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Battle Red Newswire: OMG It's Time For OTAs

2013-05-20T15:08:27Z

Houston Texans News

Today Is The Day For OTAs

Texans offseason organized team activities (OTAs) start today at the Methodist Training Center. It is the first of 10 such practices. For the reader who e-mailed me the other day in lieu of simply doing this, those dates are:

- May 20-21

- May 23

- May 28-30

- June 3-6

Mandatory mini-camp is after that, from June 11-13.

And D.J. Swearinger is like a kid on his first day of Little League.

#HUNTMODE #INSPIRATIONAL

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As Long As Ed Reed Doesn't Need To Drop-Step, We're Cool.

Everyone knows the Texans are dealing with some injury problems heading into OTAs. It should make everyone feel better to know that my cousin Will once dealt with the exact same hip injury Ed Reed has, only he was playing high school lacrosse, not professional football. The "only thing" Will couldn't do, he told me this weekend, was "drop-step." He then showed me what he meant by performing the first step that all NFL defensive backs get paid to do on an elite level, every time they drop back into coverage.

My cousin added that the rehab was much harder than he had anticipated. This eventually caused him to "stop caring about lacrosse."

Here's to hoping that Ed Reed is just a little bit tougher than Will, who would probably be starting in the Syracuse midfield during the Final Four this weekend had he just grown some balls.

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B. Reed Says He's Fine.

Brooks Reed, meanwhile, says he's been running and lifting weights hard for the past three weeks, putting to bed the worries that his offseason groin surgery would leave him less than 100 percent for offseason workouts.

He also thinks that depending on how well Houston's two new rookie outside linebackers perform in camp, the plan will be for him to move inside for first and second downs.

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Around the NFL

Brady Feels Great! Awesome!

Tom Brady tells Peter King that as he rounds the corner towards his 36^th birthday, he's "never felt better throwing the football."

We don't play New England this year, do we?

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Eric Crouch Regrets Being A Misling Quitter.

Former St. Louis Rams third round draft pick Eric Crouch flamed out in the NFL before his career ever got started. Now, at age 34, he says he now regrets how he approached his rookie season, when he quit just as the regular season was about the start.

The read-option was still over a decade away from catching on in the NFL back in 2002. No one wanted Crouch under center. His agent knew that, and so he convinced his client to be open to playing receiver as a way of getting his foot in the door. Among Crouch's regrets is "misling" the NFL teams who interviewed him in the pre-draft process on this subject. He says he knew all along in his heart that he didn't have the passion to play anything but quarterback.

Because catching passes was never fun at Nebraska.

Black 41 Flash Reverse (via gobigred8)

Crouch, like all retired athletes with star appeal and the slightest bit of eloquence to their speech, will be just fine. He spoke about his experiences in St. Louis while taking part in NFL's Sports Journalism and Communication Boot Camp at Bowling Green State University last week.

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Erin Henderson Develops Some Empathy.

Also in attendance at Bowling Green last week was Minnesota Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson, who seems to have developed a greater appreciation for the media as a result.

"That stuff does put a little bit of stress on you all, doesn't it?" Henderson asked. "There's no time and you still have to turn your work in. That's tough. Maybe I'll be nicer to you guys in the future."

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NFL Globalization

As more and more Americans become aware of the long term health effects of playing professional football, it's a good thing there's a wide world out there stock full of potential recruits to play the game in the coming decades. FOX Sports' Alex Marvez takes a look at the growing trend of foreign-born players entering the NFL.

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Ready To Actually McAdoo Something On The Field

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Michael McAdoo says it's "go time." He has been in the NFL for two years, and has yet to play in a game, having spent 100 percent of that time on injured reserve. What's more, he was suspended for his entire final season at North Carolina, back when T.J. Yates was just slaying Chapel Hill chicks.

McAdoo signed with Baltimore after the 2011 supplemental draft, only 20 years old at the time. The guy is a 6'7" pass rusher. John Harbaugh is high on him as a project player, and now the former Tar Heel will have an opportunity to see what he can do as the Ravens enter OTAs. There is a deep pool of outside linebackers competing for jobs: Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, along with Courtney Upshaw, Albert McClellan, Pernell McPhee, Adrian Hamilton and rookie John Simon.

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RGIII: "I'm No Reverse Indian Giver"

Apparently the Washington Redskins quarterback's fans have been buying up all the things on his wedding registry. And he's all for it.

I didn't ask the fans to buy me anything. They found it on their own and decided to get what they could. SMH at all these Debbie downers
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 19, 2013

As he should be. In merely accepting a gift from an anonymous northern Virginian, he's making that dude's day. Being able to say, "I bought RGIII a toaster" for the rest of your life? Yes, please.

