Yardbarker: Anthony Weaver

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: What Will The Texans' Record Be At The End Of The Regular Season?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:19:03 -0500

TexansForever raised the same question in this FanPost, so I figured it was a fine time to check in on my preseason prediction regarding the regular season record of your Houston Texans. Back in early September, I reluctantly concluded the Texans would finish 10-6. Specifically, I said the Texans would fare as follows through the first nine (9) games: 1. Jets--WIN. Having seen our defense in the preseason, this makes me awfully nervous, but I'll give the edge to the team playing at...

Before You Jump

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:52:42 -0500

View full size photo uploaded September 15, 2009 Ok. This place has been a sea of negativity for the last two days and understandably so. The team that everyone has invested a great deal of time into completely laid an egg on Sunday. This season is supposed to be the Texans coming out party and everyone involved in the debacle feels embarrassed, especially the fans. Notice though that I used "is&quo...

Jets @ Texans Semi-Drunken Thoughts: 462 - 183

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:53:59 -0500

I've taken a lot of **** on this here blog for not drinking the Frank Bush kool-aid as I've been worried we never addressed the real problem of our ****** defense. Sure, we blitzed more, but we never put real and consistent pressure on the QB...a QB making his first NFL start as a rookie on the ******* road. The unfortunate fact is: we do not have the defensive talent to compete, a problem on obvious display today. We can change the scheme, we can change the defensive co...

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: Texans Will Finish (Gulp) 10-6

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:43:30 -0500

Although your Houston Texans don't take the field until Sunday, the NFL regular season kicks off tomorrow night. And since I have yet to make my "official" prediction on the Texans' regular season record, I'd better get on my horse. Last year, I called 9-7. The year before that, I called 8-8. This year? Let's see... 1. Jets--WIN. Having seen our defense in the preseason, this makes me awfully nervous, but I'll give the edge to the team playing at home and ...

2009 NFL Preview: #18 Houston Texans

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:38:38 -0500

Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews. Offseason Additions: Antonio Smith (DE); Eugene Wilson (S); Cato June (LB/out for the season); Deltha O’Neal (CB); Shaun Cody (DT); Rex Grossman (QB). Offseason Losses: Sage Rosenfels (QB); Bryan Pittman (C); C.C. Brown (S); Will Demps (DB); Anthony Weaver (DT); Ephraim Salaam (OT). Player to Watch: Steve Slaton, RB. After [...]

Owen Daniels Uses Facebook To Negotiate New Contract With Texans

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:45:42 -0500

Owen Daniels, Houston Texans tight end and perennial fantasy sleeper, has taken his dissatisfaction with his current contract public to both friends and strangers across America on his Facebook page. Here's the screen-grab from one of his most recent updates and his enthusiastic support group (including former Texans defensive end Anthony Weaver) encouraging Daniels to continue his hold out until the Texans' money-holders give him the same respect as Yahoo's! Brandon Funston does ...

Texans Sign DE Antonio Smith To A 5-Year, $35M Deal

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:18:11 -0500

The Texans have signed Arizona defensive lineman Antonio Smith to replace Anthony Weaver at left defensive end. Weaver was waived earlier this week....

Any Interest?

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:38:32 -0500

Players released this week (or last) that in my opinion, the Ravens should look into WR Laverneus Coles LB Derrick Brooks WR Joey Galloway Marvin Harrison, CB Dre Bly WR Drew Bennet QB Trent Green (STL, possibly for backup DE Anthony Weaver ...

Texans Cut Will Demps, Anthony Weaver, Ephraim Salaam

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:40:34 -0500

Friday deadline for the start of free agency approaches, the Texans are continuing to make moves. They are releasing defensive end Anthony Weaver,...

Texans Cut Weaver

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:53:21 -0500

The gears in the front office are already starting to spin, as starting defensive end Anthony Weaver was cut today. Weaver will join Morlon Greenwood and Ahman Green in the unemployment office as the 3rd player to be cut by the Texans who began the season as a starter.Weaver and Greenwood were both adequate starters but neither were game-changers by any means. With weaver out, the Texans draft intentions are beginning to come into focus. Maybe we'll get another Mario-Demeco type draft. Wouldn't bother me one bit.Weaver was great at containing the run, but was completely devoid of any pass-rushing ability. In his three years as a starter for the Texans, he amassed one entire sack. That's bad.I would've personally liked to see him take a pay-cut and stay as a solid backup to whoever we pick up this off season, but oh well. We'll see what other tricks the front office has up their sleeves before the start of free agency this Friday.Stay tuned.

