Most Viewed Stories
AFC South Preview Capsules: Texans set high expectations for 2010
HOUSTON (AP) — The walls of the Houston Texans' main meeting room are decorated with action photos of the team's current stars and lists of their individual accolades.
There's receiver Andre Johnson, a two-time All-Pro. And defensive end Mario Williams, who's played in the last two Pro Bowls. And linebacker Brian Cushing, last season's defensive rookie of the year. And quarterback Matt Schaub, the most valuable player of the last Pro Bowl.
The trick now is turning the individual achievements into team success.
Houston went 9-7 last year, its first winning record, but one victory short of the franchise's first trip to the playoffs. Heading into their ninth season, the Texans have their deepest, most talented roster and anything less than a postseason berth will qualify as another disappointment.
"The expectation for the organization is to win a championship," said Coach Gary Kubiak, entering his fifth season. "That can't get done until we win the AFC South or make the playoffs, so we've got to stay focused on those two things and that will be our goal. But we've got to understand the work that has to come to accomplish those goals."
The Texans' offense ranked fourth in the league last season (383 yards per game), carried mostly by the NFL's top passing attack (291 yards per game).
Schaub led the NFL in passing yards (4,770) and Andre Johnson topped 1,500 receiving yards for the second straight season, the only receiver other than Jerry Rice to accomplish the feat. Schaub also ranked among the top seven in completion percentage (67.9), touchdown passes (29) and passer rating (98.6).
The Texans need to find a running game to complement the aerial efficiency.
Houston ranked 30th in rushing (92.2 yards per game) in 2009, and their anemic ground attack cost them late in games last season.
Kubiak hired Rick Dennison after offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan left to join his father, Mike, in Washington. Dennison brings a reputation as a running game guru after coaching either the offensive line or the entire offense in Denver from 2001-09. The Broncos ranked second in rushing over that span (135 yards per game).
Last season, Houston went through four running backs — Steve Slaton, Ryan Moats, Chris Brown and Arian Foster — and there's an ongoing competition for the starting role at training camp.
Foster emerged in the final two games in 2009, rushing for 218 yards, and he's started the first two preseason games. Slaton, who missed the last five games of last season with a neck injury, is Foster's main challenger for the job if he can prove that he can hang on to the ball. He fumbled seven times in 2009 and dropped another one in Houston's first preseason game.
Veteran Chris Henry and second-year pro Jeremiah Johnson are also taking reps at running back. Second-round draft pick Ben Tate was lost for the season when he broke his ankle in the preseason opener.
"We've got a young group of backs who are going to have to play well and maybe play above and beyond the call of duty," Kubiak said. "There is a lot being expected of them."
Injuries along the offensive line contributed to the sputtering ground game in 2009. Guards Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel sustained early, season-ending setbacks and the coaches are evaluating several interior linemen during training camp to solidify the line.
"It's just a matter of consistency," Dennison said. "Everyone just needs to do their job, be accountable and understand what we're trying to do. That goes for the running backs, the line, everybody."
The closest position duel at training camp may be between kickers Kris Brown and Neil Rackers. Brown is the last Texan remaining from the team's inaugural 2002 season, but he missed 11 field-goal tries last year, including two in the closing seconds of key divisional games.
Houston signed the free agent Rackers in the offseason, and Kubiak said midway through training camp that the competition is dead-even. Rackers hit a 52-yard field goal and Brown booted a 43-yarder in Saturday's preseason game in New Orleans.
"The mindset for Kris and I just has to be, you just do your best," said Rackers, who was 16-for-17 on field goal attempts for Arizona last season. "You do what you do and what's made you successful in this league, and make the Texans make a decision. Who is best for the team is what it boils down to."
Houston's defense will play its first four games without linebacker Brian Cushing, suspended for testing positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the NFL's banned substances list because it is sometimes used to mask steroid use. Cushing was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year after making 134 tackles last season, tied with Ray Lewis for the most in the AFC.
Xavier Adibi and Danny Clark were the frontrunners to take Cushing's place, but both sustained injuries during training camp. That could leave Kubiak to move rookie Darryl Sharpton or special teams captain Kevin Bentley into a starting role, with Zac Diles moving to fill Cushing's spot.