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"The Orioles Won't Change Their Schedule? That is so the opposite of ideal." - Joe Flacco

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco signed a pledge to stop using the word "retarded" to mean "bad."

@teamflacco, @ginograd56, @eddickson84 of the @ravens sign the @r_word_campaign pledge to eliminate use of r-word twitter.com/SpOlympicsMD/s...
— Special Olympics MD (@SpOlympicsMD) May 19, 2013

You may remember when Flacco said that a cold weather Super Bowl played outdoors in New York would be "bad."

you don't call retarded people retards... (via b017ni3)

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While We're All Still Here

Stephen Colbert = Honorary Wahoo

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft delivered the commencement address at Suffolk University's graduation ceremonies over the weekend. Man, I'm jealous. All my little sister's graduating class got was Stephen Colbert.

Stephen Colbert Salutes U.Va.'s Class of 2013 (via UniversityofVirginia)

Who, as expected, totally owned the Sally Hemmings references. He even tweeted this during the speech:

Tommy loved the brown sugar! #DNA
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) May 18, 2013

If you didn't just laugh at that, it's not because it wasn't funny. It's because you don't know enough about early 19^th century American history.

Congratulations to Garland, by the way, on being the latest Parsley to graduate from Virginia with a degree in history and no intention of being a historian. That's now three in eight years.

#Wahoowa #PointlessLiberalArtsDegrees #ThisIsWhyTheChineseAreTakingOverTheWorld

BRB University: The ABCs Of Offensive Line Play

2013-05-20T11:00:09Z

The offensive line consists of a group of five guys who nobody ever talks about, loves, or understands. They are like the older dog at the pound who keeps being passed over by people wanting puppies that can run around in circles rapidly and love to spend their day bringing back ball after ball. Offensive line play is only discussed when they play poorly and a quarterback gets his ribs smashed like atoms in the Hadron Collider or when a commentator busts out the telestrator to sound smart.

This is understandable since everything they do does not directly involve where the ball goes, yet it is important since it is the underlying central component of every play. It's like how (spoiler alert) Krang, the alien inside Shredder, is actually the Turtles' main nemesis, not a Japanese samurai. When watching sports, most people watch the ball like a dog or cat chasing a red dot around the house. From this, you get to see what and who scores, but not how and why. You see goals, dunks, points, jukes, spins, headers, tackles, checks, dekes, stiff arms, throws, crossovers, and other brain-shattering, mind-altering displays of athleticism, but you miss the intricacies of the game. You see the painting as a whole, but you don't understand the texture, brush strokes, and the use of the color wheel that makes one hold back tears when one bathes in its beauty.

Everyone has thrown, caught, ran, or kicked, so they can understand the rest of game with a combination of first-hand knowledge, material read on the Internet, and by listening to the Jabronis yammering during the game. Not many people ever get the chance to push around colossal human beings in their daily life, and 95% of the game that is discussed does not include the menacing giants on the offensive line. Instead most people's opinions of offensive line play is derived from some ranking from Pro Football Focus or Football Outsiders' advanced stats, without having a clue about what goes into them or how the position is played. As a result, people do not understand the way an offense works at its fundamental roots and lack knowledge of the awe and wonder of offensive line for what it really is. Today, we will attempt to enter the void and shine a light like an angler fish into the unknown Mariana Trench known as the Offensive Line.

To start off, I will just go over basic terminology and cliches associated with the position and get the ball rolling on the 'why' and 'how' of the game of football.

General Terms/Lingo

Center - Player that snaps the ball. One of the most difficult positions in the game because he has to make most of the calls on the line and has to snap and step at the same time. It may not sound too difficult, but when success is greatly determined by who makes contact first and having to move a 315-pound man across from you, it makes things complicated.

Guard - About the same stature as a Center, but usually a little bigger. The OG needs to be stronger than an Offensive Tackle because of the larger weight of the Defensive Tackle he has knock backwards. Guards must be extremely quick in short-yard increments because they pull more than any other position. They are usually shorter and stouter - typically about 6'3" and weighing around 315 pounds.

Tackle - They are taller and quicker than Guards because of the speed they have to deal with when attempting to shut down the pass rush. Tackles, on average, are around 6'6" tall and 300 pounds. A taller height is warranted because height correlates to longer arms, which is desperately needed to keep the Defensive End's hands off the OT during pass rush situations. Whichever tackle is protecting the QB's blindside is generally more athletic to keep off the defense's best pass-rusher.

