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Wolf

100% Texan
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans led the AFC South wire-to-wire last season, while the Houston Texans matched the best finish in the team's brief history.

To build on those successes in 2009, each team will have to rebound from a season-opening defeat.

The Titans look to bounce back from an overtime loss to the reigning Super Bowl champions Sunday when they host the Texans, whose dismal offensive performance in their opener doesn't bode well for the team's chances to compete for its first playoff appearance.

Tennessee set a franchise record by winning its first 10 games last season en route to its first division title since 2002. The Titans didn't get off to nearly as strong a start to 2009, falling 13-10 in overtime at Pittsburgh in last Thursday night's NFL opener.
http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-1/Titans-Take-on-Division-Rival-Texans-on-Sunday/eb30fac7-6a03-4aa7-bb9c-b3f63675692d

HOUSTON -- Texans cornerback Jacques Reeves should be back and safety Eugene Wilson could play.
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But will their return and an extra week of practice for Dunta Robinson improve a Houston secondary that allowed 272 yards passing by a rookie quarterback in a 24-7 loss to the Jets last week?

Reeves has been out since early in training camp with a broken leg. He said getting all the starters back would be a boost to a team trying to avoid an 0-2 start at Tennessee on Sunday.

Reeves and Wilson both practiced Wednesday. Coach Gary Kubiak said he'll decide later in the week if the pair are ready to play. Wilson hasn't played since injuring his knee on a crackback block by Brett Favre on Aug. 31.

Kubiak said getting everyone back would help.

"Eugene's a big part of this team," Kubiak said. "He's played very well for us. To go into Week 1 without him made it tough with just three safeties.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090916/SPORTS01/90916051/2072/SPORTS/Texans+need+boost+in+secondary
 

Wolf

100% Texan
On Sunday, the Texans are hoping they get the Steve Slaton who played big for them in two matchups against the Titans last year -- not the one who gained just 17 yards and lost a costly fumble in a season-opening debacle against the Jets.

They have cause for optimism based on how well Slaton fared against Tennessee as a rookie. Against a run defense that wound up sixth in the NFL, he twice gained 100 yards. He carried 18 times for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Titans’ 31-12 win at LP Field on Sept. 21., then took his 24 chances for 100 yards in the Texans’ 13-12 win at Reliant Stadium on Dec 14.

But against the Jets he and the entire offense fizzled with 183 net yards, 11 first downs and only three third-down conversions.

“I think [the Titans] are one of the best teams in football against the run,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “Steve played good football for us last year. We’ve struggled as a team here throughout the preseason and in Week 1 running the football, so it’s been an issue for us. We’ve got to get a lot better and there is no tougher place to do it.”

No matter how much better quarterback Matt Schaub plays, no matter how well they do at getting the ball to receiver Andre Johnson and no matter how much of a boost they get from the return of No. 2 receiver Kevin Walter from a hamstring injury, the Texans will have a hard time beating the Titans if they do not run it well.

They’d like to use Slaton (more speed) and former Titan Chris Brown (more power) as a one-two punch much the same way the Titans employ Chris Johnson and LenDale White.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/7998/slaton-presents-titans-a-triple-digit-problem
 

Wolf

100% Texan
Kubiac's conference call

HEAD COACH GARY KUBIAK

(on Steve Slaton’s performance against the Titans last season)

I think they’re one of the best teams in football against the run. Steve played good football for us last year. We’ve struggled as a team throughout the preseason and week one running the football. It’s been an issue for us so we’ve got to get a lot better and there’s no tougher place to do it than coming there to play you guys.

(on if there are any concerns of Steve Slaton bulking up in the offseason)

No, I don’t. I really don’t see that as an issue. He’s put on a few pounds, five or six pounds, but I think he needed a few pounds as far as the wear-and-tear of the National Football League. It’s nothing to lose that in a game on a given weekend. Steve’s fine, I think he came out of training camp a better player than he was last year. You know, we’ve got to help him as a group. We’ve got to do a better job, everybody around him, and get him some help.

(on if it is a timing thing with Steve Slaton)

The thing for us is that we really haven’t come out of games where we had 30-35 carries where you sit there and evaluate it and say, ‘Okay, what are we doing good, what are we doing poor.’ We’ve kind of been, in three out of our last four games when you throw out the last preseason game, where we got out of whack, run and pass. Kind of really got one sided throwing the football. When you’re a balanced football team, which is what we want to be, you’re putting yourself in a tough position. It hasn’t been good, it’s been frustrating. We’ve got a lot of work to do to try and get it corrected.