Texans Set to Release DE Anthony Weaver

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:11:27 -0500

ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the Texans are going to make a move that will show DE Anthony Weaver the door soon. Here is the report: As the Texans prepare for the start of a league year that they hope will finish with the first meaningful games played in the first month of the calendar [...]

Texans To Release DE Anthony Weaver Tuesday

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:28:49 -0500

Just days after cutting RB Ahman Green and LB Morlon Greenwood, the Texans will release DE Anthony Weaver on Tuesday. His $6.2 million base salary...

Frank Bush

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:36:00 -0500

When you try and get a feel for the defensive philosophy a position coach will employ if he gets promoted to Defensive Coordinator, you look to the DC’s he’s worked under in the past. Because Frank Bush has never been a DC, we need to look at the DC’s he’s worked under to get a feel for the kind of coach he’ll probably be.

When Bush moved from Scouting to Coaching in 1992, his first DC was Jim Eddy. All I know about Jim Eddy is that his defenses used a 4 man front. Jim Eddy had a pretty good Defense in 1992, with the 9th ranked defense overall and the 3rd ranked pass defense. Keep in mind that this was during Warren Moon’s heyday, and the run and shoot was in full force. The Oilers had the 6th best scoring offense. This means that other teams needed to score lots of points to have a shot at winning, which should mean lots more passing, and yet, they still have the #3 pass defense. I’m sure part of that is the players (including Jerry Gray at CB, another possible DC), but some of the credit goes to Eddy as the DC.

In 1993, Jim Eddy was replaced with Buddy Ryan. Buddy Ryan is famous for his aggressive 46 defense. Statistically, Ryan’s ’93 Oiler defense was great against the run, but poor against the pass. If Frank Bush had been a position coach under Buddy Ryan for a few more years, he probably wouldn’t have had to wait this long to get his shot at being a DC. As it is, Ryan was only in town for one year, and although this does mean that Bush knows what a 46 defense is, and how it should work (Unlike Richard Smith), he doesn’t really come from the Buddy Ryan coaching tree.

In 1994, Jeff Fisher was the DC for the Oilers, and he too ran the 46 defense. Under Fisher, the defense was probably more aggressive than it had been under Ryan. Fisher definitely comes from the Buddy Ryan coaching tree, which means that Frank Bush has two years of experience with this system. Despite the fact that two of his first three years as a coach were under 46 DC’s, I think his stop in Denver is where he really formed his identity as a coach.

From 1995 to 2000 Frank Bush worked for the Denver Broncos where Greg Robinson was the DC. This stretch is the first time that Bush had any consistency from the DC position, and this is one of the reasons why I think he gets his core defensive philosophy from this stretch. Matt at DGDB&D has a post where he goes over some of the potential DC’s. When he gets to Greg Robinson, he bases it off of the defense that Syracuse ran while he was the HC. Frankly, that’s more analysis than I could do. If anyone can find out the defense that Greg Robinson ran at Denver, I think that’s going to be the basic style of defense that Bush would run here.

From 2001 to 2003 Bush was the special teams coach for the Broncos. I don’t really see much to take from this stint. I guess it shows that he is capable of being in charge of an entire phase of the game, even if it is special teams.

From 2004 to 2006 Bush worked for the Cardinals under Larry Marmie and Clancy Pendergast. Hopefully by this time Bush already had a defensive philosophy and didn’t absorb too much from either of these DC’s, other than how not to do your job.

So, I’m now working under the assumption that if Frank Bush gets hired as the Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator, the defense will look a lot like the Denver Broncos defense did under Greg Robinson. So, with that in mind, how does our personnel stack up with what Denver had, particularly during the Broncos 1998 season when they won their second consecutive championship.

