Houston Texans move closer to clinching playoff berth with 17-10 win over Atlanta

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CBSSports.com wire reports
Oct. 30, 2011

HOUSTON — The Texans are learning how to win, even when their high-powered offense has an off day.

Arian Foster rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Houston shut down rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the NFL’s worst offense in a 24-14 win over the Jaguars on Sunday.

Matt Schaub threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score for Houston (5-3), off to its best eight-game start. The Texans also took one more step toward the franchise’s first division title and playoff berth by improving to 3-0 in the AFC South.

“We knew it was going to be a tough, dirty game,” said Houston linebacker Brian Cushing, who led his team with seven tackles. “In this league, it’s tough to get a win. We just had to do what we had to do.”

The Texans have outscored their division opponents by a total score of 99-28. This was the closest of the three games, mostly due to two Houston fumbles that led to Jacksonville touchdowns.

Schaub completed 16 of 30 passes and was sacked twice, and the Texans once again missed star receiver Andre Johnson, who sat out for the fourth straight game with a hamstring injury.

Unlike past seasons, Houston can rely on its defense to pick up the slack.

The Texans stayed in control by holding Jacksonville to 61 yards and five first downs in the second half. Gabbert, making his sixth career start, completed 10 of 30 passes for 97 yards and two interceptions in the game, for an anemic 26.7 rating.

“We had a defense that stood up and said, ‘We’re gonna win the game,’” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “They were excellent all day, exceptional.”

The Jaguars (2-6) couldn’t carry over momentum from their surprising 12-7 win over Baltimore on Monday night. Maurice Jones-Drew was limited to 63 yards on 18 carries, and said the entire offense bears some of the blame for Gabbert’s struggles.

“We have to continue to give him time in the pocket. We have to catch the ball when he throws it,” Jones-Drew said. “The quarterback is only as good as the players around him. So obviously, if he’s not doing well, we’re not doing well.”

The Texans got off to another fast start, scoring on their opening series for the fifth time. Schaub went 4 for 5 and then sprinted for a 2-yard touchdown with 8:21 left in the first quarter.

Jacksonville’s sixth-ranked defense held Baltimore to 34 yards rushing Monday night, but Houston matched that total on its first three possessions.

Gabbert was hurt on Jacksonville’s first series. Forced to scramble, he slid awkwardly at the end of an 11-yard run and was hit by safety Glover Quin and Cushing.

Trainers helped Gabbert off the field with bruised ribs, and Luke McCown replaced him. Gabbert returned on Jacksonville’s next possession, then threw five straight incompletions.

The Texans’ offense bogged down, too, failing to convert three consecutive third downs.

“We wanted to get everyone involved,” Schaub said. “We had some opportunities down the field, and I missed a few of the throws. I’ve got to make those plays for us to be successful as an offense.”

A slick play by Jacksonville’s defense midway through the second quarter created the Jaguars’ best scoring chance of the game.

Clint Session sacked Schaub and forced a fumble, triggering an impromptu double-lateral. Defensive end Matt Roth scooped it up, then flipped the ball backward to defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. Knighton chugged 7 yards, then pitched to Session who reached the Texans 10 before Foster tackled him.

Two snaps later, Gabbert threw a short TD pass to Jason Hill, Jacksonville’s first touchdown since the third quarter of a 17-13 loss to Pittsburgh two weeks ago.

The Jaguars were lucky to be tied at halftime after producing 113 yards in the half.

“We are working our butts off,” Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said, “and I’d sure like to have a little more validation for the type of effort that’s being put forth.”

Jacoby Jones returned a punt to the Jaguars 44 early in the third quarter, and Schaub threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Joel Dreessen.

Jason Allen intercepted Gabbert’s pass to Mike Sims-Walker on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Texans stretched the lead on Foster’s 4-yard touchdown run.

Jones-Drew scored on a drive set up by Ben Tate’s fumble. The Texans used nearly the rest of the time to set up Neil Rackers’ 39-yard field goal.

Notes

• Foster has 12 100-yard rushing games, a franchise record.
• Texans LB Darryl Sharpton is out for the season after tearing a tendon in his right leg.
• Jaguars PK Josh Scobee had his streak of 15 games with a field goal snapped.
• Jacksonville is 5-9 in the week after playing a Monday night game.

What do you guys think about this.

The Houston Texans continue to get discouraging news about wide receiver Andre Johnson(notes). The team announced that Johnson will not play on October 30 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This will be the fourth game in a row that Johnson misses because of his hamstring injury. The loss of Johnson takes a serious threat away from the Houston passing game. That could be bad against a team that has a pretty good passing defense. With the recent setback, it looks like Johnson might not be able to return to the field until after Houston has its bye week.

Johnson injured his hamstring on October 2 when Houston defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. The wide receiver did undergo a small operation shortly after suffering the injury. Ever since the injury, it has been a weekly issue about Johnson’s status. There was real optimism that he would play in this game. Typically, hamstring injuries can range anywhere from a week to a couple of months to heal depending on the severity. While Johnson’s injury isn’t anywhere near that severe, it is clearly taking longer than the Texans initially thought. The good news is that he continues to rehab and won’t have to worry about aggravating his injury against the Jaguars.

