NFL Nation: Matt Schaub
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
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| Doug Benc/Getty Images | |
| Matt Schaub tossed 10 interceptions and lost four fumbles in 2008. |
Primary issue: The 2007 Texans were a terrible turnover team, giving the ball away 38 times with interceptions and fumbles. Protecting the ball and taking it away from the opposition were huge themes from the time that season ended all the way through the 2008 season.
But Houston cut the giveaways by only six and improved its takeaway-giveaway ratio by just three, to minus-10. For a team that was far better on offense than defense, it's hard to harp on an offensive issue. But Gary Kubiak simply has to find a better way to get the message across to his team. The Texans were 2-5 when they had three or more turnovers and 5-2 when they had one or none.
Quarterback Matt Schaub needs to play a full season and find a balance between being an aggressive weapon and a turnover liability with picks and fumbles.
Solution: Stickum? The primary people with the ball in their hands aren't going to change, so Kubiak and his staff have to continue to pound the theme and seek new ways to get the message across. If the defense can improve from 22nd overall, perhaps the offense will squeeze the ball or force a play less often.
Secondary concern: The pass rush just wasn't sufficient and Mario Williams can't work alone. The Texans had 25 sacks, 12 from Williams. The teams that qualified for the playoffs in the AFC averaged 38 sacks and the Super Bowl champion Steelers had 51. In the AFC South, quick heat on Peyton Manning and an ability to get through Tennessee's solid line are necessities.
The Texans played better defensively at season's end when they were more aggressive. Under new defensive coordinator Frank Bush, they hope to continue the move to that style. But to make it work they need a second big-time pass-rusher who can take some pressure and attention off Williams and whose impact will trickle to the linebackers and secondary.
Solution: The Texans have the 15th and 46th picks on the first day of the draft, and ideally will be able to grab a defensive end or pass-rushing outside linebacker with one of those selections. New defensive line coach Bill Kollar could have a positive impact here.
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| AP Photo/Tom Strattman | |
| The Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison duo may have seen its last days. |
Primary concern: The way the Colts build, they're unlikely to be a premier rushing offense or a premier run-stopping defense. But they need to be consistently better at both.
Offensively, they dealt with a banged-up offensive line and feature back in 2008, but left tackle Tony Ugoh and running back Joseph Addai may have questions lingering about their toughness and production. If the team was confident enough in the run game that it could have handed off to convert a late third-and-2 in San Diego and succeeded, it would have advanced to a divisional-round playoff game in Pittsburgh. Is team president Bill Polian satisfied with the primary pieces or will he look for some alternatives, and what does his new coach, Jim Caldwell, want?
Defensively, the Colts suffered from the loss of size on the interior line with the unexpected retirement of Quinn Pitcock and the discipline-necessitated departure of Ed Johnson. They would benefit from getting stouter between Pro Bowl ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis and such roster revisions should help them be more consistent against the run.
Solution: The Colts have not drafted a defensive tackle higher than the third round since 2002; in fact they've only drafted one -- Pitcock -- since then. That streak could end. But whether it does or not, look for a big stable of late picks and undrafted free agents who are bigger but still agile to get a chance to help. Odds are the team sticks with Ugoh and Addai, expecting better health and better play.
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concern: Marvin Harrison's production doesn't match his contract and the Colts are going to have to resolve that because they have looming cap issues. It's hard to envision Harrison, who will be 37 by opening day, calmly agreeing to a reduction in pay, so an ugly ending could be ahead for a player who's been a major force.
Harrison often looked out of sync with Peyton Manning during the season, and a year removed from major knee issues, he wasn't running away from many defenders.
Solution: Maybe Indy is actually fortunate it can blame the cap for forcing a move with Harrison. The offense is powered by the precise passing game, and while Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Anthony Gonzalez are a high-quality three-pack, the Colts will need to import a smart receiver, likely in the draft, who can make a quick contribution.
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| Fernando Medina/US PRESSWIRE | |
| The Jaguars may seek an upgrade at left tackle over Khalif Barnes. |
Primary issue: The Jaguars want to be a physical team that can wear an opponent out, but to do that they need an influx of healthy talent on both their offensive and defensive lines.
