by Associated Press

khou.com

Posted on January 2, 2012 at 9:56 PM

HOUSTON — Ready or not, the Houston Texans are less than a week away from the franchise’s first playoff game.

The Texans (10-6) will ride a three-game losing streak into Saturday’s game against Cincinnati (9-7) at Reliant Stadium.

Last week, Texans players talked about the importance of regaining momentum after consecutive losses. They lost to Tennessee 23-22 in Sunday’s finale when they botched a 2-point conversion at the end, then said after the game that their three-game skid was irrelevant.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Monday that his players have “got to let it go,” pointing out that a winning streak would’ve also had no bearing on what may happen in the postseason.

“You’ve got to let everything go,” he said, “and start over.”

Kubiak thought the Texans played better Sunday than they had in losses to Carolina and Indianapolis. His team has dealt with major injuries almost every week this season, and he said that’s led to constant transition that’s affected the level of play.

Add one more injury concern leading up to Saturday’s game: Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, who started the last five games, bruised his left shoulder when he was sacked on his first snap against Tennessee. Kubiak expects Yates to start against Cincinnati, though he acknowledged Monday the fifth-round pick is “sore.”

Yates was a revelation when he first took over the starting role in the wake of season-ending injuries to Matt Schaub (right foot) and Matt Leinart (broken left collarbone), guiding the Texans to narrow victories over Atlanta and the Bengals to clinch the division.

In Cincinnati on Dec. 11, Yates engineered two long scoring drives in the fourth quarter, rallying Houston for a 20-19 win. Yates struggled in the next two games and played only one series Sunday, but Kubiak says he still has enough confidence to play him over veteran Jake Delhomme.

“He’s very young and this is a big, big game,” Kubiak said. “But he’s the best guy for our team, and if he’s able to go and do the things we need him to do in practice, then we’ll turn him loose and let him go.”

Delhomme, signed out of retirement in late November, relieved Yates on Sunday and completed 18 of 28 passes for 211 yards without an interception.

The 36-year-old Delhomme was seeing his first action since December 2010, when he played for Cleveland. He’s one of only a handful of current Texans with playoff experience and the only one who’s already played in a postseason game at Reliant Stadium.

Delhomme guided Carolina to its only Super Bowl in February 2004, when the Panthers played Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Delhomme threw for 323 yards and three touchdown in the Panthers’ 32-29 loss.

The Panthers had only one postseason victory in their history before that Super Bowl season, and Delhomme thinks inexperience could actually work to Houston’s advantage.

“When you don’t know any better, to me, that’s a great thing,” Delhomme said. “If you play well during the season and prepare well, obviously you’re one of the better teams at the end of the year. So we just knew that if we just did what we did week in and week out, it would work.”

The 2003 Panthers won their last three games, but they lost three in a row just before that, so Delhomme isn’t a big believer in needing momentum.

“This is a young, hungry football team that works,” Delhomme said of the Texans. “I know I haven’t been here long, but last week on that practice field, just watching guys fly around you saw how important it is. This team is going to be ready and sometimes innocence is bliss.”

Kubiak isn’t sure how much past experience helps in the playoffs, either, but he has plenty of it. He was an assistant coach on three Super Bowl teams, one in San Francisco and two in Denver.

“All those things took place for me somewhere else, on a different team,” said Kubiak, Houston’s coach since 2006. “I’ve been growing as a head coach with this group I have, they’ve been growing with me as a team, so it’s our first opportunity together. That’s what’s most important.”

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has participated in his share of playoff games, too. Phillips coached from the press box Sunday, just over two weeks after kidney and gall bladder surgery, and Kubiak says he’ll work from the booth again for the playoff game.

“That’s a long road back from what he’s been through,” Kubiak said. “We’re just trying to make sure he gets his rest, and he’ll be ready to call the game on Saturday once again.”

 

 

What a difference a year makes.

A season ago the Texans were the joke around the state. A loss
to the Cowboys, a horrible second half of the season and a big step
back in terms of wins.

This year, though, the Texans have to be the pride of Texas.

Sure, they lost three consecutive games heading into this
Saturday’s wildcard playoff matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
And maybe the quarterback position is about as steady as a house of
cards in an earthquake.

But the Texans have to like their chances in the franchise’s
first ever playoff game regardless.

The Texans have what every good playoff team needs – a tough run
game and a steady defense. If those two aspects of their game can
step up, then there rookie quarterback T.J. Yates can simply steer
the bus to a victory.

