AFC South: Houston Texans
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
The Texans get the "Monday Night Football" spotlight as hosts to Minnesota tonight, though Brett Favre will grab a lot of the attention. Here are three things I'll try to watch closely:
The run defense: The defensive front got handled last week by New Orleans, with the Houston defensive tackles having an especially difficult time. On a day when the team dealt defensive tackle Travis Johnson, who'd been out recovering from surgery to repair a sport hernia, can the remaining tackles show they can play much better? Or is run defense going to show itself to be a continuing issue and leave us all wondering how much of a boost first-round linebacker Brian Cushing can help when he gets back from a knee injury? The Vikings are a premier run team and should provide an excellent measuring stick.
Ball security and red zone running: Cutting down turnovers is priority No. 1 for the Texans, so the first-team offense needs to drive the ball and not give it away. And once they get inside Minnesota's 20-yard line, let's pay attention to how effectively the Texans are able to run it. They believe running the ball more effectively at close range is the big key to curing their red zone production issues. And in the recent loss to the Saints, the first-team's nice touchdown drive seemed to do well to address it. More please.
Pass pressure: The secondary doesn't qualify as a team strength, and the Texans are counting on an improved rush to help things on the back end. It'd be nice if Mario Williams had some company trying to make Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson and homecoming king Sage Rosenfels uncomfortable. If they are allowed to throw on their own timing, I expect defensive ugliness whether it's a future Hall of Famer or future trade bait dropping back.
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Three quick hits on the Houston Texans:
1. The offense can be potent. Shots that drew penalties and fines have knocked Matt Schaub out of action in the past. Even so Gary Kubiak has talked of Schaub learning to stay on the field. When he's out there and finds his rhythm, this can be a dynamic offense with Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, Owen Daniels and other capable receivers. Last year, the offense put up the yards but not the points. Often times, such a team sees a jump in scoring the following season. Running better in the red zone is expected to help solve production issues there, and the offense has to cut turnovers. It can be one of the league's best.
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2. We don't have a great read on Brian Cushing yet. The strongside linebacker acquired with the Texans first-round pick automatically ranked as a starter and the expectation is that he will make the unit more rugged and sturdy. But he suffered a knee injury early in camp and has been out of action. He's expected to be ready for the regular season opener against the Jets, and based on what we've seen most recently from the defensive front, he's needed. Even with him, the interior defensive line needs to play far better and ensure that teams don't have an easy time running up the gut. Cushing and the two other big additions -- free agent defensive lineman Antonio Smith and second-round end Connor Barwin, also need to help create a consistent pass rush that comes from more places than Mario Williams.
3. The goals are obvious. The Texans aren't expecting the Titans or Colts to come back to them, so they need to go get their AFC South rivals. The recipe is simple but not easy: A better start, so that November and December games mean something; better play on the road, where a win last season at Green Bay may have been a harbinger of things to come; and better head-to-head results against those division foes. The Texans are 1-13 against Indy, 3-11 against Tennessee and 8-6 against Jacksonville.
Reading the coverage: No Cushing Monday night
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Houston Texans
- Starting jobs and roster spots are still there for the taking, writes John McClain.
- Chris Myers will play Monday night against the Vikings, but Brian Cushing won't, says McClain.
- Rookie tight end Anthony Hill has done well, writes Dale Robertson.
- Cato June is out for the season.
- Pregame tidbits from Alan Burge.
- Connor Barwin talked to the National Football Post.
Indianapolis Colts
- The Colts defense struggled to get off the field in Detroit, writes Mike Chappell.
- Bob Kravitz looks at what we know, what we think we know and what we don't know about the Colts.
- Ed Johnson didn't play as the Colts got ready for their opener, when he will be suspended, says Chappell.
- Jim Caldwell says the Lions controlled the line of scrimmage, writes John Oehser.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Nine burning questions with answers from Vito Stellino.
- Jack Del Rio stuck with his plan and got what he wanted to evaluate in Philly, says Stellino.
- Gene Frenette says patience remains the key when considering the Jaguars.
Tennessee Titans
- The Titans liked what they got out of Kerry Collins and liked the way Vince Young bounced back from mistakes in their loss at Cleveland, writes Jim Wyatt.
- Kevin Mawae played much more than planned in his return from an elbow injury, says Jim Wyatt.