Injuries crushed the offensive line in 2008, but Khalif Barnes was healthy. He's just not the right left tackle for a team that seeks to run the ball above all else. The team needs a consistent tone-setter in this spot and also has to decide whether it wants veteran center Brad Meester, a free agent who turns 32 next month, back.
On defense, the team overestimated what it had to replace Marcus Stroud on the inside. Not only was the production from that spot insufficient, but John Henderson was not up to par playing next to those guys. Pairing him with an effective tackle who can help get him back to form is crucial.
Solution: Last year the Jaguars traded up to No. 8 in the first round. This year they earned it themselves. A franchise left tackle would be an ideal get there, and defensive tackle is likely to be addressed relatively early, too.
Secondary concern: Chemistry was a major issue for last year's team, and Jack Del Rio's continued job security likely depends on rebuilding it.
As Del Rio and new GM Gene Smith, a promotion from within, look to reconstruct the roster, they'll have to weigh personalities and leadership traits. Many believe winning breeds chemistry and not vice versa.
It's a complicated formula the team needs to try to figure out.
Solution: Virtually everyone who's added to the team needs to have the right kind of work ethic and personality. Del Rio and Smith can't forge chemistry, but they can provide optimal ingredients.
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| Kenny Felt/Icon SMI | |
| The Titans need to bring veteran QB Kerry Collins back into the fold. |
Primary issue: If the Titans are going to build on what they had last year, the primary issue is obvious no matter how determined they are to say it's not. The Titans need a threatening, big-play wide receiver to make defenses play honest and to make Tennessee dynamic on offense beyond running back Chris Johnson.
In the playoff loss to Baltimore that ended the team's season, the offense was hardly dangerous once Johnson was knocked out of the game with an ankle injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said the Titans proved that they can be successful with receivers who are at the right spots at the right time if they've got a quarterback like Kerry Collins benefiting from good protection and delivering the ball on schedule.
Acquiring that receiver won't mean much if the quarterback isn't in place, so the Titans have to get Collins back. They said the right things at season's end, but if they don't treat him right Collins means it when he says he'd be content to retire and go hunting.
Solution: Sign Collins to a fair two-year deal that treats him like a starter, then upgrade his weapons with a bold move, trading for Anquan Boldin or trading up to land Michael Crabtree.
Secondary issue: The beauty of the Titans' defense in 2007 was that with a consistent pass rush out of the front four, it rarely needed extra rushers. With a defense that was strong everywhere, former coordinator Jim Schwartz had to cover for no one. His replacement will not have it so good if defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth gets to free agency and jumps to another team.
The Titans have a strong group of linemen, but all of them have benefitted from the attention Haynesworth has demanded.
Solution: Lock up Haynesworth before free agency. Barring that, add a tackle in the draft and get ready to add more blitzes to the repertoire.
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
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And for a hot stretch late in the season, they turned aggressive on defense despite some personnel weaknesses. But they failed to make the jump into playoff contender that they expected. Hurricane Ike shook them up early and an injury to
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Instead, they kept grinding, figured
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Then the pieces it added to help against the Colts and Patriots didn't pan out. The pass rush was the big defensive issue, and the two top draft picks,
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They were a playoff team in 2007 that was expected to slip, and once Sure, it's nice that the Texans were able to get to 8-8 again with their win over the Bears. Matching last season's record means while they didn't get better, they didn't get worse.
But there were things on Sunday about how they won that were more significant than that they won.
One of the league's worst giveaway teams lost the ball just once on a Steve Slaton fumble.
One of the league's worst red zone offenses got touchdowns on three of four trips inside the Bears' 20 and 24 points total.
The Texans were also able to get the ball to their biggest weapon, as Matt Schaub threw to Andre Johnson 10 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
Against a quality defense, the Texans kept the ball for 37:34 in a game where the Bears had much higher stakes -- they started the game still alive for a playoff berth, and could have earned one with a win, a Tampa Bay loss (which happened) and a Dallas loss.
The Texans will hear a lot this offseason about turnover reduction and red zone production. Their coaches will need only to point to the last game of 2008 to show what a difference improvement in those areas can make in 2009.
