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TEXANS NOTES: Kubiak tells Williams to skip practice | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Not so fast, Mario
Defensive end Mario Williams was all suited up and headed out to practice Thursday morning when Texans coach Gary Kubiak turned Williams around. Kubiak told Williams to take off his pads and just watch practice.

Even after a full day of treatment, the hamstrings that tightened up on Williams on Wednesday continued to bother him enough that trainer Kevin Bastin suggested Williams skip the morning practice.

Williams agreed with the reasoning.

"I just don't want anything to happen in training camp," said Williams, who also sat out the evening practice. "This is a very important season coming up for the team, and I want to be a part of that.

"The reason the coaches are taking me out is so this doesn't become more serious."

In search of consistency
Coach Gary Kubiak made it clear one week into training camp that his players aren't quite ready to start the season. But he is excited about the young players on the roster and the veteran players who were added at running back and linebacker — Ahman Green, Danny Clark and Shawn Barber.

"I think our whole battle, really what I just talked to the team about, is just continuing to come together as a team," Kubiak said. "We do some good stuff. We don't do it consistently. We've got to become more consistent how we go about it, and that comes from leadership. (We've) just got to keep plugging. We've had some good days, bad days; we need some consistency in what we're doing."

Game conditions?
The automatic lightning sensor atop the Texans' training facility sounded a shrill alarm about half an hour before the end of practice Thursday morning and, without hesitation, the already-soaked players jogged into the bubble.

Earlier, they had been pounded by a 10-minute deluge, but, without any apparent danger, coach Gary Kubiak never considered calling a halt to the proceedings. After all, some of their games this season will be exposed to the elements.

"We go to Carolina week two, and it may be raining there," Kubiak said. "I think (practicing in the rain) makes people concentrate. It makes the quarterback concentrate on the ball and the receivers on hanging onto the football. You've got to be ready to do anything in this business, and you can't be distracted by something like a little cold summer rain."

Cold? Well, at the least the temperature did briefly dip into the low 80s.

Healthy receivers wanted
The Texans hope their receiving corps will be getting healthy enough to practice in the upcoming days.

David Anderson should be back on the field Monday, and Andre' Davis likely will practice today.

The only injury that concerns coach Gary Kubiak involves veteran Keenan McCardell, who recently strained his quadriceps.

"(Trainer) Kevin (Bastin) talked to me about four or five days, I don't know, we'll see," Kubiak said. "But we really need to get him back out there. He knows his body better than anybody, and we've got to get him healthy."

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