What next game will show

[El Tejano]

I think if we really want to see what's up with our Texans we should let next game show it. I think that not everyone on the team and Kubiak publicly weren't happy with the overall performance.

A couple of years ago we saw our Texans play poorly in the preseason consistently and that ended in a 2-14 season.

I think this year if we can see a more productive unit, we can feel better because we can see a team that made mistakes, learned from them and then produced the results.

[Doug]

I think we will get the best look at our guys when we play the cowgirls. Next week will be a little better, but not much. I think Zabransky will probably not tank like Van Pelt did. Week 3 will be the most exciting.

I agree....

[Jwwillis1]

I think if we really want to see what's up with our Texans we should let next game show it. I think that not everyone on the team and Kubiak publicly weren't happy with the overall performance.

A couple of years ago we saw our Texans play poorly in the preseason consistently and that ended in a 2-14 season.

I think this year if we can see a more productive unit, we can feel better because we can see a team that made mistakes, learned from them and then produced the results.

I recall the Texans traditionally have a winning pre-season only to be disappointed in the regular season. I know we went 3-1 last yr., looked like world beaters and we had visions of lolly pops dancing in our heads entering the regular season. Then the Grinch came to town. I've learned my lesson and now i do not give a darn about the pre-season record. It makes sense. We don't lose last Sundays game if Van Pelt doesnt play. We will see Kubiak QB in the regular season before Van Pelt gets a shot.

As far as geeting a GOOD look at the starters before the regular season it will be against the Cowboys.

[kcwilson]

Remember this: "There is no time like the present"

Presently, what you saw was:
- a first team that played a little & doesn't really get a chance to build momentum
- our third team is worse than Chicago's third team
- in a world of base defense, you saw how our team performed, offensively and defensively

I think what you can gleam is that you didn't see this team run in 100% game situation scenarios, which includes the ups and downs of a game, momentum builders etc.

Pre-season doesn't mean anything about how your team performs, since it isn't a true regular season scenario.

I seem to remember the world anointing Wali Lundy the heir apparent to sliced bread last year... now people are clamoring for Darius Walker.

Just keep the head level and try not to read into the pre-season/training camp situations all that much.

[South Texan]

Like I said before, I think preseason games 1 and 2 are more to see who goes in the first round of cuts, 3 and 4 determine who the starters are.

Arizona is supposed to be a much improved team, so it still should be an interesting game.

[El Tejano]

I guess my main thing is I would like to see our team correct any mistakes they made in the last game.

[ROUGHNECKS]

I don't care if it is preseason what we need to see is:

1 the defense get off the field faster more 3 and out

2 Pressure on the QB and maybe a few sacks

3 A running game getting those 4,5,6 yard gains

4 the line making holes so the running game can get those 4,5,6 yard gains

5 If the QB is willing to sit there in the pocket and take a hit than CATCH the ball when he throws it to you, you have to want it more than the others

I am like most of ya'll I have high hopes for these guys but if you are going to run basic plays on both side of the ball at lease win those match ups if they don't want to show to much from the d-line at lease push the pocket back in their face and make the QB move.

[Towlie]

Hopefully the 3 string Qb will not blow this game too. A bit off topic (because i was to lazy to make another tread) but do yall realize that the entire AFC south has a combined record of 0-4

[HydrOshocK]

I don't care if it is preseason what we need to see is:

1 the defense get off the field faster more 3 and out

2 Pressure on the QB and maybe a few sacks

3 A running game getting those 4,5,6 yard gains

4 the line making holes so the running game can get those 4,5,6 yard gains

5 If the QB is willing to sit there in the pocket and take a hit than CATCH the ball when he throws it to you, you have to want it more than the others

I am like most of ya'll I have high hopes for these guys but if you are going to run basic plays on both side of the ball at lease win those match ups if they don't want to show to much from the d-line at lease push the pocket back in their face and make the QB move.


Good points. I want to see the same things. We did some good things last week to keep the Bears first team out of the endzone. We did allow too many first down plays which I hope to see corrected.

I also want to see WAY more out of our running game. There weren't many holes to run through last week but we were playing the Bears D, which has been known to be pretty good. I'd like to see bigger holes so that our RBs have more space to work.

I also want to see more pass rush from our guys. We did an adequate job of containment last week but this time I want to see QBs on their backs.

I want to see more Jacoby Jones!!

And finally, I want to see Zabransky wash that nasty 3rd string QB taste out of my mouth that Van Pelt left last week.

[wildroot]

I look to the Pre-Season games to evaluate individual performance in game situations and really put no value on the W/L. If you want to win in pre-season, play your starters.