Mario Williams returns to anchor the defensive line. Houston's defense ranked 11th against the run (106.9 yards per game), but rushing the passer will be more imperative this season with an inexperienced secondary.
First-round pick Kareem Jackson replaces veteran Dunta Robinson on one corner and second-year pro Glover Quin handles the other. Safety Bernard Pollard played well last year after joining the Texans a month into the season.
Colts' short memory could be useful in 2010
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Colts are reverting to their short-term memory these days.
The record-setting winning streak? History. Peyton Manning's personal stash of MVP Awards? Safely packed away. That incredible run of seven straight 12-win seasons, eight consecutive playoff appearances, a shot at perfection and last year's Super Bowl run?
Forget about it, fans, the players and coaches already have.
"One thing we've always done, whether finishing on top or finishing short, is to put the previous season behind us," Manning said. "We are just going to keep trying to do things the right way."
There's no reason to change now.
Players and coaches often explain they couldn't have won six division crowns, two AFC championships, a Super Bowl title and a league record 115 games over the last decade by constantly reliving their accomplishments or failures.
So, to nobody's surprise, the Colts have reverted to their old form six months after the stinging Super Bowl defeat.
"It's just a loss," coach Jim Caldwell said. "We've had our joyous moments and some where we're not real happy, but you can't linger on it. We're looking ahead. It's a new year, a new season and obviously our future is bright."
Few conference champs in the salary-cap era have been as well-positioned to bounce back as Indy.
The 34-year-old Manning has shown no signs of decline. He's coming off a record fourth MVP season, a career-best completion percentage (68.8) and his highest TD total (33) since breaking Dan Marino's league record in 2004.
And, if the Colts are healthy, Manning just might have the best supporting cast of his 13-year career.
He has four experienced receivers — Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne, 2007 first-round pick Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Tight end Dallas Clark is coming off his first Pro Bowl season, and Clark's backups, Jacob Tamme and Brody Eldridge, have stood out during the preseason.
"It's got to be the best in the league," Clark said when asked to describe Indy's receiving corps. "There are a lot of guys that can make a lot of big plays at any point. There are a lot of good threats and everyone has a different tangible they bring. On paper they look good, but like anything else you have to go out and prove it."
The Colts also spent a second straight summer trying to improve their stagnant ground game.
Four of the five offensive line starters return, though left tackle Charlie Johnson (foot) and Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday (knee) missed most of training camp with injuries. Saturday is expected to return by early September. The Colts have not said how much longer Johnson will be out.
To help running backs Joseph Addai and Donald Brown, the Colts brought in some bigger linemen through free agency and the draft — with mixed results. In the first preseason game, the Colts again struggled to run the ball. Last week, however, the Colts averaged 4.7 yards per carry, a significant improvement.
And with 10 of 11 starters back, the biggest change will be the most significant coaching transition of Manning's career. Clyde Christensen has replaced longtime offensive coordinator Tom Moore as the play-caller, and Pete Metzelaars has replaced the retired Howard Mudd as offensive line coach.
How much will things change?
"I don't think much," said Christensen, who hasn't been in charge of an offense since 2001 in Tampa Bay. "There will be some tweaking, but we tweak things every single year. So basically, it's the same offense."
That's not good news for defensive coordinators.
But in Indy, where offense has always gotten top billing, the defense is evolving.
Owner Jim Irsay re-signed linebacker Gary Brackett and safety Antoine Bethea to big offseason deals and has now committed $242.5 million to six defensive players. Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders are healthy, and recently-signed free agent Deshea Townsend gives Indy 13 defensive players with Super Bowl starts.
With five rookie draft picks, including pass rush specialist Jerry Hughes, it could be the best defense of the Manning era, too.
"I think that there are guys who have really proved themselves and have done a great job stepping in in my place," said Sanders, who missed all but two games last season. "Last year was a great year. It did not end the way they wanted it to, but the guys did great things."
The Colts aren't look back, though.
