While the newly crowned AFC South champion Houston Texans clinched their
first playoff berth last weekend, coach Gary Kubiak’s focus remains on what lies
ahead.

Houston’s immediate future, though, remains a little unsettled with news of
defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ temporary medical leave of absence.

Hoping to persevere through Phillips’ leave, the Texans look to extend their
franchise-best winning streak to eight games Sunday against the visiting
Carolina Panthers.

Three days after leading Houston’s stifling defense in a thrilling 20-19 win
at Cincinnati, Phillips announced he’d be undergoing surgery on his kidney
Thursday morning. He won’t be on the sidelines against the Panthers (4-9) but
expects to return to the Texans within 10 days.

“The team is we, it’s not me. I’ve been getting too much credit, but it’s a
football team, and they’re going to play,” Phillips told the Texans’ official
website. “I haven’t done a good job if they’re not ready to play.”

In his first year with the Texans, Phillips has helped turn their defense
into one of the NFL’s best. Houston, which last season finished 30th in the
league with 376.9 yards allowed per game, is surrendering a league-low average
of 274.9. The Texans are also giving up 16.0 points per game – 10.7 less than in
2010.

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring will take over as interim defensive
coordinator.

“I feel very confident about this,” Herring said. “The players are all in a
good frame of mind right now. We have a lot of things to finish, home-field
advantage and we’re number one in the (AFC) right now. We have a lot to play
for. Players have shown a lot of character and pride. I don’t see any letdown in
these guys.”

While Houston had plenty to celebrate last weekend, it’s one of four 10-3
teams in the conference vying for home-field advantage.

“They’ve got to keep going … they understand what’s ahead of them,” Kubiak
said.

“We don’t have many guys on our team that have been in playoff games. You
probably could count on 10 fingers. I don’t know how many we have, but the few
that we do have need to keep our guys focused on what it’s all about.”

The Texans held a seventh consecutive opponent to under 20 points in Week
14, but it was rookie quarterback T.J. Yates who was instrumental in the win.

The fifth-round pick out of North Carolina threw for 300 yards and two
touchdowns – including a game-winning six-yard TD to wideout Kevin Walter with
two seconds remaining. The Texans won the division with a Tennessee loss to New
Orleans later that day.

“It’s pretty crazy,” said Yates, thrown under center with Matt Schaub and
Matt Leinart out for the season. “A lot of people in this organization have
waited a long time for this. This is a special day for this team and this
organization.”

In addition to Schaub and Leinart being out, star linebacker Mario Williams
(torn pectoral) was placed on injured reserve in October. All-Pro wideout Andre
Johnson, who missed six games with a right hamstring issue earlier in the year,
will miss his second straight contest due to a strained left hamstring.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel became the latest Texan to go down,
suffering a leg fracture against the Bengals. He is expected to miss at least
three weeks.

After winning back-to-back games for the first time, Carolina let what
seemed like a third consecutive victory slip away last Sunday. The Panthers took
a 23-7 lead into the break but were outscored 24-0 in the second half, falling
31-23 to Atlanta.

Carolina has found itself with a lead in nearly every game but hasn’t been
able to capitalize.

“When you lead 12 out of 13, you have a chance to win games. We’re a lot
better than we’re giving ourselves an opportunity for,” coach Ron Rivera told
the team’s official website. “We’ve got to grow up and get past a lot of things.
We’ve got to get past, ‘It is what it is,’ because it’s not. We are better than
that, and we have to start playing like that. We have to start growing up.”

Rookie sensation Cam Newton completed just 19 of 39 passes for 276 yards and
two TDs. He was also picked off twice, bringing his total to 16 – tied for
third-most in the league.

Much of the Panthers’ struggles can be directly attributed to their
inability to take care of the football. Carolina has committed 20 turnovers in
its losses and one in its wins.

Houston has taken both meetings with Carolina, winning 34-21 on the road in
the last matchup Sept. 16, 2007.

Wade Phillips, who’s turned the Houston defense into the NFL’s best, will have surgery this week to resolve a kidney condition and will be away from the team for a week to 10 days.

The 64-year-old Phillips disclosed the medical issue after working with the team at practice on Wednesday. He would not specify the condition, but said it is not life-threatening, is not cancer, and that doctors recommended that he have the procedure.

