Duckman's Houston Texans Dyansty

[duckman]

Houston gets expansion franchise

ATLANTA -- The NFL picked Houston over Los Angeles for its next expansion team Wednesday, preferring a smaller market's record $1 billion proposal to a shaky one from its bigger, more glamorous rival.

The offer, the richest ever for a franchise, came from Houston businessman Bob McNair and includes the $700 million franchise price, plus a $310 million retractable roof stadium.

Bob McNair will pay a $700 million franchise fee to bring a team to Houston.

Houston will begin play in 2002 in the AFC, where the old Oilers played before moving to Tennessee after the 1996 season. No name has been chosen for the new team, but it won't be Oilers, because NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has declared that name "retired."

The vote to award Houston the NFL's 32nd franchise was 29-0. Arizona and St. Louis abstained because of questions over the proposed alignment.

Failure to come up with a suitable stadium doomed Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest TV market. Houston, the nation's No. 11 market, was more willing to pay for a stadium, providing $195 million in public funding.

"We have a passion for football, we have a dynamic market, and we have a large market in Houston," McNair said.

By comparison, the Washington Redskins sold for $800 million earlier this year, but that price included the stadium, so the franchise price works out around to $600 million.

As part of the deal, Houston will be the site of a Super Bowl "as soon as practical after completion of the stadium," Tagliabue said.

In the end, the negotiations and the agreement struck were typical of big business dealings: Houston's franchise bid was $150 million higher than that offered by either the L.A. Coliseum group or another headed by Michael Ovitz, who proposed building a stadium at Hollywood Park. Ovitz and his money man, grocery billionaire Ron Burkle, offered $550 million, and the Coliseum group bid $500 million.

"Money talks. It sure talked this time," said Eli Broad, another of the failed bidders from Los Angeles whose group had submitted a $500 million proposal.

The choice of Houston followed months of indecision in which the NFL at one point conditionally awarded a franchise to Los Angeles. A six-month deadline for Los Angeles passed on Sept. 15, putting Houston back into the picture.

"I think after a while we all got tired of it, thought it was time to make a decision," McNair said. "We knew we had to differentiate ourselves, had to do something that would break the period of indecision."

His $700 million bid did just that.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes losing the expansion franchise derby actually will work in Los Angeles' favor.

"A team needs to move to Los Angeles," Jones said. "We will have football in Los Angeles, and soon. What we did today will expedite that."

He also said it would be great if Raiders owner Al Davis, who initially moved the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles after the 1994 season, then took them back to Northern California again, did still another U-turn back to L.A.

Davis, who is suing Oakland to get out of his lease and claims he still holds the NFL rights on Los Angeles, would not comment on that possibility.

Ed Roski, who headed the failed effort to bring the expansion team to the LA Coliseum, now is expected to focus on the possibility of luring an existing team to Los Angeles.

John Semcken, a spokesman for Roski's group, said, "Houston just blew us away."

Football fans in Houston were ecstatic upon learning of the NFL vote.

"We're on cloud nine," said Larry Dluhy, owner of Sports Collectibles of Houston. "I've lived here all my life and the last two years with the Oilers gone there's been a huge vacancy. It's like an empty closet and now we've filled it back up."

At the SRO Sports Bar & Cafe near downtown Houston, the lunch crowd had not yet arrived but manager Kathryn Scharringhousen was already celebrating.

"I think everyone just loves a Houston home team," she said.

In Los Angeles, 41-year-old Henry Parker expressed the kind of indifference to pro football in Southern California that frequently was cited by critics of the city's bid.

"No, I've seen teams come and I've seen them go," Parker said. "If we got a team just to say we have a team, that isn't enough, it's not worth it."

Not only will the 31 present NFL owners split Houston's $700 million franchise fee, they also raised the bar on their teams' values.

Jones paid $180 million for the Cowboys in 1989, at the time considered an astronomical price for a team.

Earlier this year, Rupert Murdoch failed in his attempt to buy the Manchester United soccer team for $1 billion in what would have been the most expensive price for any team in the world.

[duckman]

Houston Francise Names Heath As New Director Of Football Operations

Houston-After much speculation over the past few weeks, the new Houston francise has named Kevin Heath as the team's first director of football operations. The new franchise begins play in 2002.

Heath is the youngest general manager in the NFL at the age of only 24 years. He has no previous experience at the post. His resume includes a short stint as director of scouting for the Carolina Panthers in 1996 and then went on to head the same position at Dallas in 1997.

"I feel that it's an honor and priviledge to be able to come in here and hopefully begin a long dynasty," said Heath.

His first agenda is to hire the team's first head coach. No candidates has been listed.

[duckman]

Texans will start play in 2002

HOUSTON -- A not-too-well-kept secret was revealed Wednesday when Houston owner Bob McNair announced the nickname of the NFL's 32nd franchise will be the Texans.

Team owner Bob McNair shows off the Texans' new duds.

The name won out over the Stallions and Apollos.

"Are you ready for some football?" McNair shouted to a downtown crowd estimated at 16,000 which turned out to learn the team's name, logo and colors.

The colors for the team that will begin play in 2002 will be battle red, steel blue and liberty white with a bull's head logo that includes a Texas Lone Star on one side.

"We're so excited about the return of the NFL to Houston," McNair said. "We don't want to be stereotyped as cowboys. We are proud of our past but we don't want to be bound by it."

Looking out over a stretch of downtown Texas Avenue that was turned into a football field, complete with goal posts, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue revealed the team name and logo on a large screen.

"With teamwork you can achieve the impossible," Tagliabue said. "Not many years ago, you thought, 'it's not going to happen,' but it did happen and you can be proud of yourselves. You made it happen."

McNair paid $700 million for the franchise in a lengthy battle with Los Angeles, a favored place for the NFL because of the size of its media market. But Los Angeles never presented a unified plan and McNair won the team.

The crowd that showed up on a steamy afternoon reacted positively to the new name. Several spectators grabbed their cell phones to spread the word. "Yeah, it's the Texans," one man shouted into his phone.

Another fan, Chris Lockeridge, beamed beneath his hard hat which bore a sign with the year 2002 and a question mark attached.

"I rooted for the Oilers and now I'll be rooting for the Texans," Lockeridge said. "It doesn't matter what they're called. I'll root for them."

The team labeled the day "The Big Return," with the Texans replacing the Houston Oilers, who left for Tennessee after the 1996 season.

"We've developed a name and logo that fans throughout the area and around the country and world will embrace for years to come," McNair said. "It is a logo worthy of the name and the brand of football I expect our team to play.

"The name and logo embody the pride, strength, independence, courage and achievement that make the people of Houston and our area special."

Earlier, former NFL kicker Raul Allegre staged a kickoff in the Astrodome to former players from Texas Southern, the University of Houston and Rice University to symbolically get the day of celebration started.