Sounds easy right?

Yates should have some added confidence, too. Remember, the
Texans last win came against these same Bengals nearly a month ago
– a game that Yates drove the offense down the field in the last
minute before finding Kevin Walter for the go ahead touchdown.

Thanks to the great start, the Texans get the added boost that
is home field advantage. Houston fans have been waiting for 18
years for a playoff game – expect them to be loud and proud.
There’s a reason why the Reliant Stadium atmosphere is consistently
ranked near the top in the NFL.

It’s hard to imagine Saturday’s game being any sort of cakewalk,
but the Texans will and should be the favorites heading into it.
Let’s just hope they show more fight than what the Cowboys did in
their elimination game with the New York Giants on Sunday
night.

The Cowboys’ performance only adds to the lure of the failures
of Jerry Jones, Tony Romo and a largely overrated team.

It’s hard to imagine a team can’t get up for a game as big as
the Dallas’ on Sunday. Their season on the line and the Cowboys
didn’t even get off the bus.

Then again, it happened to them before. See the 44-6 whooping
that the Philadelphia Eagles put on the hapless Cowboys in
2008.

That being said, the whole state should be behind the Texans as
they enter the playoffs. Not that it will help much being that most
will be in front of their TV sets instead of in the stadium, but it
has to count for something.

While the Texans could very well come out on bottom of a dog
fight on Sunday – though I doubt that will be the case – this
season will forever go down as on of the most memorable in the
team’s history.

Regardless of what happens, at least the Texans aren’t the
Cowboys.

Keith MacPherson is the Sports Editor of The Courier. He can be
reached at kmacpherson@hcnonline.com or follow him on Twitter
@ConroeSports

CBSSports.com wire reports
Jan. 1, 2012

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans talked all week about the importance of beating Tennessee on Sunday to enter the playoffs on the right track.

In the end, coach Gary Kubiak decided keeping his key players healthy entering next week was more important than a victory.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes and the Titans kept alive their playoff hopes briefly with a 23-22 victory over Houston on Sunday after the Texans failed to convert a 2-point conversion attempt that would have won the game.

Houston (10-6) will head into its first postseason on a three-game losing streak. The Texans were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs and Kubiak played mostly reserves in the second half.

“You would never go for two there in any other situation … but I had to get them to next week,” Kubiak said.

The Titans (9-7) earned their first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak’s first season, but their postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

Tennessee got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but was knocked out of playoff contention when the Broncos lost to Kansas City in a late game.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by Jake Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday) at this point.”

The 36-year-old Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson with 14 seconds left.

Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion at the end. But after a false start penalty, backup center Thomas Austin snapped the ball over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The Texans certainly weren’t happy about losing, but won’t spend any time thinking about what happened on Sunday.

“We’re ripping off the rear-view mirror,” tight end Joel Dreessen said. “The regular season is over with, and the Texans are officially invited to the postseason. We open up at home, in one week. And that’s our focus right now. It’s a whole new season, and we have to play at our best.”

Chris Johnson ran for 61 yards, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee. The Titans needed a Bengals loss and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a postseason rematch with the Texans back in Houston next week.

The Texans had other concerns after the loss.

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Joel Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate finished that drive with a touchdown, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Neil Rackers kicked a 52-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the first half, but Bironas booted a 43-yarder on the final play before the break to put Tennessee up 13-10. Bironas extended his own NFL record by kicking a field goal of 40 yards or longer for the 10th consecutive game.

The Texans rallied to tie it at 16-all, but Kubiak had most of his defensive starters on the bench in the fourth quarter. Nate Washington got behind rookie cornerback Brandon Harris and third-string safety Quintin Demps for a 23-yard touchdown with 4:31 remaining.

Texans linebacker Jesse Nading recovered a fumble by Ahmard Hall with less than two minutes left, and Delhomme completed 5 of 6 passes to drive Houston for the late touchdown.

Notes: Andre Johnson played about 20 snaps. Kubiak said he isn’t ready to play 70 plays next week, but that he should be able to go 45-50. … Kubiak said Houston OLB Bryan Braman has a stinger. … Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.eld favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Neil Rackers kicked a 52-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the first half, but Bironas booted a 43-yarder on the final play before the break to put Tennessee up 13-10. Bironas extended his own NFL record by kicking a field goal of 40 yards or longer for the 10th consecutive game.

