Texans need to rush, On the Show

The two biggest areas of concern for the Texans are rushing the football and rushing the quarterback.

In the offensive backfield, Chris Brown will get the start again with rookie Steve Slaton getting into the mix to get some work with the first team and thus obviously against the first unit of the Dallas Cowboys.

If healthy I'm convinced Brown will see a fair share of touches early in the season, no matter the health status of Ahman Green. For Slaton, who has no concerns about making this team, but this audition is for playing time as early as week one. Let's see if he shows the same burst and explosive ability he displayed against players who aren't going to be big Sunday contributors this year. I'm guessing that he will, watch to see if he's careful with the football and keep an eye on every pass play where he's expected to block. Success there is what will get him on the field faster.

Chester Pitts is going to rest his sore ankle, so Kasey Studdard has a huge opportunity to cement his place on the team and place the idea in the coaches' minds that sometime in the near future he'll be ready to take over at one of the guard spots. It's a little early for that, but remember him at this very spot next year.

The pass rush looks no different that it has for the last two years under DC Richard Smith. I'll concede the coaches appear to be trying to evaluate their lineman on base defense to see which guys can make something happen individual with little help from schemes and blitzes. We'll see in this so-called dress rehearsal in game 3 of the preseason. Honestly, I think they have their answer already. N.D. Kalu, Rosevelt Colvin and Chaun Thompson probably will not all make the final cut - these are three guys to watch closely to see if they can produce disruptive plays.

Anthony Weaver has been penciled in as the starter at end opposite Mario, but he hasn't done much to distinguish himself. This game will be the chance for him to prove that job should be his, or conversely for Earl Cochran to play his way onto the field as a starter.
--------------------------------------
On the Show
Here's where I'll drop all the links to the stuff we talked about on the show each night. Sometimes before the show, sometimes not.
- It should come as no surprise the 4 current NL playoff teams boast the 4 best starting rotations.
- Any baseball writer thinking of giving their AL Cy Young vote to Francisco Rodriguez because of his gaudy save total - think again. To date, his season pales in comparison to the best reliever in the AL, Joe Nathan.
- Apparently, the blogger over at the Dallas Morning News doesn't think the $20 million the Texans spent on Jacques Reeves was a good idea. He's right on the money.
- Friday's game at Texas Stadium will be the last for the Texans and soon the last for the Cowboys. It's one of two soon-to-be-useless sports venues in the Metroplex - and someone is looking to capitalize.
- Canadians like their porn - but only if its Canadian!?!?!
- Some reporters have a good memory. Some basketball players do not. Juan Carlos Navarro got pwned.
- Thursday night, David Pinto of baseballmusings.com will make his usual (6:20pm) appearance on the show. New Voice of the Houston Rockets, Craig Ackerman, will be my co-host as Danny embarks on day 2 of his 5-day bender.
---------- WEX