Some random thoughts from this mornings practice...

Dunta is ready. He had a couple nice smacks on Vonta. He was sticking his nose in there every chance he got. He held AJ really well...Looks like he really takes his job serious...

Schaub looks 10X better than Carr as far as composure and pocket presence goes. We'll see if that holds up when the DE's can actually hit him. He also had nice placement on his short throws. He doesn't have a very strong arm but it's strong enough to get 'er done. I think he is going to be a monster in the red zone. We have a lot of options when we get in that area and Schaub's placement and reads were on key.

Ahman still has a good burst.

Didn't notice the individual O-lineman much (kinda hard to see everything) but the first group seemed to do a pretty good job. Salaam didn't look too old.

Mario stretches lazily. Didn't even do al the stretches. To me he looked kind of stiff. But even having said all of that, he was getting good--not great-- pressure from the edge.

Owen Daniels looks nice. Demeco is Demeco. Glen Earl was next to invisible. Fred Bennett is probably going to take Faggins spot before the year is over. He's behind Dunta right now, but IMO, he is the second best corner on the team easily. Long arms, Can play press coverage. Good ball skills and very fluid. I was really impressed on one play when he came up to the line in press coverage on Mathis. He jammed him pretty good on that play and wasn't afraid of his speed. Looks confident.

C.C needs to be the starting SS and we need a FS.

AJ is a freak.

Travis Johnson is not a "fat, lazy slug" he actually looks to be in pretty good shape...better than some others are for sure.....He was on his back the first two plays I saw, but he was very active down at DT.

Didn't notice Diles.
I saw Anderson in the first group, but Orr wasn't dressed...Neither was Barber...

I pray Mckinney starts because Flannagan doesn't look like he belongs in the NFL. He has a big belly, skinny legs and just looks all around out of shape and un-athletic. Pitts and Weary and Winston are in good shape.

Jason Babin look un-athletic to me as well.

Gado looked good as well as Walker. Nothing Lundy did stood out to me.

Abbate got into a little scrap with someone (I didn't see who)...He doesn't look like a LB to me...He looks like a freakin fullback...He's short and thick and plays with a spark about him...Caught well out of the backfield, and stuck his nose in there on running plays...I think he makes the team...

Jacoby disapointed me a little bit...I saw him not catch two balls that I thought he should have caught...and one ball I thought he could have made a better effort...He just flat out dropped one...Mathis is a better reciever than Jacoby at this point...I don't know why, but that was kind of shocking to me...

Ummm....That's really all I can think of...

[jdog]

Anybody think Mathis can be a good #2 wr for us? It seems like he's impressing alot of people with his hands, and of course he has great speed. I saw him take one while the db was glued to him on a video.

Another question I have is do we send the defense at the first team like we know they are going to do to us? If so, how are they handling it? I heard some people say Schaub has better pocket presence and the defensive line is dominating. But any idea what defensive calls are being made? I know our d needs to practice their stuff, but our offense needs to see all out blitzes until they can prove they're capable of responding.

[Kaiser Toro]

Although I was impressed with Mathis today, by no means am I ready to annoint him, but it was promising to be wowed by him at a need position and a position where he has not wowed at before.

[awtysst]

What are your thoughts on Amobe?

[mexican_texan]

Travis Johnson is not a "fat, lazy slug" he actually looks to be in pretty good shape...better than some others are for sure.....He was on his back the first two plays I saw, but he was very active down at DT.

I've always thought TJ had a bad rap. In his second year, he had to move from 3-4 DE to 4-3 DT and after only a few games before injury, he was declared a bust. He was in the doghouse in Training Camp, but he worked his way out and played very well in the preseason, but was outshined by Earl Cochran and Mario. He wasn't ready to play his rookie year and I feel he was at times used as a scapegoat for the line's general woes.

[awtysst]

Originally Posted by mexican_texan

I've always thought TJ had a bad rap. In his second year, he had to move from 3-4 DE to 4-3 DT and after only a few games before injury, he was declared a bust. He was in the doghouse in Training Camp, but he worked his way out and played very well in the preseason, but was outshined by Earl Cochran and Mario. He wasn't ready to play his rookie year and I feel he was at times used as a scapegoat for the line's general woes.

I wish him the best. A line with a productive TJ, Mario, and Amobe is a strong line.

[dskillz]

Mathis looked great today. It is all about him staying healthy.

BTW, this is a **** I got this morning. I call it - "The Four Offensive Weapons"

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by jdog

Anybody think Mathis can be a good #2 wr for us? It seems like he's impressing alot of people with his hands, and of course he has great speed. I saw him take one while the db was glued to him on a video.

Another question I have is do we send the defense at the first team like we know they are going to do to us? If so, how are they handling it? I heard some people say Schaub has better pocket presence and the defensive line is dominating. But any idea what defensive calls are being made? I know our d needs to practice their stuff, but our offense needs to see all out blitzes until they can prove they're capable of responding.

If I was making the decision on today's practice session only, I'd say yes. He was really mixing it up with the DBs today and on one long pass he had at least a step and a half separation but the QB (Sage I think) didn't lead him and he had to wait on the ball. Walter, on the other hand, never ran a pattern that "stretched the field" in today's practice. Walter did perform fairly well in the red zone offense though.