Big day for Walter could produce big benchmark for Texans
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| Walter |
Kevin Walter's only topped 100 receiving yards once this season, with six catches for 146 yards at Green Bay. If he can approach that total Sunday against Chicago in the Texans' season finale, he'd help him offense reach an impressive benchmark.
With 124 receiving yards, Walter would hit 1,000 and give the Texans two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton have already passed the mark. Walter has 23 rushing yards this year, so 101 total yards would get him 1,000 yards on offense.
"We moved the ball pretty good this year when you look at the numbers overall," coach Gary Kubiak said. "But to have a back over 1,000 yards and two receivers over 1,000, that means you're balanced. That's what it says. And we have gotten more balanced because Kevin has become a better player and Steve has stepped in and done a good job. That's what you hope for as a football team, that you have a lot of guys that can make plays."
That big a day for Walter would likely mean a good day for quarterback Matt Schaub.
"It's just a lot of guys doing a lot of good things," Schaub said. "You don't see that type of production very often and hopefully be a part of something like that, you know that's special. But, we've got work to do and we can end our season on a positive note as long as we go out and take care of business this week."
Reading the coverage: Did Kubiak do enough to prevent flat game?
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Houston Texans
- Jerome Solomon says Gary Kubiak didn't do enough to prevent the flop in Oakland.
- Matt Schaub was more of a vocal leader in Oakland, writes Megan Manfull.
- Kubiak stands by his fourth-down decision against the Raiders, says Manfull.
- Richard Justice isn't buying Kubiak's explanation for Andre Johnson sitting out the final drive.
- John McClain's report card.
Indianapolis Colts
- Phillip B. Wilson's matchup page for Titans-Colts.
- We're overdue for a look at the Star's Manning Meter.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- The Jaguars' chance to play spoiler in Baltimore is moved to 4:15 p.m. ET Sunday.
- Five questions with Jack Del Rio.
Tennessee Titans
- Vince Young is one of the backups expected to play some on Sunday in Indianapolis, where the game means nothing to playoff positioning, writes Jim Wyatt.
- The Titans' stomping of a Terrible Towel turned into a big story, says Gary Estwick.
- More towel talk from Terry McCormick.
- Joe Biddle says Tennessee's line coaches deserve a lot of credit.
- Tuesday morning chit chat between Wyatt and Estwick.
Reading the coverage: Rhodes brings personality Colts need
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Have made it back to Nashville from Houston and will be at Jeff Fisher's news conference to see what the Titans are willing to say about Albert Haynesworth at this point. In the meantime I've been catching up on a lot of reading, and hope it may be of some service to you...
Houston Texans
- Houston's win over the Titans ranked as the biggest in the franchise's brief history, writes John McClain.
- Richard Justice says Andre Johnson and the Texans are showing that character counts in team-building.
- Jeff Fisher regretted not taking the wind in the fourth quarter, says McClain.
- A look at the Titans' failed fourth-down attempt at the end, from Meghan Manfull.
- Dale Robertson ponders the irony of Matt Schaub finishing the game and Albert Haynesworth getting hurt.
- Kris Brown got off the hook for a missed 26-yard field goal, from the Chronicle's notebook.
Indianapolis Colts
- The Colts became the only team in NFL history to put together seven-game winning streaks in five consecutive seasons, writes Phil Richards.
- Bob Kravitz says Dominic Rhodes is "an exposed nerve ending with legs," an important element in the Colts' blend.
- Detroit's Cover-2 created the possibility of Dallas Clark's prolific day, says Mike Chappell.
- A look at Indy's efforts to contain Calvin Johnson, from Phillip B. Wilson.
- Kravitz's report card.
- Keiwan Ratliff's survived a miserable day fielding punts, writes Chappell.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- A Saturday off helped the Jaguars break a four-game losing streak Sunday, writes Michael C. Wright.
- The Jaguars put together a flawed performance that was just good enough, says Tania Ganguli.
- Gene Frenette says at least the Jaguars could take solace in retrieving a kindred spirit that defined this team in 2007.
- A defensive stop was a big development against Green Bay, says Garry Smits.
- Dennis Northcutt recovered from a big drop to make a big contribution, writes Smits.