Leverage - Simply means being lower than the other player. "The low man always wins" is an age-old adage like "Thou shalt not steal" or "... With certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Mean Streak - This term was tossed around on draft day, like M80s on the 4th of July, when experts were trying to find faults with Luke Joeckel's play. How much effort the lineman puts into knocking guys flat on their back, hitting as hard as they can, eating their children, and how violent he is in general. Remember, in football the goal is not to intentionally hurt the other player when blocking, but playing with as much effort and tenacity as you can. Most people like to mistakenly lump hard hits and taking a player out of the game together. This is simply not true, as hard hits are made because it is their job and part of the game. An O-lineman destroys linebackers when pulling to open holes up for the running back, not to break his leg.

Move the Line of Scrimmage - Getting a push on the defensive line and moving them a couple of yards back. A cliche term every football coach from 7th grade to the NFL loves to make. If the O-line does this successfully, the running back can get three to four yards without being touched.

Keep Your Head Up - When blocking you want to keep your head up before the snap because you must see the defense at all times. The game is not stagnant. The D is constantly moving. You have to adjust with what they bring and change the calls at the line as needed to counter their counters. Your head must also be up while blocking in order to not lose sight of where any linebackers are, not to mention any blitzers that may be coming late. If your head is down when engaged with a defender, more often than not, you are exhibiting poor technique and/or lunging at your blocking assignment, both of which are the quickest way to get beat in this league. When this is done, all balance is lost and your center of gravity is thrown forward, making it incredibly easy for the defender to simply toss you aside. This type of mistake is what J.J. Watt was addicted to last season when he made his vicious swim moves. As soon as blockers lost their balance for even half a second, Watt was past them. Most importantly, an offensive lineman should never, ever have his head down when hitting a defender or trying to make a tackle on a turnover. That could result in striking someone with the crown of the helmet which, as we know by now, is the ultimate 'no-no' in football. Crown shots are how people, including the offensive lineman himself, can become seriously hurt, concussed, and even paralyzed.

Quick Feet - Once your feet die, you lose. Short choppy steps are the best way to start and continue movement against the defense. The term also tries to explain how fast a lineman's first two steps are.

Until the Whistle Blows - Blocking until the play is over. As the game wears on, an entire offensive line playing to the whistle really breaks down the will of the defense and wears them out physically.

Pancake - Everyone who has played Madden knows this as the only stat for an offensive lineman. It's the ultimate personal victory for an offensive lineman. It is essentially blocking someone until he is laying on his back like a six-month-old baby.

Roller Skates- What occurs when you stop moving your feet and push. Leads to an OL sliding backwards until he is in the backfield. It will occasionally occur at the NFL level on a sloppy field.

Cut - A block where the OL dives to take out the legs of a defender. The best technique is to wait until the last second and throw your body into the outside leg of the defender. When done correctly, and within the boundaries of the game's rules, nothing is more annoying to a bruising LB. However, when cutting a defender from behind catastrophic injuries can occur (cough, cough, Brian Cushing). This type of block is used during quick pass situations, to block linebackers, the screen game, and backside double teams.

Chop Block - Illegal block where one player blocks high and the other blocks low. The culprit most of the time is the running back, who throws himself into the legs of a defender that is already engaged.

Hip Bender - Get up and out of your desk, off the toilet, out of bed, or whatever you are doing, and stand up. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. Look how far you drop and feel how stable you are. Now bend your knees again, but this time drop your butt and hips as well. When you drop your knees and hips you actually have strength, balance and control. Hypothetically, an offensive lineman is trying to play with his hamstrings almost parallel with the field.

Hand Placement - An offensive lineman can hold the defender's chest, but not outside around the shoulders. The target is the left hand on the left number and the right hand on the right number while punching the defender. This is critical when separating legal holding from illegal holding.

Pre-Snap

First here is an image of gap assignments.

A Gap - Gap between the Center and Guard

B Gap - Gap between the Guard and Center

C Gap - Gap between the Guard and Tackle

D Gap - Gap between the Tackle and TE

The numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, etc. represent the shade the defensive lineman is playing on the offensive lineman. For example, a 1-technique is when the DT lines up on the outside shoulder of the Center. A 4-technique is lined up face up with a tackle, and so on.

Splits - How far apart or how close the offensive linemen line up next to each other. Tight splits are used so linemen can work together easier and get hip-to-hip on double teams. Wide splits are used to spread the pocket out in pass protection or create wider running lanes. The key to splits is consistency. If a team changes its splits from play-to-play or from playside-to-backside, defenses will quickly see this and be able to read what the offense is about to do before the play occurs.

