Battle Red Blog

Ask Acme Packing Company About The Packers

2008-12-03T06:47:32Z

Hi, I'm Brandon from the SB Nation website, Acme Packing Company. Do you have any questions about the Packers?

It's been a rough last two weeks for them. Their defense allowed 86 points (both losses) to New Orleans and Carolina. Luckily they don't have any more games against the NFC South.

The run defense has been awful all season long, but the pass defense has been outstanding. Until the last two weeks. A big reason for the pass defense's decline is that all five players listed at safety on the roster are all battling injuries.

The offense is playing very good. QB Aaron Rodgers torched an excellent Carolina pass defense last week. RB Ryan Grant sat out the 2nd half last week with a thumb injury, but his backup, RB Brandon Jackson, has been playing great all season.

I've always been fond of the Texans as a destination for so many ex-Packers. First came ex-Head Coach Mike Sherman. RB Samkon Gado has come and gone. But the contract of RB Ahman Green still remains. FB Vonta Leach and QB Craig Nall are ex-Packers too. And it looks like the Packers' 2007 7th round draft choice, TE Clark Harris, is your new long snapper.

Bryan Pittman Suspended For Remainder Of Season

2008-12-03T05:30:05Z

According to both ESPN and the Chronicle, Bryan Pittman won't be long-snapping for your Houston Texans for the rest of the 2008 season, if ever again. Pittman was one of the six (6) active players accused of violating the league's banned substance policy about five (5) weeks ago; we've been waiting for resolution of his appeal since then. As such, this doesn't really qualify as shocking news.

A simple search of BRB for "Bryan Pittman" will reveal that I'm not exactly broken up about this. Smithiak signed Clark Harris as a contingency plan for this very occurrence, so it hasn't caught the organization off guard. Thus, we're left with Harris getting his first taste of action in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field on Sunday in what's projected to be rather nippy, albeit clear, weather. No pressure, Clark. Here's hoping for an offense that is running on all cylinders, thus minimizing the number of times Harris has to see the field for punt duty.

Post-Game Breakdown: Undefeated On Monday Night

2008-12-02T22:10:50Z

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.

Live Game Day Thread Quote of Day STEVIE WONDER IS AN EBONY GOD He’s Reggie Bush at 1/100 the c...

2008-12-02T14:47:11Z

Live Game Day Thread Quote of Day

STEVIE WONDER IS AN EBONY GOD
He’s Reggie Bush at 1/100 the cost!

by Only_A_Lad on Dec 1, 2008 10:31 PM CST reply 0 recs

Steve Slaton's star shone bright under the lights of Monday night. We've seen it all year - a crease is all he needs to break a big run. But it's not just his speed that's impressive; it's his ability to bounce out of the grasp of would-be tacklers and turn would-be losses into big time gains. With 182 yards from scrimmage, the nation caught a glimpse of Houston's latest sensation.

http://www.battleredblog.com/2008/12/1/676790/open-game-day-thread-jacks

Texans 30, Jaguars 17

2008-12-02T06:22:29Z

Final stats here. Much more to come on this later, including a detailed PGB, but I will leave you for now with this:

Your Houston Texans have never lost on Monday night. Discuss.

Open Game Day Thread--Jacksonville v. Houston, Part Deux

2008-12-02T03:00:07Z

It's still Monday Night Football, and it's still your Houston Texans. Keep those Comments coming, people.

Open Game Day Thread--Jacksonville v. Houston

2008-12-01T21:30:06Z

Back in April when the schedule was first released, I reacted in predictably reserved fashion:

Finally...a Monday Night Football game at Reliant! Against a division rival! I think I just pissed my pants a little bit.

Now, seven and a half months later, much has changed. Not my bladder control problems, mind you. The stakes, which we hoped would be substantial, are now negligible. Some fans of our beloved 4-7 team would even argue that accumulating losses, so as to improve draft positioning, would actually be preferable to notching any more wins.

Not me. Not tonight.