Don't know what got me thinking along these lines, but I recently had a conversation about the first four games on the schedule for each of the AFC South's teams.
So here's my take on how difficult the first four look to be, hardest to easiest:
1) Jacksonville: at Indianapolis, Arizona, at Houston, Tennessee
That's an awfully difficult start for a team that looks as if it will still be trying to figure a lot of things out as the regular season opens. The Raiders and 49ers are the only other teams in the league that faces all three of their division foes in their first four games, but the AFC West and NFC West are hardly as tough as the AFC South.
Average rank of opponents in my last power rankings vote: 9.25.
2) Indianapolis: Jacksonville, at Miami, at Arizona, Seattle
I think the Dolphins will dip this season, but it's not an easy trip. And that's a Monday night road game followed by a short week and a trip to Arizona. Better to have such a challenge early, I suppose, but still tiring. I expect Seattle to be much improved. This ranks second, but appears far easier than Jacksonville's slate.
Average rank of opponents in my last power rankings vote: 16.3.
3) Titans: at Pittsburgh, Houston, at NY Jets, at Jacksonville
Tough to open on the Super Bowl champs' turf in their first game since that great win. But then the Titans have a long rest before facing the Texans. Road games against the Jets and Jags aren't the worst on Tennessee's schedule.
Average rank of opponents in my last power rankings vote: 15.5.
4) Texans: NY Jets, at Tennessee, Jacksonville, Oakland
Bad starts have been an issue for the Texans, and this should be 2-2 at worst with a solid chance at 3-2. Opening at home against a rookie quarterback (Mark Sanchez) is a pretty nice draw, the Texans beat the Titans and the Jaguars the last time they met and the Raiders' annual downward spiral could already be underway after three division games.
Average rank of opponents in my last power rankings vote: 20.3.
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| Scott Boehm/Getty Images | |
| Duane Brown has improved his play at left tackle in recent years, along with the image of the Texans. |
HOUSTON -- While left tackle Duane Brown worked against Mario Williams during OTAs in the spring and summer, Chester Pitts took notice.
"He blocked Mario, who is, if not the best, top three at that position, fairly well," said Pitts, the team's left guard. "He used the scheme to help him stop a really good player.”
But that was not the only thing about Brown's work that was attention-grabbing. In 2008, when Brown was a rookie, he leaned on Pitts to make the calls and he jumped out for a rest on every third series, when Ephraim Salaam jumped in as a reliever.
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"He gets out there now and before I can get it out, he's said the call, boom, we're ready to go," Pitts said. "We're getting to where we don't have to make every call, we are grunting with each other, saying 'Yeah, yeah, yeah' or 'Go, go, go.' It's real simple, quick and short and we are on the same page. Things like that are really, really important on an offensive line, it's a group position."
The Texans' 76 sacks allowed in their debut season in 2002 left an indelible mark on a lot of people and 43 in 2004, 68 in 2005 and 43 in 2006 didn't do a lot to erase the stigma. But the number was down to 22 in 2007. And last year Houston's quarterbacks were taken down 32 times, just below the league average.
"They are starting to respect us more as a line," Brown said. "I didn't know too much about the history of the offensive line here before I got here, but once I did a lot of people told me that that was a big problem. I guess last year we did pretty good as a unit and you have to give us some kind of credit since we were the No. 3 offense in the league."
As the Texans are poised to shed several labels they've earned in their seven years of existence and make a run at a playoff spot, Brown's expected to emerge as a franchise left tackle who can help it happen, covering the blind side for Matt Schaub and helping punch holes for Steve Slaton. That's why Brown is our choice as the AFC South's Emerging Star for 2009.
"For a guy going into his second year, he's very advanced and he has a great opportunity to be a dominant player, no question," said Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, a new offensive assistant coach for the Texans. "He's a big, strong, powerful, agile good athlete who's smart. Just learning and getting the reps, that's going to be his deal. He has a good attitude about it too."
Said Colts Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney, who had three sacks and a forced fumble in two games against Houston in 2008: "I think Duane is a good athlete, a young guy who definitely as a lot of upside and potential. He's definitely one of the better tackles in our conference and our division. He has a lot of room to grow. One thing he definitely has going for himself is his effort and his ability to catch on quickly. ...
"Now with the pieces that they have and with some guys coming back with a couple years experience together, I think they should be a force to be reckoned with."
What suggests Brown is primed for a big jump?