With a second year in Larry Coyer's defense, the experience of Collie and Garcon and the addition of another crop of promising talent, well, the Colts believe they can start this decade the same way they finished the last one — with one exception.
"I won't say we are going to work harder because we've always worked hard. I think saying work harder means saying you didn't work hard enough," Manning said. "But we are going to keep working and hopefully we are going to take it one step further this year."
-- Michael Marot
Fast start absolute must for Titans after 0-6 woes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Titans have had trouble with consistency the last two years. Tennessee has started fast and fizzled, then stumbled woefully out the gate before finishing strong.
Tennessee opened the 2008 season winning its first 10 games only to blow home-field advantage with a playoff loss. The Titans followed up with an 0-6 start, but did make NFL history — becoming the first team to finish .500 after such a bad start (the team went 10-2 after its winless streak).
Now they need to put two good halves together — start fast and finish strong.
Defensive tackle Tony Brown said he's seen players committed to returning to what he called "Titans football" since the offseason started back in March.
"The sky's the limit for this team," Brown said. "Right now we don't want to talk about playoffs or Super Bowl ... we know we have a pretty good team. We just have to go out and display it."
Coach Jeff Fisher, entering his league-leading 16th straight season with this team, says what the Titans have to do is simple.
"We need to get off to a good start this year," Fisher said.
That's why Fisher tweaked his training camp schedule yet again, putting his team on the field any time from at high-noon to sessions under the lights at night. The Titans are putting in extra study time on some opponents, too, including the Oakland Raiders before the season opener Sept. 12.
They also got younger, letting four starters leave including key leaders in center Kevin Mawae, linebacker Keith Bulluck and end Kyle Vanden Bosch. Tennessee now has 10 players in camp 30 years or older including kicker Rob Bironas (32) and backup quarterback Kerry Collins (37). Fullback Ahmard Hall (30) and Bironas are the only starters in that group.
It won't be easy. The Titans go into the season tied with Houston for the league's toughest schedule based on opponents' winning percentage in 2009 at .547.
"It's all about us," Vince Young said. "We've got to go out and take care of our responsibilities."
Young is back as the starter after coming off the bench to oversee that winning finish and improving to 26-13 as a starter. The Titans also have Chris Johnson, the NFL Offensive Player of the Year back looking to become the first in league history to string together consecutive 2,000-yard rushing seasons in his quest for Eric Dickerson's league rushing record.
Together, Johnson and Young helped the Titans rank second in the NFL in averaging 162 yards per game. Young had his best passer rating yet at 82.8, and receivers Nate Washington and Kenny Britt are much more comfortable in their second season with this team.
"We feel like we're equipped at those positions to score points," Fisher said. "We're didn't set our goals to go out and win 13-10. We want to increase our points per game. At the same time, we gave up way too many points per game last year. We need to improve both those areas."
This is the first time since 2007 that Fisher has had both his coordinators back from the previous season, and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger has worked all offseason to rev up a unit that averaged 27 points per game with Young at starter. Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil's challenge is bigger, replacing three starters and improving the defense against the pass.
The Titans gave up 258.7 yards passing per game, a figure inflated by a 59-0 loss at New England.
But Tennessee drafted end Derrick Morgan, signed Brown to a new deal and brought in free agent ends Jason Babin and Raheem Brock. With tackle Jason Jones healed up from a shoulder injury that ended his 2009 season and promising Sen'Derrick Marks, the Titans hope to help their secondary with more quarterback pressures and sacks.
"If we can get back to where we were with JJ and the guys rushing up front, which it looks like they'll be fine with the rotation, it's certainly going to improve it," Fisher said.
The Titans do get one break from the schedule. Three of the first four games are at home, which should help avoid a sluggish start. Three of the final five are at home including a tough four-day stretch with visits from Jacksonville and defending AFC champ Indianapolis.
"Just so we don't start out like we did last year," receiver Justin Gage said.
-- Teresa M. Walker
Jags want to end blackouts, playoff drought
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — David Garrard has heard all the scenarios: His job is on the line. Coach Jack Del Rio is on the hot seat. The Jacksonville Jaguars are at a crossroads.
