The Texans finished all preparations for Arizona today and the team will be travelling tomorrow, so these tidbits will have to tide you over until they get back to Houston:
- Raheem Brock, who was one of three defensive ends the Texans brought in yesterday, signed with Tennessee instead. The Texans will make due in this game, since the first cuts haven't happened yet, but defensive end depth is obviously a priority because it looks like there's a chance Tim Bulman may need to go on IR. Mario Williams, battling a sore hip, will get 10-12 snaps in Arizona. This should only further stoke the Aaron Schobel fire.
- Peter King quotes a "Colt veteran" as saying:
"It's like the most important game in the history of their franchise, from what we're hearing out of there,'' said one Colt veteran. "They might be putting a little too much emphasis on it.''
Good bulletin board material, for sure. You know, there really aren't enough unnamed sources used in media nowadays. Bravo to Mr. King for allowing a coward to say what he feels behind the screen of anonymity.
- Four guys Gary Kubiak (and I) will be watching for the preseason game: Trindon Holliday, Earl Mitchell, Troy Nolan and Malcolm Sheppard. Chris Henry is on Kubiak's list as well but I really doubt he cracks the active roster. Instead, I suggest you look at Brice McCain, who will be starting while Kareem Jackson is at a funeral, and see what he can do on the outside.
- McCain officially changed his jersey number from 41 to 21. No actual idea on why, but Nick Scurfield speculates it has to do with his idolization of Deion Sanders.
- One thing that I missed earlier that I'd like to point out: Scurfield held a live chat on The Mothership and it had some pretty good insight on the center situation:
justin - houston, TX, US: how is the center battle going for the offensive line. I dont think the texans can improve with chris myers at the starting position
Nick Scurfield (1:28:43 PM): It's Myers' job to lose. He played through a high-ankle sprain, which isn't easy to do for a guy in the trenches, and started all 16 games last season. The coaches love his toughness and the mental part of his game. Wade Smith is competing with him in camp, and former starting right guard Mike Brisiel is in the mix there as well.
Bolded for emphasis. Unless we see an avalanche of sacks it looks like Wade Smith may be a guard after all.
- Today's quotes sheet has Kubiak, Kevin Bentley, James Casey, Neil Rackers, Steve Slaton, and Antonio Smith. The most revealing quote has to be Casey's on what it's like now versus what it's like as a rookie:
(on how confident he is this year) "I'm miles ahead from where I was last year. When I look back and kind of think about what I was doing last year-- you know, it helps being around Garrett Graham a lot because I see what he's doing. He's going through the exact same things that I was doing last year. It's tough that first year because you don't understand the offense as well as the veterans do. Now I understand a lot better, so I can play faster. I don't spend as much time studying the plays like I did last year. Now I can look over the script and not spend as much time studying hours at a time figuring out what plays I'm doing and what I'm doing. Now I can just look through it 15-30 minutes and understand what I'm doing."
Food for thought before you bury or praise the rookies too much. They really do (usually) have a long way to go.
- And finally, because he's not twittering lately, please check out Jacoby "Jakespeare" Jones and his use of the phrases "geronimo!" and "polo". It is only polo, baby.
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