Houston Denver DE: Mario Williams DE: Neil Smith DE: Anthony Weaver DE: Maa Tanuvasa DT: Travis Johnson DT: Keith Traylor DT: Amobi Okoye DT: Trevor Pryce SLB: Zac Diles SLB: Bill Romanowski WLB: Xavier Adibi WLB: John Mobley MLB: DeMeco Ryans MLB: Glenn Cadrez CB1: Dunta Robinson CB1: Darrien Gordon CB2: Jacques Reeves CB2: Ray Crockett FS: Eugene Wilson FS: Steve Atwater SS: Nick Ferguson SS: Tyrone Braxton Ok, we’ll just work our way down the list.

Left Defensive End: Smith was a 6 time Pro-Bowler, and he led the league with 15 Sacks in 1993 and he made the Pro-Bowl in his fourth year pro. Mario Williams doesn’t have the same body of work, but at this point, it looks like Williams will be at least as good at DE as Neil Smith. I give the Texans a slight edge here, but Neil Smith was a pretty good DE, and the Texans get the nod here based on the fact that Mario looks better than Smith did at the same age.

Right Defensive End: Maa Tanuvasa had an inauspicious start to his playing career, getting drafted in the 8th round (209th overall) of 1993 and not becoming a starter until 1996, but in 1998 he led the team in Sacks with 8.5. The Broncos have a huge advantage at this position. Weaver has more interceptions than he does sacks, which means that DE is still a position that needs to be addressed. Bulman or Cochran could probably be about as productive as Tanuvasa though, so if we draft a stud DE in the draft, or acquire one in Free Agency, I’ll give the Texans the tentative edge. As it is, with Bulman and Cochran still on the team, I give the edge to the 98 Broncos, but it’s a lot less if you assume that Bulman or Cochran will be playing DE than if Weaver is.

Defensive Tackle: Keith Traylor was drafted by the Broncos in 1991 as a Linebacker. He was cut from a few different teams, and in NFL Europe he began to add weight to his frame so that he could convert to a D-lineman. In ’97, Traylor was brought back to the Broncos as a Free Agent. He led the team in tackles for D-linemen twice during his second stint there. Despite the fact that he used to be a linebacker I’m assuming that Traylor was the run-stuffing Defensive Tackle for the Broncos. Right now, the closest player we have to this position is Frank Okam. Travis Johnson has been trying to play the same role as Traylor, although nowhere near as effectively. With Johnson playing in 15 games this past season, and starting 14 (nominally at least), Johnson only registered 28 tackles compared to the 49 that Traylor had. I still think Okam has the potential to be a good DT, and to be better than Traylor, but based on what we’ve seen, the Broncos have a huge advantage at this position.

Defensive Tackle: Trevor Pryce seems to be the penetrating DT. Pryce was drafted in 97, and in 98 he tied for the team lead in sacks with 8.5. He’s the same type of player that Amobi Okoye is, but Pryce seems to be doing much better. Pryce is currently playing DE for the Ravens in a 3-4 scheme. Amobi has the potential to be at least as good as Pryce, but he’s got to do better than he did this past year. A new coordinator and a run-stuffing DT could be just what he needs. Right now, the Broncos have the edge based on actual productivity, but Amobi could change that in the upcoming season.

Strongside Line Backer: This position isn’t even close. Romanowski was one of the best at his position for several years. Diles performed admirably until he injured himself, especially considering he was a 7th round draft pick, but he’s no Romanowski. Part of the problem is that under Richard Smith, there wasn’t any defensive philosophy to speak of, and the two Outside Line Backers were interchangeable. Under Greg Robinson, there was a Strongside Line Backer, and his duties and responsibilities were different than those of the Weakside Line Backer. As a SLB, Romanowski is head and shoulders better than anyone we have. If you were to give Greg Robinson from 1998 our defense to work with, he’d probably be ok until he got to this position. If we’re going to run the same style offense that the Broncos did, this is a position that we need to address, either in the draft (Orakpo) or free agency. Huge edge to Denver. If Chaun Thompson is healthy next year, he would be a sleeper to play this position. He’s got the size/strength to be a SLB, and he was an OLB in Cleveland’s 3-4 defense, so he should have some familiarity with dropping back into coverage, and general linebacking responsibilities.

Weakside Line Backer: As a rookie in 1996, John Mobley played in all 16 games, and recorded only 61 tackles. In ’97 he recorded 132 and in ’98 he recorded 111. As a rookie, Adibi only played in 7 games, but he had 35 tackles. Adibi showed flashes of brilliance, and if he continues to improve, he could easily be as good as Mobley. Right now, the edge clearly goes to Denver, but Adibi has the skill set and the potential to be a very good WLB in this type of system.