It's Monday Night Football, folks. Your Houston Texans are the only football game on television this evening. I'm not naive enough to say that all eyes are going to be on Reliant, because they're not. But every eye that wants to watch some football tonight will be, and that's good enough for me. Additionally, don't underestimate the value of putting on a good show as justification for future prime time slots. Regardless of the record, your Houston Texans need to play well tonight or risk being banished to an immediate future of nothing but Sunday noon starts.

It's been a disappointing season in Houston. We know it, and the organization knows it. Let's forget all of that for one glorious night and make this the first of several Monday night games at Reliant. Soak it in and enjoy it.

As always, leave your pre-game, in-game, and post-game observations, death threats, and tributes to Mario Williams in the Comments below. A second-half open thread will post to the main page at 9 p.m. CST, so move the party there at the appropriate hour. GO TEXANS!

Three And Out: Useless Predictions For The First Monday Night Game In Franchise History

2008-12-01T19:16:11Z

You know the drill, so let's get cracking. Three (3) things that are destined to happen at Reliant tonight when the Jags come running out of the tunnel:

1. Steve Slaton did a whole lot of nothing in his first meeting against Jacksonville. It won't happen again tonight. I'm feeling 108 total yards from Slaton this evening, 35 of which will be via a scamper into the end zone. In the second quarter.

2. Owen Daniels came up big against the Jags earlier this season, and I like him again tonight to the tune of 75 yards and a TD. Bonus passing game prediction: 'Dre will not be a decoy tonight, but he won't break 100 yards. I'm calling 89 yards and a TD for him.

3. Remember what happened the last time Super Mario played in prime time? So do I. Expect a slightly less impressive performance, which is to say two (2) sacks instead of 3.5.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: It's Battle Red Night. It's Monday Night Football. It's a struggling Jacksonville squad. Not even the potentially absurd decision to declare that Matt Schaub's healthy enough to be the No. 2 QB yet not healthy enough to be the No. 1 is going to screw this up. Jags 24, Texans 31.

Matt Schaub To Be GTD Tomorrow Night And Won't Start Regardless

2008-11-30T17:30:12Z

Updating this story, word now is that Matt Schaub's best case scenario tomorrow night is to enter the first Monday Night game in Texans history (and the first Monday night game in Houston in more than fourteen (14) years) as the backup to Sage Rosenfels. According to Kubes, Sage will be under center on Houston's first offensive possession:

"Sage will start," coach Gary Kubiak said after Saturday’s practice. "Matt’s made a lot of progress, and he’s gotten better each day. He took all the reps today with the scout team.

"If we feel good about his practice, then he’ll go into the game as the backup. But if we don’t feel good about it, he won’t suit up."

In my humble opinion, this is a mistake. If Kubes "feel[s] good about [Schaub's] practice," Matt Schaub should start at QB tomorrow night. In other words, The Schaub should be starting tomorrow night unless the team deems him unfit to play. Medical clearance should equal Matt Schaub's return to action.

Matt Schaub To Play On Monday Night?

2008-11-29T04:30:57Z

Consider me more excited/supportive of the apparently distinct possibility that Matt Schaub will take the field on Monday night against the Jags than scared/pessimistic about said possibility.

I'll state at the outset that I'll believe Schaub plays on Monday night when I see it. This could be nothing more than subterfuge, making the Jags prepare for two (2) QBs instead of only Sage. Plus, I recall how there was a time last season when we thought 'Dre was going to return within a few weeks of spraining his knee, only to see him miss seven (7) games instead. What's more, as I'm sure Smithiak knows, your Houston Texans ain't making the playoffs this year. Knowing that, there's something to be said for not rushing your franchise QB back to the field when all that's on the line is pride and/or draft position, the latter of which would likely be adversely impacted by his presence. Given all that, my hopes for Schaub playing in the first Monday Night game in franchise history aren't exactly sky high.