Garrard understands them all. He even agrees.
"This is definitely a pivotal year for everybody, not just myself," Garrard said.
Indeed. The Jaguars are entering arguably the most important season in franchise history, with more blackouts looming, the futures of Garrard and Del Rio at stake, and owner Wayne Weaver and commissioner Roger Goodell evaluating Jacksonville's viability as an NFL market.
The Jaguars finished 7-9 last season and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in the last decade. They dropped their final four games, faded from postseason contention and spent the year serving as the poster child for slumping ticket sales.
Jacksonville was blacked out for nine of 10 home games, prompting Weaver and Goodell to offer critical assessments of the team's fan support. Weaver insists the franchise will turn things around — on the field and in the stands. He envisions several sellouts and a postseason appearance.
If not, Garrard and Del Rio could be scapegoats.
Weaver questioned Garrard's leadership skills in January, days after Del Rio said the 32-year-old starter was in the "middle tier of quarterbacks in the league."
Garrard has thrown 30 touchdown passes and 23 interception the last two years, been sacked 84 times and knocked down way more often. His toughness has never been in doubt, but his ability to read defenses and get the ball to open receivers have been the team's main concerns.
Garrard should have better protection this season, considering bookend tackle Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton have a year of experience. The rest could be up to him.
"You're not going to play quarterback in the NFL and be scared to take some of the pressure and take some of the load that comes with it," Garrard said.
Jacksonville ranked 18th in the league in total offense and 24th in scoring, well behind AFC South rivals Indianapolis, Houston and Tennessee.
The team's defense was even worse. The Jaguars ranked near the bottom of the league in just about every defensive category. They finished with a franchise-low 14 sacks and allowed three of the best passing performances in NFL history (Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady).
It was an embarrassing effort that led general manager Gene Smith to overhaul the defense and left many wondering how long Weaver would stick with Del Rio, who has one playoff win in seven seasons.
Weaver kept Del Rio, and the front office focused on revamping the defense. The Jaguars signed proven pass rusher Aaron Kampman, traded for veteran linebacker Kirk Morrison and used their first four draft picks on defensive linemen.
They also parted ways with two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson and fellow aging linemen Rob Meier and Reggie Hayward.
The moves made the Jaguars younger and more athletic. But will they be better?
"It's not important to try and talk it," Del Rio said. "It's most important that we get out here and get to work on doing it. There are a lot of things we have to do better. A lot of them have been regurgitated so many times this offseason that I'm frankly getting tired of looking at them. But it is what it is because it's what it was. But what it was is not what it will be going forward."
Weaver is looking for a similar turnaround at gate.
There have been some positive signs: The Jaguars sold naming rights to the stadium for the first time in three years, sold naming right to the practice fields and have just a few thousand season tickets remaining to avoid more blackouts.
Weaver insists he has no plans to sell or move the team. But he also realizes attendance has to improve to keep the franchise viable in one of the league's smallest markets.
"I think we're going to get there and we're going to erase the word 'blackout' in our community," Weaver said.
Goodell has expressed support for Jacksonville, but hinted that fans need to do more to keep the team in town.
"This is a great opportunity for this community to demonstrate their passion for this team and their passion for football," Goodell said earlier this month. "We want this team to be successful and we want it to be here. We just want to make sure that we're playing in front of large audiences and hopefully sold-out audiences because that's what we do expect in the NFL."
Weaver, Del Rio and others believe fans will show up if the team wins. That remains to be seen, though, considering Jacksonville blacked out several games last year despite being in the playoff hunt.
Players, meanwhile, are modeling their season after New Orleans. The Saints were out of the postseason picture for two years before turning things around and winning their first Super Bowl.
"I look at this team and say, 'Why can't we be the New Orleans Saints of the 2010 season?'" Morrison said. "Why can't we? We have everything that kind of lines up. We have position players that can get the job done. We have a defense that is hungry. We're ready to go. I see it in everybody's eyes.
"I don't know what happened at the end of last year, but I know what's going to happen this year."
-- Mark Long
