:::2011-2012 Houston Texans Fans Thread:::

[air max 87]

Originally Posted by Statis22

We always hag with the Jags though so I knew that was an anomaly. Kinda wished Dom Davis would stayed healthy but they ran him into the ground.

It was like Casserly didnt eem care.

Son i remember when we took hollings with like the 2nd rounder in the supplemental draft

dom davis was that dude for like a year or 2 then

and dont get me started on our 1st round draft busts, got me yelling at the @*!*$$# tv in disgust

 

[Peep Game]

Yea Davis was never the same after that knee/leg injury (and contract extension), but the amount of running backs we
went through during that time

(

)....Chris Brown from the Titans is one guy we should have never picked up.
The only thing I remember about him was when he got blasted and turned a 360, Rosenfels-style, and the ball shot
out of his hands like a cannon. Ryan Moats was good until Dallas police tazed him and he started fumbling like Slaton.

In other news...

[h3]Can't keep him down[/h3]
Near the end of Friday morning's practice, fullback James Casey caught a short pass over the middle, turned to run, was hit by safety Maurice Rolle, went down and came up limping.

Fortunately for the Texans, Casey walked it off.

"My knee buckled, but it's OK now," he said.

As Casey left the field, reporters kept asking him about his knee.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's no big deal."

Casey wants to be on the field for Monday night's preseason opener against the New York Jets, so as long as he can walk, he's going to say that.

Casey will start at fullback against the Jets. Lawrence Vickers will back him up.

"He got hit right (on) the next-to-last play of practice," coach Gary Kubiak said. "He can't get hurt, just can't do it; got to keep going."
[h3]Worthy cause[/h3]
The Texans are donating the proceeds from Monday's game-day auction to a fund created to help the Berry children.

The auction will be on the concourse behind Section 140. It will open at 5:30 p.m. and close at the end of halftime and include autographed Texans memorabilia as well as unique Texans experiences.

Joshua and Robin Berry were killed July 2 in an automobile accident while returning from a family vacation in Colorado. Their three children survived, but Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, suffered spinal cord injuries. Daughter Willa, 6, suffered multiple broken bones.

Fans also can help during the game by texting 85944 to make a $10 donation to the Berry Family Foundation for Orphans.

For more information, go to www.theberrychildren.org.
[h3]Bittersweet tidings[/h3]
The Texans had good news and more bad news on the injury front.

Receiver Jacoby Jones returned to practice after suffering a sprained ankle and missing one workout. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph missed practice with a groin injury he suffered Thursday.

"We added one guy to the list (Friday)," coach Gary Kubiak said. "Johnathan Joseph didn't practice. His groin's a little tight, so we just held him out. I would expect him back (today).

"Other than that, the list you (media) left with (Wednesday) is the same. (Running back Ben) Tate did not come on the field this morning. Other than that, it's pretty much like we left (Thursday)."
[h3]Smooth transition[/h3]
Rookie safety Shiloh Keo, who grew up in the Seattle area and played at Idaho, came to Houston early to try to adjust to the heat and humidity.

"It definitely made a difference ... but it's hard to get used to this weather," he said. "It's kicked my butt every day.

"You look at me right now, and I'm sweating from head to toe. It's definitely something you're not just going to get acclimated to. It's going to take time, but I definitely think it helped."
[h3]Building an identity[/h3]
The Texans have been called a soft team by NFL Network's Michael Lombardi and are trying to develop a tougher identity.

Outside linebacker Connor Barwin was asked if the team needs to play angry.

"I don't know about playing angry," he said. "My personal feeling is emotions go up and down. I believe you just (need to) play passionately. I think if you just play hard and play passionately, that's the way to do it.

"I don't think playing angry makes you any better because if you get angry, then you start making mistakes."
[h3]That's a stretch[/h3]
Coaches, players, fans and media are wondering if a recent rash of hamstring injuries is a direct result of the lockout. In other words, players didn't stretch properly when working out on their own and now are paying for it.

"It's interesting to me," coach Gary Kubiak said. "I keep a study every year of training camp and how many guys you had to practice with each day. The thing that's interesting to me is that all the things (injuries) that normally happen in the first week of camp since I've been a part of football are now happening in the second.

"I think guys came in fresh. ... They were excited to go, and then the 'new' wore off. Now we're in Week 2, and all those things that are normally part of the first week of camp seem to be happening a little later. ... Just a lot of little things that we've got to work through and (then) get back on the field."