Middle Line Backer: In 1998, Glenn Cadrez had 74 Tackles in what appears to be his first year starting at MLB, despite having been drafted in 1992 in the sixth round. DeMeco has started since his rookie year, and has been one of the best MLB’s in football. Finally, based on everything, the Texans have a huge advantage at this position.

Corner Back 1: At CB1, Darrien Gordon was pretty good. He had 63 tackles, 13 passes defensed and 4 interceptions. Dunta had 38 tackles, 6 passes defensed and only 2 interceptions, but he only started 6 games after coming back from a horrific knee/hamstring injury. Based on his earlier production, and the production he showed after coming back from the injury, I have to give the edge at this position to Dunta. If Dunta plays all season like he did at the end of the season, he’s the better CB.

Corner Back 2: In ’98 Crockett had 51 tackles, 13 passes defensed and 3 interceptions. Jacque Reeves had 52 tackles, 19 passes defensed and 4 interceptions. Statistically, Jacque Reeves is the better corner. As infuriating as Reeves was at the beginning of the season, he showed progress as the year progressed, and if he continues to progress, and learns to turn his head and use his arms, he could be a pretty good CB2. Right now, without knowing how well Crockett actually played, I have to give a very slight edge to Houston. Reeves being a useful component of our defense is predicated on our continued use of man coverage and not zone coverage.

Free Safety: To put it bluntly, if Greg Robinson, or any DC for that matter, had to go from Steve Atwater to Eugene Wilson, he’d need to be put on suicide watch. Atwater went to seven straight Pro Bowls from 1990-1996, went to an eighth in 1998 and was a huge leader in the locker room. By 1998, Atwater had lost a step though, and was only playing on first and second downs. His last great season was 1997, but he was still an above average FS. Eugene Wilson is the best Free Safety the Texans have ever had, and it’s still not even close. The Broncos defense has a monumental edge at this position, and if any DC is going to have success with our defense, this position is going to need to be upgraded.

Strong Safety: While the comparison of this position isn’t anywhere near as lopsided as for FS, Tyrone Braxton is a better SS than Nick Ferguson. In ’98 Braxton was one year away from retiring, but he was still capable of playing at a high level as demonstrated by his performance in the Super Bowl. Ferguson’s play this year has been average. Nothing spectacular, but at least we aren’t cursing his name after every game. The edge goes to the Broncos at this position as well.

So, what did we learn from that long, and tedious exercise, besides how to make people quit reading what I write? We learned that the defense for the 1998 Super Bowl Champion Broncos is better than the Houston Texans defense. That’s not really a surprise though. The point of this exercise was to see how far away the Texans are from being able to field a defense similar to the ‘98 Broncos.

At three of the most important positions (CB1, LDE and MLB) I think the Texans have better players than the Broncos did that year. At two more positions (CB2 and RDE) it’s pretty close to a draw or there is only a slight advantage one way or the other. At two more positions (DT and WLB) we have players in Amobi Okoye and Xavier Adibi that look like they’ll be as good as, if not better than, what the Broncos had. That leaves DT, SLB, FS and SS as positions that need to be addressed if we’re going to try and run a defense like the one Denver had.

With Frank Okam, we might already have the DT that we need for this scheme. Chaun Thompson (assuming he’s still alive) has the frame and the measurables to be a good fit for the SLB position. I doubt he’ll ever get close to Romanowski, but he should be competent at the position. If these two improbable players pan out, this just leaves 2 positions to be addressed during Free Agency and the Draft. That seems eminently doable.

