HOUSTON, Texas — Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey criticized members of the Houston Texans for not putting their hands over their hearts during the national anthem.

Shockey said he saw “about 10 players” who didn’t do the traditional gesture when the anthem is played, and he told some of them how he felt during Carolina’s 28-13 victory.

“I was pretty upset in the way they weren’t showing respect to America during the national anthem,” Shockey said. “This is America, and you should at least give respect to America.”

Shockey’s statements didn’t make their way back to the Texans’ locker room before it closed, and the team had no comment. Shockey’s rant came in response to a reporter’s question about the Texans’ defense.

“This is America and this is just a game and they should not only be very proud of this country, but very gifted to be living here,” Shockey said. “Maybe they just forgot to do it or something, but I don’t see how you could forget to do that.”

Shockey sports a red, white and blue tattoo on his right biceps portraying a bald eagle draped in a U.S. flag.

He caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Cam Newton in Sunday’s game, then pointed at linebacker DeMeco Ryans and appeared to yell at him and cornerback Jason Allen.

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

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Maybe this time, the Houston Texans will still be there in
the end.

Similar to the last two seasons in which they’ve started 5-3 and 4-2,
respectively, the Texans are piquing the interest of NFL prognosticators once
again in 2011 with a 5-3 break from the gate.

Unlike 2009 and 2010, however, it seems the planets are aligning for them to
finish the race this time.

Because unlike those two years, the competition alongside Houston, which
entertains AFC North representative Cleveland Sunday at Reliant Stadium, in the
AFC South doesn’t seem up to par as before. That is, unless Peyton Manning
rises from the walking dead in Indianapolis.

Short of that miracle, the Texans reached the halfway point last week with a
half-game lead over the second-place Tennessee Titans, with Jacksonville
languishing on another lower floor at two games ahead of the winless Colts and
their Curtis Painter-led race to the draft board.

Houston has defeated its three divisional opponents by a combined 99-28 score,
following a 41-7 win at Tennessee on Oct. 23 with last Sunday’s 24-14 victory
over the Jaguars. The Texans are also 3-1 at home this season.

“We can control our fate, and that’s the way we want it,” Houston owner Bob
McNair said after his team improved to 3-0 in divisional play for the first
time. “I think the guys understand where they are and I think they really
stepped up [last week].”

The renewed uptick warrants credit for first-year defensive coordinator Wade
Phillips, whose team is third in the league in total yards allowed, fifth in
both scoring defense and against the pass and tied for ninth in sacks.

The Texans were 30th in the NFL after allowing 376.9 yards per game in 2010.

Houston allowed just 174 yards to Jacksonville, the first time in franchise
history in which two straight foes were kept below the 200-yard mark.

“I do have a ton of confidence right now in the way we’re playing defensively,?
Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “I know there are some statistics as far as
points and yards, the last two or three weeks, that are off the charts. We’re
playing very well.”

Cleveland has also distinguished itself on the defensive side, allowing just 20
points and 299.1 total yards per game in spite of a 3-4 record that’s still
dead last in the tough AFC North.

The Browns scored just 46 points while going 1-3 in four October games,
however. A fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Colt McCoy to Joshua Cribbs in
last week’s 20-10 loss at San Francisco was the team?s first end-zone trip in
two games.

“Back home, I hope they don’t go into a frenzy like the world is going to end,”
Cribbs said after the game.

The Cleveland offense has been without running back Peyton Hillis for the past
two games due to a strained left hamstring, and he’s questionable for Sunday’s
contest as well. Backup Montario Hardesty is also on the injured list and is
expected to miss multiple games with a calf tear suffered last week.

In their absence, carries would go to Chris Ogbonnaya, signed off Houston’s
practice squad on Oct. 18, and Thomas Clayton, signed this week after a workout
at the team’s practice facility.