Houston still has another two games before the off week. The Texans will face the Cleveland Browns at home before they have their bye. After that they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ideally, the Texans would love to get Johnson back on the field for at least a little bit of work before that bye week. If they won’t, it will mean he has missed six games this season. By his own account, Johnson is about 70% healthy. The team won’t put him on the field until he is 100 percent healthy. That will make the next week critical for Johnson’s return. If he is able to start practicing without pain, he might play against the Browns. But if Johnson can’t go next week, the team is likely to keep him out the following week and wait for the bye.

Johnson is one of the biggest receiving threats in the NFL. Houston has been up and down in the games he has missed. They are coming off a huge win against the Tennessee Titans in large part because of the running game. They will have to rely on that again against Jacksonville. For now, Houston fans just have to wait and see about Johnson’s recovery. They should be optimistic that at least things are progressing, even if it is slower than they hoped.

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What do you guys think about this.

Coach Gary Kubiak knows his first-place Houston Texans have a long way to go
before they can start thinking about their first AFC South title.

A few more stellar performances against divisional foes would get the Texans
closer to that point, though they’ll have to once again make do without Andre
Johnson(notes) on Sunday against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.

After dropping three of four, Houston (4-3) got back on track with a 41-7
rout at Tennessee last Sunday.

Matt Schaub(notes) had a career-best 147.7 passer rating in that game while
completing 18 of 23 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Running backs Arian
Foster(notes) and Ben Tate(notes) each topped 100 yards rushing as their team finished with a
season-high 222 after failing to crack 100 in each of its previous two games.

Foster added 119 yards receiving and matched a career high with three total
TDs in helping the Texans overtake the Titans for the division lead.

“I don’t really look at (leading the AFC South) too much. We’ve got so far
to go,” Kubiak said. “Obviously, we feel good coming out of (last weekend). We
played very well. We’ve got another division game coming up right here, but I
think we better just stay focused on what we’re doing week to week right now.”

Houston has outscored divisional opponents 75-14 in two games, and it didn’t
have Foster and Johnson on the field together for either. Johnson, who has
missed three straight games with a hamstring, will sit out again Sunday after
the Texans were initially optimistic he’d play when he returned to practice
earlier in the week.

Johnson says he isn’t able to run full speed and is probably about 70 to 75
percent recovered.

Houston is hoping to get fullback James Casey(notes) back from a strained chest
muscle, but safety Danieal Manning(notes) will miss at least four weeks after breaking
his left leg in last week’s win.

Johnson had 146 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions during a 31-24 loss
to the Jaguars on Nov. 14 but sat out last season’s second matchup with a
nagging ankle injury that later required surgery. With Johnson out, Foster
rushed for 180 yards to secure the league’s rushing title and lead his team to a
34-17 season-ending victory, which snapped a series-high three-game skid against
Jacksonville.

This time, the Texans will face a Jaguars team that just ended its longest
losing streak in eight years. Jacksonville (2-5) snapped a five-game skid by
holding Baltimore to 146 yards during a 12-7 victory Monday night.

Josh Scobee(notes) converted all four field goal attempts – three from more than 50
yards.

The Jaguars ranked 28th in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed per game
in 2010, but they’re in the top 10 in both categories this season.

“We need to win some more and the next opportunity we have to do that is go
down and play a divisional opponent in the Houston Texans, who are sitting on
top right now,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “Getting our energy back and going down
there and playing well on the road and getting a victory, that’s what it’s all
about right now.

“The division right now, you don’t have Indy that’s sitting there at 7-0 or
8-0 running away with things. There is definitely an opportunity for everybody
involved to put some wins together and have a shot.”

The Jaguars haven’t dropped back-to-back games against the Texans since
2006, but they’re 2-6 in their past eight trips to Reliant Stadium.

With rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert(notes) still getting comfortable in the NFL,
the Jaguars might lean on running back Maurice Jones-Drew(notes), the league’s
second-leading rusher with 677 yards.

Jones-Drew fumbled three times on Monday night – losing one – but he has 295
rushing yards, five touchdowns and no fumbles in his last three games against
Houston.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson kneels on the field after a 25-20 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday in Houston. / Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

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The most glaring example of the Houston Texans’ red-zone inefficiency in their 40-33 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at the Superdome can be found in kicker Neil Rackers’ stat line: four field-goals attempted, four field-goals made. And of the three times the Texans did find the end zone, one, the last that gave Houston a 33-32 lead with 4:13 remaining, was a fluke, a Kevin Walter catch of a pass deflected by New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Casillas, that Walter brought across the goal line for a 20-yard touchdown.