(on the possibility of a running back combination like the Titans with Chris Brown and Steve Slaton)

http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-1/Conference-Call-Texans-Head-Coach-Gary-Kubiak/19c2a1e3-d09c-4301-b286-d06a19c11449
 

Wolf

100% Texan
(on Amobi Okoye’s key to the defense)

I thought he had his best camp he’s had since he’s been with our football team. He did some good things in the game. I thought we played hard defensively last week, we gave up some yards. I thought that offensively we never helped our defense, we couldn’t keep them off the field. I think he’s an improved player but there’s obviously another level that he’s got to reach for our football team to continue to step forward.

(on Eugene Wilson and Jacques Reeves’ injury status)

They’re day-to-day. They worked with the team on Monday and I’m expecting them to work today. We’ll monitor their progress.

(on Jared Cook)

We studied the heck out of him in the draft. To me, he’s probably the most gifted tight end coming out skill wise and stuff. They’ve got a good one there. We’re working with two young ones here ourselves, but obviously he’s got tremendous talent.

more from last link
 

Wolf

100% Texan
Thunderstorms are in the forecast the rest of the week, including Sunday when the Titans and the Texans meet at LP Field.
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The Titans plan to practice outside at least once, Coach Jeff Fisher said after Wednesday's practice on the indoor field at Baptist Sports Park.

"Our plan is to go outside and deal with the inclement weather and wet balls and things like," he said. "So bring your rain gear."

Stormy weather could limit passing Sunday, but both teams have strong running games.
http://www.dnj.com/article/20090917/SPORTS/90917029/Notebook++Titans+will+work+in+rain+this+week+
 

HTown2ATX

TexansMetalhead
If raining:

A finesse team with an inconsistent D vs. A team that pounds the ball and has a tough D = Win for the team that pounds the ball and has a tough D.

Aww c'mon! Don't rain on my homerism parade! We all know that! :)

But, I'm hoping that the ball is too slippery for their backs to hold onto it combined with them believing that we are so bad all they have to do is show up.
 

Wolf

100% Texan
Game Snapshot

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
SURFACE: Grass
TV: CBS (Gus Johnson, Steve Tasker)
SERIES: 15th regular-season meeting. Titans lead series 11-3. The Titans have dominated the series against the team that replaced them in Houston. The Texans upset the Titans last year in Houston, 13-12, marking their first win in the series since they swept Tennessee during the 2004 season.

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Texans were 5-0 when RB Steve Slaton carried the ball at least 20 times last season, but he had just nine carries last Sunday as Houston fell into a big deficit. With QB Matt Schaub still not 100 percent recovered from an ankle injury, the Texans need to lean on Slaton early. But it won't be easy against the Titans' run defense, which held Pittsburgh to 36 yards. Having WR Kevin Walter back to complement Andre Johnson should help the passing game. The Titans' offense is expected to get RB Chris Johnson more involved after he had just 15 carries against the Steelers. With Houston giving up 190 yards on the ground last weekend, Tennessee will use the ground game to set up the pass.

FAST FACTS: The Texans have seven-game losing streak in September. ... The Titans are 4-0 when Chris Johnson rushes for 100-plus yards.

Personnel News

Texans:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10093814/Fearless-Prediction:-Texans-(0-1)-at-Titans-(0-1)
 

Texan4Ever

All Pro
I think the key to this game is going to be our "prolific" passing attack and are ability to run the ball. If we can get AJ open for the big plays and Schaub can avoid taking hits and get everyone involved in the passing game we should be able to put up some points.

As for running the football, our offensive line MUST control the line of scrimmiage and create holes for Slaton to run through and fo Brown to pound it up the middle.

On defense we MUST stop the two-headed demon in Johnson & White. Johnson is fast and can make opposing defenses look like fools if there not careful.

On second note, our DBs need to play it smart out there and know what coverage there in so we can avoid easy TDs.

The Titans game will, IMO, sum up the rest of the season because the Titans played a good Steelers squad and will be looking to make a statement.


GO TEXANS!
 

brakos82

Yaters Gonna Yate.
light rain in nashville tonight and expected to have thunderstorms at 12
I think all this weather is following me... :foottap:

It's actually cleared up right now.

Also, if you're staying on the 5th floor of the Radisson near the airport, that's me two doors to the left if you're looking from the hallway. LOL
 
Last edited:

Khari

Administrator
I think all this weather is following me... :foottap:

It's actually cleared up right now.

Also, if you're staying on the 5th floor of the Radisson near the airport, that's me two doors to the left if you're looking from the hallway. LOL
put your pants on before you exit the room
 

dickieb

Waterboy
Now we better beat them at our house, if we lose the Monday night game at home that will suck. We have to sweep them this year.
 
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