Texans morning huddle: What to do at running back, O’Brien the right coach?
By Randy Gurzi
Good morning Texans fans, hopefully the sting from this weekend is beginning to wear off some. Unfortunately the reality that the face of the franchise is gone for the year is probably starting to set in.
Still, thanks to a poor AFC South, the Houston Texans are still alive in their division, so we should root for the team to pick their head’s up and move on. All we can do is keep on rooting.
Here is the news you need to know as we move on from another tough loss;
RB options for Texans expanded – by Drew Dougherty, HoustonTexans.com
"Alfred Blue, Chris Polk and Jonathan Grimes have all carried the ball this season behind Foster. Fullback Jay Prosch has also rushed four times for 28 yards. But they might not be the only ones called upon this week and beyond to help out in Foster’s absence.“There are other guys on our roster that have played running back before, so we may even do some of that,” O’Brien said. “We’re still talking about that as we sit here on Monday.”"
Texans’ Bill O’Brien, Rick Smith ‘dealing with’ Ryan Mallett situation – by Tania Ganguli, ESPN
"Here’s a quick transcript of the questions and answers on the topic from O’Brien’s press conference Monday:“We’re dealing with Ryan Mallett and that situation internally, (general manager) Rick Smith and I,” O’Brien said, as part of his opening statement. “So I won’t have any comment on that at this point.”"
18 observations from Texans vs. Dolphins – by John Harris, HoustonTexans.com
"1. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL and the game of football, that’s not news to anyone. But, when I saw Arian Foster in a crumpled heap on the far side of the field, my heart just sunk. He’s such a football warrior and to see him down on the opposite side of the action, I just knew. He got on the cart for the locker room immediately, drove past me on the sideline and I wanted to just hug the man. There’s so much I would’ve told him but the simplest would be “thanks.” We might all take for granted how great he is and has always been, but this man is special and it’ll be a tough nine games likely without him the rest of the season.2. Fortunately, WR Nate Washington announced his presence with authority, returning with a strong game (nine for 127 yards and two touchdowns) in his first game since injuring his hamstring in Atlanta. I hate that Nate’s last two games as a Texan were the Atlanta and Miami games, but hopefully, it’ll turn next weekend when he faces his former teammates at NRG Stadium."
Did The Houston Texans Hire The Wrong Head Coach? – by Mike Meltser, CBS Houston
"That’s the deep question that Texans owner Bob McNair may be thinking about, as he returned to Houston after watching his team get walloped 44-26 by the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. For the record, I was a big supporter of the Texans hiring Bill O’Brien two years ago. Was I wrong? Maybe, but it’s obviously difficult to make any definitive judgments."
Bob McNair says he’s sorry… sort of – by Cort McMurray, Houston Chronicle
"It’s not easy, being Bob McNair. Back in the old days, being a Houston billionaire was fun: Whether you made your fortune in the oil patch or, like McNair, you cashed in your Enron stock at exactly the right time, just before the soufflé imploded, life was lunch at the Petroleum Club and dinnertime ribeyes at Confederate House, and doing pretty much whatever you pleased.You made deals. You attended charity galas. You bought a football team. And you basked in the grateful approbation of your NFL-deprived city. Those were the days, my friend, when you could step in front of a microphone and ask, “Are you ready for some football?” and have an ocean of Houstonians cheering and lining up to buy official Tony Boselli replica jerseys."