“That’s what really hurt us,” Walter said of the Texans’ inability to score six while settling for half the points instead. “On offense, I think we were really moving the ball up and down the field. But when we got into the red zone, we got field goals instead of touchdowns. That’s the result of the game right there.

“We’ve got to do a better job when we’re in the red zone. We look at this tomorrow … we’ll see that’s the difference between winning and losing this ballgame.”

On an afternoon when the visitors were outgaining the home team 473 yards to 454, Houston’s failure to crack the end zone, leaving Rackers’ 22-, 27-, 27-, and 36-yard field goals, cost the Texans a victory.

“Obviously, if we had played better in the red zone we’d probably be getting out of here with a win,” Houston Coach Gary Kubiak said. “It’s very disappointing. We design plays down there for certain coverages and certain things. We got the things we wanted; we didn’t execute like I think we need to. But at the same time, as a coach, I think you have to be hard on yourself.

“We were down there five more times (Sunday). I think we’ve been down there more than anybody in football. We’re struggling down there. It’s a nice problem to have, but obviously we have to get better.”

Houston quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 373 yards on 22 of 39 passing and three touchdowns. He also had one interception in the fourth quarter, a pass intended for Andre Johnson which was picked off by cornerback Jabari Greer at Houston’s 47-yard line.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees made short work of that drive, completing five of six passes for 47 yards, all but one of the completions to Lance Moore, including a 16-yard touchdown pass.

But the Texans’ four failed trips into scoring territory were too much to overcome.

“We settled for too many field goals,” Schaub said. “We’ve got to find a way to put it in the end zone. They’re a great team. We’ve got a lot of respect for them, but we feel we’re pretty good, too. We have the potential to be a great team. They were doing stuff we thought they might do. There were subtle nuances to what they were doing differently. After the first series or two, we had to make adjustments — but it’s all about executions and making the plays.”

WAY IT GOES: Kubiak said the Texans didn’t purposely allow Mark Ingram to score the winning 13-yard touchdown quickly, so Houston would get the ball back with enough time on the clock to mount a potential go-ahead drive.

Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, meanwhile, was crediting Brees — who was sacked twice and harassed on many more occasions — with getting the job done against Houston.

“He’s a heck of a quarterback. We know that,” said Phillips, who pointed out that rush linebacker Mario Williams was slowed a bit in the second half by a minor leg injury. “(Brees) bided his time a couple of times and made big plays. That was the key. They were going to throw the ball. We knew that. They threw it a lot in the first half and a lot in the second half. They had protections at the right time. We kind of backed off them. We wanted to play them a little tougher and a little tighter, and we didn’t when we needed to.”

BIG NUMBERS: Texans fullback James Casey was, arguably, Houston’s most dangerous weapon.

Casey caught five passes for 126 yards, including a 62-yard flare in the Texans’ first field-goal drive in the first quarter — he was uncovered in the flat when cornerback Leigh Torrance blitzed on the play — and made a diving 26-yard touchdown catch on the first snap of the fourth quarter when he found himself single-covered by Casillas.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had the ball and had room to run,” Casey said of the 62-yard play. “We were free releasing because we knew they’d bring a lot of blitzing. The person who was supposed to be blocking me just blitzed and left me along. I wish I could have taken it all the way, of course.

“The touchdown was a play our offensive coaches and Coach Kubiak designed for this week. I guess they saw something on film. Schaub told me before the play to be alert, that he could go to me if they put a linebacker on me. Which they did. Matt told me to look. I didn’t until the last second, but he threw it in a perfect spot.”

Gotta run!.

HOUSTON — Hey, Peyton Manning. If there was ever a doubt about what you mean to Indianapolis, there isn’t anymore.

Final score in Sunday’s season opener: Texans 34, Colts 7.

What already looks like a long, long season ahead for the Colts might be the chance, at last, for the Texans to make a leap forward in the AFC South.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and Houston dominated Kerry Collins, Manning’s replacement.

The Texans (1-0) weren’t ready to say the win signals a change in the division. Houston beat the Colts with Manning in last year’s home opener, but finished 6-10.

“We were in the same situation last year,” star receiver Andre Johnson said. “And then, things just went bad for us.”

Then again, with Manning out indefinitely, Houston has never had a better chance to earn the franchise’s first postseason berth.

“Every year, you get your group together and it’s your chance to do something special,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “So it was this group’s first opportunity together and they made it happen.”

No Manning on the field certainly helped.

Last year, the Colts rallied from the opening loss to finish 10-6 and win the division for the seventh time in eight seasons. In the fourth quarter on Sunday, Indy receiver Reggie Wayne gathered his teammates and reminded them of the turnaround.

“I just told them: ‘We’re going to be all right. It’s a long season and there’s no reason to worry,”‘ Wayne said. “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division.”

This loss definitely had a different feel, though.

The four-time MVP quarterback didn’t travel with the team as he recovers from his third neck surgery in the 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, ended.

The Colts (0-1) lured the 38-year-old Collins out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the offense. Based on the opener, they may need to find a better solution.