IMO, these games should be used for players to prove themselves, try out new moves, new plays, situational plays, coaching decisions and a whole lot more. I like to see rookies going up against an opposing veteran. No veteran's going to want to look bad against a rookie so he'll put out, and you'll get a good gauge on how your rookie stands up. When a rookie comes in to play during the regular season, chances are he'll be playing against someone who's been out there a few years so you need to know what you got, and that's not going to happen playing him agaist someone he played against in college. Find your starting 11 on both sides of the ball and put yourself in the best situation to win come Game One. The score means nothing. The coaches should know by the final pre-season game who he thinks his starters and situational players are going to be and they should, for the most part, play the majority of that final game. That's why I'd like to see us play Dallas on the last P/S game. It would mean more.
I find it odd that people are talking trash about a team winning a preseason game. (I guess we're all just ready for the season to begin, presason trash talkin')
The question everyone needs be asking is how a player is stacking up against the opposition, and what's the quality of that opposing player. ie: Mario dominating an undrafted free agent on the line doesn't tell me much, outplaying an opposing starter speaks volumes.

[ObsiWan]

some of these have been touched on by other posters but here's my 2 cts anyhow.

Improvements....

1. Better red zone efficiency. When Mathis gets us inside the scoring zone with one of his fab returns we should punctuate it with 7, not settle for 3.

2. Much, MUCH, MUCH better 3rd down conversion percentage. We went 0 for our first 6 or 7 3rd down conversion attempts last week. That won't do. Let's see some of that "ball control" this offense is supposed to produce.

3. Convert turnover opportunities. We forced 3 fumbles in the fourth qtr and came up empty-handed all three times. Had we got one of those fumbles, we would have won. Wouldn't hurt to play "strip the ball" more often either.

4. More 3-&-outs forced by our defense. Get their offense off the field before the get in rhythm. If sacks come too, that'll be icing on the cake. Sacks are meaningless if the other guys still convert the third and longs.

[scarsdale]

i don't care if we lose every preseason game as long as our 1st and 2nd stringers are not getting dominated

what i hope to see is

1. continued improvement of mathis and jones
2. OL protecting Schaub
3. Schaub showing us he's the guy and we got something right
4. A pass rush
5. Ahman Green show us a little something

[benefactor]

i don't care if we lose every preseason game as long as our 1st and 2nd stringers are not getting dominated

Quoted for truth.....though I would like us to look good against the Cowgirls for obvious reasons. If I am actually concerned about any preseason game its the last one vs the Bucs. I want to see it all pulled pretty well together by then.

[Sprtsfanatic]

Quoted for truth.....though I would like us to look good against the Cowgirls for obvious reasons. If I am actually concerned about any preseason game its the last one vs the Bucs. I want to see it all pulled pretty well together by then.

Uhhh.....the last preseason game the starters should get NO PLAYING TIME...its a game reserved for people on the cusp of getting cut and gives them an opportunity to showcase what they got....bad thing about that is ALL NFL TEAMS PULL THEIR STARTERS IN THE FINAL PRESEASON GAME....so your on the brink players are playing against...well on the brink players...

[BIG ERN]

Do you think we could use Mathis like the Saints use Reggie?Naybe some fake reverses or dump offs. I do not know I am just bored as hell waiting for this game.

[CarolinaTexan]

A lot of teams go 4-0 preseason then have a losing record in regular season, and vice versa, so i wouldn't take too much away from these preseason games. The playbook is barely opened for them and a few series is hardly enough to even tell how our starters will do in regular season. I think everyone needs to calm down, if you want to start talking about benching players and calling for vast improvement wait until week 2 and after.

[Houston_Fanatic]

i don't care if we lose every preseason game as long as our 1st and 2nd stringers are not getting dominated

what i hope to see is

1. continued improvement of mathis and jones
2. OL protecting Schaub
3. Schaub showing us he's the guy and we got something right
4. A pass rush
5. Ahman Green show us a little something

I agree with every one of your points. Good post.

[CarolinaTexan]

p.s. where can i listen to todays game on the radio? a website? thanks

[benefactor]

Uhhh.....the last preseason game the starters should get NO PLAYING TIME...its a game reserved for people on the cusp of getting cut and gives them an opportunity to showcase what they got....bad thing about that is ALL NFL TEAMS PULL THEIR STARTERS IN THE FINAL PRESEASON GAME....so your on the brink players are playing against...well on the brink players...
I disagree. I don't like the idea of the starters not seeing a snap for over two weeks before the season opener...and its not like those on the cusp people will see no playing time. I'd like to see the starters play a quarter...maybe a little more than that and then use the rest of the game to gauge who goes and who stays.

[cubsluvr]

I hope Darius gets a chance to prove himself...I've watched him at Notre Dame for the past 3 years, and he's got the moves, just needs the OL to give him some room to roam!

Go Texans!

'lil cub

[HydrOshocK]

I disagree. I don't like the idea of the starters not seeing a snap for over two weeks before the season opener...and its not like those on the cusp people will see no playing time. I'd like to see the starters play a quarter...maybe a little more than that and then use the rest of the game to gauge who goes and who stays.

Sorry man but that won't happen in the final preseason game. The starters are always pulled to avoid unecessary injury.