“I feel good,” Phillips said. “I don’t have any physical problems right now, so if I get this done, this procedure that I’m doing, then I’ll be fine.”

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring will run the defense for Houston (10-3) in Sunday’s game against Carolina (4-9). Herring was Phillips’ linebackers coach in Dallas from 2008-10, then joined Houston’s staff after Phillips was hired last January.

“He’s ready to do it,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “Reggie’s called defenses before. We got a lot of confidence. We just need to keep going.”

The Texans play at Indianapolis on Dec. 22, and Phillips is hoping to return in time for the regular-season finale against Tennessee on Jan. 1. In the meantime, Herring won’t change anything.

“At the end of the day I’m not Wade Phillips,” Herring said, “but it’s Wade Phillips’ system. It’s our calls. It’s what the players know.”

Phillips’ leave is just the latest roadblock for the Texans.

Outside linebacker Mario Williams (torn chest muscle) and quarterbacks Matt Schaub (right foot injury) and Matt Leinart (broken left collarbone) are all out for the season, and star receiver Andre Johnson has a strained left hamstring after missing six games with an injury to his right hamstring.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel had surgery on his broken right leg on Monday, and Johnson only jogged during Wednesday’s practice.

Somehow, the Texans have managed to win a franchise-record seven straight games and clinch the AFC South for the team’s first postseason berth.

Still, the latest helping of bad luck has everyone in the locker room shaking their heads in disbelief.

“The ‘next man up’ theme is hitting us everywhere,” said two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

And Phillips has probably made as a big an impact as anyone the Texans acquired this offseason.

Fired as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the middle of last season, Phillips talked earlier this season about feeling rejuvenated in Houston, where he played in college and began his coaching career. He took over the league’s 30th-ranked 2010 defense, implemented a 3-4 alignment, moved Williams to outside linebacker and the transformation was swift.

Houston now leads the league in total defense at 275 yards per game, ranks fourth in rushing defense at 91.5 yards per game and third in pass defense at 183.5 yards per game. The Texans have held each of their last seven opponents below 20 points.

Wade Phillips, who’s turned the Houston defense into the NFL’s best, will have surgery this week to resolve a kidney condition and will be away from the team for a week to 10 days.

The 64-year-old Phillips disclosed the medical issue after working with the team at practice on Wednesday. He would not specify the condition, but said it is not life-threatening, is not cancer, and that doctors recommended that he have the procedure.

“I feel good,” Phillips said. “I don’t have any physical problems right now, so if I get this done, this procedure that I’m doing, then I’ll be fine.”

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring will run the defense for Houston (10-3) in Sunday’s game against Carolina (4-9). Herring was Phillips’ linebackers coach in Dallas from 2008-10, then joined Houston’s staff after Phillips was hired last January.

“He’s ready to do it,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “Reggie’s called defenses before. We got a lot of confidence. We just need to keep going.”

The Texans play at Indianapolis on Dec. 22, and Phillips is hoping to return in time for the regular-season finale against Tennessee on Jan. 1. In the meantime, Herring won’t change anything.

“At the end of the day I’m not Wade Phillips,” Herring said, “but it’s Wade Phillips’ system. It’s our calls. It’s what the players know.”

Phillips’ leave is just the latest roadblock for the Texans.

Outside linebacker Mario Williams (torn chest muscle) and quarterbacks Matt Schaub (right foot injury) and Matt Leinart (broken left collarbone) are all out for the season, and star receiver Andre Johnson has a strained left hamstring after missing six games with an injury to his right hamstring.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel had surgery on his broken right leg on Monday, and Johnson only jogged during Wednesday’s practice.

Somehow, the Texans have managed to win a franchise-record seven straight games and clinch the AFC South for the team’s first postseason berth.

Still, the latest helping of bad luck has everyone in the locker room shaking their heads in disbelief.

“The ‘next man up’ theme is hitting us everywhere,” said two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

And Phillips has probably made as a big an impact as anyone the Texans acquired this offseason.

Fired as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the middle of last season, Phillips talked earlier this season about feeling rejuvenated in Houston, where he played in college and began his coaching career. He took over the league’s 30th-ranked 2010 defense, implemented a 3-4 alignment, moved Williams to outside linebacker and the transformation was swift.

Houston now leads the league in total defense at 275 yards per game, ranks fourth in rushing defense at 91.5 yards per game and third in pass defense at 183.5 yards per game. The Texans have held each of their last seven opponents below 20 points.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans have been overcoming injuries to players virtually every week since the season began.