Well, the conditioning issues that were partially responsible for him getting rotated out are gone, as is Salaam.
Brown played his final two seasons at Virginia Tech in the 305- to 312-pound range and he was 315 at the NFL scouting combine. But from his pro day to the start of his first training camp, he didn't focus on fitness the way he should have. He indulged in chicken parm and pizza. He wound up playing much of the season around 325.
Since then, he gave up the fried foods in favor of a diet heavy on tuna fish, big salads, vegetables and fruits. Brown played in regular offseason basketball games with teammates including J
acoby Jones, Vonta Leach and Frank Okam at the Meyerland Plaza 24 Hour Fitness. Those efforts got him back in that more desirable weight range.
Film study has extended beyond Freeney and Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch, rushers he faces twice a season in the AFC South, to Matt Light, Jordan Gross and Chris Samuels, successful tackles he feels he can emulate.
Across the Texans' line, right tackle Eric Winston makes it sound like Brown burns a lot of calories with enthusiasm alone.
"Duane is super intense," Winston said. "Everything he does, he's almost hyper about it and that's a good thing. When you're in this kind of business, you do the same things over and over and over again and that's the key, trying to perfect it without it getting boring. He's got that intensity about him where he can keep that up
"He doesn't get bored because he's trying so hard every time, and that's a good trait to have."
Brown also realizes how fortunate he is to have found such a perfect fit. The league is littered with players who can't find their niche, who don't fit their team's schemes. In the zone-blocking run scheme the Texans brought in Alex Gibbs to install and operate, the team asks its linemen to run. Athleticism and mobility are the most desirable traits. The Texans don't covet guys like Baltimore's 6-foot-9, 350-pound Jared Gaither or San Diego's Marcus McNeill (6-7, 336).
"That's what our whole scheme is about, is us running," Brown said. "My main responsibility is pass protection, protecting the blind side of course, and on the backside of our run plays, trying to get that cut back crease. Me having the athleticism I have, I'm able to do both of those jobs."
"I feel like I've become a much better player and I expect a lot from myself. God willing, I stay healthy, I feel like I should be here for a while."
Reading the coverage: Autograph approach
Houston Texans
Gary Kubiak was disappointed with what he saw on tape against New Orleans, says John McCain.
Versatile rookie James Casey is improving, writes McClain.
The defensive line will need to be a lot better for the Texans to be good, writes Dale Robertson.
In case you're spending all your time on offense or defense: Gary Kubiak said special teams failed in all 10 categories they work at, says Alan Burge.
Good notes breaking down what did and didn't happen against the Saints, from Lance Zierlein.
Taking a look at Steve Slaton with Calvin Watkins.
Richard Justice asks, "What's Houston's smartest franchise?"
Indianapolis Colts
There is an art to giving autographs and Peyton Manning talks about his approach with Bob Kravitz.
Clint Sessions is more aerodynamic without his dreads, says Phillip B. Wilson.
Bill Polian thinks rookie contracts are "crazy," says Mike Chappell.
Looking back at Philadelphia and ahead to Detroit with John Oehser.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars will be entering a charged atmosphere in Philadelphia with Michael Vick in line to play, says Vito Stellino.
Troy Williamson is reviving his career, writes Stellino.
Fancy dresser David Garrard must regain the form that got him his big contract, says Alex Marvez.
Vic Ketchman questions my affection for Jacksonville's chocolate fountain. I stand firm. Love the thing.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans' offense needs to get moving, says Jim Wyatt.
Chris Davis' hamstring will keep him out of the Cleveland game.
David Stewart doesn't have much to say, writes Terry McCormick.
Mark Jones says this is the week we finally see him work as a returner in a game, says Wyatt.
Vince Young practiced well Sunday, connecting a lot with Bo Scaife, blogs Wyatt.
The Titans cost themselves a couple of nights off because of penalties in Dallas, says Wyatt.
I couldn't resist: Projecting round one matches
Mel Kiper's initial Big Board of 2010 draft prospects is only available to you if you've got the magic word. But even if you're not an ESPN.com Insider, you can see the top of his list and benefit from my access.
I took a peek and wondered, who out of Kiper's initial projections for the four teams of the AFC South would best line up to fill a need?