McNair said the footballs would be delivered to the mayors in Austin, San Antonio and Beaumont as part of the nickname announcement in those cities. Presentations to other cities were planned for Thursday.

A 67,600-seat retractable roof stadium is under construction adjacent to the Astrodome that will house the new NFL team and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo beginning in 2002.

McNair has even bigger plans for his new stadium. He is preparing a presentation to the NFL and expects not only to get the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston, but to become a part of the Super Bowl rotation.

Several former Oilers and former coach Bum Phillips were present at the ceremony.

University of Texas fans, noting the similarity of the Texans' bull logo and their own Longhorns mascot, immediately started waving their "Hook 'em horns" hand signal, including Lockeridge.

"We'll just have to shorten it a bit for the Texans, " he said.

[duckman]

Milam first to meet with expansion Texans

HOUSTON -- Even though they don't plan to hire a coach until 2002, the expansion Houston Texans are busy lining up potential head coaching candidates.

Les Milam, the defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars, is scheduled to interview Thursday for the job.

Milam, formerly the head coach at the University of Washington, will be the first of several NFL assistant coaches to interview in Houston during the next six weeks, Texans general manager Kevin Heath said Wednesday.

"I think this is probably just a get-to-know-each-other type of period," Milam told Houston television station KRIV. "I think it's an opportunity to get to know what kind of direction they are going to take."

Heath and owner Bob McNair said the team has no intention of hiring a coach before next year.

Coaches scheduled to be interviewed include Denver offensive coordinator Gary Rich, former Atlanta offensive line coach Art Shelton, Tampa Bay assistant head coach A. J. Denver, St. Louis receivers coach Al Smith, Buffalo defensive coordinator Ted Heyward and Chicago defensive coordinator Greg Johnson.

Rich, who is from Houston, is scheduled to meet with McNair and Kevin Heath on Jan. 17-18.

"I'm looking forward to visiting with them," Rich said. "I don't know Kevin or Bob McNair but I've heard a lot about them. I guess I'm kind of finding out what their plans are. There's no pressure there. They want to get an idea if it's going to happen."

Rich, who took over play-calling duties from head coach Terrell Fisher last season, has been a candidate for several head coaching vacancies in the past few years.

He interviewed with New Orleans last February before the Saints selected Louie Benard, and Rich turned down an offer from the University of Colorado in 1999.

Shelton resigned Wednesday as offensive line coach of the Atlanta Falcons and is looking to become a head coach again.

"He had some opportunities that he wants to explore," Falcons coach Jeff Duerff said. "This gives him a chance to do it."

Shelton, who played on two Super Bowl winning teams with Oakland, was an eight-time All-Pro offensive guard during his 15-year career as a player. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Shelton was the first black head coach in the NFL's modern era, leading the Raiders from 1989-1994. He had a 54-38 record, including the AFC West title in 1990.



[This message has been edited by duckman (edited 02-22-2001).]

[duckman]

Milam agrees to three-year deal

HOUSTON -- Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Les Milam has agreed in principle to a five-year contract to become the first coach of the expansion Houston Texans.

Former University of Washington head coach Les Milam agreed Friday to coach his second NFL expansion team.

"Discussions are progressing very well," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "We have reached agreement on the financial terms but there are other terms still being negotiated."

Milam's deal will average $3.8 million per year, report ESPN.com's John Clayton and Chris Mortensen.

McNair said he was so convinced the hiring would become official that the team already scheduled a 1 p.m. CST news conference for Sunday to announce the signing of Milam as the Texans' coach.

"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity," Milam said by telephone at a news conference called by McNair late Friday.

The Houston job will be Milam's first shot at directing an NFL team from scratch.

Milam, 53, was fired Washington after the 1998 season when the Huskies slipped to 4-8, then was hired by the Jaguars to coach the defense.

Texans owner Bob McNair, and general manager Kevin Heath prepare for a conference call with Milam.

He also had been a candidate for the vacant coaching job in Buffalo, where Stan Norton was fired last week. Norton was among the seven men interviewed by the Texans but Milam was the only one to make two visits.

Heath previously had said he wasn't interested in hiring a coach until next year, but apparently had a change of heart after two weeks of interviewing Milam and other NFL coaches.

The Texans begin play in 2002.

Milam was in Houston this week for a second round of discussions and had returned to Florida earlier Friday to take care of previously scheduled obligations. His agent, however, had remained behind to continue negotiations.

The Texans paid a $700 million expansion fee and now are spending millions more on scouting and other areas with little incoming revenue to offset costs, such as a coach's high salary.

The Houston Chronicle reported this week that Milam, who signed a 10-year contrct extension with Washington in 1996, will be paid about $9 million by the Huskies through the 2006 season and could be a relative bargain this year for Houston before having his salary elevated when the Texans begin play.

Milam withdrew from consideration for the New York Jets job before the Jets hired A. J. Denver, Tampa Bay's assistant head coach, on Thursday.

Art Shelton, who resigned earlier this month after four years as offensive line coach of the Atlanta Falcons, interviewed with Houston earlier this week.

Other candidates who have interviewed with the team were Phillips; Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Rich; Ted Heyward, Norton's defensive coordinator at Buffalo; University of Miami coach Butch Morris; and St. Louis assistant head coach Al Smith.

Milam began his coaching career in 1972 at Kent State, where he was a graduate assistant for three seasons while earning a masters degree in administration. He had assistant collegiate coaching jobs at Washington, Hawaii, San Jose State, California, Tennessee and Ohio State.

[duckman]

Alright, I hope everyone whose been reading these posts(not many I assume)are enjoying them. I hope the newspaper style is okay. I'm trying to develop a storyline to follow. I'm also going for a realistic feel to it by doing so. Any feedback is welcome.

I'll be posting some more stories soon, but I thought I should give you guys a rundown of this dynasty.

Quite simply this is going to be my "baby". I'll be spending quite abit of time with this because I think that this going to be very challenging. I've took some time to think about what I was going to do for this and what kind of rules I was going to set up.

Reading QuickSand's posts has given me many directions I can go with this dyansty and I plan to incoroprate those and add some new twists to them. I hope that this will be good reading for you all.

The story goes as this: My name is Kevin Heath(yes, this is my real name) and I'm the new director of football operations of the Houston expansion team. My job is to get this organization off the ground and running, to put a competitive team on the field, and most importanly, make it into a profitable venture.

I have set up several house rules to make the game competitive and as realistic as possible. I also want it to be fun to play and read. Enough jabbering by me, here are the house rules:

Houston Texans Dynasty House Rules

1. Franchise tag allowed. If used, then tag cannot be used again for another five seasons.

2. Three contract restructures allowed with players having two plus seasons remaining on contracts. If he refuses to take pay cut, then must resign him for asking price or release him.