Now, naturally, they must adjust to the loss of their top assistant coach.

Wade Phillips, who’s turned the Houston defense into the NFL’s best, will have surgery this week to resolve a kidney condition and will be away from the team for a week to 10 days.

The 64-year-old Phillips disclosed the medical issue after working with the team at practice on Wednesday. He would not specify the condition, but said it is not life-threatening, is not cancer, and that doctors recommended that he have the procedure.

“I feel good,” Phillips said. “I don’t have any physical problems right now, so if I get this done, this procedure that I’m doing, then I’ll be fine.”

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring will run the defense for Houston (10-3) in Sunday’s game against Carolina (4-9). Herring was Phillips’ linebackers coach in Dallas from 2008-10, then joined Houston’s staff after Phillips was hired last January.

“He’s ready to do it,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “Reggie’s called defenses before. We got a lot of confidence. We just need to keep going.”

The Texans play at Indianapolis on Dec. 22, and Phillips is hoping to return in time for the regular-season finale against Tennessee on Jan. 1. In the meantime, Herring won’t change anything.

“At the end of the day I’m not Wade Phillips,” Herring said, “but it’s Wade Phillips’ system. It’s our calls. It’s what the players know.”

Phillips’ leave is just the latest roadblock for the Texans.

Outside linebacker Mario Williams (torn chest muscle) and quarterbacks Matt Schaub (right foot injury) and Matt Leinart (broken left collarbone) are all out for the season, and star receiver Andre Johnson has a strained left hamstring after missing six games with an injury to his right hamstring.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel had surgery on his broken right leg on Monday, and Johnson only jogged during Wednesday’s practice.

Somehow, the Texans have managed to win a franchise-record seven straight games and clinch the AFC South for the team’s first postseason berth.

Still, the latest helping of bad luck has everyone in the locker room shaking their heads in disbelief.

“The ‘next man up’ theme is hitting us everywhere,” said two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

And Phillips has probably made as a big an impact as anyone the Texans acquired this offseason.

Fired as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the middle of last season, Phillips talked earlier this season about feeling rejuvenated in Houston, where he played in college and began his coaching career. He took over the league’s 30th-ranked 2010 defense, implemented a 3-4 alignment, moved Williams to outside linebacker and the transformation was swift.

Houston now leads the league in total defense at 275 yards per game, ranks fourth in rushing defense at 91.5 yards per game and third in pass defense at 183.5 yards per game. The Texans have held each of their last seven opponents below 20 points.

Linebacker Brian Cushing is one of the players having a breakout year under Phillips’ tutelage, leading the team with 86 tackles. He also has two interceptions and three sacks, regaining his form from 2009, when he was named the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

“He’s been the clear-cut leader of this defense, someone we’re obviously going to miss,” Cushing said. “But we’re not going to try to skip a beat without him. We’re going to continue to do what he’s taught us, and it’ll very, very similar.”

Phillips has clearly found a new home in Houston under coach Gary Kubiak. He ran the defense in Denver from 1989-92, overlapping Kubiak’s playing career as John Elway’s backup for the Broncos, but their history goes back even further.

Phillips and Kubiak first met in the late 1970s, when Kubiak was a ball boy and Wade was an assistant for the Houston Oilers, who were coached by Wade’s father, Bum.

Kubiak said Phillips’ situation was personal to him.

“The most important thing is Wade’s health right now,” Kubiak said. “He needs to go get this done and the doctors feel very good about it. He needs to take care of his health and we need to take care of the football for him.”

The biggest change for the Texans may be adjusting to Herring’s fiery personality. While Phillips is calm and soft-spoken during practice, Herring is often working up a sweat and barking orders.

“Reggie’s a lot more of a vocal guy,” Ryans said. “Everybody’s under his control now, so I don’t know if he has that much yelling in him.”

Herring, a defensive coordinator at some of his previous college stops, says he’s ready to take on the added responsibility.

“I feel very confident about this,” he said. “We’re all in a good frame of mind right now. We have a lot of things to finish, home-field advantage. We have a lot to play for right now.

“Players have shown a lot of character and pride,” he said. “I don’t see any letdown in these guys. At the end of the day, Wade will be with us every snap. This is his system, his defense and we’ll move on.”