SERIES HISTORY

These teams have split six lifetime meetings, with the Texans evening the
series by virtue of a 16-6 win in Cleveland in 2008. The Browns posted a 27-17
home victory over Houston the previous year but are just 1-2 in their three
prior trips to Reliant Stadium, dropping decisions there in both 2005 (19-16)
and 2006 (14-6). Cleveland’s lone positive result against the Texans in Houston
was a 22-14 triumph in the 2004 season finale.

Kubiak is 2-1 all-time against Cleveland during his tenure with the Texans,
while the Browns’ Pat Shurmur will be opposing both Houston and Kubiak for the
first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

In his past three games on the road, former University of Texas standout McCoy
has completed 65-of-111 passes (58.6 percent) for 667 yards with four
touchdowns, an interception and an 84.2 passer rating. Hillis needs six catches
to reach 100 for his career, while tight end Benjamin Watson needs nine catches
to reach 100 with the Browns. Watson tied his season-best with 64 receiving
yards last week. Rookie wide receiver Greg Little, a second-round pick in this
past draft, ranks second in the NFL among rookies with 29 receptions, trailing
only Cincinnati’s A.J. Green’s 33. Cribbs recorded his second touchdown catch
of the season on a 45-yard reception last week.

Houston’s defense is tied with Baltimore with an AFC-best 19 sacks, and rookie
linebacker and 2011 second-round selection Brooks Reed aims for a third
consecutive game with one. Linebacker Brian Cushing leads the Texans with 54
tackles and posted his first interception of the season last week. End Antonio
Smith has 16 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble in eight games, while
cornerback Jason Allen has 27 tackles and three interceptions.

Statistically, Cleveland is 28th in scoring offense (15.3 ppg), 26th in total
yards (305.7 ypg), 20th in passing yards (218.1 ypg) and 29th in rushing yards
(87.6 ypg). The Texans are fifth in the league in scoring defense (18.1 ppg),
third in total yards allowed (286.8 ypg), fifth in pass defense (189.4 ypg) and
sixth versus the run (97.4 ypg).

WHEN THE TEXANS HAVE THE BALL

In his past three games, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has four touchdowns, no
interceptions and a 102.1 passer rating. He needs four touchdown passes to
reach 100 for his career. Running back Arian Foster aims for a sixth straight
game with 100 or more yards from scrimmage, following efforts of 166, 184, 101,
234 and 124 yards. He recorded his 12th career 100-yard rushing game and third
of the season last week. Foster has five touchdowns in the past two games (four
rushing, one receiving) as well, and in his past five games in November, is
averaging 102.4 rushing yards per game with six touchdowns on the ground.
Backup running back Ben Tate averages 5.2 yards per carry (97 attempts, 508
yards). Wide receiver Andre Johnson posted 10 catches for 116 yards (11.6
average) in Houston’s most recent matchup with Cleveland back in 2008, but is
uncertain to return this week from a nagging hamstring injury that’s kept him
out of the past four games. If he plays, Johnson needs two catches to reach 700
for his career and would do so in the second-fewest games (120) in NFL history,
trailing only Marvin Harrison (114). Wide receiver Kevin Walter had seven
catches for 93 yards with a touchdown in that 2008 win over the Browns, while
tight end Joel Dreessen aims for a third consecutive game with a touchdown
catch.

On defense, the Browns allow 171.9 passing yards per game, second-fewest in the
NFL behind Pittsburgh’s 171.6. Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson leads the team with
65 tackles and cornerback Joe Haden tops all Cleveland players with 10 passes
defensed. Rookie lineman Phil Taylor, the Browns’ first-round choice in last
April’s draft, has two sacks in his past three games and is tied for third
among AFC rookies with three sacks.

By the numbers, Houston is eighth in scoring offense (25.8 ppg), seventh in
total yards (395.2 ypg), 11th in passing yards (253.4 ypg) and fourth in
rushing yards (141.9 ypg). Cleveland is eighth in scoring defense (20.0 ppg),
fifth in total yards allowed (299.1 ypg) and the aforementioned second overall
in pass defense (171.9 ypg), but ranks just 26th against the run (127.3 ypg).

