Nov 12th 2008 4:30PM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Coaching, NFL RumorsWith the home destruction of the Texans by the Ravens last Sunday, and only three wins to their name this year, head coach Gary Kubiak has been catching some heat in the Houston media. The players don’t want to hear it and can’t be any stronger in their support of Kubiak.

Texans defensive coordinator, Richard Smith isn’t getting similar support. Texans DB Dunta Robinson couldn’t say enough positive things about Kubiak but when asked about the heat that Smith was getting he shrugged his shoulders and responded:
It is what it is. As players, we’re going to go back and we’re going to go out and work hard and practice hard and get the job done.
The Texans are usually very good about keeping their dirty laundry in-house, but when Robinson isn’t supporting you publicly, that’s usually the beginning of the end for a coach. Though he did also say that the players aren’t going to be throwing the coaches under the bus.Continue Reading

Nov 11th 2008 4:15PM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Ravens, Texans, NFL FansThis season, FanHouse writers take their cameras to NFL stadiums to document what happens when you stop being polite and start getting real. Or something. We’ve cleverly titled it “FanHouse in the Stands.”

As I mentioned before, I am one of those people who wears a ton a fan gear to NFL games. It’s not everybody’s deal, but I have a lot of fun with my way to support the team. However, wearing elaborate game attire has its perils.

Like for instance, what happens if you get in a car wreck after the game?

Not only did I see my favo team get destroyed, but my car got rear-ended in stop-and-go traffic by another car who got rear-ended by another car. This mashed up picture is of the second car.

Fortunately none of us were hurt, my car didn’t seem to have bad damage (waiting for an estimate), and everybody was cool about pulling off the freeway and exchanging insurance info. But you know, you really don’t want to be standing on the side of the road waiting for the police to arrive dressed like this ….Continue Reading

Nov 10th 2008 2:05AM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Ravens, Texans, AFC North, AFC SouthThe Ravens-Texans game was relatively close at the half, with the Ravens leading 12-6. Then after the half, the Texans defense allowed the Ravens a 5:44 scoring drive, and then the Texan offense and defense lost their collective minds..

In a game where minimizing turnovers was seen as the key, Texans backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels, playing for an injured Matt Schaub, managed to throw four interceptions. As Steve Slaton fantasy owners might intuit, Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn’t do Rosenfels any favors by having no patience with the run at all. He had 4 attempts. (Those same owners might be angry about a 58 yard TD to Slaton that was nullified by a touchy holding call away from the play).

The Ravens offense was able to move the ball at will, with both the run and the pass, and really were only stopped when they made mistakes or penalties. TE Todd Heap and RB Willis McGahee had huge games with two touchdowns for each. Rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco played for the most part, a very poised game.

The Texans defense continues to give up big plays where key players like Heap, have no one guarding them. It is a interesting scheme that Texans defensive coordinator Richard Smith runs.

And when I say “interesting,” I mean, very enjoyable to the fans of opposing teams or those who have fantasy starters going against the Texan defense. Houston fans would find it interesting to give Smith the Homer Stokes’ treatment (as seen at the end of this YouTube).

Nov 8th 2008 11:45AM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Chiefs, Patriots, Texans, Vikings, AFC East, AFC West, NFC North, NFL VideoYou guys remember Tom Brady, right?

Rather talented quarterback for the Patriots. Three-time Super Bowl champion. Holds the single-season record for touchdown passes. Led the Patriots to a 16-0 season last year. Dating Giselle Bunchen.

That guy. You know, the one who blew out his knee in Week One. Even though he isn’t playing again this season, you should be reminded of Brady every time you watch New England play.

If not, just let the game announcers do it for you.

Remember when Brady was hit by the Chiefs’ Bernard Pollard, and even though every New England fan on the planet was crying for the NFL to fine, suspend, ban, or shoot Pollard, the league immediately said Pollard was in the right?

And we here at FanHouse agreed?

I think there’s also a consensus that what Jared Allen did to Matt Schaub wasn’t right. The league Friday announced agreement with that consensus, fining Allen $50,000.

However, a review of video from Pollard’s hit and Allen’s hits could lead you to a different conclusion. View after the jump.Continue Reading

Nov 7th 2008 10:30AM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Ravens, Texans, AFC North, AFC South, NFL InjuriesIn their first drive last week, the Vikings offense scored against the Texans defense in 4 plays. It was a typical start to a Texans game. They have by far worst red zone defense in the league, allowing touchdowns 17 of 25 times for a 81 percent red zone rate. The 213 points the Texans have allowed is 4th most in the AFC.

