2011 Houston Texans Football ScheduleDate/TimeOpponentResultTicketsSun. 09/11/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Indianapolis Colts Buy
TicketsSun. 09/18/11
3:15 p.m. CT
at Miami Dolphins Buy
TicketsSun. 09/25/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at New Orleans Saints Buy
TicketsSun. 10/02/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Pittsburgh Steelers Buy
TicketsSun. 10/09/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Oakland Raiders Buy
TicketsSun. 10/16/11
3:05 p.m. CT
at Baltimore Ravens Buy
TicketsSun. 10/23/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Tennessee Titans Buy
TicketsSun. 10/30/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Jacksonville Jaguars Buy
TicketsSun. 11/06/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Cleveland Browns Buy
TicketsSun. 11/13/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Buy
TicketsSun. 11/20/11BYE------Sun. 11/27/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Jacksonville Jaguars Buy
TicketsSun. 12/04/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Atlanta Falcons Buy
TicketsSun. 12/11/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Cincinnati Bengals Buy
TicketsSun. 12/18/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Carolina Panthers Buy
TicketsThu. 12/22/11
7:20 p.m. CT
at Indianapolis Colts Buy
TicketsSun. 01/01/12
12:00 p.m. CT
Tennessee Titans Buy
TicketsNote: Game times for weeks 11-17 are subject to change
12:00 p.m. CT
Indianapolis Colts BuyTicketsSun. 09/18/11
3:15 p.m. CT
at Miami Dolphins BuyTicketsSun. 09/25/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at New Orleans Saints BuyTicketsSun. 10/02/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Pittsburgh Steelers BuyTicketsSun. 10/09/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Oakland Raiders BuyTicketsSun. 10/16/11
3:05 p.m. CT
at Baltimore Ravens BuyTicketsSun. 10/23/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Tennessee Titans BuyTicketsSun. 10/30/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Jacksonville Jaguars BuyTicketsSun. 11/06/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Cleveland Browns BuyTicketsSun. 11/13/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers BuyTicketsSun. 11/20/11BYE------Sun. 11/27/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Jacksonville Jaguars BuyTicketsSun. 12/04/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Atlanta Falcons BuyTicketsSun. 12/11/11
12:00 p.m. CT
at Cincinnati Bengals BuyTicketsSun. 12/18/11
12:00 p.m. CT
Carolina Panthers BuyTicketsThu. 12/22/11
7:20 p.m. CT
at Indianapolis Colts BuyTicketsSun. 01/01/12
12:00 p.m. CT
Tennessee Titans BuyTicketsNote: Game times for weeks 11-17 are subject to change
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-abn-garbarini-column-hou-20110816,0,1024526.story
latimes.com
Are the Texans finally ready to take the next step?
Sports Network
10:18 AM PDT, August 16, 2011
Philadelphia, PA
advertisement
With the spotlight of ESPN's first Monday Night Football broadcast of the post-lockout era shining squarely on the New York Jets, a television network's dream for their star power, big-market appeal and the bombastic shtick of ever-quotable head coach Rex Ryan, it may have been easy to forget there was another team also competing in the game.
And a pretty good one, by the way.
For three years now, the Houston Texans have been hailed as an up-and-comer, a team seemingly on the cusp of escaping out of the wallows of mediocrity that it's been engulfed in throughout nine seasons of existence. The refrain has been a familiar one for the NFL's youngest franchise: just when the Texans seem poised to break down the door and achieve success, they stub their toe and have it slammed shut in their face (and no, that reference wasn't meant to be a subtle dig at Ryan's now well-known personal turn-ons).
After closing out the 2008 campaign with a 5-1 flourish, Houston was believed to be primed to give the powerhouse Indianapolis Colts a serious run for their money in the AFC South the following year. The Texans were in contention at midseason, before ultimately being done in by a four-game losing streak from November into early December.
Houston entered last season with similar buildup, but instead took a major step backward in a 6-10 disaster that nearly cost head coach Gary Kubiak his job. This time the Texans couldn't overcome their own deficiencies, as a pushover defense that made Steve Urkel appear imposing in comparison was the primary culprit in the team's demise.
That defensive debacle brought about sweeping changes on that side of the ball for 2011, with the Texans switching to a 3-4 scheme that's now under the direction of veteran coordinator Wade Phillips. Free agents Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning were added to help patch up a secondary that was an absolute sieve last season, while Wisconsin end J.J. Watt headlined a draft class that was noticeably skewed towards young and athletic defenders.
Though it's never wise to read too much into preseason results -- and all Monday's 20-16 win over the two-time AFC Championship Game participants really says is the Texans have better third and fourth-stringers than the Jets -- it was still hard not to come away impressed with the debut performance of Phillips' new-look unit. A pass rush that was sporadic during last year's meltdown was consistently threatening all throughout the evening. There was an evident and contagious energy that was too often lacking from the 2010 model. The coverage was better.
Sure, the Jets were without two starters on the offensive line and had rookie Greg McElroy under center for three quarters of Monday's game, but the seven sacks and 16 quarterback pressures the Texans were credited with were clearly positive signs that a turnaround could indeed be coming.
"That's the thing with this defense, you know," outside linebacker Connor Barwin said afterward. "We're going to blitz, and we're going to try to get after the quarterback as much as we can. And we're not going to do it from one angle - we'll do it from the middle, the left, the right, both inside and outside."
So with a new attitude and an encouraging showing now on record, the question once again will be raised. Could this be the Texans' year?