Three-Point Stance - When an offensive lineman lines up with his hand on the ground. This stance is the traditional one used in the I, Single Back, and Goal Line formations. It is great for run blocking because the OL starts low and can get leverage against the defender. The difference between the G/T and the C in a three-point stance is that the G/T are staggered. By "staggered," I mean that their playside (right side, right foot) foot's toes are as far up the field as the mid-sole of the opposite foot. This is done because you take your first step with this foot, can quickly reach the DL, and it allows you to make contact by the second step. Since the center has to snap, and usually plays against someone head up, they do not stagger because their first step results in contact.

Two-Point Stance - The O-lineman lines up without his hand on the ground. Instead, he lines up with his feet staggered like a three-point stance, knees bent, back arched a little forward like a skateboard ramp, and hands ready to go in a loaded position. This stance is used mostly for pass blocking/screens/draws, since it allows the lineman to not have to waste time getting up and out of his stance. In pass protection, these milliseconds are vital in stopping a speed rush. By using the same stance throughout, it allows your draws to look more like pass plays and trick the defense.

Calls - All plays will vary some depending on the defense. The fundamental rules stay the same. The entire offensive line must communicate what they are doing in order to not miss their assignments. They must "vote" on the same party as a unit. Before the play, most schemes first have the center call out the Mike to establish the strong side of the defense. Then the covered OL calls the shade or technique, and the uncovered OL calls the double team in the run game.

In the passing game, the same holds true except, instead of double teams being called, the center will call shifts if the pass protection scheme calls for it. There are a wide variety of pass protections used that I will discuss in the future. Along with being titanic and powerful, an O-lineman must be intelligent enough to read the defense and communicate what he sees.

Snap Count - The number of huts, gos, blue 52s, center taps, or whatever the offense uses to measure the time until the ball is snapped. It is the central advantage the offense has over the defense.

Formations - Does not change what the offensive line does, except if the tackle has a tight end next to him or not. What is more important is if the OL is playing playside or backside and if the play is being run strong side or weak side.

Run Block

Technique - Offensive line play is athleticism in a closet Steps are short and choppy. All movement and plays take part in a limited amount of space. The key to run blocking is the first two steps before contact is made. The one who hits first is the key to being successful and knowing the snap count gives him an advantage over the defense in this regard. When the ball is snapped, one of the steps listed below is made while making sure the steps are no more than six inches, feet shoulder-width apart, hips and knees low, with hands in a position to punch.

The offensive lineman must stay lower than the defensive lineman to maintain leverage. When the punch is made, the offensive lineman is able to get underneath the opposition's pads. When punching, the offensive lineman should aim for numbers with each hand, with the goal of covering the numbers. After the punch, the offensive lineman should explode with his hips into the defensive lineman and continue to drive with short choppy steps until the whistle blows. Head placement changes depending on the block that is being made. For example, if a one-on-one block is being made, your head is aiming for the sternum.

The key to blocking linebackers, when leaving a double team or 'showing-and-going' on a counter, is to stay under control. It is easy for an OL to rush and try to chase and hurry after an LB, but it will take them out of position. By taking perfect angles to the next level, the offensive lineman diminishes the speed advantage the LB has over him. Thus, the OL must take short choppy steps and explode when he reaches the LB; he must try to get his hands in correct placement to legally hold the LB. Most of the time when the OL gets his hands correctly on the LB it is lights out because of the extra strength he has over the defender.

Power or Drive Step - A short six-inch step forward to take on the DL. The target is the sternum of the Defensive Lineman. It is used mostly in the one-on-one blocking situations that the TE and C usually have to deal with. One of the most difficult blocks an offensive lineman has to make because of the lack of help and the free range of movement the defensive lineman has.

Zone Step - Short lateral step followed with a power step.

Bucket Step or Read Step - The idea is to lose ground to gain ground. Take a short 45 degree step backwards to get around to the inside/outside shoulder of the defensive lineman. Used mostly for backside double teams and reach blocks.

Pivot Step - Used when pulling where your first step turns your up foot horizontal and allows you to change direction.

Slide Step - Two lateral steps used to cover up the defensive lineman when he is shaded outside.

*Most of these steps can go by a variety different names, but the step is still the same.

First Level - Defensive Line

Second Level - Linebackers

Ace - A Double Team between a Center and Guard

Deuce - A Double Team between a Guard and Tackle

Trey - A Double Team between a Tackle and Tight End

Double Team - The central key to run blocking is getting movement on the first level through double teams. On the snap, the offensive linemen take their first steps to reach hip-to-hip, turn into one player, and drive the DL back by taking on 1/2 of the player at once. Man, it is a beautiful thing when it does happen. The lineman who peels off to the linebacker depends on where the LB reads the play and which route he takes to the hole. This is where the shade has such a large effect on double teams.