KEYS TO THE GAME

Should he be healthy enough to go, Houston’s Johnson could be prolific after
posting 10 catches for 116 yards the last time the teams met, though the Browns
have been one of the league’s tougher teams to throw on.

While on the subject of injuries, the banged-up Browns could find an even more
difficult road against the sixth-best rush defense in the league this week.
Replacements Chris Ogbonnaya and Thomas Clayton have a combined career total of
35 rushes for 125 yards, but will need to produce if called upon.

The Texans have traditionally found adversity when beginning the second halves
of recent seasons, as their last win in the ninth game of the season was in
2007. It’s a hump the team must get over both for this week and beyond.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Johnson may be back in the fold. Foster’s on a roll and the Texans’ defense has
held five of eight opponents to 14 points or less. Oh, and they’re playing at
home as well, where they’re 3-1 this year. There weren’t a lot of reasons to
pick against the Texans anyway, but without Hillis at 100 percent for
Cleveland, there’s one less.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texans 30, Browns 14

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Nov 4, 2011 – The Cleveland Browns bring their struggling offense to Reliant Stadium to take on the Houston Texans. No one seems to think the Browns will be able to score enough points to win the game, however.

Every NFL expert on ESPN.com picked the Houston Texans to win, as did every expert on CBSSports.com.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated doesn’t give the Browns much of a chance, either:

Andre Johnson hurt his hamstring Oct. 2 against Pittsburgh. The team said at the time he’d either be out a few days or three or four weeks. This is the fifth week without Johnson being back to normal, and it looks iffy whether he’ll play. Why is there no panic in the Houston streets? Because the Texans have learned to play well without Johnson. With him starting, they’ve averaged 27 points a game this year; without him starting, they’ve averaged 25.

Houston 27, Cleveland 12

Peter Schrager, like everyone else picks Houston to win but thinks the game will actually be close. Just kidding.

Cleveland at Houston: The Texans are 28-2 under Gary Kubiak when running the ball 30 times in a game, something they did in last week’s win over the Jaguars. They’re also 3-0 in the AFC South for the first time in franchise history and the defense has held opponents to less than 200 total yards in consecutive weekends for the first time ever. It’s tempting to take Colt McCoy in his “homecoming” trip to Houston, but he’s struggled in Pat Shurmur’s short-passing offense of late and there’s just not enough firepower on that offense to keep up with Houston. Everyone in the media tripped all over themselves while praising the Cleveland front office back in April for their draft day trade, but couldn’t this team use Julio Jones?

The pick: Texans 28, Browns 13

For more on the Cleveland Browns, visit SB Nation’s Browns blog Dawgs by Nature. For more on the Houston Texans, visit SB Nation’s Texans blog Battle Red Blog.

Read More: Andre Johnson (WR – HOU), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans

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After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in successive AFC Championship Games in the late 1970s, former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips delivered a famous speech to his fans.

“One year ago, we knocked on the door,” Phillips said in his folksy Texas twang. “This year, we beat on the door. Next year, we’re gonna kick the son of a [gun] in.”

Alas, it didn’t happen. The Oilers were upended in the first round of the playoffs without meeting Pittsburgh a third time, ending their short, marvelous run.

Now their replacements, the Houston Texans, feel they are ready to kick in the door to the playoffs for the first time since they were born in expansion in 2002.

And, fittingly, the man probably most responsible for their resurgence is Phillips’ son, Wade.

The Texans have been elite on offense since former Mike Shanahan assistant Gary Kubiak took over as head coach in 2006. The Texans haven’t gotten over the top and into the playoffs, however, because of a bad defense.

Phillips has changed that dramatically.