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Texans touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. He didn’t throw an interception, but the offense mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defense guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips.

“This wasn’t the day, obviously, that we’d hoped for, but it’s a long season,” Collins said. “I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game. We’ve got a lot to do obviously. We’ll get back to work.”

The Texans sprinted to a 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year.

Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving with an ankle injury.

Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start.

Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips.

Houston’s defense showed improvement after ranking as one of the league’s worst in 2010.

“It was obviously a good start for us,” Phillips said. “We felt like we had to come out strong against that team. They had adversity with their quarterback. We had to play strong early, and I thought we did that.”

The Colts’ defense was just as vulnerable as the offense, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half.

“We couldn’t do anything right in all three phases,” Colts defensive end Robert Mathis said.

Even after jumping to a 17-0 lead, the Texans couldn’t feel comfortable just yet, recalling they’d blown 17-point leads to the Colts in Houston in 2008 and ’09.

Manning wasn’t here to bail out Indy, though, and Houston poured it on.

Schaub went 5 for 5 on the Texans’ next series, finding Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards in the game.

“That’s the best half of football we have probably played as a team,” Kubiak said. “It was explosive in every area.”

The Colts used their timeouts at the end of the half to give the offense one more chance to do something, and even that backfired.

Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. It was Jones’ third punt return for a TD and his first since 2008.

Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

“We’ve got to go back to the basics and focus in on the things we did really poorly,” Indy coach Jim Caldwell said. “They are all correctable. There is an old saying, ‘You’re never as bad as you think you are when you lose, and you’re never as good as you think you are when you win.’ That certainly is true for us today.”

Notes: Colts LB Ernie Sims left in the first half with a knee sprain. LB Gary Brackett sprained his shoulder after an interception return in the fourth quarter. … The Texans recognized the Sept. 11 anniversary by allowing four members of both the New York city police and fire departments to lead the team onto the field before the game. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, the last player introduced, waved an American flag as he came out of the tunnel.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

FOOTBALL

Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak is optimistic Arian Foster will be ready for the regular-season opener after the star running back re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Saturday’s preseason game in San Francisco. Foster, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2010, left the field in the first quarter of Houston’s 30-7 victory, favoring the left hamstring that he strained early in training camp. Foster sat out Houston’s preseason opener, then rushed five times for 47 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans’ 27-14 win over New Orleans on Aug. 20. He was hurt on his eighth carry against the 49ers. “Looks like we’re dealing with the same thing we were dealing with at the start of camp,” Kubiak said yesterday.

The Colts released eight players including last year’s kickoff returner, Devin Moore. The Indy native made the team as an undrafted rookie but missed the final 12 games with nerve damage. Defensive back Chip Vaughn was also waived. Vaughn was called for unnecessary roughness and taunting on back-to-back plays Friday night, penalties that helped Green Bay keep its game-tying drive alive in a 24-21 victory. The Colts also released offensive linemen Josh Beekman and Casey Bender, receiver Joe Horn and quarterback Mike Hartline.

Wide receiver Paul Hubbard was among six players cut by the Bills. Hubbard was released a day after he and backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen helped send Buffalo’s wild 35-32 preseason overtime win over Jacksonville into the extra period. The pair hooked up on a 4-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left in regulation and then again for a 2-point conversion. Running back Anthony Elzy, defensive backs Rajric Coleman and Loyce Means, offensive lineman Isaiah Thompson, and punter Reid Forrest were also cut.

Back at practice for the first time, Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi is still not exactly certain how he got an injury that has kept him out of all contact drills. Massaquoi finally put on a helmet, pads, and caught passes during a non-contact drill yesterday. It was his first football-related action since coming to camp with his left foot in a cast and clouded by mystery. “It was a bone chip, but I’m not sure when or where it came from,” Massaquoi said.

Bears backup tight end Desmond Clark indicated the knee injury he suffered in Saturday’s preseason game against Tennessee wasn’t as bad as it appeared to be, posting on Twitter that he’s confident he will return soon. Clark left the field on a cart in the fourth quarter after taking a brutal hit to the left knee from safety Anthony Smith.

SOCCER

2 fans shot outside stadium

Police say two Palmeiras fans have been shot before a Brazilian league match in Sao Paulo. Police said that one person was hospitalized in serious condition and was undergoing surgery after being hit in the waist region, while the other was recovering after being hit in the leg. Police officer Thiago Cesar told the SporTV channel it remained unclear who fired the shots, which came after supporters from Palmeiras and Corinthians got into a confrontation just outside the Prudentao stadium in Presidente Prudente.

Diego Maradona had a winning start as Al Wasl coach yesterday. Maradona’s team scored two late goals for a 3-1 win over 10-man Ittihad Kalba in a preseason friendly. Maradona’s new team looked set to settle for a draw after Yaser Salem’s own goal in the 28th minute had canceled out Manuel Olivera’s 21st-minute header.