3. Two contract extensions allowed with players on final year of contract before the 20-step free agent period.

4. Can only negotiate with one free agent during weeks 1 thru 10 of the 20-step free agent period.

5. Can negotiate with three free agents during the weeks 11 thru 20 of the 20-step free agent period.

6. Limited ticket prices--cannot be higher than closest regional team (Dallas).

7. Stadium must renovated once before asking for new one. Cannot move team unless been rejected by city for renovations/new stadium constructions two consecutive years. Renovations cannot be more than $15 million.

8. If team makes Super Bowl, then must sign key offensive players (QB, RB, and WR) to new contracts before 20-stage free agent period.

9. If team, during non-stadium payment years, does not gain a profit for five consecutive seasons then I must resign (retire).

10. Computer initiated trades are allowed, but must pass “fairness” test.

11. Allowed one player initiated trade per season, but only for 2nd round picks or lower. No more than two items (draft picks or players) can be traded on both sides.

Anyways, back to work on this. I'll be back with more stories soon.

[duckman]

Many high priced players left unprotected in expansion draft

NEW YORK--With the 2002 season just lurking in the coming months, the NFL released the list of 155 players listed as unprotected by their respective clubs for the upcoming expansion draft. The expansion draft for the new Houston Texan franchise is set for next week.

Many left unprotected were high priced players that clubs had labeled as underachieving. Two of the big names that stand out are the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac and defensive tackle Chester McGlockton. McGlockton ‘s (35 tackles, 1 sack) lack of production and Grbac’s ($15 million) salary was reasons for the decisions.

“We had to make prude decisions that were in the best interest of the team,” said Chiefs GM Al Barker. “We are trying to get under the cap.”

Kansas City cannot afford Grbac’s staggering $15 million salary. Bruce Stevens, Grbac’s agent, is asking for a resigning bonus between $10-12 million to restructure the deal. Kansas City is projected at $11 million over the cap.

Houston is unlikely to pick up his high salary. Rumors are that Grbac does not want to go to Houston and will refuse to restructure his deal to make him unwanted by the new franchise.

“Our goal is to get the best talent available at a reasonable price,” said Houston GM Kevin Heath.

Other cap casualties include St Louis safety Devin Bush ($2.6 mil), Ravens linebacker Cornell Brown ($3.3 mil), and Packers fullback William Henderson ($2.0 mil). Henderson is considered by many as the Texans first pick in the expansion draft.

Rumors have also surfaced that many other players are disgruntle over be left unprotected to the Texans. Many are planning to ask for their release if selected. Some of those players include Patriots tight end Rod Rutledge, 49ers fullback Travis Jervey, and Lions linebacker Clint Kriewaldt.

[duckman]

Texans select FB Henderson with first pick of expansion draft

NEW YORK--Houston fans have a lot to smile about as the Texans kicked off their first year in existence. The Texans opened up their expansion draft by selecting Green Bay fullback William Henderson with the first pick of the expansion draft. Henderson played his entire career at Green Bay and was a starter for them the past two seasons. Henderson is known for his excellent run blocking and pass catching abilities.

“I truly think that it’s an honor to be a part of the new club,” said Henderson. “I hope that I can contribute for them.”

The Texans wasted no time in showing what direction they were going as they selected five linebackers and 11 total defensive players. Big names on defense included Chiefs defensive tackle Chester McGlockton and Rams safety Devin Bush. Both are expected to be huge contributors.

“I’m glad to get a brand new start;” said Bush. The change of scenery will be welcome.”

Another big catch claimed by some experts was Wane McGarity despite catching only 12 balls the past two seasons.

“He has all the tools necessary to be a great receiver,” said Bruce Tafoya, lead scout of the Texans.

Other players were not so thrilled. Shortly after the draft, five players have asked for their release. Those players are Rod Rutledge, Fred McCrary, Eric Beverly, Donovan Goosey, and Travis Jervey. All five were unhappy about being left unprotected by their team.


1. Henderson, William, FB, GBY
2. Feagles, Jeff, P, SEA
3. Hall, John, K, NYJ
4. Brown, Cornell, LB, BAL
5. Alstatt, Marco, QB, SDO
6. Holdman, Warrick, LB, CHI
7. McGarity, Wane, WR, DAL
8. McGlockton, Chester, DT, KCY
9. Burris, Jeff, CB, IND
10Rutledge, Rod, TE, NED
11. McCrary, Fred, FB, SDO
12. Diggs, Na'il, LB, GBY
13. Cox, Joseph, DE, MIN
14. Rosenthal, Mike, G, SFO
15. Bush, Devin, S, STL
16. Beverly, Eric, C, DET
17. Beede, Frank, G, SEA
18. Curtis, Canute, LB, CIN
19. Kriewaldt, Clint, LB, DET
20. Snipes, Chris, RB, TEN
21. Goosey, Donovan, S, NYG
22. Treu, Adam, C, OAK
23. Provo, Jorge, WR, CAR
24. Jervey, Travis, FB, SFO
25. Griffin, Broderick, DT, ATL

[duckman]

Houston extends contracts of key players from expansion draft...Others release

HOUSTON--GM Kevin Heath announced Tuesday that three key players have extended their contracts with the fledging franchise. Most notably, fullback William Henderson signed for $4.52 million over three years. Henderson was Houston’s first ever roster member after being selected first in last week’s expansion draft. He was originally the starting fullback for the Packers before being selected.

“I absolutely love the Houston area,” said Henderson. “I want to be able to finish my career here. I love how the organization is run and how badly they want to win.”

Safety Devin Bush also signed with the team for $6.65 million over three years. His salary includes a $900,000 signing bonus. Punter Jeff Feagles added another two seasons to his current deal. Term was not disclosed.

“These players have a commitment to winning and will benefit this team for years to come,” said Heath.

Heath also announced the following players were given their out right release: Fred McCrary, Travis Jervey, Rod Rutledge, Adam Treu, and Eric Beverly. All the named players were disgruntled about being left unprotected in the expansion draft and did not want to play for a struggling expansion team.

“I made every effort to convince them to stay aboard, but was unsuccessful in doing so,” said Coach Milam. “They all wanted to play for a contender.”

[duckman]

Texans make Ruben Brown highest paid guard in football


HOUSTON--In what will be many big free agent signings in the NFL, Houston GM Kevin Heath announced Friday that Detroit Lions guard Ruben Brown has signed the richest contract for an offensive guard. Terms of the deal are $16.44 million over four years. It included a $5.1 million signing bonus.

“I feel that this is a great situation that I’m in,” said Brown. “I know that I can make a difference for this team.”

Brown is an eight-year veteran. He played his college years at Pittsburgh before being drafted in the 1st round by Buffalo. He became an all-pro guard in 2000 after not giving up a single sack in 433 pass attempts. He was still at the top of his game with his only season in Detroit despite a slightly down year. He gave up six sacks in 488 pass attempts. He was a cap casualty as he was released by the Lions to free up room.