- Jack Del Rio says it's not a sure thing Gregg Williams won't be back as defensive coordinator, reports Vito Stellino. (Chris Mortensen has reported otherwise).
Tennessee Titans
- The Titans' loss in Houston means they need to win Sunday to be sure they are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, writes Jim Wyatt.
- Haynesworth could be out until the playoffs with a knee injury, reports Wyatt.
- Joe Biddle thinks the Titans' chances at a long field goal try by Rob Bironas were better than the fourth-down pass play that failed.
- Andre Johnson did a lot of damage to the Titans, says Gary Estwick.
- Matt Schaub proved tough this time, from the Tennessean's notebook.
Titans pass on long FG, Texans collect huge win
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| Brett Davis/US Presswire | |
| Texans receiver Andre Johnson had 207 yards and a touchdown in perhaps the biggest win in franchise history, 13-12, over the Titans. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
HOUSTON -- Jeff Fisher didn't let his team's 12-1 record morph him into something that he's not. That is, if you believe the stoic lines he delivered shortly after the Titans lost to the Texans, 13-12, in a tense AFC South clash Sunday.
His dependable and strong kicker, Rob Bironas, was simply out of his range when the Titans faced a fourth-and-3 from the Houston 32-yard line with two minutes remaining.
And so the Titans called a pass play and Kerry Collins looked to Justin McCareins, a receiver whose biggest contributions in a huge year for the team have come in the form of run blocks, not crucial catches. Collins' pass to the left side sailed beyond McCareins' reach, and the Titans were left to swallow a loss on a day when they might have been able to clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed.
A week ago the Texans overcame four turnovers to win in Green Bay. Against the Titans they overcame 11 penalties for 127 yards and rode a nearly unfathomably good day from receiver Andre Johnson to what probably ranks as the biggest win in the seven-year history of the franchise.
I'll get there soon, I promise.
But first, a complete look at Fisher's curious decision to pass on a 50-yard field goal attempt.
Bironas had been true on all four of his attempts, from 26, 23, 51 and 34 yards, with the 51-yarder benefitting from the breeze -- remember, the roof's open here after Hurricane Ike damaged it.
Including the 51-yarder, he's 15-of-18 this year from over 40 yards, and 1-for-1 from 50 or longer, never being called on to make an attempt over over 50-yards before today. He's 8-of-12 from 50 or longer in his career, including a 60-yarder.
None of which mattered to Fisher, at least after the fact when he did the sort of advanced disarming work he's so good at in anticipation of a tough line of questioning. And so he finished his brief opening comments with this:
"I told the players I'll take this one. I should have taken the wind in the fourth and not the third and that's exactly why I decided not to let Rob kick. It was not within his range. I knew exactly what his range was and I just felt that we would get things going into the fourth quarter that it wouldn't be a factor. So that's why we went for it on fourth down. It was not a good coaching decision."
Follow-up No. 1: What was Bironas' range? "I know he was about 5 yards outside his range. He made attempts before the game and couldn't get them close and we were outside his range with wind a factor and wind was clearly a factor in here."
Follow up No. 2: Did Bironas lobby to try it? "No he didn't. He said, 'I'll give it a shot.'"
It seems incredibly unnatural for a team that's lived by the field goal for its coach's entire career to have died by a fourth-down pass.
Whatever else Fisher covered in his postgame talk with the team, he clearly couldn't have hit any harder on the idea that players shouldn't second-guess.
Bironas and anyone else who was asked said it was a coach's decision and that the team rides with what the coach decides. (Unsaid: We'd be fools to challenge his thought process, we're 12-2. Also unsaid: Still, it was weird.)
"I thought we were going to kick it, but it is a coaching decision," Bironas said. "There was a decent breeze out there."
The Titans lost the game and offered credit, but they weren't going over a cliff over a bad result, not when the defense still held the Texans to 13 points.
My theory on the ending is that there is more here than a discouraging breeze. The Texans were stacking up to stop the run and the Titans' counter, by plan and in practice, was to take a lot of shots downfield in the passing game. They often had people open, but Collins was very inaccurate and often late, long or both.