Manchester outclassed north London in a Premier League goal frenzy as United thrashed Arsenal, 8-2, and City thumped Tottenham, 5-1, in a pair of rampant attacking displays. Wayne Rooney scored three goals for the defending champions after Edin Dzeko’s hat trick helped City dominate at White Hart Lane.

CYCLING

Leipheimer wins USA Pro

Strategically pedaling toward the front of the field to avoid crashes, American Levi Leipheimer won the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and his third stage race title this year with a seventh-place finish in yesterday’s sixth stage in Denver. Daniel Oss, who rides for the Italian Liquigas team, won the 70.9-mile final stage of the 518-mile inaugural event in 2 hours, 27 minutes, 8 seconds.

BASKETBALL

Nowitzki given top honor

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki was awarded Germany’s highest honor for sport, amid hopes that he will lead his country’s team to the 2012 Olympics. German President Christian Wulff presented Nowitzki with the Silver Laurel Leaf, praising the Dallas Mavericks forward as one of the “giants of German sport.” Nowitzki led the Mavericks to this year’s NBA title over the Miami Heat and was named the finals MVP.

LeBron James says he will be joining fellow NBA All-Stars Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony for a game in Baltimore tomorrow. “I’m in,” James said yesterday.

That’s all for today.

Mario Williams plowed through a line of blocking dummies in one of the Houston Texans’ first practices, slamming each of them sideways with powerful punches.
After another workout, he peppered linebackers coach Reggie Herring with questions about hand position and footwork.
The Houston Texans are counting on Wade Phillips’ new 3-4 defensive alignment to finally lift them out of mediocrity and into the playoffs for the first time.
And the 6-foot-6, 295-pound Williams may be the most pivotal player in the switch, moving from end to outside linebacker.
The top overall pick in the 2006 draft, Williams has led the Texans in sacks in each of his five seasons — even last year, when he sat out the final three games because of a sports hernia. But Houston’s coaches envision Williams morphing into the kind of unstoppable force that 2010 NFL sacks leader DeMarcus Ware became in the same position when Phillips was the head coach in Dallas.
Coach Gary Kubiak saw more glimpses of what Williams could become in the Texans’ second preseason game, a 27-14 win over New Orleans.
“Reggie and Wade are trying to get him settled down on everything he’s doing,” Kubiak said. “It was just a big step forward. I think he’s really taking to what they’re trying to teach him, it is something totally different, but you see him get better each day.”
But the Texans’ defense, last in the league against the pass in 2010, is showing in the preseason that it’s more than just Williams.
Houston has 11 sacks from eight players and has generated four turnovers in its two exhibition games. All of last season, the Texans got only 30 sacks and 18 takeaways.
“I’m pleased with the progress,” Kubiak said. “The thing I’m excited about is I think we have more playmakers than we’ve probably ever had around here. Like I said, we are getting our hands on the football with the emphasis of turnovers and stripping the ball. You can see that showing up on the field.”
First-round pick J.J. Watt has made a big impression in camp, earning a starting nod at one defensive end position. Antonio Smith will man the other end after recording four sacks in 2010. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar says Smith’s skills are better suited to the 3-4 than they are to the 4-3 defense that Houston played last year.
Nose tackle is another key position in Phillips’ defense, and Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell have been sharing reps in training camp.
DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing will play the inside linebacker spots, book-ended by Williams and Connor Barwin, who’s also making the switch from defensive end. Barwin dislocated his ankle in the first game last year and missed the rest of the season.
Houston needs a bounce-back year from Cushing, who served a four-game suspension last season for testing positive for a banned substance. He’s missed extended practice time due to a slower-than-expected recovery from offseason knee surgery, but made two tackles in about 20 plays in the second preseason game against the Saints.
“He did a good job, he moved around very well,” Kubiak said. “I thought his conditioning level held up.”
The Texans signed free agent cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning to bolster a secondary that struggled in 2010. Joseph intercepted nine passes across his past two seasons in Cincinnati. He’s been slowed by a groin injury in training camp.
All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson said the additions of Joseph and Manning were the two most significant in his eight seasons in Houston.
While the defense is undergoing a facelift, the Texans’ high-powered offense returns virtually intact. Arian Foster, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2010, is back, along with the entire starting offensive line.
Houston lost All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach in free agency, but versatile James Casey has played well at the position in the preseason, and the Texans also signed veteran Lawrence Vickers.
The Texans ranked third in total offense (386.6 yards) and ninth in scoring average (24.4 points) in 2010. Houston was hampered by slow starts last season, something Johnson said has been a focus in training camp.
“When you look back at the season last year, we weren’t consistent,” said Johnson. “That’s the thing that cost us a lot of games. That’s something we’re trying to change. We’re just trying to get better every week and every time we’re on the field. I think we’ve done a good job of that the last two weeks.”

What do you guys think about this.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Houston was where the Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez era began back in 2009 with a 24-7 win in Week 1. And although we’re only in the preseason, it does feel a little like new beginnings as the Jets take the field for the first time since the lockout. Without Jerricho Cotchery or Braylon Edwards, missing Kris Jenkins and Shaun Ellis, the team will look to start to forge a new identity tonight.