The Texans rallied to tie it at 16-all, but Kubiak had most of his defensive starters on the bench in the fourth quarter. Nate Washington got behind rookie cornerback Brandon Harris and third-string safety Quintin Demps for a 23-yard touchdown with 4:31 remaining.

Texans linebacker Jesse Nading recovered a fumble by Ahmard Hall with less than two minutes left, and Delhomme completed 5 of 6 passes to drive Houston for the late touchdown.

Notes

• Hall and Titans LT Mike Otto left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR Damian Williams has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday.
• Chris Johnson is the third player in Titans history to reach 1,000 yards rushing in at least four straight seasons, joining Eddie George (1996-2000) and Earl Campbell (1978-81)..
• Bironas extended his own NFL record by kicking a field goal of at least 40 yards in his 10th consecutive game.
• The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak.
• Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

The Houston Texans talked all week about the importance of
beating Tennessee on Sunday to enter the playoffs on the right
track.

In the end, coach Gary Kubiak decided keeping his key players
healthy entering next week was more important than a victory.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes and the Titans kept
alive their playoff hopes with a 23-22 victory over Houston on
Sunday after the Texans failed to convert a 2-point conversion
attempt that would have won the game.

Houston (10-6) will head into its first postseason on a
three-game losing streak. The Texans were locked into the No. 3
seed in the AFC playoffs and Kubiak played mostly reserves in the
second half.

“You would never go for two there in any other situation … but
I had to get them to next week,” Kubiak said.

The Texans will face Cincinnati in Houston next Saturday
afternoon at Reliant Stadium.

The Titans (9-7) earned their first winning record since 2008 in
Mike Munchak’s first season, but their postseason fate depended on
the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

Tennessee got some early help when the New York Jets lost in
Miami, but was knocked out of playoff contention when the Broncos
lost to Kansas City in a late game.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was
replaced by Jake Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left
shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak
said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday) at this
point.”

The 36-year-old Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of
season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt
Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes, including a 5-yard touchdown
pass to Bryant Johnson with 14 seconds left.

Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion at the end. But after a
false start penalty, backup center Thomas Austin snapped the ball
over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The Texans certainly weren’t happy about losing, but won’t spend
any time thinking about what happened on Sunday.

“We’re ripping off the rear-view mirror,” tight end Joel
Dreessen said. “The regular season is over with, and the Texans are
officially invited to the postseason. We open up at home, in one
week. And that’s our focus right now. It’s a whole new season, and
we have to play at our best.”

Chris Johnson ran for 61 yards, and Rob Bironas kicked three
field goals for Tennessee. The Titans needed a Bengals loss and
victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a postseason rematch with
the Texans back in Houston next week.

The Texans had other concerns after the loss.

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and
Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for
first downs, before Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating
touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate finished that drive with a touchdown, but Yates came off
the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker
room.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the
ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33.
Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie
Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston
moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half
after missing the previous three games with a strained left
hamstring.

Neil Rackers kicked a 52-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the
first half, but Bironas booted a 43-yarder on the final play before
the break to put Tennessee up 13-10. Bironas extended his own NFL
record by kicking a field goal of 40 yards or longer for the 10th
consecutive game.

The Texans rallied to tie it at 16-all, but Kubiak had most of
his defensive starters on the bench in the fourth quarter. Nate
Washington got behind rookie cornerback Brandon Harris and
third-string safety Quintin Demps for a 23-yard touchdown with 4:31
remaining.

Texans linebacker Jesse Nading recovered a fumble by Ahmard Hall
with less than two minutes left, and Delhomme completed 5 of 6
passes to drive Houston for the late touchdown.

Notes: Andre Johnson played about 20 snaps. Kubiak said he isn’t
ready to play 70 plays next week, but that he should be able to go
45-50. … Kubiak said Houston OLB Bryan Braman has a stinger. …
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after
missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

The Houston Texans’ season seems to be unraveling
at the worst possible time.

Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates and the vaunted defense struggled again Thursday night, and the playoff-bound Texans lost 19-16 to lowly Indianapolis, their second straight defeat after seven consecutive victories.

Houston (10-5) clinched its first AFC South title and playoff berth on Dec. 11, but has followed up with back-to-back poor performances.

The Texans lost 28-13 to Cam Newton and Carolina on Sunday, then couldn’t stop Dan Orlovsky from rallying the Colts in the fourth quarter.

Houston went 1-for-10 on third downs and committed a season-high 11 penalties to drop to 0-10 in Indianapolis.

The Texans wrap up the regular season at home against Tennessee on Jan. 1.