08-30-2007, 04:28 PM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
|
Both of them
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,225
|
Jobs hang in balance in preseason finale
Jobs hang in balance in Texans' preseason finale | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Quote:
If winning the last preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers mattered to the Texans, they would not be resting quarterback Matt Schaub, using rookie Jared Zabransky for at least three quarters, and limiting some other starters to 10 plays.
The priority tonight at Raymond James Stadium is evaluating players before the roster must be reduced to a final 53 on Saturday. Texans coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith plan to make their personnel moves Friday.
"We want to get it done on Friday because that gives us a head start to prepare for (the season opener with) Kansas City," Smith said.
Kubiak is waiting for Saturday's practice to disclose who has won starting jobs at center, outside linebacker, defensive tackle and punter.
Expect Steve McKinney (center), Danny Clark (outside linebacker), Travis Johnson (defensive tackle) and Matt Turk (punter) to be starting.
"I have an idea about which direction we're going, but there are a lot of other things that are extremely important to us," Kubiak said. "We have a lot on our plate right now. We want to play this game and get down to our number (53)."
Kubiak and Smith also have to make difficult decisions at receiver, in the backfield and at tight end.
"We have a numbers game at a number of positions," Smith said. "We have some tough decisions to make all the way across the board.
"The thing we're trying to do is put the best 53 guys on the final roster, however that's configured — whether it's four tight ends or three tight ends or five receivers or six receivers."
One of the toughest decisions will come at receiver. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones and Jerome Mathis are locks. That leaves David Anderson, who made the team as a rookie last season, competing with veterans Keenan McCardell, Andre Davis and Bethel Johnson.
Kubiak isn't sure if he'll keep five or six receivers.
"We're going to look at those guys extremely hard in this game," he said. "They're going to play a lot. We want to get a good look at Keenan through the first half. We're going to do everything we can to let those guys sort that out themselves. That'll be a difficult decision."
In three games, Davis has seven catches for 48 yards. Anderson has two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown. McCardell and Johnson don't have a reception.
Versatility weighs in a receiver's favor. Receivers taking up the last roster spot or two at their position must contribute on special teams.
"When I look at Kevin Walter, I see a starter that's going to play special teams," Kubiak said. "I'm not going to change what the does. He's an asset to this team playing special teams, so he's going to play.
"Jacoby's a special-teams player and pretty darn good as a returner. Jerome is a returner, and he can cover kicks. I think we have some guys in place right now that already play special teams, and that's going to be the strength of the group."
For a receiver to stand out against the Buccaneers, he has to have a quarterback throwing him the ball. Sage Rosenfels, who has accounted for a touchdown in each of the seven preseason games he has played with the Texans, will start and be replaced by Zabransky.
"Sage won't play very long," Kubiak said. "I think you'll see him for a couple of series, a quarter at the most. I want to look at Zabransky and see if he has a future with this team."
Nothing like the coach putting pressure on an undrafted quarterback from Boise State.
"Yeah, I put some pressure on him, but that's good," Kubiak said. "That's the only way you find out about guys like this, giving them an opportunity. He's going against a good defensive team, a (defensive coordinator) Monte Kiffin defense, in a visiting stadium.
"I'm interested to see how he handles himself. Our decision is simple: Do we think he has a chance someday to be a player in this league? And if he does, we have to find a way to keep him on this team."
|
__________________
|
|
|
Jobs hang in balance in preseason finale
Linear Mode