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans have been overcoming injuries to players virtually every week since the season began.

Now, naturally, they must adjust to the loss of their top assistant coach.

Wade Phillips, who’s turned the Houston defense into the NFL’s best, will have surgery this week to resolve a kidney condition and will be away from the team for a week to 10 days.

The 64-year-old Phillips disclosed the medical issue after working with the team at practice on Wednesday. He would not specify the condition, but said it is not life-threatening, is not cancer, and that doctors recommended that he have the procedure.

“I feel good,” Phillips said. “I don’t have any physical problems right now, so if I get this done, this procedure that I’m doing, then I’ll be fine.”

Linebackers coach Reggie Herring will run the defense for Houston (10-3) in Sunday’s game against Carolina (4-9). Herring was Phillips’ linebackers coach in Dallas from 2008-10, then joined Houston’s staff after Phillips was hired last January.

“He’s ready to do it,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “Reggie’s called defenses before. We got a lot of confidence. We just need to keep going.”

The Texans play at Indianapolis on Dec. 22, and Phillips is hoping to return in time for the regular-season finale against Tennessee on Jan. 1. In the meantime, Herring won’t change anything.

“At the end of the day I’m not Wade Phillips,” Herring said, “but it’s Wade Phillips’ system. It’s our calls. It’s what the players know.”

Phillips’ leave is just the latest roadblock for the Texans.

Outside linebacker Mario Williams (torn chest muscle) and quarterbacks Matt Schaub (right foot injury) and Matt Leinart (broken left collarbone) are all out for the season, and star receiver Andre Johnson has a strained left hamstring after missing six games with an injury to his right hamstring.

Starting right guard Mike Brisiel had surgery on his broken right leg on Monday, and Johnson only jogged during Wednesday’s practice.

Somehow, the Texans have managed to win a franchise-record seven straight games and clinch the AFC South for the team’s first postseason berth.

Still, the latest helping of bad luck has everyone in the locker room shaking their heads in disbelief.

“The ‘next man up’ theme is hitting us everywhere,” said two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

And Phillips has probably made as a big an impact as anyone the Texans acquired this offseason.

Fired as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the middle of last season, Phillips talked earlier this season about feeling rejuvenated in Houston, where he played in college and began his coaching career. He took over the league’s 30th-ranked 2010 defense, implemented a 3-4 alignment, moved Williams to outside linebacker and the transformation was swift.

Houston now leads the league in total defense at 275 yards per game, ranks fourth in rushing defense at 91.5 yards per game and third in pass defense at 183.5 yards per game. The Texans have held each of their last seven opponents below 20 points.

Linebacker Brian Cushing is one of the players having a breakout year under Phillips’ tutelage, leading the team with 86 tackles. He also has two interceptions and three sacks, regaining his form from 2009, when he was named the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

“He’s been the clear-cut leader of this defense, someone we’re obviously going to miss,” Cushing said. “But we’re not going to try to skip a beat without him. We’re going to continue to do what he’s taught us, and it’ll very, very similar.”

Phillips has clearly found a new home in Houston under coach Gary Kubiak. He ran the defense in Denver from 1989-92, overlapping Kubiak’s playing career as John Elway’s backup for the Broncos, but their history goes back even further.

Phillips and Kubiak first met in the late 1970s, when Kubiak was a ball boy and Wade was an assistant for the Houston Oilers, who were coached by Wade’s father, Bum.

Kubiak said Phillips’ situation was personal to him.

“The most important thing is Wade’s health right now,” Kubiak said. “He needs to go get this done and the doctors feel very good about it. He needs to take care of his health and we need to take care of the football for him.”

The biggest change for the Texans may be adjusting to Herring’s fiery personality. While Phillips is calm and soft-spoken during practice, Herring is often working up a sweat and barking orders.

“Reggie’s a lot more of a vocal guy,” Ryans said. “Everybody’s under his control now, so I don’t know if he has that much yelling in him.”

Herring, a defensive coordinator at some of his previous college stops, says he’s ready to take on the added responsibility.

“I feel very confident about this,” he said. “We’re all in a good frame of mind right now. We have a lot of things to finish, home-field advantage. We have a lot to play for right now.

“Players have shown a lot of character and pride,” he said. “I don’t see any letdown in these guys. At the end of the day, Wade will be with us every snap. This is his system, his defense and we’ll move on.”