Week 1 Preview: Steelers vs. Texans

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:52:16 -0500

The Houston Texans got off to a surprising 2-0 start, looking solid with the addition of Matt Schaub at quarterback, Andre Johnson tearing up the league, and surprising newcomer Jacoby Jones making exciting play after exciting play. Defensively they still had problems, but rookie DL Amobi Okoye was b

Houston Texans (Toro Times)

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:58:42 -0500

Team MVP: Well, to be quite honest, this is a toss up. Anyone could throw out Andre Johnson's name into "Team MVP" conversations, but simply due to his recent past injuries, I don't think he'll be MVP, though he will be a powerful piece of the Offensive game plan. You could also make a case for the soon-to-be three year veteran, DeMeco Ryans. DeMeco, who was second last year in the AFC with 128 tackles, is no doubt the leader of the defense who keeps the 4-3 system working on the second level. And though Ryans will be one of the best linebackers in the league next year, don't expect him to be named Team MVP. That title will belong to, none other, than Mario Williams. Williams had a roller coaster like third year last year, having tied for third in the L with 14 sacks, being snubbed from the Pro Bowl, and maintaining his ability to be seen at clubs "making it rain". Mario not only will take this title for the Texans, but he may also make a case for League MVP. Breakout Player: Zach Diles. Yes, Zach Diles. If you don't know the name by now, learn it. Know it. Memorize it. Diles is a second year pro fresh out of K-State, and is on the verge to make a huge name for himself. Diles was drafted last year due to his fierce play and being a relentless ball hog. Everyone assumed that the kid would serve as DeMeco Ryans' backup for three years, get released, and sign on with another team (IE. Antwan Peek). But through hard work, Zach Diles landed a spot on the '07 roster, and on top of that, became what Kubiak once called "a freak at linebacker". Don't get me wrong, earning playing time at any LB position on this team is very difficult, but Diles has done it. Since TC is over, Diles has solidified a name for himself and is projected to start on the left shoulder of DeMeco, at Weak Outside Linebacker. Also, look for Diles to have a few INT's this year, as he displayed a great sense of pass coverage during Training Camp. Biggest Disappointment: I'm going out on a limb here- Owen Daniels. Daniels had a very productive year in 2007 and has had a fair camp. The reason that I make this claim then, is merely based on his performance in the clutch. I think everyone began getting sick of watching Owen drop balls on short five-and-ins, in fear of being crushed by the opposing LB's. Daniel's needs to get tough- fast! Joel Dreessen surprised many last year as the teams third tight end. I saw Dreessen make some plays that I would question Daniels to make. Owen is going to need to step up this year if he plans to be the future of Houston Texan tight ends. Fantasy Stud: Kevin Walter. Hands down, the elite compliment to an elite player. When I think of Walter, I see a bit of Wes Welker- great hands, possession receiver, short route/first down, type of guy. Walter didn't have 1,000 yard season last year, and he won't this year. But trust me, when opposing secondaries are flocking towards AJ every down, it opens up the No. 2 guy, in this case, Walter. The reason which I declare Walter the fantasy stud is primarily due to the fact the he had 800 yards last year in his first shot at starting. He also piled up 4 touchdowns, which is fair for a player in his role. Walter is someone that should be picked up with a late round fantasy pick. Offensive Outlook: Fair, with a chance of scattered showers. The Texans' finally have begun moving on. Not necessarily figuratively, but literally. With the number of Original Texan players dropping every year, our team is developing into a mold which the GM Rick Smith can clearly accept. The team gets something this year that they have NEVER had in the past- a decent offensive line. Yes, last year's line did well, giving up the seventh fewest total of sacks in the league, but this year is different. We finally drafted a lineman in the first round! Hello, Mr. Duane Brown, welcome to Houston. With Brown's amazing play, and overall athleticism, he has gained the starting job at LT opening the season. Barring injury of course, Ephraim Salaam will be benched, playing sparingly in spot situation of as a third tackle. Another new addition to the O-Line this year is, former Bronco (go figure), Chris Meyers. Meyer's is a fourth year pro who started every game for Denver last year, and he gives the team a more secured feeling at center, than in years past. The line this year will look like (LT-RT); Duane Brown, Chester Pitts, Chris Meyers, Mike Brisiel, and Eric Winston. A pretty solid group, who you could expect to be a tough match for opposing defenses. Then comes the situation in the backfield. Ahman