For example: A Tackle and Guard are running a deuce block and the DL is lined up as a 3 -technique (outside shoulder of the Guard). By taking two zone steps, the Tackle and Guard are able to get hip-to-hip easier since the DL is playing in the B gap. However, if the deuce block is being run against a 4 (inside shoulder of Tackle), the Tackle can expect nothing more than a hand of help because of how much farther away he is from the Guard and the Guard has to get up to the linebacker. The end goal of all double teams is to cover up two players while trying to get as much movement as possible on the first level.

Scoop Block - A backside double team. The goal here is to be as quick as possible since upfield movement is not the key; covering the defense is. In a zone blocking scheme (like what the Texans run), if a guard and tackle are backside, scooping a 3-technique is what will occur. The Guard will take a zone step and aim for the outside shoulder, but he will be only giving a punch and trying to turn the DT's shoulders. The Tackle will take a bucket step, reach the DT and take over the block from the Guard. When the Guard feels the Tackle take over, he will move to the Will (weakside outside linebacker). The goal is to seal off the backside of the defense from flooding into the play side. It is like trying to get the purple or black out of the yellow's domain when painting with water colors.

Pull - When an Offensive Lineman moves from one side of the line to the other. Used for trap, counter, draw, and sometimes rollout plays.

Trap - Let a DL go unblocked and trick him to run up field while a G pulls and takes him out when he is not expecting it.

Counter - Run blocking play where the backside G and T pull playside. The Guard kicks out the DE, and the Tackle runs up through the hole, taking on the first man he sees, which is usually the Sam (the strongside outside linebacker).

Zone Block - I won't go into much detail today, but it is simply run blocking where the entire offensive line blocks towards one side and takes on any DL in their gap. It leads to multiple double teams and cutback lanes for the running back.

Reach Block - A block done by the last guy on the line. Usually done by OT or TE on outside zones, rollouts, and tosses. The goal is to reach the outside shoulder of the defender by taking a read step, punching the shoulder, and getting your head placed on the outside number. You then turn the defender's body, vertically to the line of scrimmage, and push him to the inside away from where the play is going. One of the most difficult blocks to make, but it is essential to almost every outside running play.

Horn - This is used mostly in draw situations. It is when an offensive lineman drops back and pulls up behind and up around his fellow partner in crime. This type of blocking technique allows offensive linemen to switch blocking assignments and screw with the LB's ability to read the play. An example would be instead of using a traditional ACE block on between a C and G on a 1 technique, the Guard would block down on the 1 and the C would pull around to block the MLB.

Pass Block

Technique - When the ball is snapped, the offense linemen must snap their heads back like a cobra and get their hands into punching position while kick sliding back. The OL will mirror the DL and continue to kick slide until they are equal with each other and contact ensues. With his butt down and back straight, the offensive lineman punches, latches his hands around the numbers, and tries to bench the defender to create separation. After this, the key is to use your strength to force him in place. Don't let him escape your grasp while using your feet to stay in front of him. Watch the link and see what the OL is succeeding at or doing wrong.

Most holding penalties in pass protection come from offensive linemen having poor feet and continuing to try to hold on after the DL has escaped away from their zone. The difference in pass blocking technique between positions is footwork; the OG and C will engage quicker than the OT who will deal with faster players that will rush from farther outside. Pass blocking can be described as playing basketball defense while trying to wrestle an alligator. Everyone who actually plays defense in basketball has some idea how pass pro works, but does not understand the violence involved.

Kick Slide - Footwork used during pass blocking. It allows an OL to take longer strides to keep up with a quicker DL. Done at a 45-degree angle and consists of one foot dropping back (post foot) and the other sliding to catch up.

Piggy Back - During most pass pro schemes, an offensive lineman is uncovered and will either help out by doubling or kick slide backwards to pick up any outside blitzers that the tackle was not able to block or act as a last line of defense if an OL gets beat. This type of help is called Pigg- Backing and is usually done by the Guard.

Pocket - As the offensive line works together, they will create a pocket, or wall, for the QB to stand behind and deliver the football.

Quick Game - Usually a three-step drop where the QB is trying to get the ball out quickly. Most offenses run a pass pro that consists of sliding towards the strong side of the defense, with the backside blocking a man. At the snap, the OL goes to cut down the DL to get their hands down to stop passes being knocked out of the air.

Five-Step Drop Backs - Longer pass plays that lead to the one-on-one battles between OT and DE that everyone loves to watch. This is the type of pass protection that the technique discussed above deals with. The key to pass pro as a unit is to work together in order to create double teams and pick up stunts, blitzes, and not fall for the defense's tricks. Every player has a job, and when each one does it right, the QB will have all the time in the world.

Let me know any questions regarding the terms, anything you have been wondering about that I might have missed, or any clarifications you might need.