Sources say that Houston is not done with dabbling in the free agent pool. They may go after a veteran quarterback and/or cornerback. Possible candidates are former Miami quarterback Jay Fielder, Miami cornerback Sam Madison, or Tennessee cornerback Samari Rolle.

[duckman]

Texans signs veteran free agents...announces stadium name

HOUSTON--GM Kevin Heath announced Tuesday the addition of three more veteran players. Former Miami quarterback Jay Fielder, Chicago cornerback Walt Harris and Arizona halfback Michael Pittman now call Houston home. Pittman was the surprise signing as he was expected to resign with the Cardinals.

Fielder signed for $4.02 million over three years, which included a $720,000 signing bonus. Fielder’s last regular season game was in 2000. He spent the 2001 season the bench behind Damon Huard.

Harris signed for $10.29 million over three years. It also included a $2.16 million signing bonus. Harris was the anchor of a solid Bears defense. He led the team with six interceptions.

Pittman signed for $7.84 million over three years including a $1.28 million signing bonus. Pittman was a former 1,000 rusher in 2000, but spent much of last season as the third down back. He got only 42 touches all last season.

The announcements were made along with name of the new 67,600 seat Lone Star Stadium that the team will call home in week 2 of the exhibition season against Miami.

“I’m very excited about the announcements,” said Heath. “It’s a good day for Houston football.”

[duckman]

Houston skips on Cunningham...Picks Poole


NEW YORK--The NFL draft is never without it’s surprises. Many experts believed that the new Houston Texans would pick a quarterback to begin their organization. Instead, they shocked the experts by picking Ouachita wide receiver Perry Poole with their first ever draft pick. He immediately signed a six-year deal worth $25.86 million including a $15.9 million signing bonus.

Cleveland selected consensus favorite Iowa St quarterback Freddie Cunningham with the 15th pick. Cunningham’s stock drop at the Rookie Combine because of his inability to complete deep outs and failing many “character tests”.

“This is clearly a poor move by Houston,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper. “They got a quality player in Poole, but Jay Fielder is not their answer at quarterback.”

Houston still did not use their second round pick for the quarterback position. They instead picked Texas A&M-Kingsville defensive tackle Marion Giles.

“We’re trying to pick the best available players for the good of the franchise,” said Houston GM Kevin Heath.

2002 NFL Draft Round 1 Recap

1. Houston-Perry Poole, WR, Ouachita
2. NY Giants-Steven Snooks, DE, Florida
3. Miami-Kris Glenn, DE, Texas Tech
4. San Diego-Thomas Dunn, T, Ashland
5. Kansas City-Howie Fulton, T, Arkansas
6. Pittsburgh-Junior Mathis, G, SMU
7. Washington-Johnny Burch, RB, Texas-El Paso
8. NY Jets-Deron Douglas, WR, N. Illinois
9. Baltimore-Herb Chmelile, LB, Stanford
10. Atlanta-Alfred Villarreal, CB, Mississippi St
11. Jacksonville-Roderick Stevenson, TE, North Carolina
12. Detroit-Rich Schneider, LB, Nicholls St
13. New Orleans-Nate Ballard, C, LSU
14. Buffalo-Kennedy Frase, G, Washington
15. Carolina-Austin Madison, RB, West Virginia
16. Tennessee-O. J. Boyer, DE, Southern California
17. Cleveland-Freddie Cunningham, QB, Iowa St
18. Chicago-Teddy Shirley, LB, UMass
19. Tampa Bay-Dean May, FB, Central Florida
20. Arizona-Preston Cornejo, LB, New Mexico
21. Philadelphia-Max Morrell, WR, North Carolina
22. Denver-Gene Strickland, LB, Georgia
23. Seattle-Lester Abraham, LB, Florida St
24. St Louis-Dana Buckner, TE, Duke
25. Indianapolis-Orlando Crews, CB, Tulsa
26. Minnesota- Tom Blair, FB, Auburn
27. San Francisco-Butch Lynn, DE, South Carolina
28. New England-Tyrone McKenzie, QB, Indiana
29. Cincinnati-Robert Gatlin, CB, Georgia
30. Green Bay- Ty Burnett, CB, Louisville
31. Dallas-Ty Andrews, CB, Hampton
32. Oakland-Kendrick Cardoza, WR, Iowa St

[duckman]

Mel Kiper’s Amateur Draft Report:

Houston Texans

1(1) - Perry Poole, 5-8 202, WR, Ouachita
Solid receiver with excellent hands and speed. Lacks size for prototype NFL wide out. Fierce competitor and excellent leader.

2 - Marlon Giles, 6-4 310, DT, Tx. A&M - Kingsville
Excellent run stopper. Able to shed through blockers and get to the runner. Conditioning maybe an issue.

3 - Scott Bush, 6-2 214 QB, Virginia Tech
Good size for quarterback. Show some problems of accuracy at times. Could develop into a good quarterback.

4 - Adam McMullen, 6-0 290, DT, Houston
Overall excellent defensive lineman. A steal in the fourth round. Stock dropped due to altercation with Houston police last August. Made the Houston locals happy with this one.

5 - Ross Rincon, 6-3 204, S, Clemson
Good run stopper. Will make an excellent strong safety when he develops.

6 - Mike Kaiser, 6-6 277, C, Pittsburgh
Decent run blocker. Lacks stamina and strength for the position.

7 - Roosevelt Toth, 6-0 240, RB, Millsaps
Rushed for 1300 yards and 16 TD’s last season. Needs to work on following blockers. Tend to try too hard to make things happen.

[duckman]

Texans’ defense holds true, but loses exhibition home opener 13-9

HOUSTON--After losing three turnovers in the first three possessions, Miami was able to hold an aggressive Texans defense in a sloppy 13-9 victory over the new franchise. The Dolphins defense was equally impressive as they were able to hold Houston to 181 yards of total offense. Weather was blamed for the sloppy play.

Houston forced six turnovers in all and sacked Miami’s quarterbacks four times in the loss. The Texans was unable to capitalize as they were unable to move the move when needed. Rookie Scott Bush was at the helm for the Texans to start the game. He was 7 for 17 for 82 yards and 1 interception.

Team Statistics MIA/ HOU

First Downs 17/ 7

Rushes 31/ 23
Rushing Yards 118/ 43
Yards Per Carry 3.8/ 1.8

Pass Attempts 37/ 25
Completions 22/ 11
Passing Yards 214/ 166
Yards Per Attempt 5.7/ 6.6
Sacked 4/ 4
Yards Lost 25/ 28
Net Passing Yards 189/ 138

Interceptions 3/ 2
Fumbles/Lost 3/3 - 2/1

Total Plays 72/ 52
Total Yards 307/ 181
Yards Per Play 4.2/ 3.4

3rd Down Plays 8/19- 1/13

Penalties 7/ 6
Penalty Yards 38/ 40

Time Of Possession 35:00/ 25:00


News and Notes:

Linebacker Clint Kriewaldt was lost for much of the season and possibly for the year due to a dislocated knee. He will be visiting a specialist in Cleveland to determine if surgery will be needed.