Given his popular name in the city, Phillips was a natural hire as defensive coordinator for Kubiak once Phillips was fired as Dallas Cowboys coach. Phillips compiled a respectable, not great, record of 83-66 in stints as a head coach with Dallas, Buffalo and Denver. But his reputation as a defensive coordinator is impeccable.

His defenses as coordinator or head coach have finished in the league’s top 10 on 12 occasions. Further, he has reached the playoffs in the first season with the last seven teams he has taken over as coordinator or head coach.

The defense the Browns face Sunday in Houston checks in this week at No. 3 in the league yardage rankings and fifth in scoring. It was 30th and 29th, respectively, last year.

Phillips hasn’t done it alone. The Texans invested heavily in new players on defense, adding cornerback Johnathan Joseph and free safety Danieal Manning in free agency, and devoting their top five picks in the draft to that side of the ball. Defensive end J.J. Watt and linebacker Brooks Reed were their top two selections and are making an impact as starters.

Reed has taken over for Pro Bowler Mario Williams, who was lost for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. Williams was making a controversial career move from defensive end to outside linebacker in Phillips’ attacking, 3-4 scheme. He had five sacks in six games.

The resurgent defense hasn’t exactly turned down the heat on Kubiak, whose six-year playoff drought is the longest among active NFL head coaches. In preseason, Texans owner Bob McNair said, “I expect us to not only make the playoffs but to go far into the playoffs.”

And that statement was made before longtime division powerhouse Indianapolis lost franchise quarterback Peyton Manning.

With the Colts buried at 0-8, the Texans are 5-3 and hold a half-game lead on Tennessee in the AFC South.

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HOUSTON (AP)—The Houston Texans released running back Steve Slaton(notes) on
Tuesday and signed Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) from the practice squad.

The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Slaton was a third-round pick in 2008 and was the
NFL’s top rookie rusher with 1,282 yards. He rushed for 437 yards but fumbled
seven times in 2009 and was placed on injured reserve after 11 games. He had
neck surgery after the season, and never regained his form.

Arian Foster(notes) emerged in 2010, and Slaton was relegated to backup duty and
returning kicks. Foster has been limited by a left hamstring strain early this
season, and 2010 second-round pick Ben Tate(notes) topped 100 yards rushing in
Houston’s first two games. Slaton has only seven carries for 20 yards this
season.

Houston coach Gary Kubiak said Monday that he’s optimistic that Foster will
be ready when Houston (2-1) plays Pittsburgh (2-1) on Sunday.

Foster, the NFL’s leading rusher last season, has been inactive for two of
Houston’s first three games.

“I hope he’s full-go,” Kubiak said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit to
get back on the field full-time and we’ll sit there and watch how he works and
hopefully everything’s full speed.”

The 6-foot, 220-pound Ogbonnaya was the Texans’ leading rusher in the
preseason and the only running back who avoided an injury during training camp.
A former Texas star, Ogbonnaya was a seventh-round draft pick by St. Louis in
2009, then was cut last September.

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HOUSTON — The Houston Texans released running back Steve Slaton on Tuesday and signed Chris Ogbonnaya from the practice squad.

The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Slaton was a third-round pick in 2008 and was the NFL’s top rookie rusher with 1,282 yards. He rushed for 437 yards but fumbled seven times in 2009 and was placed on injured reserve after 11 games. He had neck surgery after the season, and never regained his form.

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RICHMOND, Texas (AP)—A man who apparently drowned in the swimming pool
behind the home of Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith wasn’t affiliated
with the team, authorities said.

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Capt. James Burger said the body of Engram Lamar
Crenshaw, 37, of Katy, was discovered on Sunday morning, following a party at
Smith’s ranch-style home in a suburb about 30 miles southwest of the city.

Burger said Crenshaw was a personal friend of Smith.

Police and paramedics were called to Smith’s home about 9:30 a.m. and found
a fully clothed man at the bottom of the pool. Burger said a preliminary
examination of the body showed no signs of foul play, but he also said
authorities were still piecing together the specific details of his death.