Saturday Night's Alright For Commenting: BRB Open Thread (05/18/13)

2013-05-18T21:30:01Z

Your Houston Texans start Organized Team Activities on Monday morning. It's not the Week One Monday Night opener in San Diego, but it's something, and it signals that we're that much closer to football. The worm is turning, my friends. Slowly. Turning.

Let us use this thread to talk Houston Texans, football, or (gasp!) things that don't involve football on the first truly muggy Saturday evening we've had in many moons. Perhaps you want to share your concerns about Ed Reed's hip. Maybe you want to talk about the circus that Houston Astros baseball has become. Perchance you want to elaborate upon the pros (because there are no cons) to Willie Nelson's "Bloody Mary Morning."

It's an open forum, though the community guidelines are always in effect, so use your good judgment in what you post for public consumption. Have at it.

Houston Texans OTAs: All Eyes Should Be On The Defense

2013-05-17T20:15:12Z

On Monday morning, your Houston Texans will kick off their Organized Team Activities for the 2013 season. It's yet another step on the long road to NFL Training Camp, but it's a step nonetheless. This will be the first time that all of your Houston Texans, rookies and veterans, step onto the field with the coaching staff. They won't be in full pads, but now Matt Schaub can begin to get on the same page with DeAndre Hopkins and Alan Bonner. The linebacker shuffle should be in full effect, too, due to injuries and shifting roles. Oh, yeah, and special teams coordinator Joe Marciano will do...something...I'm told.

There's a lot to watch, a lot of position battles, but the big key is on the defense. No, it's not Ed Reed Rehab Watch. It's the front seven. Right now, inside linebackers Brian Cushing and Darryl Sharpton will not participate in OTAs. Sharpton isn't even medically cleared. Former starting nose tackle Shaun Cody has not and, likely due to his number being given away, will not be re-signed. Former starting outside linebacker Connor Barwin is scarfing down Philly Cheesesteaks while the other starting OLB, Brooks Reed, is possibly moving inside, leaving behind Whitney Mercilus and two rookies, Sam Montgomery and Trevardo Williams, to hold down the OLB spots.

Even the depth has some question marks. Can Tim Jamison bounce back from his season-ending injury? Can Earl Mitchell step into the starter's role? Will another rookie, Chris Jones, have to make significant contributions right away? Is Tim Dobbins the only really reliable reserve linebacker?

The only guarantees, as this all shakes out, are the starting defensive ends. Antonio Smith, impending free agency aside, has blossomed under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and put together back-to-back career years at 30 and 31. The other guy, J.J. something-or-other, is kind of okay at playing the American football and being a good human being.

Granted, Cushing should be back in July, but there is a lot up in the air for a defensive scheme that is reliant on a fast, physical, aggressive, almost bully-like front seven. Phillips has worked miracles before. He quickly polished a the Frank Bush ' 'efense into a gem in his first season. He has also had great success working in young players before and even making position changes. As we remember, Phillips isn't afraid to simplify his defense and add to it as his talent grows and understand, but are there too many moving parts for that to matter?

This franchise has only seen success when it has fielded a talented and capable defense. This defense works because of the front seven. The aforementioned front seven is in a state of change. No one's telling anyone to hit the panic button, but if fans want to know how 2013 will go, all eyes should be on the front seven over the next few weeks. There are a lot of questions needing answers.

Chime in below, BRBers. What story has you intrigued about OTAs? Is it Schaub? Hopkins? Reed? Special Teams? Something else?

How Squeaky Clean Are Your Houston Texans?

2013-05-17T17:35:16Z

- Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Titus Young has been arrested not once, not twice, but thrice in the past week.

- Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is being sued for an alleged assault.

- Newly-signed Baltimore Ravens linebacker Rolando McClain is retiring from the NFL in order to get his life together after his latest profanity-laced arrest.

- And so on and so on...

Yes, it's nearly summertime in the NFL and already police blotters around the country are filling up with accounts of NFL players behaving badly. Check out last year's list of arrests and this one from the year before. Can I get a #SummerIsComing? Anyone?

So how have your Houston Texans fared each summer? Finding out was quite easy, thanks to the fine folks at the San Diego Union-Tribune. They created a database of incidents involving NFL players dating back to 2000. The site states that the database cannot be considered comprehensive and that increased media coverage likely accounts for more incidents listed in recent years, but it will certainly do for our purposes.