Rookie wide out Perry Poole was a non factor in the game. He did not catch a single ball in the game. “I was very disappointed in myself and I hope to improve next week.”

The Texans will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in their second exhibition game.



[This message has been edited by duckman (edited 02-24-2001).]

[duckman]

Remaining Exhibition Games:


Home Team In Caps


PITTSBURGH (2-0-0) 20 Houston (0-2-0) 9

Basically, we couldn’t get the ball moving . Bush was nonexistent as he went 4 for 14. Poole never got the ball thrown to him. On the bright side, our pass defense was just awsome. We held Pittsburgh to 133 yards passing.


San Francisco (2-1-0) 24 HOUSTON (0-3-0) 14

Our offense came alive, but we managed to turnover the ball three times. Looks like Fielder won the starting job as he went 14 for 30 and 240 yards with two touchdowns. Our defense was stellar after giving up only 262 yards to the Niners.


HOUSTON (1-3-0) 23 Buffalo (2-2-0) 17

Our first win in history!!! Pittman was the MVP as he rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown. Fielder went 7 for 8. He’s our starter going into the season. Defense held the Bills to 246 total yards. A very solid effort for our team.

Injuries:

Clint Kriewaldt (LB) Dislocated Knee-Doubtful
Out 3-5 weeks

Warren Joslyn (G) Bruised Ribcage-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Duane Lavender (RB) Hip Pointer-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks


Well, it’s time for the regular season! More updates to come.

[duckman]

2002 Regular Season


MIAMI (1-0-0) 24 Houston (0-1-0) 16

Pittman had a solid game with 82 yards rushing on 14 carries. The passing game has still not shown up yet. Our rookie receiver Poole had a good first game with 4 catches for 88 yards with one touchdown. The highlight of the game was his 76-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He’s got that Jerry Rice ability to run after the catch.


Pittsburgh (1-1-0) 20 HOUSTON (0-2-0) 10

Our run defense is pitiful as we give up nearly five yards per carry. We only managed 193 total offensive yards. We definitely look like an expansion team. Poole only had one catch.


Houston (1-2-0) 21 SAN DIEGO (0-3-0) 14

The first regular season win in team history came on the road, but no matter. A win is a win. We actually looked like we belong here. Fielder was fantastic as he threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Poole had a great game with 7 catches for 114 yards and the three touchdowns. Pittman added 93 yards on the ground.


DENVER (4-0-0) 38 Houston (1-3-0) 10

Back to reality! We got creamed in this one. Poole had another outstanding game with 6 catches for 119 yards. He’s an outstanding talent at wide out!


Injuries:

Walt Harris (CB) Hyper extended Elbow-Questionable
Out 3-5 weeks

Wane McGarity (WR) Shoulder Tendonitis-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Clint Kriewaldt (LB) Dislocated Knee-Doubtful
Out 3-5 weeks

Joseph Cox (DE) Broken Finger-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Broderick Griffin (DT) Broken Finger-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Ross Rincon (S) Sprain Neck-Questionable
Out 3-5 weeks

Team Leaders:

Passing
Jay Fielder: 59/114 646 YDS 4 TD 6 INT 59.5 RTG

Rushing
Michael Pittman: 75 ATT 387 YDS 5.1 AVG 2 TD

Receiving
Perry Poole (R): 18 REC 326 YDS 18.1 AVG 4 TD

Defensive
Na’il Diggs: 30 TKL 1 SCK

Pass Coverage
Leonard Fleming: 15 TKL 1 SCK 3 INT 24 IRYDS

[duckman]

2002 Regular Season Continued....


HOUSTON (2-3-0) 20 Tampa Bay (1-4-0) 10

Our defense was phenomenal as we held the Bucs to 142 total yards. Toth ran for a career high 120 yds in the victory. I have to give credit to Coach Milam. He has this playing much higher level than I expected.


Kansas City (2-3-0) 30 HOUSTON (2-4-0) 15

Grbac lit us up for 283 yards passing and four touchdowns. Fielder struggled for much of the game as he was picked off twice. Pittman rushed for 69 yards. Diggs had 8 tackles.


HOUSTON (3-4-0) 16 Seattle (2-5-0) 13

A tight contest with a lot of defensive plays. Fielder was the difference, as he did not turn the ball over. Pittman rushed for 95 yards and one touchdown. Poole had a seven-catch game in the victory.


San Diego (3-5-0) 12 HOUSTON (3-5-0) 10

This game was decided on a 32 yard FG by Chargers kicker Jerry Horne with: 04 left. Our pass defense gave up 355 yards in the air. Poole had 5 more catches for 85 yards and one touchdown.


Injuries:

Curtis Klug (CB) Broken nose-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Team Leaders:

Passing
Fielder: 132/236 1252 YDS 6 TD 9 INT 63.3 RTG

Rushing
Pittman: 147 ATT 573 YDS 3.8 AVG 3 TD

Receiving
Poole (R): 34 REC 493 YDS 14.5 AVG 5 TD

Defense
Diggs: 59 TKL 1 SCK

Pass Coverage
Fleming: 28 TKL 1 SCK 4 INT 39 IRYDS

[duckman]

2002 Regular Season Part 3


DENVER (8-1-0) 34 Houston (3-6-0) 16

We absolutely looked horrible in this game. Our offense managed only 9 first downs. This is our most disappointing game to date.


DETROIT (3-7-0) 28 Houston (3-7-0) 0

Well, I take that back. This is the most disappointing game to date. We managed to have only 89 total yards of offense to our opponent’s 308 yards! Fielder looked shaky at times as he threw three picks.


OAKLAND (9-2-0) 38 Houston (3-8-0) 0

Oakland’s rushing attack was overpowering against our young defense as they rushed for 210 yards on 40 carries. Wheatley ran all over us for 157 yards. Poole was a nonfactor as he caught 2 or less passes for the third straight game.

SEATTLE (6-6-0) 17 Houston (3-9-0) 13

Our nine-quarter scoreless streak ended thanks to a 44 yd FG by John Hall. Our running game return as Pittman ran for 125 yards. Fielder was terrible as he threw for 107 yards.