Fisher and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger kept thinking things would click in and were a little stubborn about it, to the detriment of a field goal laced with adrenaline that could have won them the game. I say Bironas had a 65 percent chance of making it. Knock 10 or 15 points off that if you like, it's still better odds than Collins was providing on an afternoon with a .454 completion percentage, don't you think? And that's not even calculating the likelihood of McCareins actually making a big play, though Collins had the option of looking to Justin Gage on the other side.
"Yeah we let one get away I mean, that team's not better than us," tight end Bo Scaife said. "They're not even going to the playoffs. We're a playoff team and we're the best team in the league. We just didn't play like that, plain and simple. We're still in control of our own destiny. If we go out there and take care of business, we'll be fine."
"That field goal may have won us the game, but I think we did a lot of things to lose it before that," linebacker Keith Bulluck said.
OK, on to the winners, a team very few outside team headquarters imagined could so much as sniff .500 after 0-4 and 3-7 records. Here they are at 7-7, riding a four-game win streak that's tied with Minnesota for second-longest in the league behind Indianapolis (seven).
Right tackle Eric Winston said he was thinking of the Texans' current streak as work that will have the Texans -- a 6-14 team in September -- ready to play well from the start next year.
"It's Week 1, let's go play ball and let's have all the parts in the right spot, and this is what this push has been about," he said.
The Texans took the win as redemption on multiple levels.
"That was shoved in our face about how much we got pushed around, and I don't want to say cheap-shotted, but towards-the-end-of-the-whistle hits in Tennessee and it was kind of embarrassing," Winston said of Tennessee's 31-12 Week 3 win in Nashville. "It was kind of like the big brother kind of just pushing us around in Tennessee and we weren't going to have it. It's one thing to get beat, but we were not going to go out there and get beat up."
Johnson caught only two balls for 29 yards in the first game, with two catchable balls bouncing off his hands and a third falling incomplete when he failed to angle to it aggressively in the end zone.
"We also didn't do a good job in the red zone against them when we were up there and that was on everybody's mind coming into this week," Johnson said. "We know if we
made those plays we would have beat them. And we were just determined that we were going to go out and make those plays."
Johnson's combination of power, speed and determination was more than the Titans could control, though limiting him to one end-zone visit meant they still could have won. After the game, he worked hard to spread the credit, but original Texan Chester Pitts, the left guard, would have none of it.
"We appreciate that but we all know that Andre, aka, Superman, is playing out of his mind," Pitts said. "Two-hundred-seven yards? I mean come on. What other receiver in the league is doing that?"
Just a few more things...
- Cortland Finnegan is as sweet a guy as you'll meet in an NFL locker room, which makes his game-day persona all the more remarkable. He's beloved by his team and its fans for being feisty, but walks a line sometimes.
He crossed it with the helmet shot to Matt Schaub's chin or jaw and a spear into Owen Daniels' back two plays later -- giving Houston 28 of its 58 yards on a field-goal drive that made it 13-9.
In training camp Johnson called Finnegan "a little irritating," in a pretty complimentary way. Did he want to revise that description after this game?
"Same thing, he's still irritating," Johnson said. "He's a feisty player. If you watch the game, you'll see... all of us get into it with him. That's just the way he plays."
Said Finnegan: "When [Schaub] has his back to me and he throws the ball, he then opens up so it's just obvious. No beef with any of it. I accept all fines, they're all to charity."
Said Pitts of the hit on Schaub: "It was completely unabated, he was free. That play [Schaub] was hit, he has to get the ball gone before he gets there. That's part of the game. But we don't play like that, we don't coach our guys to play like that. If one of our corners came in free like that, none of them would lead with their helmet and try to hit him under his chin and take a shot like that."
- On 23 carries, Texans rookie running back Steve Slaton had 66 yards. The Titans had no real problem with that. On his 24th carry, he got to 100.
"There have been two backs to go 100 yards on them all year," Winston said. "His name's Steve Slaton."
While Finnegan and defensive tackle Tony Brown were complimentary of Slaton, Bulluck wasn't.
"Slaton didn't do anything," he said. "Slaton busted that run at the end of the game and we pretty much had him in check. To tell you the truth, I don't' think their running game hurt us at all."
