Texans vs. Cardinals Review
Final Score Arizona 19- Houston-16
The Texans looked extremely good early in the game yesterday when the starters played; Matt Schaub threw a beautiful TD pass to Andre Johnson and Mario Williams sacked Matt Leinart two times. After 3 quarters the Texans lead 16-0 and looked like they were going to shut out Arizona but the Cardinals came back in the 4th quarter to win the game. The biggest news from the game is that rookie runningback Ben Tate suffered a serious ankle injury on a play when he ran 10 yards downfield. His injury is going to require surgery to fix and he is going to miss significant time this year, maybe the entire season. I was really disappointed to see Tate get hurt, he has so much promise and so much potential. I really wanted the Texans to just escape Arizona without any major injuries but Tate’s injury counts as a major blow. Arian Foster looked good in the small amount of time that he played but I think Foster lacks the explosion and agility that Tate has. Steve Slaton ran extremely hard and it was obvious that he was trying to show the coaches that he can still get it done but a fumble on the 1 yard line did not help his case at all. It looks like Foster is going to go forward full steam ahead as the Texans starter at runningback while Jeremiah Johnson and Chris Henry will get looks in the next 3 preseason games to back up Foster.
The defense looked very sharp, they forced two turnovers and stuffed the run of the Cardinal’s 1st team offense. Rookie linebacker Daryl Sharpton made a great impression leading the team with 7 tackles and 1 interception. Second year safety Troy Nolan also had a good game with 2 tackles and an interception. Kareem Jackson didn’t play because he was attending a funeral but Texan’s fans will get a chance to see their top rookie in action next week against the New Orleans Saints. It looks like Bernard Pollard is living up to the hype that has surrounded him in camp; he looks like hes becoming a leader on the field and he backs it up with his play.
Aside from Tate’s injury it was a very succesful outing for the Texans because the starters looked great even though the team lost. There is a lot of promise in the Texan’s explosive offense and newly aggressive defense. Some things the Texans can improve on are red zone offense, run blocking and patience on defense. At times they got a little too aggressive on D and the Cardinals took advantage of the Texan’s rush with draw plays that gained a lot of yards. Gary Kubiak still has a lot of work to do to get his squad ready for the regular season but he should be optimistic with the way his starting offense and defense played.
[picappgallerysingle id="7158884"]Matt Schaub looked sharp against the Cardinals on Saturday.
Texans vs. Cardinals Preview
The Texans will take on the Arizona Cardinals tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. (central time) in their first preseason game of 2010. This is Texan’s fans first chance to see their favorite team on the field for the upcoming season. Since its the preseason, starters will only play one quarter or one series but the 2nd string players will get a chance to shine in the spotlight. Preseason is the biggest time of the year for backup quarterbacks, wide receivers and guys trying to earn a roster spot on special teams. I’m excited to see who plays well at runningback for the Texans, who looks good in the secondary, and how our 1st team offense looks. Its going to be a nice battle to watch between Slaton, Tate and Foster; they all bring something different to the table. I’m going to DVR the game to break it down for further analysis so make sure you check out my game review tomorrow.
Brian Cushing’s Steriod Suspension
Texan’s owner Bob McNair met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this week to try to get linebacker Brian Cushing’s 4 game suspension reduced or removed. Cushing, as we all know, was suspended for the first 4 games of the regular season when he tested positive for HCG, a drug used to mask steroids. This move by McNair shows how much he cares about Cushing and how highly he values having Cushing on the field. If Goodell lessens Cushing’s suspension to 2 games or completely removes it, the Texans defense will greatly benefit. Cushing brings intensity, passion and athleticism to the Texan’s linebacker core which also features DeMeco Ryans, Zac Diles, Kevin Bentley, Danny Clark, Daryl Sharpton, and Xavier Adibi. Right now it looks like either Bentley or Clark will step in for Cushing during his suspension because Adibi is hurt and Sharpton is still learning the defense. Cushing can play in all four of the Texan’s preseason games and will probably see the field for a good amount of time in each one. Cushing stated that he is not too optimistic about the commissioner reducing his suspension but he is glad that Goodell is reconsidering the case. One thing is for sure though; the Texans are going to need the help of Brian Cushing this season if they are going to make a playoff run.