Houston Texans Arrests Since 2000

Date	Team	Position	Name	Incident	Resolution
6/28/2009	Houston	FB	Vonta Leach	Charged with simple assault in July stemming from June 28 fight at restaurant in North Carolina.
8/20/2008	Houston	RB	Jameel Cook	Arrested, charged with marijuana possession after his 2007 Mercedes was pulled over for having no front license plate or registration sticker.	Marijuana charge dropped.
3/16/2008	Houston	WR	Jacoby Jones	Arrested in Houston on suspicion of DWI.	Pleaded guilty, entered diversion program with education classes and having an ignition interlock device put on his car.
2/18/2008	Houston	WR	Jerome Mathis	Arrested on charge of choking his common-law wife in Manvel, Texas.	Dropped.
11/29/2007	Houston	OL	Chester Pitts	Arrested on felony charges of evading arrest. Police said he was pulled over for making illegal turn but speeded away and had to be chased and stopped again.	Dropped
11/14/2006	Houston	OL	Fred Weary	Subdued with a Taser and charged with resisting arrest by Houston police during a controversial traffic stop.	Dropped
12/3/2004	Houston	OL	Bryan Pittman	Arrested, charged with drunken driving	Acquitted
5/6/2004	Houston	DB	Marcus Coleman	Arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge after he crashed his new Mercedes-Benz near a Houston bar.	Convicted, three days jail, $2,000 fine, one year suspended license
5/3/2003	Houston	S	Ramon Walker	Arrested, charged with public intoxication, trespassing at club.

Find out more about each one by clicking on the incident.

***

Nine. Nine recorded incidents involving players of the Houston Texans since the team entered the league, and it's been nearly four years since the last one. This is Boy Scout level behavior.

For comparison's sake, let's take a look at some other teams around the league.

Tennessee Titans - 32 incidents (together Kenny Britt and Adam "Pacman" Jones account for 13 incidents)
Jacksonville Jaguars - 28
Indianapolis Colts - 23
Cincinnati Bengals - 39
New England Patriots - 14

Clearly, Bob McNair and his front office value players who keep their noses clean. Last year, Tania Ganguli of the Houston Chronicle wrote this piece on exactly that and featured Mr. McNair detailing exactly what will get a player tossed off his team's draft board:

"There are three things that are unacceptable to us," owner Bob McNair said. "Someone who abuses women; we don't put up with that. People who do that are just a bully. Bullies are usually not courageous when they're facing someone as strong as they are.

"The second thing is if there's been substance abuse. That can become a habit, and they might bring that habit with them. I'm not talking about someone who smoked marijuana. I'm talking about a persistent user of drugs. We take them off the list.

"The third thing is someone who rebels against authority. We have a very strong chain of command. Our coaches don't want to have a debate with a player every time they tell him to do something."

Rick Smith on how high character affects performance on the field:

"Guys that are disciplined … those are the guys that when the pressure is on, they will execute," Smith said. "That's how character gets translated onto the field in terms of helping you win. Is that the guys that typically do the right thing will do the right thing when the pressure's on and you need them to go make a play. That's why it's so important. That starts with Mr. McNair, and it's important to all of us."

The article goes on to say that the Texans are smart enough to know that one incident does not make a pattern of behavior. Most recently, the Texans used their first-round pick on a player accused of trashing his hotel room during the NFL Scouting Combine. How silly would the Texans have felt watching DeAndre Hopkins make circus catches for another team?

Success starts at the top, as Mr. McNair is showing us with the Texans. The culture he's cultivated in the front office and the locker room has produced a team that each of us can be proud of on and off the field. So as you chuckle to yourself this summer, reading funny stories like this (seriously, please click this), be thankful that it's not one of your boys wearing Deep Steel Blue on Sundays this fall. If anything, they'll be making headlines for all the right reasons.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and enjoy your Friday.

Battle Red Newswire: Ed Reed, You Wily Old Man

2013-05-17T15:18:09Z

Houston Texans News

This Still Isn't Getting Old

J.J. Watt being the Nicest Football Player Ever.

The search for a discernible flaw continues.

*****

Organized Team Activities Start Monday

The Texans finished their five-week offseason conditioning program on Thursday. OTAs start Monday. There will be ten practices in all, running from May 20-June 6.

Here are a few things to watch for from State of the Texans.

*****

Ed Reed Is Wily

Mike Florio joined In The Loop with Nick and Lopez on 610 AM to talk about how Ed Reed knew he was pulling a fast one on the Texans with his hip injury. Apparently a torn labrum is not something that can be detected in a physical.

Awesome.

*****

Texans Mt. Rushmore Time

Pro Football Talk has been doing this for teams across the league. Apparently, the Oilers belong to the good people of Nashville. We get the Texans, and the Texans only. Which is fine, I guess, as I don't think Cliff Parsley would have made the cut anyway. Texans fans can make their nominations now.

Andre Johnson is the clear number one.

After that?

I'm going with J.J. Watt, Arian Foster, and as much as I hate to say it, DeMarcus Faggins.

