Texans morning huddle: joint practice underway
By Randy Gurzi
It’s finally Friday Texans fans! Let’s jump right into the links today where we find notes from the Texans joint practice with Washington as well as the team owner not being surprised by an injury to the star running back. Enjoy;
25 observations from #TexansCamp against Washington – by John Harris of HoustonTexans.com
"On the Road, AGAIN!Yes sir, last year it was Denver, Colorado to tangle with the Denver Broncos but this year, it’s three days with the Washington Redskins at the Bon Secours Training Center in Richmond, Virginia. It was a festive occasion, similar to the environment in Houston for a public practice. As such, the team got some work done against RGIII and company on Thursday. Let’s dive right into the observations from the team’s workout.1. Marc Vandermeer and I jumped on the air early and our radio set up was a bit off the beaten path a bit from the two practice fields. But, I had a small view of Field Two. As I was talking, setting up the scene from the facility, the wide receivers and defensive backs were doing some 1-on-1s. In the middle of one of my many diatribes, I saw this blur sprint through the small view with a Redskin defender about four yards behind him. It was rookie Chandler Worthyblazing past, making the catch and scoring a TD.2. A few moments later, Jaelen Strong was matched up on a white jersey. Now, the Texans flipped jerseys today as the offense wore white while the defense wore blue, so Strong was going one on one with a Redskins offensive player. I eventually realized that the Redskins must be trying to convert former Florida receiver Quinton Dunbar to defensive back. Yeah, Strong whipped him on that route down the field.3. That was a good moment for Strong, but he had a couple of lapses in concentration, one right in front of me during 7-on-7 when Ryan Mallett hit him right in the hands for an easy catch and Strong couldn’t complete the catch. He’s been excellent in training camp through this point and I expect him to bounce back and have a few great days to finish the road trip.4. A few moments after seeing Strong flash against Dunbar, I saw a group of Texans WRs and Redskins DBs having a bit of a pow wow and then it turned into a mild fracas. It started as a Redskins defensive back made some comment to Strong, which caught the attention of DeAndre Hopkins and then Redskin DeAngelo Hall opened his mouth. That exacerbated the situation as the verbal tete-a-tete turned into a shoving match with Hopkins and Hall right in the middle of it. Then, I saw Big Tex Ryan Mallett himself run over and defend his teammates which was the least surprising aspect of the the whole thing. Mallett backs down from no one. There were no more dust ups, but the talking did continue throughout the workout."
Bob McNair: ‘I can’t say that I’m that surprised’ about Arian Foster’s injury – by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle
"After the Texans discovered running back Arian Foster had suffered a groin injury that would require surgery, owner Bob McNair wasn’t surprised.Foster is scheduled to undergo surgery today in Philadelphia, where Dr. William C. Meyers will repair the injury that could sideline him until the second half of the season.“I’ve recognized how vulnerable he is,” McNair said before the Texans practiced against Washington on Thursday. “I can’t say that I’m that surprised. It seems like every year he’s had some type of soft tissue injury. We just keep our fingers crossed and hope it won’t happen, but he seems to be vulnerable to that type of thing.”At this point, nobody knows how long Foster will be out. If he goes on short-term injured reserve, he has to miss the first eight weeks of the season."
The Confession of Arian Foster – by Tim Keown of ESPN
"LIFE’S BIGGEST QUESTIONS are leading me through a narrow street in a stately Houston neighborhood, where haunting piles of home furnishings-cabinets, carpet, curtains-lie on the north side of the street in mud-streaked abandon. Meanwhile, the south side, unharmed by the torrential rain, looks as if it took up arms and ravaged the other. The difference is so stark, so precise, that some might be tempted to invoke divine intervention.And if a just God intervened to spare the folks on the south side, why would he beget fires-of-hell vengeance upon those who happened to purchase a home on the other side of the street, where the floodwaters flowed over the curb, across the lawns and through living rooms and kitchens?And is it blasphemy to even ask?In a room toward the back of a home on the dry side of the street, Arian Foster ponders such questions. Given the reason I’m here, he laughs at the notion of celestial involvement in the water’s path. Where some might see the hand of God, Foster sees physics and engineering, the slope of the road and the elevation of the homes in relation to a swollen runoff canal that bisects an arterial a few hundred yards away."
2015 Fantasy Football Team Preview: Houston Texans – by Adam Meyer of FOX Sports
"For your fantasy football draft prep and advice, continue to check on this page for updates regarding the Houston Texans.Team outlook:Starting quarterback, nope. Elite running back, out. Big play wide receiver, gone. Yikes. However, there are some value plays on the roster, especially now that Arian Foster will miss some significant time.Bye week: 9Rookie impacts: Jaelen Strong (WR)Andre Johnson is out of Houston, which means there is an opening in the Texans’ receiving corps. At Arizona State, Strong compiled over 1,100 yards in each of his two seasons as a Sun Devil. Strong could be considered as a deep league sleeper, but he’ll likely remain a fantasy free agent until a good game, or two.Quarterback: Ryan Mallett/Brian HoyerMallett was one of six Texans who completed a pass in 2014, including Shane Lechler and Arian Foster. Mallett has played in seven games during his four-year NFL career. If he wants the starting gig for 2015, Mallett needs to beat a new member of the Houston QB club, Brian Hoyer. In 2014, Hoyer threw for over 3,300 yards (more than Derek Carr, Alex Smith, and Cam Newton), but only completed 12 TDs (fewer than Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez). As training camp proceeds, be sure to check this page for further updates on the quarterback situation."