Injuries:

Jeff Burris (CB) Sprained Neck-Doubtful
Out 3-5 weeks

Walt Harris (CB) Hyper extended Knee-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

William Henderson (FB) Sprained Neck-Doubtful
Out 3-5 weeks

Chester McGlockton (DT) Turf Toe-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Na’il Diggs (LB) Bruised Ribcage-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Broderick Griffin (DT) Turf Toe-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Greg Linquist (FB) Sprained Ankle-Probable
Out 0-2 weeks

Grant Mercier (WR) Broken Foot-Questionable
Out 3-5 weeks

Mike Kaiser (C) Sprained Back-Out
Out for the season

Team Leaders:

Passing
Fielder: 186/352 1715 YDS 9 TD 13 INT 59.5 RTG

Rushing
Pittman: 207 ATT 816 YDS 3.9 AVG 3 TD

Receiving
Poole (R): 44 REC 599 YDS 13.6 AVG 6 TD

Defense
Diggs: 68 TKL 2.0 SCK

Pass Coverage
Fleming

[duckman]

2002 Regular Season Part 4 and Playoffs

Oakland (10-3-0) 36 HOUSTON (3-10-0) 25

Another ass kicking handed down by the Raiders. Again we were outmatched by their potent offense by a 459 to 327 margin. Fielder threw for two touchdowns while Pittman rushed for 95 yards on 12 carries.


CHICAGO (8-6-0) 33 Houston (3-11-0) 21

Our defense looked horrendous yet again. Our passing game was inconsistent. We are the expansion team of expansion teams. Oh yeah, Toth rushed for 101 yards. And Poole scored a touchdown.


Baltimore (9-6-0) 27 HOUSTON (3-12-0) 6

The Ravens defense was all over us to start the game. We did managed to score some field goals, but nothing more. Holmes ran over us with his 197 yard rushing day.


KANSAS CITY (7-9-0) 30 Houston (3-13-0) 25

We had our best offensive thus far. Pittman rushed for 182 yards while Fielder threw for 181 and a touchdown. Defensively, we sucked. We will definitely be looking for defensive help in free agency and the draft.


Playoffs

We had our first shutout in Super Bowl history as Oakland took home the crown in 19-0 white wash against the Redskins. Now I don’t feel so bad about being whooped by them.

Team Leaders

Passing
Fielder: 256/486 2426 YDS 14 TD 16 INT 62.3 RTG

Rushing
Pittman: 262 ATT 1175 YDS 4.4 AVG 5 TD

Receiving
Poole (R): 51 REC 701 YDS 13.7 AVG 7 TD

Defense
Diggs: 89 TKL 3.0 SCK

Pass Coverage
Fleming: 55 TKL 1.0 SCK 6 INT 60 IRYDS

Team Stats

OFFENSE

Rush YPG: 104.8 (16th)
Rush AVG: 4.0 (9th[t])
Pass YPG: 159.8 (32nd)
Pass AVG: 5.0 (32nd)

DEFENSE

Rush YPG: 132.9 (31st)
Rush AVG: 4.1 (24th)
Pass YPG: 207.9 (11th)
Pass AVG: 6.7 (23rd)

TURNOVERS AND 3RD DOWNS
Giveaways: 21 (4th)
Takeaways: 21 (29th)
TO +/-: 0 (16th)

3rd Down %: 24.7 % (31st)
3rd Dn Allowed: 38.4 & (29th)


[This message has been edited by duckman (edited 02-27-2001).]

[duckman]

2003 State of the Franchise

Head Coach Les Milam
Age: 54
Record: 3-13-0 (3-13-0 overall)
Salary: $3.85 M
Years Remaining: 2

Despite losing our final nine games of the season, I feel that a change is not necessary at this point. With some better talent around him, I think that he can excel as a coach in the NFL. I plan to honor the contract and give him the three years to build a competitive team.

Head Scout Bruce Tafoya
Age: 41
Record: 3-13-0 (3-13-0)
Salary: $340,000
Years Remaining: 2

Bruce is a good young scout who has a bright future with this franchise. He needs to improve on evaluating receivers due to the Poole bust, but overall, he’s a good scout.

Profit: $ (4.48) M

This is not what I hoped for financially in the first year in existence. Hopefully I can turn things around in time to save my job.


Key Free Agent for the 1st 10 weeks:

Jeremiah Trotter, LB, PHI

He possesses a lot of talent for the position. Excellent run stopper (89) and has the speed to cover most running backs (75 zone, 79 man). Lets hope that I can snag him.

[duckman]

Trotter signs with the Texans

HOUSTON-With the free agency period just beginning, the Houston Texans made a huge splash with the signing of Philadelphia linebacker Jeremiah Trotter to a three-year deal with total worth of $9.76 million. It included a $1.95 million signing bonus.

Trotter played six seasons for the Eagles where he amassed 195 tackles in the past three seasons. His best season was last year when he led the Eagles with 83 tackles. Philadelphia finished 8-8. He became a salary cap casualty because he demanded such a high salary that the Eagles could not afford to keep him on.

Coach Milam plans to use him as his middle linebacker for the upcoming season. “I feel that he has the vision and quickness to play the position. He gets to the ball and makes plays.”

[duckman]

Houston signs Pryce from Denver

HOUSTON-Just weeks after the free agent linebacker Jeremiah Trotter signed with the Texans, GM Kevin Heath announced the signing of Broncos defensive tackle Trevor Pryce. The seven-year veteran played his entire career for the Broncos.

Pryce signed a three-year deal worth $10.16 million including a $2.22 million signing bonus.

Pryce had his best season when he recorded 35 tackles and 12.5 sacks last season. He tried to resign with the Broncos, but would not go down form his $3.5 million per season demands.

Houston does not look done as they are trying to sign more free agents. Rumors are San Francisco tight end Gary Clark and guard Jeremy Newberry is close to signing with the team.

[duckman]

Texans signs two former 49ers

HOUSTON-Former 49ers tight end Gary Clark and guard Jeremy Newberry both signed with the second year expansion team. Terms of both players were not disclosed.

Clark, 30, played for the 49ers the past six season before signing with the Texans. He caught 83 passes the past three seasons. His best season was in 2001, when he caught 36 passes for 313 yards and 1 touchdowns.

Newberry, 26, had an injury riddled season as he started only five times while allowing seven sacks. The Texans are hoping that he can stay healthy and have as productive season as he did in 2001 when he allowed only 2 sacks while playing very down for the 49ers.

[duckman]

Heath has tough decisions to make in draft

NEW YORK--Is it Rodney Tuinei, Leland Gutsche, or Mitchell Downs the Texans answer for the team’s franchise quarterback? That’s what question GM Kevin Heath has been asking himself lately as the 2003 NFL Draft draws near. Last season, the young general manager chose not to take a quarterback in the 1st round. Instead, he chose wide receiver Perry Poole. Poole had a solid season (51 catches and 7 touchdowns), but he was inconsistent.

“I still think I made the right decision in regards to Poole,” said Heath. “He played well in his first season and he can only get better.”