Here’s a primer on what to look for with some key players we’re keeping an eye on, as well as some that are flying under the radar.

Check back often for updates …

Our beat writer on the scene, Jenny Vrentas, has the full story here.

4th Quarter, 0:00: Looks like McElroy didn’t see anything there, scrambled for a little then threw the ball more than a few yards past the line of scrimmage. Game over.

4th Quarter, 0:09: From the 20, the Jets will have one more shot at the end zone for the win after Baker hauls one in for a gain of 22.

4th Quarter, 0:33: The Texans place one of their starters, Reed, back in the game as a pass-rusher. McElroy delivers a perfect pass to Michael Campbell but it’s dropped in the end zone. Ryan doesn’t look too happy there.

4th Quarter, 0:43: Baker catches another, this time running through an arm tackle and getting another first down. Jets at the Texans’ 46-yard line.

4th Quarter, 1:02: McElroy sidesteps another sack, steps up and drills Josh Baker for another first down. Jets now at their own 45-yard line.

4th Quarter, 1:40: McElroy, still out there, shakes off another sack, spins out and scrambles for the first down at the 32-yard line.

4th Quarter, 1:56: Led by Vickers, Ogbonnaya bulls into the end zone without much protest. Looks like Ellis was shaken up a bit, too.

4th Quarter, 2:24: That didn’t take long. Yates throws one up for Jean, who hauls it in over Chris Jennings and Emmanuel Cook and gets it down to the 1/2-yard line.

4th Quarter, 3:20: Facing a third-and-13, McElroy is sacked by a pack of Texans. Rushers coming from both the right and left side, looks like Pete Clifford was the only Jets OL to hold his block there. Texans return the ball inside Jet territory.

4th Quarter, 5:00: Jets blitzing on third-and-10 and Yates overthrows his target thanks to some nice pressure by Ellis Lankster. The Jets will take over at their own 18-yard line.

4th Quarter, 6:00: Yates, from North Carolina, in now for the Texans and hits Lestar Jean for a big gain, putting them just eight yards from midfield.

4th Quarter, 6:25: Apologize for the technical difficulties here. But back just in time for Nick Folk to drill a 40-yard field goal, giving the Jets a lead. McElroy hit Cumberland and Kerley to set them up in range (also credit a few nice runs by Powell).

4th Quarter, 14:50: The Texans will take over on their own 34-yard line after losing double-digit yards on the punt return. Nice coverage there from the second and third string punt team.

3rd Quarter, 4:00: An incomplete pass on third-and-6 forces the Texans to punt. Dan DePalma, a Verona native, returns it back to the Jets 44 yard line (a gain of 22). Jets go three-and-out, though.

3rd Quarter, 5:50: The Texans take over at the 22-yard line and go right back to the run game. On defense right now, Jets have Kenrick Ellis, Marcus Dixon and Muhammad Wilkerson up front. Interesting that Wilkerson is still getting some reps late in the game.

3rd Quarter, 6:00: McElroy hits Patrick Turner, touchdown. Turner looked back after about three steps off the line, bodied up the cornerback and took it in.

3rd Quarter, 6:06: A pass to Powell gets the Jets to the 1-yard line, but he’s stuffed the next two plays, third down.

3rd Quarter, 8:00: Kenrick Ellis tips a Leinart pass that is intercepted by Josh Mauga, and the Jets will take over at Houston’s 20-yard line.

3rd Quarter, 8:25: Novak hits a 35-yard field goal to put the Jets within a touchdown. A Landolt false start put the Jets into a third-and-18 situation. McElroy scrambled but didn’t get a pass off.

**UPDATE: Joe McKnight has a head injury, and is questionable to return.

3rd Quarter, 10:42: McElroy hits Cumberland in the open field for a 25-yard gain. Jets now at the Houston 13-yard line.

**UPDATE: OL Chris Stewart hurt his shoulder, questionable to return.

3rd Quarter, 13:35:: McElroy has a much better start to the second half. Completed passes to Kerley (9 yards), Cumberland (10 yards) and Powell (11 yards). Jets are at the Houston 45.

3rd Quarter, 14:52:And we’re off for the second half. After a touchback, the Jets will start from their own 20-yard line.

Rex Ryan on the first half: “It pretty much went like we thought it would. We played pretty well. I like the way that Mark (Sanchez) got both (Derrick) Mason and Santonio (Holmes) both a couple of shots in there. Obviously you don’t like seeing the quarterback get hit – we gave up a couple sacks with that unit. That was disappointing.”

2nd Quarter, 0:00: McElroy sacked by Adibi to end the half.

**UPDATE: Joe McKnight returning kicks now. Took his first for 26 yards to the Jets 19-yard line.

2nd Quarter, 0:57: Rackers nails a 47-yard field goal. Jets defense regroups a little, with Lowery just missing a sack on Leinart that would have put Houston out of field goal range.