“He was not dressed to be swimming in the pool, I can say that,” Burger
said.

An autopsy will be performed on Monday in Galveston County. Burger expects
results from toxicology tests to come back in about three weeks.

Burger said about 100 people, including “4 or 5” other Texans players,
attended Smith’s party on Saturday night. Burger said no Houston coaches or
other staff members were there.

Witnesses told police that Crenshaw was last seen by party guests near the
pool about 2 a.m.

“Apparently, he stayed out there by himself,” Burger said. “In the
morning, when people woke up and went outside, they discovered him in the
pool.”

The Texans open the regular season against Indianapolis on Sunday.

“We are aware of the situation,” general manager Rick Smith said in a
statement Sunday. “We are gathering facts and have no further comment at this
time.”

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Smith is about to start his eighth season, and third
with the Texans. He’s started 31 of 32 games for Houston since signing with the
team as a free agent before the 2009 season. Smith was originally a fifth-round
pick by Arizona in the 2004 draft out of Oklahoma State.

Burger said no charges have been filed in Crenshaw’s death.

“It doesn’t appear that there’s been any crime here,” Burger said.

Gotta run!.

By Daniel Charles

– Staff Writer

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Sep 1, 2011 – With a 28-0 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston Texans have ended their 2011 preseason schedule with a 3-1 record and now wait until the regular season opener on September 11th.

The defeat or score is nothing to fret about as no Texans starter was active for tonight’s game. The game was played by all the reserve players as they battled for spots on the 53-man roster as the Texans seem set on their starting units.

The stars of the night, if you gave out such a fake award in a meaningless preseason game, had to be back-up quarterback Matt Leinart and battling-for-a-roster-spot tight end Garrett Graham. Leinart had his best game of the preseason as he went 13-of-16 for 145 yards while Graham likely cemented his spot ahead of Anthony Hill with six catches for 71 yards.

Another Texan-hopeful who played well enough to likely clinch a roster spot was recently signed veteran wide receiver Bryant Johnson who was the beneficiary of a weak battle for receivers four and five. Johnson, signed on August 30th, had three catches for 64 yards and was Leinart’s favorite target in the Metrodome.

A curious story to watch this weekend will be fourth string running back, and former Texas Longhorn, Chris Ogbonnaya. With Steve Slaton not playing again and rumored to be one of the 27 cuts this weekend, Ogbonnaya entered the game with a shot at stealing a spot. Sixty-two rushing yards and 4.4 yards-per-carry later, Ogbonnaya has at least given himself a shot at making an NFL roster this season, but no one’s sure if that’s Houston’s 53-man group or someone else’s.

Defensively, the back-ups could work on tackling drills as they could not wrap up and bring down Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder at all. Ponder ran for 61 yards in the first half as the Texans did their best to make him seem like Mike Vick.

Roster hopeful outside linebacker Bryan Braman did have a sack, to bring Houston’s preseason total to 15, and a special teams tackle to bolster his chances of hearing good news this weekend. I’d be remissed if I didn’t mention defensive end Damione Lewis, inside linebacker Xavier Adibi, and defensive end Tim Jamison as having good games. Lewis and Adibi made some good tackles along the line of scrimmage while Jamison, who had a consistent and strong preseason, showed his ability to get penetration and disrupt plays in the backfield.

Overall, the game gave head coach Gary Kubiak and company game tape that they will breakdown and help make their final few decisions. Stay tuned to Battle Red Blog and SB Nation Houston for all your roster moves before everyone’s attention turns to the Indianapolis Colts and the 2011 regular season opener.