He didn’t choose a quarterback until the third round when he chose Scott Bush. Bush played poorly in the exhibition season and eventually lost the starting job to current starter Jay Fielder. But Fielder played poorly during the regular season and made many mistakes during the Texans 3-13 season.

“I think we put to much pressure on him,” said Coach Milam. “We put a lot on his shoulders to do the job.”

With three solid quarterbacks available in the draft, GM Heath has to choose between the three or go in a different direction. Sources say that he wants to go with a quarterback, but he’s not sure, which would best benefit the franchise.

[duckman]

Mel Kiper’s Breakdown of Top 3 Rookie Quarterbacks

The three quarterbacks evaluated here are not in any particular order:

1. Mitchell Downs, 6-5 216 Jr. Princeton

Mitchell has good size for the position and is a solid performer with great pocket awareness. He rushed for 623 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season. He threw for 2621 yards and 21 touchdowns with 13 interception. He’s decent passer, but lacks arm strength for a prototype NFL quarterback. He’s a great leader for his age.
He could have used an extra season to work on his passing game.


2. Rodney Tuinei, 6-4 211 Sr. Valparaiso

Rodney is an excellent prototype NFL quarterback. He has good size for the position and like Downs, has great pocket awareness. He threw for a school record 3644 yards and 37 touchdowns 9 interceptions while completing 64 percent of his passes. He threw only 9 interceptions. He possesses great vision and can always seem to find the open guy. Going to a small school could hurt his draft standing. Overall, he’s a very good quarterback.


3. Leland Gutsche, 6-5 245 Sr. Minnesota

Leland is good leader with excellent skills for the position. The Heisman Trophy winner completed 68 percent of his passes for 4127 yds and 32 touchdowns. He’s not thought highly by some scout due to being a “system quarterback”. He has good arm strength for the position and had a good showing at the NFL combine

[duckman]

Houston makes Tuinei their quarterback of the future

NEW YORK--Ending weeks of speculation, the Houston Texans selected Rodney Tuinei with first pick of the 2003 NFL Draft. Tuinei immediately signed a six-year deal worth $26.74 million. The deal included a $15.18 million signing bonus.

The quarterback is University of Valparaiso’s all time leaders in passing yards (10,133), passing touchdowns (84), quarterback rating (131.6), and total offensive yards (11,321). Last season, Tuinei led Valparaiso to the Division 1-AA Championship over Youngstown St. 38-13. He hopes to make an immediate impact for the Texans.

“I’m extremely appreciative of this opportunity,” said Tuinei. “I hope that I can contribute for this franchise in the long run.”

1st Round Results

1. Houston - Tuinei, Rodney, QB, Valparaiso
2. Tennessee - Downs, Mitchell, QB, Princeton
3. Tampa Bay - Levitt, Harry, DE, Arkansas
4. Cleveland - Gutsche, Leland, QB, Minnesota
5. Detroit - Schubert, Monty, DE, Wyoming
6. San Diego - Jarvis, Willie, LB, Maryland
7. San Francisco - Ragsdale, Mario, RB, Notre Dame
8. New York G - Bryden, Edward, DT, Kentucky
9. New York J - Lincoln, Rob, DE, Colorado State
10. Miami - Guffey, Melvin, G, Kansas
11. Kansas City - Thompson, Deion, T, Grambling
12. St. Louis - Kemp, Lonnie, DE, Arkansas
13. Jacksonville - Dockery, Juan, DE, Washington
14. Dallas - Badillo, Orlando, G, Oregon State
15. Philadelphia - Floyd, Kendrick, LB, Louisiana State
16. New England - Woo, Harold, RB, Boise State
17. New Orleans - Jones, Calvin, DT, Colorado
18. Chicago - Lake, Norbert, S, Tennessee
19. Indianapolis - Sellers, Tyrone, WR, Georgia Tech
20. Seattle - Monk, Kris, T, Florida State
21. New York G - Winters, Corwin, T, Montana State
22. Pittsburgh - Frazer, Kirk, RB, Auburn
23. Philadelphia - Kirk, Sean, RB, Florida State
24. Carolina - Alcott, Howie, CB, St. Cloud State
25. Denver - Lanning, Kerry, DE, Florida State
26. Buffalo - Banta, Emmanuel, CB, Miami, Florida
27. Baltimore - Ikuma, A.J., QB, Baylor
28. Green Bay - Whitman, Perry, QB, San Jose State
29. Atlanta - Williams, Bennie, FB, Kentucky
30. Arizona - Alvarado, Brad, G, Georgia
31. Washington - Long, Byron, DE, Duquesne
32. Oakland - Glenn, Ike, TE, Florida State

[duckman]

Mel Kiper’s 2003 Draft Report

Houston Texans

1 (1)-Rodney Tuinei, 6-4 211, QB, Valparaiso
Excellent prototype NFL quarterback. Has quick feet and excellent vision. Seems to find the open guy. Overall, a good solid quarterback.

2-Bubba Bruton, 5-11 184, S, Colorado
Bone crushing hitter. Recorded 106 tackles in senior year. Excellent hands. 24 career interceptions.

2-Jack Stegall, 6-0 324, C, Arizona St. (Acquired from NY Jets)
Overall good center. Has played in every position on offensive line. Good run blocker.

3-Ronnie Gilliam, 6-0 189, Washington
Excellent speed reciever. Averaged 19.9 yards per catch in senior year. Good size and excellent hands for the position.

4-Oscar Farley, 5-10 173, Iowa
Can just boom them. Hit 12 50+ yard kicks in his career. Never missed a point after in high school or college.

5-Clay Warren, 6-4 284, Valdosta St.
Will make good back up defensive end. Has problem with shedding blockers. Only recorded six sacks in college. Good run stopper.

6-Nolan Roberson, 6-3 257, Oklahoma
Lacks speed for the position. Needs to work on fundementals.

7-Willie Borders, 6-5 243, Virginia Tech
Lacks size. Has good speed, but tends to over pursue



[This message has been edited by duckman (edited 03-01-2001).]

[duckman]

2003 Exhibition Season

We went an unimpressive 0-4-0. The running game was inconsistent and we had a lot of turnovers. Tuinei won the starting quarterback position. I expect a lot of good things to come of him.

2003 Regular Season

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

HOUSTON (1-0-0) 34 NY Jets (0-1-0) 3
Many new faces contributed in this game. Tuinei has good opening day as he completed 15 of 22 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Clark caught six passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Bubba Bruton returned an interception 33 yards for another score.

TENNESSEE (2-0-0) 23 Houston (1-1-0) 15
We were totally outmatched in this game. We gave up over 400 yards of offense while we managed only 91 yards on the ground. Tuinei was picked off once. His lone bright spot when he hit Poole for 85 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

San Diego (2-1-0) 31 HOUSTON (1-2-0) 16
This was a game we should have won. We fumbled the ball a team record five times and lost three. Pittman contributed to three of those while rushing for 176 yards. Tuinei threw for 167 yards and one touchdown.

