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Houston Texans open training campBy ELWYN HENDERSON The Houston Texans began their 2008 training camp workouts Friday, July 25, at the Harris Methodist Training facility and fields adjacent to Reliant Stadium in Houston for what is already a season of firsts, and they hope to add another first at the end of the regular season. For the first time in team history, Ore City native and former team punter Chad Stanley isn’t on the field competing to make the roster. He was beaten out last year by veteran NFL punter Matt Turk. Another first, not just for the Texans, but all NFL teams this year, there are only 80 players allowed in training camp. That greatly limits the amount and intensity of work a team can put on players, mainly due to potential injury. Due to this new rule, Houston has only one punter, Turk, and one kicker, Southlake Carroll native Kris Brown, in camp. Should an injury occur to either, it might be hard to find a suitable backup for either of these two critical positions. The other first is this team FINALLY has the pieces in place to make a legitimate run for a playoff position at the end of the season. Between free agent signings and this April’s draft, overall team speed has increased a lot, and there is a quiet confidence that the first .500 season in 2007 will now result in the next step in 2008. There is also no doubt that Texans owner Bob McNair EXPECTS a playoff team this year. “We’ve just been so close and those that are close to the team knew we were close. From those who weren’t that close it didn’t appear that way but we knew that we were. It boiled down to a few plays between the difference of being 10-6 and 8-8. We’ve just got to improve and our coaching staff understands that. They really work on the mental side of the game. I think we’ve got the physical talent; now we’ve got to have the mental attitude we expect to win. We can’t have anything less than that. They think we’re good enough to win.” As is always the case with any sports team, injuries are concern every year, but McNair figures especially due to the last two seasons, the odds are in his favor this season. “Well, injuries can decimate your season. Yes, you’re very much concerned about that. There’s not much you can do about it, so you just go ahead and try to be as well prepared as you can be. You play with the cards that are dealt. We’ve had an unusually large amount of injuries the last two years. The odds are this year we shouldn’t have that experience and I think that should be a big difference.” Head Coach Gary Kubiak also realizes that his team has had some bad luck when it comes to injuries his first two seasons at the helm, and knows they must remain healthy this year if they are to accomplish their goals. “Well, yeah. We’ve had our share of share of people beat up around here. We have work to do. So, we have to get our reps in. You’re always concerned about the health of your football team, but we also have to get better as a football team. We are going to have guys get nicked up and that’s part of the deal. That will happen. We’ll work through it and we’re going to be a better football team at the end of camp.” As is always the case, the biggest factor regarding the success of any football team is the quarterback’s health and performance. Starting quarterback Matt Schaub had injuries that kept him out for seven games last season, and knows he must remain injury free this year if the team is to accomplish their goal of making the playoffs for the first time in team history. He feels there’s a different feel going into the 2008 campaign. “I was the new guy, so last year the atmosphere was kind of new for me, but you can tell coming in this year, a higher level of energy and getting kicked off because the taste of victory we had last season, you know? With going 8-8, the possibilities of getting even better this season, so the guys are anxious to get back to work and you can definitely see it. I’m more comfortable this year, last year everything was just new for me with moving and everything else that goes on when you’re in transition from one team to another. Now I’m comfortable with my surroundings and everyone that’s around me, my teammates and the coaches and what they ask of me so definitely a lot more comfortable going into this year.” There’s no doubt this team IS better than last year, and probably will make the playoffs IF they can remain healthy. Unfortunately, the past several seasons that has not been the case. You would think, just as owner Bob McNair vocalized, this SHOULD be the year injuries don’t determine the destiny of the team. Texans fans hope that’s the case, and it won’t be long before they will find out if things will be different this season. Players on the team have taken the attitude of “playoffs or bust” this season. Hopefully, it won’t be another bust year, and IF they can make it to the playoffs, the Houston Texans just might be able to surprise some people.    Courtesy Photos / Elwyn Henderson FROM TOP DOWN in photos above from the second day of training camp Saturday, July 26, in Houston are Texans Coach Gary Kubiak, QB Matt Schaub and the WRs led by Andre Johnson. gilmermirror@gmail.com |
