Texans’ Winston Weighs in
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Houston Texans RT Eric Winston took over Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback column for SI.com this morning. Winston weighed in on 5 ways he would change the game and boy do I agree with Winston on several of them.
Winston starts off with his first idea of playing the Super Bowl on a Saturday. To be honest, I never thought of that as an idea, but he provides a strong case for why it makes sense. Why not have the country’s largest sporting event in the middle of the weekend? The game already starts late in the evening on the East Coast, and doesn’t end until usually after 11pm. Young kids watching have to go to school the next day and the adults have to head off to work. Saturday makes sense to me.
The MMQB guest writer then suggested how he would change the schedule which would basically do away with the conference division as they stand today. Winston wrote that a team would play every team in it’s conference and then one against the opposing conference. He states the cross-conference games could be those which would create geographical rivalries, ie-Texans-Cowboys, Eagles-Steelers, and Jets-Giants etc. The top 6 teams in each conference would then advance to the playoffs. I’m not sure if I totally buy into the idea but it is an interesting concept.
Winston’s third idea was to expand the roster and create a minor league. I agree that the rosters should be expanded, and if the league adopts a 18 games schedule, that should be a given. The idea of the minor league has been floated before. I believe that with some proper management the UFL could become such a league.
His fourth idea is something I agree with wholeheartedly, a rookie wage scale. Winston does not address the issue I have the most problem with, signing bonuses and guaranteed money for rookies. This year Sam Bradford will ink a deal which will give him about 50 million in guaranteed money without ever playing a down of professional football. Will he be the next Ryan Leaf or Dan Marino? Nobody knows, but that is crazy money for a player who has yet to prove himself in the NFL.
Lastly, Winston floats out his plan to modify the overtime rules. I did not agree with the league changing the rules months ago and I disagree with Winston on his ideas on changing what we have now. If a coin flip is good enough to determine who gets the ball first at the start of a game, it’s good enough to determine the same in overtime.
All in all, it was a very good column and I believe Winston has a future in writing waiting for him when he decides to retire.
Lance Briggs has an opinion on Cushing
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Chicago Bears LB Lance Briggs doesn’t think much of Houston Texans LB Brian Cushing. Briggs was named in Cushing’s place as the second team All-Pro after Cushing was suspended. Speaking to the media, Briggs said, “Cheaters rarely prosper. I don’t know the what the whole deal was, but I just know that he did things you ain’t supposed to do.”
Texans QB Matt Schaub stopped in to talk with AM Sports radio 610 and had some good things to say about Texans new RB Ben Tate and the expectations for the 2010 season. You can listen to the interview here.
Tate figures to play a significant role in the Texans offense this season, sharing time with RB’s Steve Slaton and Arian Foster.
Foster to lead Texans
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The Houston Texans have placed RB Arian Foster as the #1 running back on their depth chart. Dan Graziano at Fanhouse wrote a column this morning regarding the Texans running game outlook for 2010. Foster is quoted in the piece as saying, “Expectations are huge. I mean just huge. We are expecting to be a playoff team next year.”
Foster took over a depleted Texans backfield for the final two games of 2009, racking up 216 yards and three touchdowns.
The second year Tennessee running back sits a top a Texans backfield which also contains Steve Slaton and newly drafted RB Ben Tate. Slaton is recovering from off season surgery and Ben Tate is ready to take over. Tate is a powerful running back who brings a great combination of size and speed and he’s not short on humility either.
Texans Offense Settling In
With the Houston Texans OTA’s underway, there appear to be some players staking a claim for starting status.
[picappgallerysingle id="7654853"]Expect Texans WR Jacoby Jones to push Kevin Walter for the starting #2 receiver position this offseason. He’s come to camp with a slimmed down frame and new sense of energy.
Is Adrian Foster staking a claim to become the #1 back for the Texans? It sure seems likely.
OG Wade Smith is practicing with the first team during OTA’s and could wind up with a starting role in 2010.
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Texans QB Matt Schaub knows the Texans need to get to the next level and he wants the Texans to finish games better in 2010. Houston has been known for “next year” statements at the conclusion of seasons, but now all the pieces appear to be in place to make those statements a reality. It starts with Schaub but it ends with the team.
The Texans have inked 5th round pick CB Sherrick McManis.