Football Outsiders currently has the Texans defense ranked 30th (compared to 12th for the offense and 4th for special teams). They ranked the Texans pass defense at 21 and the rush defense last in the league. I believe that most of the pass defense improvement in recent weeks is that teams know the Texans rush defense is garbage, and also they have faced a parade of horrible QBs (Orlowsky, Fitzpatrick, Frerotte).

Hey, but there has been some improvement right? Maybe this young defense is figuring it out? Perhaps if you live in blind optimism land, but this week, a thin defense limited in playmakers has become thinner.Continue Reading

Nov 6th 2008 10:45AM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Texans, Vikings, AFC South, NFC North, NFL Injuries, NFL Vide

Vikings DE Jared Allen is sort of claiming that his two low hits that injured Texans quarterback Matt Schaub’s MCL weren’t cheap shots. A Houston camera man captured him talking to Schaub after the game:
You all right? I didn’t mean to hit you. I didn’t mean to hit your knee like that. I came back (inaudible) falling forward. I was slipping, and I was like (expletive). If it makes you feel better, (Chester) Pitts separated my shoulder.
Talking about it later he explained:
I was actually slipping. I was just going to try to wrap his legs up.
Of course, Allen “slipped” into Schaub’s knee twice. Going helmet first, not using his arms both times. If you haven’t seen it, check out the above video. Under the rules, defensive players are supposed to affirmatively avoid hitting quarterbacks low unless the QB is running.Continue Reading

Nov 5th 2008 12:09PM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Texans, Vikings, AFC South, NFC North, NFL Injuries, NFL Vide

Texan coach Gary Kubiak has submitted three plays to the league relating to Viking defensive end Jared Allen’s play against Houston. Two of those plays are low hits to the quarterback, which are against league rules.

These hits look particularly bad because Allen is not trying to tackle with his arms but is leading with his helmet toward Matt Schaub’s knees. (New video showing both hits above).Continue Reading

Nov 5th 2008 5:00PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Broncos, Texans, AFC South, AFC West, NFC North, NFL Referees

I thought it was a relatively slow weekend when it came to officiating controversies, relative the usual list of twenty calls where everyone thought their favorite team got “screwed.” Sure, the Patriots are whining — which is a shocker — and Matt Schaub was hit low twice by Jared Allen. Overall, though, things went smoothly. Let’s just hit a few things here:

1. Brandon Marshall hit with an offensive pass interference call after a 77 yard would-be-touchdown catch (pictured above right). For guidance here, check out “incident two” from this past Zebra Report. I gave a run down of the philosophies and principles involved in calling pass interference. It should be noted that I said those were for DPI. Offensive players are held to the same standard, as long as both players are playing the ball, because both sides have an equal right to the football.Continue Reading

Nov 4th 2008 5:00PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys, Lions, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Titans, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, Fantasy Football, NFL Draft
With Ray Rice and Tim Hightower announcing their presence with authority this weekend, we are continuing to witness easily the best draft class of running backs in NFL history. No class even comes remotely close to this one, should even half of the guys continue to make good on the potential we’ve seen through just a half season.

You know what that means in fantasy football … lots of possible horses to lock up for their entire career on your keeper league team. You know there are people out there who drafted LaDanian Tomlinson his rookie year and have enjoyed every single season of his production since. Does this year’s draft class sport one of those?Continue Reading

Nov 3rd 2008 9:20PM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Texans, Vikings, AFC South, NFL Injuries, NFL Vide

An MRI this afternoon confirmed that Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has an injured MCL. Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com is reporting that it is an MCL tear, and Schaub will be out for at least four weeks and perhaps will be put on IR. Coach Gary Kubiak didn’t get into any detail in his presser but suggests Schaub will be out 2 to 4 weeks.

Backup Sage Rosenfels will get the start, and he is likely to put up big numbers (and perhaps big interceptions) in Schaub’s absence. Kubiak hasn’t decided who Rosenfels’ backup will be–either practice squader rookie Alex Brink or some guy they work out tomorrow.

The play that got Schaub limping didn’t receive a flag, but it looked like it should have. Vikings DE Jared Allen dove directly into Schaub’s knee, without being blocked into it. The above video shows a couple of different angles of this.Continue Reading