Read more: [url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7695545.html#ixzz1UxBclmJ7]http://www.chron.com/disp...95545.html#ixzz1UxBclmJ7[/url]






[h2]Tate's fate unknown[/h2][h2]A broken leg kept running back Ben Tate out for the entire 2010 season. Hamstring issues and a loaded backfield are keeping his future in flux


[h2]

[/h2]
Ben Tate is fidgety; itching to run, but he can't. A tight hamstring has sidelined the second-year running back and might keep him from playing Monday night, when the Texans host the New York Jets.[/h2]

The injury is a tough break for Tate, who had a much tougher break a year ago, when on the second carry of his first preseason game he broke his leg and suffered ligament damage in his right ankle.

Tate technically is a second-year running back, but in most ways he's a rookie. He hasn't played in an NFL game. He hasn't proved to Texans coaches he is a quality NFL running back. And the former Auburn star hasn't shown he is a durable running back who can take the pounding that all ball carriers in the league take.

It is disappointing that Tate, 22, who had few injuries in high school and college, hasn't been able to get his professional career going. His confidence isn't shaken, but he is aching.

You can feel the frustration when Tate talks about how ready he is to show how well he can play. You can almost feel his pain when he describes how his body has gotten in the way of his showing how good a running back he can be.

It isn't unlike how he sounded a year ago, when after his injury he was a tortured soul.

"I just want to get out there and play," Tate said.

To the point of pushing it.

Tate (5-11, 219) said he felt the hamstring tightening up in a practice but returned for the next workout because he wanted to seize the moment.

With Arian Foster running wild last season, racking up 1,616 rushing yards, and backups Derrick Ward and Steve Slaton running well in limited action, Tate is a virtually forgotten man.

It has been a while since the Texans drafted Tate. So much football has been played without him on the field that many have forgotten what he was supposed to bring to the table.
[h3]Tough crowd[/h3]
Tate is a power back who is dangerous in the open field. But the Texans have three backs ahead of him on the depth chart.

Still, that doesn't mean Tate can't contribute to the team. He has been 100 percent for months and entered camp hoping, actually expecting, to earn the No. 2 spot behind Foster.

"I am confident in my ability," Tate said. "I think I was off to a good start to camp, and I'll be back to full speed soon. I have no doubts about what I can do."

Remember when the Texans were desperate at running back? Oh, the bad old days. Now their fourth-best back has star potential.

At the moment, there might be a lot of hamstring injuries among Texans running backs, but the team isn't hamstrung at the position.

Foster has been out with a hamstring problem, and Slaton went down with a pulled hamstring during Thursday's practice.

Tate, who missed a third straight day of practice Friday, said he could be ready to go in a couple of days, but there is no point in playing any of the injured players in Monday's preseason game against the Jets.
[h3]Man of mystery[/h3]
The league knows what Foster can do. Slaton has looked as good as he did in 2008 when he put up more than 1,600 yards of total offense as a rookie.

The only unknown is Tate. Unknown to most of us, that is.

"It's frustrating, but I know what I can do," Tate said. "I have to be patient. But as soon as the doctors turn me loose, I'm going to get after it."


Read more: [url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/7695614.html#ixzz1UxCefgWz]http://www.chron.com/disp...95614.html#ixzz1UxCefgWz[/url]

 

 

[air max 87]

its funny cause before we used to hurt for RBs, now we have 3 good RBs, i want Tate to do work so we can move him to fill a need somewhere else, i Think a 1 2 of Foster/Slaton would be good.

 

[do work son]

Originally Posted by air max 87

its funny cause before we used to hurt for RBs, now we have 3 good RBs, i want Tate to do work so we can move him to fill a need somewhere else, i Think a 1 2 of Foster/Slaton would be good.

nah, slaton is too much of a liability with that fumbling issue. no doubt he has talent and can be a playmaker, but i cant risk him losing the ball for no damb reason. id like to see foster and tate in the rotation, and ogbonnaya 3rd string

.

 

[statis22]

I still wanna see Slaton/Tate in action before I grade em.

 

[blackxme]

^agreed. And I forgot where I read this but there were reports that said
Slaton's fumbling issues were related to his neck injury which had some how caused numbness in his hands.
Although I know his ability to hold on to the ball was a problem at W. Virginia. I'd like to see if he can return to his rookie year form.