Do I want him to play? Heck yeah I do. Most importantly, Matt Schaub's the best QB on the roster and gives the team the best chance to win. He torched Jacksonville earlier this season. And the fact remains that we still don't know what we've got with him, so the more opportunities he has to definitively answer that question, the better. If this was September, I'd be much more cautious. In December, though? Roll the dice, I say. The season's almost over, and Schaub will have an entire offseason to recuperate in the event disaster strikes. If the trainers clear him to play, get him out there.

The floor is yours, BRB. Do you want to see Schaub under center on Monday night? Or is it not worth the risk?

You're Not Fooling Me, Statistics: Jacques Reeves Is Not A Good CB

2008-11-26T15:11:42Z

I was waiting for this. I knew it was coming. Despite what our eyes have screamed at us throughout the 2008 season, it finally happened: Someone (in this case, John McClain) has put forth the argument that Jacques Reeves isn't an utter failure at CB. I appreciate McClain running the numbers, as statistics can generally be counted on to tell the tale. But it's ludicrous to argue that Reeves is a better CB and/or having a better season than Aaron Ross, Asante Samuel, Marcus Trufant, Ike Taylor, Ronde Barber, and the like. A couple of reasons why:

-Your Houston Texans are currently giving up 129.1 rushing yards per game (ranked 23rd in the NFL). When teams are successfully running the ball, they simply don't need to throw as much. Passing is a much riskier proposition than running the ball. Why put it in the air if you don't have to? Thus, any attempt to use the metrics cited by McClain (targets, completions, yards surrendered, touchdowns surrendered) as proof of greatness or mediocrity should be taken with a pint of salt.

-For the majority of the season, the Texans have started Petey Faggins opposite Reeves. This just in: Petey may be the only DB in the league worse than Jacques Reeves. Seems to me that opposing QBs can go to either side with impunity, thus reducing the number of times Reeves would be picked on if he had a serviceable CB opposite him.

-Finally, and most importantly, your eyes don't lie. Throughout the season, we've seen how bad Jacques Reeves is at his job. Again, he can usually stay stride-for-stride with any WR in the NFL. Yet as a general rule, Reeves still refuses to get his hands up and/or turn his head. Typically, it looks as if he has no idea where the ball is. I'll begrudgingly admit that Reeves has gotten better in the past two weeks about getting his hands up, but it's not like he could have ever gotten any worse. Jacques Reeves still has a bullseye on his back.

Am I nuts? Or has McClain made his case? Let it fly in the Comments below.

BREAKING NEWS: Ahman Green To Be Placed On Injured Reserve

2008-11-25T18:42:15Z

I admit it. I was kind of snookered by Ahman Green this season. Never really trusted he would stay healthy, of course; last season's constant will-he-play-oh-who-are-we-kidding-of-course-he-won't game was never that far from my mind.

Yet this season, I occasionally found myself impressed by Ahman Green's performance on the field. He couldn't really be counted on to suit up most weeks. When he did grace us with his presence on Sundays, however, Ahman proved to be a capable backup/change-of-pace back from Steve Slaton. He even showed an aptitude for picking up tough first downs in third-and-short and/or goal line situations. I stopped hating him like I did last season.

What's my reward for softening on Ahman Green? This. Well played, Ahman. You got me. Sort of, anyway. In fact, one day, I want to be like you: Earning $11,000,000.00 for the equivalent of far less than one season of work. You're an inspiration to us all, and I hope you enjoyed ~~stealing~~ earning money in Houston the past two (2) years.

What this means in the short-term is likely not positive for your Houston Texans. Slaton's banged up. Ryan Moats is banged up and has not proven to be anything approaching a solution at back-up. Is a Darius Walker return imminent? Who knows? Personally, I'd prefer Ron Dayne, if for nothing else than short yardage situations. Assuming, you know, that he hasn't turned into Gilbert Grape's mother.

Houston's running attack may well be running on fumes when the Jags come to town on Monday night. I'll close with the ultimate silver lining: Smithiak sure got that renegotiated contract right.

Post-Game Breakdown: We Should Send Romeo Crennel A Nice Note

2008-11-25T04:25:13Z

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!

Ahman Green Out For Next Two (2) Weeks?