Well, there's certainly a lot to like about this Houston squad. The offense, which features two elite playmakers in All-Pro wideout Andre Johnson and 2010 rushing champion Arian Foster and a quality quarterback in Matt Schaub, was already playoff-caliber. There's continuity thanks to owner Bob McNair's smart decision to retain Kubiak and not start from scratch in an offseason that was significantly wiped away by the lockout. Say what you will about Phillips' credentials as a head coach after his famous flop in Dallas, but there's no denying the man knows how to run a defense.
It's not as if the cupboard was bare on the defensive end to begin with, either. Three of the four linebackers (Mario Williams, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans) in the new 3-4 arrangement have been to Pro Bowls. And by all accounts, Watt has been the real deal as a prototype two-gap end.
As long as Peyton Manning's still around, the Colts have to be considered the favorites in the AFC South. But they're a vulnerable one, with Manning coming off his second neck surgery in 15 months and the team handcuffed somewhat by depth and salary cap issues. And considering that five of Houston's 10 losses in 2010 came by a touchdown or less -- three of which were decided in either overtime or the final seconds of regulation -- the gap may not be as wide as one might think..
-
latimes.com
Are the Texans finally ready to take the next step?
Sports Network
10:18 AM PDT, August 16, 2011
Philadelphia, PA
advertisement
With the spotlight of ESPN's first Monday Night Football broadcast of the post-lockout era shining squarely on the New York Jets, a television network's dream for their star power, big-market appeal and the bombastic shtick of ever-quotable head coach Rex Ryan, it may have been easy to forget there was another team also competing in the game.
And a pretty good one, by the way.
For three years now, the Houston Texans have been hailed as an up-and-comer, a team seemingly on the cusp of escaping out of the wallows of mediocrity that it's been engulfed in throughout nine seasons of existence. The refrain has been a familiar one for the NFL's youngest franchise: just when the Texans seem poised to break down the door and achieve success, they stub their toe and have it slammed shut in their face (and no, that reference wasn't meant to be a subtle dig at Ryan's now well-known personal turn-ons).
After closing out the 2008 campaign with a 5-1 flourish, Houston was believed to be primed to give the powerhouse Indianapolis Colts a serious run for their money in the AFC South the following year. The Texans were in contention at midseason, before ultimately being done in by a four-game losing streak from November into early December.
Houston entered last season with similar buildup, but instead took a major step backward in a 6-10 disaster that nearly cost head coach Gary Kubiak his job. This time the Texans couldn't overcome their own deficiencies, as a pushover defense that made Steve Urkel appear imposing in comparison was the primary culprit in the team's demise.
That defensive debacle brought about sweeping changes on that side of the ball for 2011, with the Texans switching to a 3-4 scheme that's now under the direction of veteran coordinator Wade Phillips. Free agents Johnathan Joseph and Danieal Manning were added to help patch up a secondary that was an absolute sieve last season, while Wisconsin end J.J. Watt headlined a draft class that was noticeably skewed towards young and athletic defenders.
Though it's never wise to read too much into preseason results -- and all Monday's 20-16 win over the two-time AFC Championship Game participants really says is the Texans have better third and fourth-stringers than the Jets -- it was still hard not to come away impressed with the debut performance of Phillips' new-look unit. A pass rush that was sporadic during last year's meltdown was consistently threatening all throughout the evening. There was an evident and contagious energy that was too often lacking from the 2010 model. The coverage was better.
Sure, the Jets were without two starters on the offensive line and had rookie Greg McElroy under center for three quarters of Monday's game, but the seven sacks and 16 quarterback pressures the Texans were credited with were clearly positive signs that a turnaround could indeed be coming.
"That's the thing with this defense, you know," outside linebacker Connor Barwin said afterward. "We're going to blitz, and we're going to try to get after the quarterback as much as we can. And we're not going to do it from one angle - we'll do it from the middle, the left, the right, both inside and outside."
So with a new attitude and an encouraging showing now on record, the question once again will be raised. Could this be the Texans' year?
Well, there's certainly a lot to like about this Houston squad. The offense, which features two elite playmakers in All-Pro wideout Andre Johnson and 2010 rushing champion Arian Foster and a quality quarterback in Matt Schaub, was already playoff-caliber. There's continuity thanks to owner Bob McNair's smart decision to retain Kubiak and not start from scratch in an offseason that was significantly wiped away by the lockout. Say what you will about Phillips' credentials as a head coach after his famous flop in Dallas, but there's no denying the man knows how to run a defense.
It's not as if the cupboard was bare on the defensive end to begin with, either. Three of the four linebackers (Mario Williams, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans) in the new 3-4 arrangement have been to Pro Bowls. And by all accounts, Watt has been the real deal as a prototype two-gap end.
As long as Peyton Manning's still around, the Colts have to be considered the favorites in the AFC South. But they're a vulnerable one, with Manning coming off his second neck surgery in 15 months and the team handcuffed somewhat by depth and salary cap issues. And considering that five of Houston's 10 losses in 2010 came by a touchdown or less -- three of which were decided in either overtime or the final seconds of regulation -- the gap may not be as wide as one might think..
-
Schaub has ‘significant foot injury’; Leinart to start at Jax
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexan...nificant-foot-injury-leinart-to-start-at-jax/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexan...nificant-foot-injury-leinart-to-start-at-jax/
Schaub has ‘significant foot injury’; Leinart to start at Jax
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexan...nificant-foot-injury-leinart-to-start-at-jax/
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexan...nificant-foot-injury-leinart-to-start-at-jax/