 

[Peep Game]

Yea I wanna see what Slaton and Tate can do also. I did hear too that his neck was the cause of his fumbling problems, and i think even
mentally that bothered him. So it would be nice for him to get back to his old form. Tate is really just a mystery. I had heard good things
about him at Auburn, but I have only seen highlights of him there. So i did think Foster is #1 of course, and I think Derrick Ward is a pretty
safe bet at #2 also (never seen a dude just randomly step on the field and just go 40yds for a td, and probably twice on 2 carries), so I think
it'll be pretty good fight for the #3 spot.

 

[Peep Game]

A bit of an update for tonight:

Chris Ogbonnaya is supposed to be getting a lot of looks at RB, along with receivers Lester Jean and Jeff Maehl

Ogbonnaya in the mix

His team has openings at defensive line, linebacker and fullback. The punting situation is unsettled. And some of the young running backs and receivers have been so good that coaches can't wait to see them in live competition.

During the first two weeks of training camp, the Texans have been thrilled at the work of running back Chris Ogbonnaya. He began camp behind Arian Foster, Derrick Ward, Ben Tate and Steve Slaton on the depth chart.Of the players

ahead of him on the depth chart, only Ward has stayed healthy. So Ogbonnaya has gotten more work than he might normally have, and has been terrific.

"When a young man has had the camp he's had, I think we're all excited to watch him go play," Kubiak said.

Now he needs to do it in live competition. He's not going to pass Foster and Ward on the depth chart, but he has performed so well that it's easy to envision him on the opening-day roster.

There are others. Second-year cornerback Sherrick McManis has been good, probably better than incumbent starter Kareem Jackson.

Improving the cornerback play is vital after a season in which the Texans were last in passing yards allowed and 23rd in interceptions. They signed veteran Johnathan Joseph to play one spot, but are trying to figure out the other.

The Texans have not neglected the position. General manager Rick Smith has taken seven corners in the past four drafts, and is hoping this is the camp a couple of them step up and win a job.

Rookie wideouts Lestar Jean and Jeff Maehl also have drawn Kubiak's praise. Likewise, J.J. Watt, Connor Barwin, Shaun Cody, Mario Williams and Earl Mitchell have done everything coaches hoped they'd do, and then some.

But beginning tonight, it matters. It's one thing to do it in practice, but the path to the opening-day roster goes through the four preseason games.

After tonight, coaches will have about three quarters of live football to evaluate, and somewhere along the way, someone will play his way onto the roster.

As for Tate, Trindon Holliday and Slaton, their time might be running out. Each has been slowed by injuries or not made a good impression, and all three need to get back on the field quickly to have any chance of making the roster.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/7697626.html#loopbegin#ixzz1V8Xlqn00

 

[statis22]

GD

@McClain_on_NFLJohn McClain

Not playing for Texans: Trindon Holliday, Steve Slaton, Arian Foster, Johnathan Joseph, Ben Tate, Brian Cushing and Andre Johnson.

38 minutes ago via web

 

[dline59]

damn what wrong wit trindon now? hadn't heard anything about him

any who i havent been this pumped for a preseason game in years

 

[regal black]

Can't wait to see our new defense in action

 

[Peep Game]

Based on what I been hearing, Holliday has a problem just catching the ball in general, and (from what a close friend of both his and mine told me), sadly
a legit confidence problem.

Anyway, I'm psyched for tonight, wanna see that defense, and wanna see what some of the rookies/new guys have to offer. Hell, I even wanna
see what Matt Leinart's gonna do.

 

[regal black]

Its about that time

 

[do work son]

i hate chris meyers. dude is a miniature sized offensive lineman, and hes our center. lining up in a 3-4, hes heads up with dudes that have well over 100 pounds on him

 

[regal black]

ughhh, here we go lol

 

[7th Chamber]

Wait, so Mario Williams got moved to OLB because Wade switched Houston to a 3-4?

 

[Peep Game]

What the hell, Derrick Ward took on a guy who was already blocked, safety came completely free

 

[regal black]

that's what im talking about

 

[Peep Game]

Yea, but supposedly he'll play both DE and OLB. Wade wants him to be like Ware or Ratliff

 

[do work son]

the texans actually just had a clean runner at the QB....is this real life?

 

[Peep Game]

I know, never seen a free guy come through like that, unless it was aainst the Browns or Raiders

 

[regal black]

gotta keep the pressure coming

 

[Peep Game]

LOL does Foster think he's Lebron with that headband?

 

[Peep Game]

Cottdamn another injured running back!?!?! Where's Ogbonnaya at?

 

[do work son]

ogbonnaya is in now