2008-11-23T23:30:00Z

That seems to be the early word. After the injury-plagued disaster that has defined his time in H-Town, this hardly qualifies as a surprise. It does, however, sting.

Steve Slaton was and continues to be the clear No. 1 on the depth chart, but Ahman Green has been very solid (when he's actually made it onto the field) in spelling Slaton, particularly in short yardage situations. Now, your Houston Texans will have to prepare for the first Monday Night Football game in franchise history with Ryan Moats as Slaton's backup. That's a bit scary.

Rest assured that Ahman will be doing everything he can to avoid missing any time. He's got every reason to heal as fast as possible.

Live Game Thread Quote of the Day this reminds me of last years team lots of field goals, sage...

2008-11-23T23:06:16Z

Live Game Thread Quote of the Day

this reminds me of last years team

lots of field goals, sage playing decent

ironically if we won this game last year, we might have been in the playoffs

Please draft some defensive stars for the next DC.

by texanphil on Nov 23, 2008 2:22 PM CST reply reply 0 recs

With the offense being limited in its production, it did kind of harken back to a time when the Texans had to pay for their scores in cash. Today's win showed how important it is for the defense to take charge. Without the Browns timely turnovers, the outcome would have been very different. Nevertheless, a win is a win is a win.

http://www.battleredblog.com/2008/11/23/667876/open-game-day-thread-houst

Texans 16, Browns 6

2008-11-23T21:00:55Z

Final, brutal stats here. I submit that you just witnessed the ugliest victory since this game, and I'd argue this one was even uglier. Cleveland lost this game far more than your Houston Texans won it, but beggars can't be choosers. We'll take it.

Vent as you see fit in the Comments below.

Open Game Day Thread: Houston v. Cleveland, Part Deux

2008-11-23T19:30:06Z

Let the second half begin! In approximately one and a half to two hours, your Houston Texans will either be 3-8 or 4-7. Try to contain your excitement by expressing yourself in the Comments below.

Open Game Day Thread: Houston v. Cleveland

2008-11-23T15:00:07Z

What fresh hell will your Houston Texans unleash upon their beleaguered fan base when they take the field in Cleveland today? Convenience stores along the Gulf Coast are giddy with anticipation as the inevitable halftime moonshine run is but hours away.

Leave your pre-game, in-game, and post-game unabashed hatred and/or tempered hatred in the Comments below. As is the style of the times, a second-half thread will post to the main page at 1:30 p.m. CST; please move the group session there at the appropriate hour. GO TEXANS!

Three And Out: Useless Predictions For Sunday's Game

2008-11-22T16:26:50Z

Rosenfels! Quinn! It's Texans-Browns!

Given how the season's gone thus far, I've found myself trying to find the silver lining in being a Texans fan. It's gotten to be downright painful to watch your Houston Texans each week. There's little hope for victory, and seeing the same mistakes week in and week out is giving me ulcers, not to mention increasingly tough Monday mornings. There's a lot to dislike about this team right now, and approximately 85% of it revolves around the defense. Still, here's a silver lining for you: At least we have a team.

Remember 1997-2001? I do. Our fall Sundays may have been more productive during that five (5) year stretch of void, but something was missing. We watched the games, yet we didn't really have anything invested in them. Well, except money, though that's neither here nor there. For all the Texans' foibles, they're ours. And that's worth its weight in gold, even if right now that worth is generally defined by a burning sensation and blinding rage.

Three (3) things that are sure to occur (read: no way these things will happen; the author is an idiot) when your Houston Texans invade Cleveland tomorrow afternoon:

1. Shaun Rogers is going to show us what a real, honest-to-god-of-your-choice DT/NT can do. Look at the picture in the Comments to this post over at Dawgs By Nature. Now imagine how having a player like that could open things up for Amobi Okoye. Now weep. It's okay. I'm not going to think any less of you.

Better? Good. Get ready for Chris Myers to get pushed back five (5) yards on every snap tomorrow. That's not an indictment of Myers; he's a lighter offensive lineman who can't be expected to contain a guy of Rogers' size by himself. That means guard help throughout the game, which should open lanes for Browns linebackers. Advantage: Team That Actually Plays A Huge DT Instead Of Giving The Majority Of The Snaps To A Smaller, Below-Average DT.