- I don't have a breakdown, but I feel like most teams have the national anthem performed after the teams are on the field. The Texans do it about 15 minutes before kickoff with the teams in the locker rooms. It takes away from the pageantry of pregame.
HOUSTON -- Cortland Finnegan should be heading for the Pro Bowl and has been a top-flight cover corner for the Titans this season.
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| Finnegan |
But his feisty play sometimes borders on something else, and he crossed the line on the Texans' last series -- first delivering a shot with his helmet to Matt Schaub's chin, then diving late into a tackle of Owen Daniels and putting his helmet in the tight end's back.
Thirty yards on two personal-foul penalties aren't what the Titans needed here. Kris Brown made it 13-9 with 11:45 left with a 24-yard field goal.
The drive covered 58 yards, more than half provided by Finnegan.
I'm anxious to hear if or how he defends himself in the locker room.
HOUSTON -- A 65-yard strike down the middle of the field. A 13-yard TD pass.
Looking to their best player, Andre Johnson, has given the Texans a 7-3 lead over the Titans.
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| Johnson |
He ran past Nick Harper and Michael Griffin on the big gainer, then bought himself space by holding off Harper in the end zone, a play the Titans surely felt was offensive interference.
Now the Texans are making some plays on defense and getting the crowd into this game as the Titans aren't able to answer.
If they've shown us one thing this season, it's that they won't panic at a four-point deficit or a bad three-and-out.
But the Texans are about to try to build on things.
If I'm the Titans, I'm hitting Matt Schaub at all costs, even if the physical style draws a few flags. If I'm the Texans, I'm looking to keep feeding Johnson.
Side note: It's started to rain here and this field isn't built to drain.
Schaub uses turnover allowance on first play
HOUSTON -- The Texans have turnover issues, the Titans don't.
Tennessee didn't flinch when Kerry Collins threw an interception in the end zone to Fred Bennett ending the game's opening possession.
And it's not surprising how the Texans answered: On the first offensive play from scrimmage, Matt Schaub got flushed left, sacked and stripped from behind by Jevon Kearse. Albert Haynesworth recovered and six plays later the Titans had a 26-yard field goal from Rob Bironas and a 3-0 lead.
That about uses up Schaub's turnover allowance for the day.
Haynesworth ready to take shots at Schaub
HOUSTON -- Albert Haynesworth has made a habit of complimenting Texans backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels and taking shots at starter Matt Schaub.
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| Haynesworth | Schaub |
Haynesworth and the Titans' defensive line will try to harass Schaub into mistakes Sunday at Reliant Stadium. Schaub will try to maintain his composure under pressure and avoid the sort of interceptions and turnovers that remain a big issue for an increasingly productive offense.
Last week in a win at Lambeau Field, Schaub threw for a franchise-record 414 yards.
"Anytime a quarterback has thrown for 400 yards, it's amazing," Haynesworth said. "We're going to have to go in there looking to shut him down and not letting him gain a ton of yards and I guess embarrass us like he embarrassed Green Bay."
The Titans knocked Schaub out of two games last season. He played the whole game in the first matchup this season posting his worst passer rating in eight starts this season by far. His 27.8 was built on a 45.9 completion percentage, three picks and no TDs and also came with three sacks.
Is Schaub now a different quarterback than the one Haynesworth has taken jabs at in the past?
"No, it'll be the same old guy," Haynesworth said. "He still remembers us, at the end of that first hit, he'll remember who I am. And then on the next hit I will introduce myself again to him. We're just going to have to get after him. That's our game plan; hit the quarterback as many times as you possibly can and he'll start cringing before you even get there. That's our game plan against Peyton [Manning] or Ben Roethlisberger. We want the quarterback to think about us and not think about throwing the ball down the field."
So, you don't want to single Schaub out?
"No, that'll be alright," he said. "Maybe after the game."
In his eight starts this year, Schaub has gone without an interception in three games, but he's thrown a total of nine in the other five games.
What's Schaub think of the Titans' pass pressure?
"You just have to go out there and know that it's coming and just get yourself ready for it," he told Houston reporters this week. "Just go out there and play and distribute the football, get rid of it. Stay balanced and keep your third downs manageable. All those things. Stay true to your game plan."
As for Haynesworth....