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10 Things To Watch In 2010
10. Connor Barwin’s Improvement
Last year as a rookie Connor Barwin notched 4.5 sacks and displayed great speed in his pass rush. This year Barwin is likely going to play with the 1st team unless the Texans sign Aaron Schobel or stay with Antonio Smith at DE. Barwin is a very athletic player who has the potential to get a lot of sacks in this league. His role was limited last year, he mostly only rushed on 3rd downs and still recorded more sacks than any other rookie defensive end. But this year as a starter, fans are going to get to see Barwin’s full ability.
9. Possibly a new kicker
Many Texans fans, myself included, were heartbroken when Kris Brown missed key field goals last season. But fans have something to look forward to; Neil Rackers could become the starting kicker in 2010 and the troubles of Kris Brown would be a thing of the past. I’m hoping for Rackers to win the competition because I don’t want to see Kris Brown kicking for the Texans anymore.
8. Bernard Pollard as a full time starter
Last year Bernard Pollard brought a spark to the Texan’s defense with 102 tackles and 4 interceptions…and he only started 13 games. Fans should get excited to see the Bonecrusher (his nickname) as a full time starter in 2010. Pollard has the chance to become a leader in the secondary and an impact player on defense.
7. Kareem Jackson
I don’t know about you guys but I’m very excited to see Kareem Jackson play this year. I have really high hopes for this kid and I want him to succeed. So far hes just gotten torched by Andre Johnson in training camp, but how many cornerbacks in the NFL can cover Andre? If Kareem can learn how to cover Andre, he can learn how to cover anyone. Fans should get excited to see Jackson take the field for the Texan’s defense in 2010.
6. The return of Steve Slaton
Last year was a bad year for Slaton, but this is his chance to bounce back. He has looked good so far in training camp and may keep his job as a 3rd down back. If Slaton can shine in that role maybe he can get some carries on offense and remind everyone what a good player he is.
5. Ben Tate and Improved Run Game
If fans aren’t excited to see Slaton, they should definitely be excited to see Ben Tate. Tate brings ability at the running back position that the Texans have never had. He is big, strong, powerful and fast, if he becomes the starter he could vastly improve the Texan’s run game from last season. A huge part of the problem last year was the blocking on the offensive line.
4. Improved Defense
Out of all the additions the Texans have made to their defense, none is greater than the addition of experience. Players like Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, DeMeco Ryans and Zac Diles who have played together for a few season now have the knowledge of what is going to happen in certain situations and can rally together as a single unit when they know what needs to be done.
3. A healthy Matt Schaub
Schaub is the key to the Texans success just as any QB is the key to success for any NFL team. Without Schaub, the Texans will not prosper. Its absolutely vital that Schaub stays healthy for the entire season, and if he does everyone is going to see how great of a player he truly is. If Schaub replicates or improves on his numbers from 2009, he will easily be mentioned as one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the National Football League.
2. Andre Johnson
Andre is the star of the show, he makes the Texans worth watching every week. If you aren’t a fan of the Texans, Andre Johnson is probably the best reason to start liking them. Watch these highlights and witness #80′s greatness.
1. A chance to be in the postseason.
The Texans have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs this year and no one can deny them of that. Its just up to them to put it all together and as Andre Johnson said during training camp, “become more consistent with their play”.
Aaron Schobel Interested In Joining The Texans
Aaron Schobel played 9 seasons with the Buffalo Bills where he recorded 78 sacks, 483 tackles and 3 interceptions. During his time with the Bills, he was mentioned amongst the best defensive ends in the National Football League. He has had 4 double digit sack seasons and was an absolute menace to Tom Brady and other AFC East quarterbacks. He gets after the quarterback, and that is something that the Texans need to improve on. He was released by the Buffalo Bills this past week and said that he would like to play for the Texans. The Texan’s defensive front is already strong, but adding a player like Schobel never hurts. They have tons of talent with Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, Antonio Smith and Connor Barwin but were 25th in the league last year in sacks. Adding a veteran like Schobel will definitely help that sack production increase.
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