Green is old, injury prone, and to be quite frank- is not ready to lead this team. After all the hype created on the "Arrival of Amazing Ahman" story, people began thinking our running back situation may be solved! That is until you realize that he is 31, and has only played in 25 games in the past three seasons! Come on, the dude is fragile. He needs to be wrapped up in bubble wrap, boxed up, and shipped outta town! Ahman played OK in his six games of action for the Texans in '07, compiling a grand total of 260 yards on 70 attempts (3.7 avg.). That's weak. But THANK GOD Rick Smith acknowledge this lack luster year by Ahman, and brought in an insurance policy- Chris Brown. No, this Chris Brown can't sing pretty melodies and dance like a Michael Jackson reincarnate, but he can run. Last year with the Titans, though injured for a good portion of the season, Brown carried the ball 102 times for 462 yards in a backup role with the team. Brown is a very long back, and can stretch the field. Odds are, Brown will touch the ball 10-12 times a game and a good season for him will be 600 yards. There isn't much competition now for the third RB spot, as Steve Slaton, the rookie out of West Virginia is a sure shot to make the team. Kubiak likes Slaton's speed an can imagine him as a possible third-down back. Slaton also has above average hands, and the speed to break to the outside. Chris Taylor, the oft-injured back from Indiana, and ND product Darius Walker will compete for the fourth spot at RB. A great perk to being a Texan running back, is being able to line up behind Vonta Leach. With another exceptional performance last season, the 250 pound ECU product has proven to be one of the best full backs in the AFC by dazzling spectators with huge hits and reliable hands. Jameel Cook will be Leach's backup. The squad looks solid at receiver, especially if Johnson comes back as healthy as predicted. Andre hopes that this year is the one that will set him above the rest and I think he's hoping correctly. Johnson has a good knee, and a great outlook for the year, which is good. And the other WR's are clearly ready to match Johnson's effort. Kevin Walter will be the Number 2 guy, with Jacoby Jones as his backup. Backing up Johnson, will be the highly acclaimed breakout player of last year, Andre Davis. Davis, and Jones alike, both showed great potential last year as special teams returners, and Davis also as a receiver. Jones is lightning fast with decent hands and will be a good number 4 receiver. Davis, also, is very fast, and will primarily be thrown deep balls this year. David Anderson is assuming the 5th spot on the team. Owen Daniels will start at tight end, and Mark Bruener will back him up- again. The two will nearly split time depending on the play called. Daniels = Pass. Bruener = Run. Also projected to make the squad at TE is Joel Dreessen. Dreessen played well last year and even nabbed a TD. As one could expect, Matt Schaub will be named the starting QB. Rightfully so, after throwing well enough to accumulate a rating of 87.2. Schaub only played in 11 games of the 2007 campaign, filling in for him was Sage Rosenfels. Sage dominated the opponents, throwing for more TD's in 5 starts than Schaub did in 11 (12:9). Sage is comfortable with his spot as a backup and he understands that Schaub, being a bit prone to injury, could go down at anytime. The team is very sound at the QB position and look for that to not be a problem in the upcoming season. Defensive Diagnosis: The Texans all-in-all will be good on this side of the ball. Defense has never really been the teams proud spot, until about two years ago when a couple of guys by the name of DeMeco and Mario were drafted to the team. Yes, I do speak of DeMeco Ryans and Mario Williams. To some it up; our D-Line is revamped, our LB corps is incredibly deep, and our secondary is missing it's savior (Dunta Robinson). Up front is the area where the opposition will fear. Mario Williams is coming off an amazing year in which he chalked up 14 sacks. Amobi Okoye, did everything expected of a rookie last year, and at 21 years old, hopes to have that DT spot claimed for the next few years. Also, Travis Johnson will return as a started at the other DT position. Johnson had a good year last year with 41 tackles. Travis has a bit of an attitude problem, but I doubt being a little angry never did bad on the field of play. At the other DE position, you'll find a tandem of players. Anthony Weaver is the named started, but will primarily play on rushing downs. On pass plays, expect former-Patriot addition, Roosevelt Colvin, to go in. Colvin was the talk of the Texans off season, by choosing to come to Houston as oppose to other bigger markets. Kubiak will find a place for Colvin on the field. The Texans also have reserve players Earl Cochran, N.D. Kalu, Tim Bulman, Frank Okam, Anthony Maddox, and Jeff Zgonina, all with much credibility and will all be competing for roster spots. The Texans show their true colors when talking about the Linebackers. DeMeco Ryans, arguably a