*****

Around the NFL

Gronkowski Headed For Surgery Yet Again

It appears New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is about to have a case of the Monday's.

From Total Access: #Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski's 4th surgery is imminent, I'm told. Plan is for Monday. Took X-Rays, was examined yesterday
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 16, 2013

Lingering post-surgery infections seem to be very hip among offensive starters in New England. Unfortunately, so is returning from them and later laying waste to the Texans.

The plan for Gronkowski is to insert a new plate into his left arm and get him back on track to be ready for Week 1. Unnamed sources are putting the word out across the media that there are currently no signs of infection. Any indication that it has returned, however, will likely lead to a fifth surgery.

Which will hopefully not inhibit him from doing more of this.

Rob Gronkowski Imitates Tom Brady (via Will Ruppel)

Or this.

Rob Gronkowski Dancing -- Vegas WRESTLING with Broken Forearm (via TMZ)

*****

Doug Free Staying In Big D

Dallas Cowboys right tackle Doug Free has restructured his contract in order to stay with the team. That means a pretty big pay cut, and abdication of the title "highest paid right tackle in the NFL." Free was originally scheduled to make $15 million in base salary over the next two seasons, with $7 million of that coming in 2013, and $8 million the next year. Now, he'll make less than half of that.

From an original cap hit of $10.02 million for 2013, the new deal reportedly frees up about $3.5 million in cap space for Dallas this year. ESPN Dallas reports will likely be used in extension talks with linebacker Sean Lee.

*****

DeSean Jackson In The Backfield?

Reading this LeSean McCoy quote almost makes me wish I was an Eagles fan:

"There might be plays where DeSean [Jackson] is in the backfield, you never know," running back LeSean McCoy said. "I mean every time we come out here it's always something different. It's always a surprise. So you don't know what to look forward to."

So much fun. So many prefix-Seans.

*****

Rolando McClain Explains Himself

The recently retired Rolando McClain issued a statement Thursday to explain his decision to walk away from the game at age 23. It was pretty boring. Stuff about getting his personal life together.

If he stays out of prison, McClain will be back in the NFL one day.

*****

Several Indians With Bland Names Say They Don't Mind the Redskins' Name

Apparently, Native Americans in Virginia are totally fine with the name of their local NFL team. A May 15 report by the Richmond Times-Dispatch says it is so. A journalist for the newspaper interviewed the following people as proof:

- Robert Green, chief of the Patawomeck Tribe

- Kevin Brown, chief of the Pamunkey Tribe

- G. Anne Richardson, chief the Rappahannock Tribe

I'm not going to spend time researching whether just how representative this cross-section of Virginia's Indian population is, though I suspect academics would probably not sign off on the thoroughness of the Times-Dispatch's investigation. Let's focus more on the names of the chiefs.

Someone should at least have "Nighthorse" as a middle name or something.

*****

While We're All Still Here

Deep In The Heart of Redskins Country

I'm headed to my little sister's graduation from Virginia today. Flying into D.C. is always the cheapest option when you go to Charlottesville. This is what is in the fridge of my buddy's apartment. He is the only Texans fan around, now that the Bush people have all been cycled out.

And I don't know why that came out sideways, but my sister is really pissed at me right now for not being ready to go. Later, D.C.

2013 Houston Texans Preseason Kickoff Times Announced

2013-05-17T12:19:59Z

Time to update those Outlook calendars, friends. The NFL has released its entire preseason schedule, right down to the kickoff times. You already knew who your Houston Texans were playing in August; now you know exactly when. To wit:

Friday, August 9th (7 p.m. CDT)
Houston Texans @ Minnesota Vikings

Saturday, August 17th (7 p.m. CDT)
Miami Dolphins & Houston Texans

Sunday, August 25th (3 p.m. CDT)
New Orleans Saints @ Houston Texans

Thursday, August 29th (7 p.m. CDT)
Houston Texans @ Dallas Cowboys

It's May 16th. I cannot wait until August 9th, meaningless football or not.

2013 NFL Draft: Houston Texans Sign Trevardo Williams

2013-05-17T01:14:32Z

Learned Texans fans are pretty pumped about the prospect of Trevardo Williams competing for snaps at outside linebacker. While Trevardo will still have to earn those snaps, Tania Ganguli reports that contractual negotiations won't stand in the way, as the Texans' fourth-round pick signed a deal with the Texans today.

Today they signed Trevardo Williams to a four-year deal worth $2.567 million. His signing bonus was for $407,712.

Today's news leaves the Texans with four draft picks unsigned--DeAndre Hopkins, D.J. Swearinger, Brennan Williams, and Sam Montgomery.