2nd Quarter, 1:32: Leinart and Ogbonnaya are shredding the Jets second-team defense here. Already gains of 16, 5, 8, 3 on the last four plays. Timeout with the Texans at the Jets 32-yard line.

2nd Quarter, 2:30: McElroy goes long to Kerley on third-and-28. Actually looked like Kerley had a shot at it once the Texans defender hit the ground, but the pass falls incomplete. Chris Bryan wasn’t happy with the ensuing punt, either. Texans take over at the 24.

2nd Quarter, 4:00: Jets try an end-around to Kerley but he’s flattened by Tim Jamison for a loss of nine. A holding penalty on Kroul makes it second-and-28.

2nd Quarter, 4:33: Since the penalty, McElroy has been rolling. Jets are now in Houston territory.

2nd Quarter, 7:23:McElroy picked off on third-and-10 by Molden but the play is overturned after Molden is called for illegal hands to the face.

2nd Quarter, 7:35: : Kerley with another solid kickoff return, bringing this one out to the 26-yard line (gain of 34).

2nd Quarter, 7:45: TOUCHDOWN: After the timeout (which was because the Jets had 12 men on the field) the Jets defense seemed to respond, stuffing Ogbonnaya for no gain. But on the next play, Leinart hits him on a play-action pass for the score. Nobody within 10 feet of Ogbonnaya.

2nd Quarter, 8:46: Texans go for it on fourth-and-1 on the Jets 4-yard line and convert. Ryan calls a timeout and spikes his headset, doesn’t look too happy right now. Jets were showing an eight-man front on the goal line. Among those in: Nick Bellore, Dixon, Ropati, Ellis.

2nd Quarter, 10:43: Kenrick Ellis in along with Ropati, and Marcus Dixon on the line. The Texans are cruising, though. Down inside the 5-yard line.

2nd Quarter, 11:04: McElroy gets absolutely crushed by Jesse Nading on third-and-16. Nading comes straight around Ducasse, who is not having the best of games, and plants him, forcing the fumble deep in Jet territory.

** UPDATE: Turner has a lower leg injury, the Jets announce. He will not return.

2nd Quarter, 11:28: McElroy leading the second-team offense with Joe McKnight in the backfield. McKnight goes for nine yards on his first carry. Felix has a facemask, though, and pushes the Jets right back again.

2nd Quarter, 13:00:Matt Leinart breaks things wide open with a big play-action pass to Ogbonnaya that goes for 29 yards all the way to the Jets’ 31-yard line. Sets up a 49-yard field goal from Rackers.

END OF THE FIRST: Mark Sanchez is likely done and finishes the night 6/7 for 43 yards. Shonn Greene had five rushes for 32 yards and Derrick Mason led all receivers with three catches for 21 yards.

Sanchez was sacked twice.

1st Quarter, 1:05: TJ Conley gets the nod in a big spot here and nearly pins the Texans at their own 1-yard line. Looks like the ball dropped a few feet in front of the goal line but it was a tough position for Brodney Pool to down it. Texans will start from their own 20.

1st Quarter, 1:45: With only two regular starters on the O-line left, the Jets will run on third-and-8 to keep Sanchez safe. Tomlinson goes for a gain of four.

1st Quarter, 2:14: After seeing a replay, it looks like Turner got tripped up by Texans rookie J.J. Watt. Watt crushed Ducasse on that play and made the initial contact on that Sanchez sack.

**UPDATE: Rob Turner down, getting looked at by the medical staff. Robby Felix (third-string center) warming up on the sidelines.

1st Quarter, 4:00: Led by John Conner and Wayne Hunter, Shonn Greene powers 20 yards on the draw play. Jets are now in Texans territory.

1st Quarter, 5:12: Sanchez hits Mason on second-and-10 with a nice quick slant. First down.

** Interesting note from our writer on the scene, Jenny Vrentas about the Jets third-down defensive line.

1st Quarter, 5:19: Jets force the Texans to punt. Kyle Wilson covering on the pass intended for Kevin Walter. The Jets will start on their own 21. Kerley brought it out to the 31, but Ellis Lankster called for the hold.

1st Quarter, 6:19 Schaub had Daniels wide open there but just overthrew him, looks like he had a step or two on Eric Smith (might have bitten on the play-action). Texans have a third-and-7.

1st Quarter, 7:41: Ward, the Texans running back, being taken off the field after that tackle from Eric Smith. Texans down to two RB’s for the day. After that offsides penalty on Muhammad Wilkerson the Texans will have a second-and-2.

1st Quarter, 8:39: Houston will start at their own 10-yard line. Logan Payne on the tackle for the Jets.

1st Quarter, 9:11: Sanchez sacked on third-and-6, which sets up a 33-yard field goal for Nick Folk. Sanchez finishes the drive 4/4, Holmes had two catches for 17 yards and Mason, the new guy, had one for four yards.