2. Dunta Robinson returns to the starting lineup with a bang. I'm calling a pick for the best DB on the roster as he continues to round into pre-injury form. In related news, whoever starts at the other CB spot (Reeves? Faggins? Bennett?) is going to be picked on alllllllll day with nary an adjustment from Richard Smith. That last statement isn't a prediction. It's a fact.

3. I've got a feeling that Owen Daniels and Andre Johnson are going to have sizable statistical days. As in, 89 yards receiving for OD and 107 yards receiving (with a TD) for 'Dre. Shanahan/Kubes have generally done a great job reincorporating those guys back into the offense the week after not going to them enough.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Two words, folks. Road game. Until further notice, I can't pick your Houston Texans to win away from Reliant. Texans 24, Browns 30.

Secondary Shuffle

2008-11-21T20:25:45Z

Sunday's match-up with the Browns will feature a familiar sight for Texans fans; CB Dunta Robinson will slide back into the starting line-up. Playing primarily nickel back since the Detroit Lions game, D-Rob will resume his duties at the right cornerback slot.

Robinson is ready to prove to everybody that he's ready to be the player that was he was before he suffered a near career ending knee injury.

Dunta Robinson went from the tenth overall draft pick in 2004 to an immediate fan favorite for is ability to play both the pass and the run. Despite his 5'10" 185 lb frame, Dunta is one of the biggest hitters on the team. It's that reckless abandon that earned him the reputation of being one of the fiercest competitors in the league.

Bill Baptist - Image courtesy of HoustonTexans.com

"People want to see me line up outside and they want to see me take away receivers the way that I've done in the past. I'm excited about it. I've played a little bit outside, but now here's my chance to show everybody, to show the Texans that I'm still that number one corner."

In the final year of his contract, these next six games will be extremely critical for both Robinson and the Texans franchise. For Robinson, he will be doing his damnedest to show the Texans that he can return to form and be an asset on defense. As for the Texans, they will be evaluating his progress to ensure that he won't be a liability in coverage. Either way, both parties are looking forward to the evaluation.

"Let's face it, this six weeks is important to him and where he's at in his career," said Kubiak. "He feels like he's ready to go back out there and do the things he's done before. So, I'm ready to see him do it."

Like Kubiak, Dunta Robinson wants to see himself do it too.

"I want to stay healthy these next six games and go out and play as physical as I can. Make as many plays as I can and the rest will take care of itself. Right now, at this particular moment, I'm not really concerned about the future because I know if I go out there and play ball it will take care of itself."

If there is one thing Dunta Robinson is sure of, it's that he wants to finish his career as a "Houstonian".

"This is the team that gave me a chance so finishing with the Texans - I don't want to finish my career with any other team. So, hopefully everything will work out for the best and hopefully I'll be here."

Dunta Robinson isn't the only Texan auditioning for the future. From here on out there will be an open completion that will include veteran cornerbacks Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves. Fred Bennett, a second year player, is looking to regain the swagger he showed in his rookie season when he led the team in interceptions, while Jacques Reeves is trying his best to justify his five year, 20 million dollar contract.

With the secondary drawing the ire of fans for repeatedly surrendering big plays, Kubiak is also looking to give rookie cornerback Antwaun Molden an opportunity to play in the secondary.

"Reeves and Bennett are competing on a day-to-day basis. OK? We'll see where Dunta's at after tomorrow and (CB Antwaun) Molden will play. He'll play outside for the most part. He also learns the nickel position but his reps should come outside this week."

The Texans secondary is in a state of despair, giving up a near league-worst 17 passing touchdowns. Being that the right corner back position is Robinson's preferred position, there is a glimmer of hope that his return can help the struggling defense keep opponents out of the end zone. While it's not likely, a chance to catch a glimpse of a secondary featuring Robinson and Molden could make for an interesting day for Texans fans.