top 3 LB in the NFL, will be back to pave the path to the QB. Ryans has made 283 tackles in two seasons, and was named as a Pro Bowler last year. Ryans has all of the attributes to be a superstar and it's just a matter of time before that potential is reached. Next to Ryans will be second-year player Zach Diles and Veteran Morlon Greenwood. Diles, who will be getting his first opportunity to start, will play the WLB position. Diles has great recognition of the offense, and makes huge hits. Greenwood, who had his best year as a Texan in 2007 (118 tkls.), will suit up again to play off of Mario Williams on the right side. Greenwood, 30, is back for another season and will contribute immensely. Backing up those three will be Chaun Thompson, Kevin Bentley, and rookie Xavier Adibi. All are excellent reserves and Adibi has the potential to be an amazing LB for years to come. The corps will be a force to be reckoned with and expect opposing runs to be shut down fairly significantly. An area of concern on the defense will be the secondary. Though 2007 proved to be a tough year for the corners and safeties, 2008 may be different-in the second half of the season. That is when Dunta Robinson returns. Robinson went out against the Raiders last year, after tearing his ACL on what many people deemed as a freak accident. Robinsons slot will be filled by Fred Bennett, who came on as a rookie last year and played above-par, totaling 62 tackles and 3 picks. Across from Bennett, will be off season signee Jacques Reeves. Reeves has been a corner for the Cowgirls for 4 years, and showed his ability to prevail in the clutch. Though, he does have some problems with coverage, Reeves will play well enough to hold his own until Robinsons return. Backing up the corners are; potential nickelback Jammar Fletcher, Peetey Faggins, and rookie Atwaun Molden. Molden, who excelled at corner for EKU last year, will get a plethora of opportunities with the injury to Dunta, and don't be surprised if he does well. At safety, the Texans will have Will Demps and C.C. Brown back. Both played well last year, and Demps revived his career (and name) through hard play and big hits. Also, Glen Earl, the teams former starting FS returns from injury and will push Demps for time. "Red Letter" Game: December 14, 2008. Tennessee Titans At Houston Texans. This is huge. Both teams entering this game will be fighting for third in the division, which like last year, could result in a chance at the wild card. The Titans beat Houston last year on Rod Baronis' record 8 made field goals, and revenge is oh so sweet. Season Projection: 9-7. I know, not great. But STILL an improvement over the 8-8 record last year. With a 9-7 record, the Texans may have an outside shot at squeaking into the playoffs. Don't get your hopes up too soon, as the team was only 1-5 against divisional teams. The AFC south is pretty damn tough. Parting Smack: Indianapolis Colts: Okay, we all know about Peyton Manning, the 6'5" QB with the rocket arm. Yea, awesome. Well, once Peyton got his ring, his acting career boomed. Except his acting sucked. So it's basically like watching a Helen Keller do A LOT of screaming when I see Gatorade commercials. I mean come on, the guy is doing exactly what Brett Favre is- leaving one field that you're great on and going to another one that you just happen to suck on! Seriously though, the Colts are good. Really good. And I'll be satisfied with one win against them. But if I have to see ONE MORE commercial featuring Manning, or his little brother, I think I'll be making vacation plans for the gallows. Jacksonville Jaguars: And here we are now, with the nasty Jaguars. So used to being the second best team in Florida, they finally did something about it! Drafted a lot of horrible first round receivers, let 'em do coke, and still they "remain optimistic about the future"! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I've never had a problem with the Jags, well besides the fact that their uniforms look like my vomit (only after eating really old salad), and I have no room to talk about being the second best in the state.. But jeeze Jacksonville, Del Rio can only get you out of a minor hole- y'all are in a crater Tennessee Titans: The good ole Titans are on deck now. The team that sucked so bad, Houston didn't want them. Well not really, but I'm sick of Vince Young and all his antics. I remember the hype around VY, Mario, and Reggie Bush prior to the draft. VY hardly passed a test designed for second graders. God, speaking of Helen Keller, I think she's back! Just dressed as some freak athlete in a powder blue costume. And then there is us. The Houston Texans. The team that until last year, no one knew about. And that has hardly changed. But we are here. I think it's time. No, I don't think it's time for a Super Bowl, but I think it's time to add another last name. The Houston Texan-Broncos. Sounds applicable. But let's face it, the front office loves the Broncos, the fans don't. We'll see who is right during Preseason Week 1. - John R. Harden