UPDATE: Trainers working on Scott’s left knee. ESPN saying it’s nothing serious.

1st Quarter, 11:00:: Jets offense looking strong here on the first series out of the gate. Sanchez is 3/3 for 22 yards already. Jets down to the Texans’ 14-yard line.

1st quarter, 13:35: Josh Mauga, in for Scott, with a huge sack on Schaub for a loss of 11 yards. Texans will punt.

1st Quarter, 14:00: Bart Scott hobbled off the field after that kickoff, not a good sign to start, will update when we hear something.

1st Quarter, 15:00: Folk gets it into the end zone, and the Texans will roll up to the 18-yard line.

Pregame: Not dressing for the Jets tonight — QB Mark Brunell (finger), WR Plaxico Burress (ankle), C Nick Mangold (stinger), G Brandon Moore (hip), G Trevor Canfield (knee) and LB Brandon Long. Rob Turner will likely get the start at center, with Vladimir Ducasse filling in at guard.

Among those not dressing for the Texans: RB’s Arian Foster and Steve Slaton, CB Johnathan Joseph, LB Brian Cushing and WR Andre Johnson.

* * *

Also in the meantime, here are some recent stories to get you caught up:

On the local boy and do-everything rookie: Jets rookie Jeremy Kerley off to quick start

On the defensive line searching for a new identity: Jets’ Mike DeVito, Sione Pouha are now leaders on the defensive line

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Preseason Opener at Houston Texans
Today, 8 p.m.
Reliant Stadium, Houston
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 1050-AM
Line: -x

THREE POSITIONS TO WATCH

1. Defensive Line
Out with the old (Shaun Ellis) and in with the new (Muhammad Wilkerson). Jets coach Rex Ryan said he wouldn’t have drafted the defensive end out of Temple if he didn’t have the intention of starting him, and tonight is our first look at how ready Wilkerson is. In practice, he’s been going up against D’Brickashaw Ferguson, the Pro Bowl left tackle. Off the field, he’s been glued to DVD highlights of Trevor Pryce, clips that the defensive staff put together for Wilkerson to watch. As the evening wanes, we’ll also get a look at third-round pick Kenrick Ellis, who seems to be the second or third guy off the bench as it is, and could work himself into the regular rotation. Ropati Pitoitua, a 6-8, 315-pound mammoth who missed last season with an Achilles’ injury will also see significant time.

2. Wide Receiver
Aside from Santonio Holmes, all the mainstays from last year are gone and Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason serve as the new normal, though Burress will be stuck in New York nursing his swollen ankle tonight. Instead, it will be a good opportunity to see how Mason and Santonio Holmes play off one another on opposite sides of the offense. It’s been tough sledding for Holmes thus far in practice but Mason seems to be catching everything in sight. The team is high on rookie Jeremy Kerley and undrafted free agent Courtney Smith (6-5, 230). Verona native Dan DePalma will also be in the mix late in the game.

3. Offensive Line
On Thursday, Nick Mangold sent a terrifying jolt through the coaching staff when he was face down on the practice field with a stinger. That being said, the question of who can be next in line to replace him — or any offensive lineman — can never be far off Ryan’s mind. Vladimir Ducasse has been working at both tackle and guard this preseason, and Rob Turner, a returner from last year, has worked at guard and center.

Some other names to look for will be Chris Stewart, the 6-5, 351-pound undrafted guard out of Notre Dame who has turned some heads in camp so far, along with Pete Clifford, who saw a little bit of time with the first team during drills. Matt Kroul, who spent the last eight years of his career (including high school and college) on the defensive line, has flipped to the offensive line and will likely see reps with the third team.

FOUR DOWNS WITH …
QB Mark Sanchez

1. How’s the offense going to look?
I think that one of the most important parts for our offense is not to get frustrated, to understand that the defense is usually ahead of the offense at this point and they are doing a really good job. I think the day before our break, Tuesday, we had a great day on offense. It started to turn the tide a little bit, so that’s good. We wanted to keep it competitive.

2. You ready to see Houston, a change of pace?
Absolutely, and you see your own players so many times and see their looks so many times that you start to over-think things, you start to try and figure out ways to make your plays better when you’re just trying to force stuff, and that’s natural in camp. Now things will be much more clear, just having a different color facemask to look at is nice.

3. What about Plaxico? Do you have enough time to build up chemistry?
I think, what Plax and I talked about is, as soon as he’s ready to go we’ll just have to hit it hard. Taking extra time to meet, taking extra time to watch film together, that stuff is paying off right now and now we have to practice it on the field. There’s plenty of time to get things right we just have to make sure we don’t waste the time once he gets back.

4. But you did have time to work a little with your newest weapon, Derrick Mason. What do you think about him?
He’s so smart and he runs around like he’s 20 years old but he’s 37. He has a positive attitude, he’s smiling and that energy kind of wears off and reminds you of how much this guy loves the game. And then you get him in there and he’s competing his butt off, asking questions, it’s an all out battle for him every play.

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

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