"Well, he's a huge obstacle," Schaub said. "He's a guy that takes up a lot of room in the middle and he demands two people. When they have the front four that they have, it's hard to give too much attention to one guy because then there's other guys left on islands on the other side of the line and in other areas. So, them as a group, they're very tough to handle and it's just a matter of us executing our plan."
"...We know where he's going to line up. He lines up in the same spot every time. So, it's just about going out and dropping back and throwing the football and I trust in those guys up front that they are going to do their jobs."
Reading the coverage: Is Schaub on path to elite?
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Never mind further ado. Without any ado, here's what's been written about the AFC South this morning...
Houston Texans
- In the last month, Steve Slaton is the NFL's most prolific running back, writes Megan Manfull.
- Jerome Solomon says Houston just may be witnessing the development of an elite NFL quarterback in Matt Schaub.
- Schaub won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Green Bay, writes Manfull.
Indianapolis Colts
- It's the defense that's revived the Colts' season, writes Phil Richards.
- Bob Kravitz calls on the Colts and those who run the building to do the right thing. Lucas Oil Stadium should not be cost prohibitive for high school championships.
- Joseph Addai has a bad right shoulder, but Dominic Rhodes is ready to step in if needed, says Mike Chappell.
- The Colts' desire is to stay at the head of the wild card line, according to Chappell.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jags sign two after Greg Jones goes on IR. Michael C. Wright provides the details.
- Fred Taylor could be next in line for IR for the black cloud Jags, says Vito Stellino.
Tennessee Titans
- Slaton is the only running back to top 100 yards against the Titans this season, says Jessica Bliss.
- Joe Biddle praises the Titans' work in red zone offense.
- Michael Roos isn't so sure he hasn't given up a sack, writes Gary Estwick in his notes.
- Has "Smash and Dash" become "Smash and Grab," asks Estwick.
- Another take on the "Smash and Dash" debate, from Terry McCormick.
- Kyle Vanden Bosch's status is up in the air again, writes McCormick in his notes.
Reading the coverage: Colts in playoffs with two wins
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Good morning, AFC South Blog readers. Hope you're having an easier time getting moving than I am. Here is some reading for after you get your coffee or link up to your caffeine IV...
Houston Texans
- To beat Tennessee, Matt Schaub will have to play a lot better than he did in the first matchup, writes John McClain.
- Houston's offense is up to third in the NFL rankings, says McClain.
Indianapolis Colts
- The Colts are assured of a playoff spot with wins in two of their final three, according to Mike Chappell.
- Things are getting better on the injury front, says Phil Richards.
- A look at some Lions-Colts subplots, from Phillip B. Wilson.
- The Colts' defense has been up and down, says Tom James.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jack Del Rio calls his offense inept, writes Vito Stellino.
- Five questions with David Garrard.
Tennessee Titans
- The Titans' final three opponents have won a collective 13 games in a row, says Jim Wyatt.
- Tennessee gets a shot at redemption against Steve Slaton, the only back who's topped 100 yards against the this season, writes Gary Estwick.
- LenDale White had 100 yards against Cleveland, then lost it, writes Terry McCormick.
Reading the coverage: Taylor 16th on all-time rushing list
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Three wins for the division, a clinched playoff spot and bye for the Titans, and a lot to sort through on the Monday after Week 14 games.
Did I miss something? I welcome your comments, suggestions, criticism and opinions in the mailbag.
Houston Texans
- The Texans overcame a lot and proved mentally tough during their win in Green Bay, writes John McClain.
- A record day was tarnished by turnovers, says Dale Robertson.
- Richard Justice thinks the Texans may very well be changing in fundamental ways.
- Kris Brown nailed the 40-yard field goal as time expired, writes McClain.
- Gary Kubiak's two-point gamble paid off, says McClain.
- Matt Schaub gets quarterbacks an "A" in the Chronicle's report card.
- Skill players and offensive linemen were sleeveless even though the temperature was in single digits at Lambeau Field, says Dale Robertson.
Indianapolis Colts
- The Colts needed a laugher and got one with a route of Cincinnati, writes Phil Richards.
- Bob Kravitz's report card runs from "A" to "D-minus."
- Peyton Manning and Dominic Rhodes decline to admit this one was easy, writes Mike Chappell.