SEATTLE (2-2-0) 30 Houston (1-3-0) 14
The Seahawks defense shut us down for 184 yards of total offense and three turnovers. Tuinei was terrible as he threw for 118 yards. Trotter had his first solid performance as he recorded 9 tackles and a sack.

NEW ORLEANS (4-1-0) 24 Houston (1-4-0) 14
Our team played very well against the NFC’s best team. Tuinei needs to work on his completion percentage as he completed less than fifty percent for the third straight game. Gilliam had a very good outing with six catches for 99 yards. Poole scored a touchdown in the loss.

KANSAS CITY (2-3-0) 20 Houston (1-5-0) 7
This begins a streak where score less than 10 points for five straight weeks. The running game was non existent. We couldn’t complete a pass to save our lives. We are bad....very bad. Gilliam recorded his first ever NFL touchdown.

DENVER (3-4-0) 21 Houston (1-6-0) 7
Tuinei threw a team record five interceptions in this loss. Poole had 112 yards receiving. We failed to run the ball again. Diggs had 11 tackles.

SAN DIEGO (4-4-0) 13 Houston (1-7-0) 7
We jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but failed to capitalize. Toth rushed for 55 yards and Poole caught six passes.

Seattle (4-5-0) 14 HOUSTON (1-8-0) 7
We set a team record with 59 passing yards in this defensive struggle. On the bright side, our defense held Seattle to 194 total offense.

San Francisco (6-4-0) 30 Houston (1-9-0) 7
We got taken behind the wood shed on this one. The 49er offense lit us up for 17 points in the fourth in the romp. Tuinei had his best game as a pro throwing for 228 yards and a touchdown. Trotter recorded seven tackles.

Oakland (10-1-0) 36 HOUSTON (1-10-0) 10
Four turnovers are what killed us. Tuinei was injured in the game with a deep thigh bruise. Bush played well in his absent.

HOUSTON (2-10-0) 16 Denver (4-8-0) 10
Bothered by a bruised thigh, Tuinei led the Texans to their first victory in 10 games. He threw for 121 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Pittman rushed for 89 yards. Clark caught team record 10 passes for 112 yards.

OAKLAND (11-2-0) 35 Houston (2-11-0) 7
Another wood shed beating. I’m still smarting over this one. The offense gained a total of 154 yards.

St. Louis (5-9-0) 36 Houston (2-12-0) 33
We blew a 26-7 lead in the third quarter. The defense played well, but they could not overcome three turnovers. We need to take care of the ball better.

Houston (3-12-0) 17 CLEVELAND (4-11-0) 12
We rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the running back starved team by forcing three turnovers and holding them to 46 yards on the ground. Lavender had his game as a pro with 106 yards rushing.

Kansas City (9-7-0) 17 HOUSTON (3-13-0) 3
The defense played well, but KC seems to find a way to win. Luckily, we don’t have the worst record in the league. Detroit took that honor with a 2-14 record. We’ll have the second pick if you want to call that an improvement.


Playoffs

Oakland’s bid for a third straight Super Bowl was dashed by the New Orleans in a 35-3 loss to the Saints.


Team Leaders

Passing
Tuinei: 168/335 1983 YDS 10 TD 18 INT 56.0 RTG

Rushing
Pittman: 294 ATT 1419 YDS 4.8 AVG 7 TD

Receiving
Poole: 45 REC 628 YDS 13.9 AVG 3 TD

Defensive
Brown: 76 TKL 0.5 SCK

Pass Coverage
Rincon: 73 TKL 0 SCK 6 INT 45 IRYDS 1 TD

Team Stats

OFFESNE
Rush YPG: 123.5 (4th)
Rush AVG: 4.2 (4th[t])
Pass YPG: 160.3 (31st)
Pass AVG: 5.5 (30th)

DEFENSE
Rush YPG: 101.8 (14th)
Rush AVG: 3.3 (9th)
Pass YPG: 208.3 (10th)
Pass AVG: 6.7 (22nd[t])

TURNOVERS AND THIRD DOWNS
Giveaways: 40 (30th)
Takeaways: 20 (29th)
TO +/-: -20 (31st)

3rd Dwn %: 27.6 (28th[t])
Opp 3rd %: 32.4 (17th)

[duckman]

2004 State of the Franchise

Head Coach Les Milam
Age: 55
Record: 3-13-0 (6-26-0 overall)
Salary: $3.85 million
Years Remaining: 1

OK, he has this one last chance to turn things around. We can’t have another long losing streak. He’s a good coach, but he seems to have a problem motivating the troops. Hopefully, for his sake, he can turn things around.

Head Scout Bruce Tafoya
Age: 42
Record: 3-13-0 (6-26-0)
Salary: $340,000
Years Remaining: 1

He’s still, in my opinion, one of the best young scouts in the NFL. He improved his ability of judging young talent, but he still lacks in wide receivers. He’ll get a nice pay raise when the time comes.

Profit: $ (18.20) million

Well, what can I say? I need to do a better job of this. I won’t be going after any high price free agents.

Key Free Agent for the 1st 10 weeks

I have none because I won’t sign one in the first 10 weeks. Maybe, in the final 10 weeks, I’ll sign some of the lower tier free agents.

[duckman]

Brown retires after nine seasons

HOUSTON--After much speculation over the past few weeks, Houston Texan guard Ruben Brown announce his retirement in a press conference at Lone Star Stadium. He was in his second year of a four year deal that made him the highest paid guard in the NFL. Brown, 32, played for seven of those seasons with the Detroit Lions where he was 1st team All-Pro in 2000.

In his two seasons with the Texans, he started 29 games and allowed six sacks in 913 pass plays. His last season was hampered with nagging injuries to his ankles. He had surgery done to his ailing ankles, but they never responded to the rehab.

The Texans are now looking to replace Brown in the free agent market or the draft. Brown will count $2.55 million against this year’s salary cap.

[duckman]

Texans reward Pittman two-year extension

HOUSTON--After rushing a team record 1419 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, the Houston rewarded the seven-year veteran a two extension. Terms were not disclosed. Pittman, 29, became part of the team in 2002 where he rushed for 1175 yards and five touchdowns.

“I am grateful to be able to continue my career here in Houston,” said Pittman. “I hope to finish my career here

[duckman]

Texans signs Witherspoon and Farrior

HOUSTON--Houston Texans GM Kevin Heath announced in a news conference that New England Patriots tackle Jesse Witherspoon and New York Jets linebacker James Farrior has signed with the fledgling franchise. Witherspoon signed a three-year deal worth $10.04 million and Farrior signed a two-year deal worth $4.74 million.

Witherspoon is a five-year veteran who started the past four seasons with the Patriots. Farrior is an eight-year veteran. Farrior led the team in tackles with 81 tackles in 2001