Here are my completely unscientific, gut-feeling pairings:
Jacksonville: Colt McCoy, quarterback, Texas. Of his No. 11 Kiper says: "Intelligent and resourceful. Can beat you with arm or legs." [Please note, no Tim Tebow on Kiper's list.]
Houston: Eric Berry, safety, Tennessee. Of his No. 2 Kiper says: "Ultimate playmaker, in the Ed Reed mold."
Indianapolis: Trent Williams, offensive tackle, Oklahoma: Of his No. 9 Kiper says: "Quality all-around bookend, moves from RT to LT this season."
Tennessee: Jevan Snead, quarterback, Ole Miss: Of his No. 7 Kiper says:"Could have pro career similar to that of former Rebel Eli Manning."
Like performance, explanations disappoint
HOUSTON -- The Texans hope it was "preseason form" that was responsible for an ugly 38-14 loss to New Orleans Saturday night.
I hope they weren't in midseason form in terms of explaining it, because it seemed like a lot of guys had just gotten a crash course from Crash Davis.
There was a lot about how they'd have to see it on film to figure out what went wrong (Crutch. When it's that bad and you play only about a half, you should be able to answer for it a bit better than that.)
There was a lot about how it's was better for it to happen now than later. (How about neither, isn't that an option?)
There were even some mentions about how perhaps the most upsetting element of the loss, the very poor first-half run defense that allowed 8.6 yards a carry, wasn't "Texans' defense." (Really? A cynic might suggest, looking at last year's 23rd ranked run defense and average of 4.5 yards per carry surrendered and say it seemed sort of familiar.)
OK, OK. Hardly the end of the world. After a good share of the week spent around a team I expect to be improved, though, I was disappointed it wasn't better. That means the Texans are shifting some expectations, right? That's at least one a good thing.
Locker room highlights that did go beyond the cliché, at least those of the most routine variety:
Weakside linebacker Xavier Adibi: "We got the ball rammed down our throats."
Right tackle Eric Winston: "We let some simple things and some little twists and tweaks that they did to their defense effect us and we weren't running that ball as effectively as we should have after that first drive.
Defensive coordinator Frank Bush: "We want our players to perform and we just didn't feel like they performed like we were quite expecting them to tonight."
Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans: "We let the ball cut back way too many times and get outside. Everybody wasn't in their gaps and we were playing sound defense. When you don't play sound or you pop out of your gap or don't perform your technique the right way, that's what happens. You get gashed."
A couple other things I wanted to touch on:
The failed fourth-and-goal play from the New Orleans 2-yard line in the third quarter. It could have pulled Houston to within 24-21. Instead it wound up a 16-yard sack of Dan Orlovsky, who lost a fumble to the guy who rode him so far back, linebacker Anthony Waters.
It seemed well designed, as everything flowed right, and James Casey leaked out wide open left as Orlovsky rolled the same direction.
"I saw him coming at the line and I need to do a better job of making my fake and really just pulling up and just trying to get a lob ball over him," said Orlovsky, who wound up rolling left with one man to evade or pass over. "I probably just came too flat out of my fake and he met me right there."
Right tackle Duane Brown, viewed by many, including me, as an up-and-comer and a candidate for a breakout kind of year, drew two penalties, a false start and an offensive holding in the first half.
"The first one, I got real antsy," he said. "The second one, I really don't feel like I did anything, I went out [in the open field] to cut the guy and they said after I cut him, I hooked him with my arm. Everyone on the sideline agreed with me that it wasn't legit, but it happens."
And three things I'd like to see more of:
- More punts like the 60-yard beauty Matt Turk hit in the fourth quarter that looked like it was going to be a touchback, then took a sharp right and kicked out of bounds just before the pylon, pinning the Saints at the 1-yard line. (Too bad they drove 99 yards from there to a TD.)
- More James Casey sooner in the game. The rookie tight end made a nice catch down the middle for a 21-yard gain that made a lot of people want to see him get some chances with the first string.
- More guys who got their hands on New Orleans returner Rod Harper on his 79-yard actually slow him up. The scout beside me said he counted five missed tackles and as we leaned back to watched the replay together, we confirmed the number.
And, along with a big reduction in rushing yards allowed, a significant cut in clichés.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Paul Kuharsky
Kuharsky joined ESPN.com in 2008 after 12 years covering the Oilers/Titans and the NFL for The (Nashville) Tennessean. The New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife and son.
AFC SOUTH SCOREBOARD