- The Colts stuck with two tight ends a lot, which meant only six plays for Anthony Gonzalez, who made the most of them, according to Chappell.
- All was well with a defense that got Bob Sanders back but was missing Gary Brackett, says Phillip B. Wilson.
- Wilson's running blog entry on the game.
- Tom James' game story.
- Keiwan Ratliff can't believe how far the Bengals have fallen, writes James.
- Clark Judge puts Manning's MVP campaign on the list of things he likes.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- The Jaguars lost their fourth straight and look like they've forgotten how to win, says Vito Stellino.
- Maurice Jones-Drew was responsible for a big share of the Jaguars' offense, write Michael C. Wright.
- David Garrard had a passer rating of 7.6 at the half, according to Wright.
- Fred Taylor moved into 16th all-time on the rushing list, passing O.J. Simpson and Corey Dillon, says Wright.
- Gene Frenette says the Jaguars were painful to watch.
- Frenette's report card includes a "D" for coaching.
- This can't end soon enough, says Cole Pepper.
Tennessee Titans
- The Titans accomplished the first of their goals, winning the division, says Jim Wyatt.
- Tennessee undid three turnovers with some big plays, writes Gary Estwick.
- Chris Johnson joined Earl Campbell and Eddie George as the franchise's 1,000-yard rookies backs, according to Estwick.
- David Climer's quick hits on the game.
- Wyatt's report card features three "As."
- Penalties bogged down the Titans. Details in The Tennessean's notebook.
- The Titans clinched the AFC South, writes Terry McCormick.
- LenDale White missed 100 yards because his final carry was a 2-yard loss, says McCormick.
Black and Blue all over: Sanders' job security
Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette addressed the first question of many Packers fans after Sunday's 24-21 loss to Houston: Will the game cost defensive coordinator Bob Sanders his job?
Sanders' group gave up 549 yards, including 414 in the air to just-returned Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. There have been no obvious clues that coach Mike McCarthy would consider a change, but such performances -- especially two weeks after getting steamrolled in New Orleans -- tend to change things.
Because of injuries, Sanders had cornerback Charles Woodson starting at safety. His backup middle linebacker (Desmond Bishop) was starting on the outside. His starting outside linebacker (A.J. Hawk) was starting in the middle. And three opening day starters -- safety Atari Bigby, defensive end Cullen Jenkins and middle linebacker Nick Barnett -- were out altogether.
But Sanders told Green Bay reporters he won't use the injuries as an excuse:
"When you're responsible for something, I take that responsibility very, very seriously. So I'll continue to work. I won't back down until we find a way and get it back going because we've played some pretty good defense around here, and I know we can. It's my responsibility to get us back to doing that."
While it's not yet clear if Sanders will lose his job, it seems pretty obvious the Packers will have to make wholesale changes to their defense in the offseason.
Continuing around the NFC North:
- When it rains, it pours. Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher suffered a significant knee injury Sunday, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Tauscher almost certainly is out for the season.
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune on Bears quarterback Kyle Orton: "When the Bears' ace is oblivious to adversity of any kind, good things happen. Against the Jaguars, Orton was a different quarterback from the guy who had been favoring his sprained right ankle since he injured it Nov. 2 against Detroit. ... The quarterback who completed 20 of 34 passes for 219 yards, two TDs and one interception on a frigid day against the Jaguars looked familiar."
- Finally, notes Vaughn McClure of the Tribune, Bears tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen caught a touchdown in the same game.
- Bears receiver Devin Hester has eight receptions for 147 yards in the past two games, notes John Dietz of the Daily Herald.
- Defensive tackle Anthony Adams tied for a team-high eight tackles in place of injured starter Dusty Dvoracek, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Detroit coach Rod Marinelli made the mistake of trusting his defense in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to Minnesota, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
- Kowalski also notes that quarterback Daunte Culpepper will undergo tests on his injured shoulder Monday.
- Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press: "The bleak goes on."
- FOX television apologized for airing a locker room video clip in which Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was naked, writes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
- Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes the Vikings "limboed" to another victory Sunday: "The Vikings bent backward, tucked their chins in and barely limboed under the bar they should be vaulting."
