Although the Texans play their first preseason game Saturday at Carolina, coach Gary Kubiak said the team won't begin preparing for the Panthers until Wednesday afternoon. For now, the team continues to work on itself.
“We kind of implemented a couple more phases of the game [Tuesday],” Kubiak said. “We call it four-minute situations where we’re trying to kill the clock, end the game, close the game out. Got a little sloppy there offensively, handled it pretty good defensively. You know, just continuing to work on ourselves right now. We’ll go one more morning on ourselves."
Beginning Wednesday, Kubiak will start readying his younger players for Saturday.
“We’re going to play a lot of people,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate, we’ve got some nicks. Everybody does, but our guys are going to be back so we got to make sure that happens the right way. But it’s time to start putting the pieces together and find out who can help us. We got to go find five or six players that can help our football team this year just like we did last year. So, it’s time to go start getting that done.”
Quick Hits
- Kubiak said guards Brandon Brooks and Shelley Smith are pushing Antoine Caldwell for starting RG. Rashad Butler and Derek Newton continue to battle for the RT spot. “It’s going to be a tough call,” Kubiak said. “I couldn’t make that call today, I’ll tell you that. But I think they’re all holding their own, and we’ll see how they handle the bright lights when we start playing and how we do.”
- Kubiak again reiterated that rookie WRs DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin, along with second-year receiver Lestar Jean, will have to play well for the Texans to be successful. “So those guys will have to grow up for us real quick,” Kubiak said. “How they play in the preseason to me says a lot about how they’re going to play for us once we get going. So, it’s very, very important for them and the team.”
- Second-year CB Brandon Harris is playing well in camp. “Brandon’s had a lot of great progress,” Kubiak said. “He struggled in OTAs. He struggled a little bit last year. Then about the last four days of OTAs, a light when on. He practiced better. He has been the same guy since he came back, so that’s impressive. He made a big play [Tuesday] in the red zone. He’s acting like a second-year guy.”
- The preseason praise for LB Bradie James keeps coming. “Well, he’s a leader,” Kubiak said. “He’s a true pro. Handles himself unbelievable, great condition for a guy that’s played as long as he has. He’s in great condition, understands our defense to a T, he’s been with [defensive coordinator] Wade [Phillips], so he gives us a chance to continue moving forward defensively.”
- LB Connor Barwin has been impressed with rookie Whitney Mercilus. “He’s going to contribute from week one in the pass rush, that’s for sure,” Barwin said. “He’s going to give us depth that we didn’t have last year right away, which should help me, should help Brooks [Reed] and obviously is going to put him in a good situation.”