Read More: 2011 nfl preseason, preseason scores, preseason results, houston texans preseason, houston texans news, houston texans notes, houston texans recap, texans vikings, houston texans preseason schedule, Bryant Johnson (WR – HOU), Matt Leinart (QB – HOU), Damione Lewis (DT – HOU), Xavier Adibi (LB – HOU), Steve Slaton (RB – HOU), Anthony Hill (TE – HOU), Chris Ogbonnaya (RB – HOU), Tim Jamison (DE – HOU), Garrett Graham (TE – HOU), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Bryan Braman (LB – HOU), Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings, Sep 1, 2011 7:00 PM CDT

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HOUSTON (AP)—A week into training camp, some of the Houston Texans’ stars
are already ailing.

Running back Arian Foster(notes) (hamstring), receiver Andre Johnson(notes) (dislocated
finger) and linebacker Brian Cushing(notes) (knee) sat out Saturday’s practices, though
all three are expected back by the end of next week.

Johnson hurt his left index finger on Tuesday, the Texans’ second day of
practice. Coach Gary Kubiak said Johnson is also one of several players who’s
been sick in recent days. Foster pulled his left hamstring on Friday, and
Cushing has been out all week while recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Kubiak said Saturday that Johnson may return to practice on Sunday, and
Foster will definitely miss “a few days.” Kubiak is hoping that Cushing
returns by the middle of next week.

“I think, offensively, we’re behind right now,” Kubiak said. “We’re
missing some guys. We don’t have Andre at practice. Arian doesn’t practice. This
game’s not easy. You’ve got to be out there for us to get better.”

Foster was the NFL’s leading rusher last season (1,616 yards). He downplayed
the severity of his injury, and happily mingled with fans after Saturday’s
workout, which was open to the public.

“I think any time you have a hamstring injury, you have to rest it,”
Foster said. “That’s the only thing that can heal it. So that’s what we’re
doing right now.”

Foster, an undrafted free agent in 2009, pulled a hamstring just before the
Senior Bowl, and tweaked it in his rookie season with Houston. He’s not nearly
as concerned this time.

“Knee injuries are frightening,” Foster said. “Hamstrings are part of the
business.”

The temperature has hovered in the upper 90s with high humidity in Houston
most of the week, but despite the health issues, the Texans practiced for more
than two hours on Saturday.

Tight end Owen Daniels(notes) was back on the field after sitting out practice
Friday with an illness. Running back Derrick Ward(notes) left Saturday morning’s
practice because of exhaustion, and guard Kasey Studdard(notes) is now sick and sat out
the afternoon session.

Kubiak didn’t think that the illnesses were related to the heat.

“There have actually been some other people in the organization with the
same issue, and they haven’t been out there practicing,” Kubiak said. “I think
it’s just something we have to deal with; it’s always something. But that’s
their job, to figure out a way to deal with it.”

Kubiak said the upside of having starters sidelined is evaluating what the
younger players can do.

Steve Slaton(notes), Ben Tate(notes) and Chris Ogbonnaya(notes) took most of the carries in team
drills on Saturday. Slaton has disappointed since a solid rookie season in 2008,
and 2010 second-round draft pick Tate is back after breaking his right ankle in
Houston’s first preseason game and missing last season. Ogbonnaya, a former
Texas star, was signed to the Texans’ practice squad last September.

“Steve’s practicing well,” Kubiak said. “Ogbonnaya is really making a
push to make this team and, to me, Tate—that’s as good as Tate has practiced
around here. Our guys need to know that, and I told them, `Hey, we’ve got
problems. Whoever lines up at running back for us is going to play good and they
did that today.”

The Texans open the preseason against the New York Jets on Aug. 15, and
Kubiak hasn’t started to assess who will play and for how long. He said the
lockout has compressed the timeframe on those decisions.

“We’ll probably be sitting up here Saturday night, having a pow-wow, `OK,
we think this guy is ready to go, is that guy ready to go?” he said. “It’s
another interesting situation than what we’ve dealt with in the past. The key is
that we’re ready Sept. 11 (the season opener against Indianapolis), that’s the
most important thing, so we’ve got to do right by all those players.”

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