The answer to your second question is I think the defense is called based on the situation. I don't think they "know what's coming" or anything. And yeah, they were blitzing.

[TexansLucky13]

Mario is still nursing his injury from Wednesday. He will be easing back into all of the stretches and work-outs.

TJ must have gotten a wake-up call this week. When I saw him last Saturday, he barely had enough energy to walk from field 1 to field 3. It's good to hear that he is improving.

[jdog]

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

If I was making the decision on today's practice session only, I'd say yes. He was really mixing it up with the DBs today and on one long pass he had at least a step and a half separation but the QB (Sage I think) didn't lead him and he had to wait on the ball. Walter, on the other hand, never ran a pattern that "stretched the field" in today's practice. Walter did perform fairly well in the red zone offense though.

The answer to your second question is I think the defense is called based on the situation. I don't think they "know what's coming" or anything. And yeah, they were blitzing.

I'm just wondering if Richard Smith considers part of the situation to be a weak offensive line and if he takes advantage accordingly. Every other defensive coordinator will be considering that to be the situation. I'm just hoping our offense is getting a genuine taste of it and wondering how they are handling it if they're getting it.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by mexican_texan

I've always thought TJ had a bad rap. In his second year, he had to move from 3-4 DE to 4-3 DT and after only a few games before injury, he was declared a bust. He was in the doghouse in Training Camp, but he worked his way out and played very well in the preseason, but was outshined by Earl Cochran and Mario. He wasn't ready to play his rookie year and I feel he was at times used as a scapegoat for the line's general woes.

how does a guy that hasn't played well in two years get a "good rap" if you think he has had a "bad rap"?

[threetoedpete]

Originally Posted by Vinny

how does a guy that hasn't played well in two years get a "good rap" if you think he has had a "bad rap"?

I'm not banging anyones report. Just keep them coming. I think I'm smart enough to figgure out who has an agenda , and who is offering an objective report. No one wants TJ to suceed more than I do. I'll believe it when I see it.

[awtysst]

I am pulling for the best players to be on the field. I don't care if that is TJ or someone else. I want to see us be competitive and a winning team. May the best man play and let us win!

[Double Barrel]

I was pleasantly surprised by Mathis yesterday. He seems to have improved his catching ability, but still has a way to go to be a good receiver. Obviously he's got the speed, but he lacked separation and the ability to lose the defender.

Jones is a rookie and looked like it. I still think he'll come around and end up no. 2 within a couple of years, but it's KW's job to lose at this point, IMO.

Originally Posted by awtysst

What are your thoughts on Amobe?

He seemed to be getting decent pressure, but he wasn't a force...

I expect Amobe to show some flashes this year, but I don't expect him to be dominant...

Definitely has good movement as far as his athleticism and quickness are concerned...

I didn't see any one on ones and when they were in team I don't think that the lines were going full speed...maybe about 3/4 speed...they weren't dogging it, but they weren't going all out either, so it's really hard to say...

In the long run though I think he will be fine...well worth the # 10

[Kaiser Toro]

Appreciate your take XTru. It appears we saw many similar things .

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

I was pleasantly surprised by Mathis yesterday. He seems to have improved his catching ability, but still has a way to go to be a good receiver. Obviously he's got the speed, but he lacked separation and the ability to lose the defender.

Jones is a rookie and looked like it. I still think he'll come around and end up no. 2 within a couple of years, but it's KW's job to lose at this point, IMO.

I was really dissapointed in Jones....

Rookie or no rookie....


He doesn't go and get the ball when it's in the air...I have a problem with that...The drops don't concern me much, but there was one long pass down the sideline to Jacoby that was catchable in my opinion, and he didn't even jump for the ball...Fred Bennet couldn't even see the ball and just reached back and broke the pass up...If Jacoby jumps and catches the ball in the air Fred Bennett is Mossed...

I love Jacoby's athleticism and the fact that he is pigeon toed, but he is going to have to tremendously improve his ball skills if he ever want to be a number two...

But you're right, it is Walter's job to lose...

Overall I was most impressed with AJ (goes without saying) and Mathis...Walter is a guy who is just going to catch the ball....good hands and tall...

Originally Posted by Kaiser Toro

Appreciate your take XTru. It appears we saw many similar things .

Did you see a big guy with camoflouge shorts, and a camoflouge hat and glasses?

If you did, that was me...

[Kaiser Toro]

Originally Posted by xtruroyaltyx

Did you see a big guy with camoflouge shorts, and a camoflouge hat and glasses?

If you did, that was me...

No, but normally I am not looking for guys in the crowd. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Originally Posted by threetoedpete

I'm not banging anyones report. Just keep them coming. I think I'm smart enough to figgure out who has an agenda , and who is offering an objective report. No one wants TJ to suceed more than I do. I'll believe it when I see it.

I just cant believe that people call TJ a "fat, lazy slug" and it has pretty much come to be accepted as truth...

TJ isn't a fat slug...He may be lazy, but he looks good...

Hopefully it translates to the field...