NFL--made some tough catches and picked up yards after the catch.

16. I know it's stupid, but I'm worried about Andre Johnson. Tremendous catch in the middle of the field late in the fourth quarter aside, he just doesn't look like the 'Dre we all know and love. He's more decoy than No. 1 WR right now. What gives?

17. Thankfully, Kevin Walter was there to pick up his slack (and/or vulture his TDs, if you're a 'Dre fantasy owner). He seemed to pick up that crucial last yard to cross the marker whenever the situation called for it, and he flashed the skills that shocked everyone not named Gary Kubiak last season. More, please.

18. Stupendous job in pass protection by the OL. The Schaub was clean all day, and we were all reminded of how effective the passing game can be if he's given time to throw. I was particularly impressed with the interior of the line, especially after the beating(s) they took in the first two games.

19. It's a really, really good thing that we hardly ever hear an announcer utter Duane Brown's name.

20. There weren't a ton of holes created for Steve Slaton to get through, but I loved the way he looked between the tackles. Factor in the additional facet the offense picks up by featuring him as a legitimate option out of the backfield, and Slaton could be a poor man's version of Brian Westbrook.

21. Is anyone else tickled that Ahman Green has lost out on $400,000.00 since the season opener? Given Slaton's emergence, at what point do you just send Green to the injured reserve?

22. Fake Game Balls: Offense--The Schaub; Defense--Super Mario; Special Teams--Kris Brown.

23. Did I really compare being a Texans fan to being wrongfully convicted, imprisoned, and brutalized at the beginning of this post? Hmmmmmm....so I did. And I stand by it. At least until the first win of '08.

With the onset of the 2008 football season, it's also time to resurrect your favorite in-season weekly feature. Enough with the preamble...here are three (3) things I guarantee will happen in Pittsburgh this weekend (Note: All guarantees are sure to be incorrect and are not guaranteed):

1. Matt Schaub throws for 270 yards and 2 TDs, though he'll also throw an interception. One of said TD passes will be to Andre Johnson, and we'll all remember what a ridiculously potent connection those two are.

2. Special teams will loom large, as Apostrophe Davis returns a kick for a TD. In related news, Jacoby Jones will make one play in the punt return game that makes me want to chug bleach, and we all begin wondering whether David Anderson should take over punt return duties.

3. Super Mario continues his tear through the NFL and sacks Roethlisberger. Lest you think I'm not being bold enough with these predictions, try this one on for size: Earl Cochran sacks Big Ben as well.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: When the schedule first came out, I called a win for the Texans. While I'm much more worried about the pass rush now than I was then, and remain just as worried about the secondary, it's the first game of a new season. If there was ever a time for unbridled optimism, this is it. Houston Texans 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 20. Drink that Kool-Aid!

With one preseason game down and three more to go, I might as well throw a few thoughts out there about who I think might be on the way out and/or the way up. Some of this I've noted before, but I think it bears extra mention based upon what we've seen and read thus far:

1. Could my dream DE opposite Super Mario actually become a reality? If you believe the words coming out of Kubes' mouth, indeed it could. I'll still believe it when I see it, though I'd have to think the Texans won't pay Anthony Weaver a base of $3,500,000.00 to be a backup. Then again, I thought the same thing last year about Flanagan and McKinney; we all saw how wrong I was on that one.

2. Consider Chris and I on the same wavelength when it comes to Ahman Green, though I think the argument noted by Andy in the comments there is legit. At this point, given the complete unknowns at RB, don't you almost have to roll the dice that Ahman can contribute? It's not like an Ahmanless backfield is that much more attractive (though it is probably better for the collective blood pressure of Texans fans).

3. I thought Jacoby Jones would be a shoo-in for a spot in the return game while pushing for time at WR. If I was Jacoby, I'd now be a bit worried that my inability, perceived or actual, to respond to coaching might put my spot as PR in jeopardy, to say nothing of reps at WR. Not saying Jacoby's in any danger of being cut; he is only in his second year. But I do think he's going to have to make real strides this season to stay out of Kubes' doghouse.

4. Does anyone believe that Chris Brown will actually get through the game in New Orleans without pulling, straining, and/or tearing something? I know I don't. And that's good news for Darius Walker and Chris Taylor. Steve Slaton has one roster spot sewn up, but it wouldn't shock me at all to see Kubes opt to carry both Walker and Taylor as insurance policies or outright replacements instead of a guy who's liable to get hurt putting his jersey on.

5. It's not all negative here, folks. I am positively geeked about seeing what Antwaun Molden can do on Saturday night. If Molden is what we hope he is, could the 2008 Texans secondary be like the 2007 Texans wide receiving corps--a huge concern heading into the season, only to become one of the strongest groups on the team as the season progresses? I think it well could be. How's THAT for some Kool-Aid?

 

There's a place in the NFL away from the gridiron that players rarely talk about in public and that fans hardly notice. It's a place without stats or the crushing sounds of the gridiron. No refs' whistles or cheering fans. Yet players find themselves in this kind of limbo. That's where I found former Texan defensive end Eric Powell. Because Eric was so open about his experience, we can get an inside look at the Texans as a team.

Who is Eric Powell? He was signed by the Texans to a reserve/future contract on January 2, 2008. He was released July 22, 2008. The Texans' coaching staff liked him because he was a big man who could move. Earl Cochran helped recruit him to the Texans.

 

He'd been training for months to compete for a spot on the Texans' active roster. During OTAs, he tore some connective tissue in his hip. This didn't outright end his season; rather, it thrust him into a strange limbo. From the moment he was released, numerous conflicting options blossomed. Several NFL teams and even Arena League teams called to inquire about his availability the day he was cut. He could go play for any of those teams, but he would have to sign an injury waiver so if he couldn't play because of pain or further aggravation of his injury, the team he signed with might not owe him any compensation. Because his injury occurred while he was under contract with the Texans, he could take an injury settlement and get paid for this season. He could also be moved to IR if the Texans decide that he is part of their plans for next year.

 

Despite these options, what Eric Powell wants most it to get back on the field. He's been in Houston since March training non-stop. When other players left on vacation, he stayed at the facility and trained and then trained some more. Football is a passion for Eric Powell.

 

Now that you know more about who he is, read after the jump to get a closer look at the Texans.

 

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Athleticism.  It's hard to quantify, but when you see it you know it.  So I decided to experiment a little and put the Texans roster on the basketball court.  I wanted to see which 13 Texans players would make the best NBA team. 

 

Allow me to introduce your Houston Texans basketball team.

(special thanks to lp.imageg.net & i179.photobucket.com for images)

 

 

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Some interesting things are intersecting in the Texans blogosphere...Matt over at DGDB&D has an interesting piece. It's specifically about an argument he's engaged in, but more generally, it's about how the Texans are viewed nationally.

At the same time, Sportsgamer.com just came out with the Madden 09 ratings shown in their graphic to the right.  You can definitely get a sense how the guys at EA Sports feel about the Texans. I bring this up because the Texans are about to enter a watershed season.

Anyone that knows football knows the Texans took a giant leap forward last season. Lots of 2nd and 3rd string players, as well as new starters, established themselves. Guys like Kevin Walter and Fred Bennett put themselves on the map. All but the most hardened man-crushes have let go of the Mario-bashing and decided that Young and Bush are more hype than substance. So with all that, the Texans are poised to make their mark in the national spotlight.

If you read this blog, you're probably a Texans homer.  You know that Mike Brisiel is going to steamroll Albert Haynesworth this year, and that Zac Diles is going to put Goldberg's spear on Maurice Jones-Drew.  So obviously our view of Texans players is probably a little skewed.

That being said, it'll be up to you to set the world right and lead the Texans to conquer the national stage.  Check out the ratings below and see what I mean.

 

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