Surprise Player of the Year is...

Only veterans to choose from here.

My vote goes to Anthony Maddox. It's no coincidence that the defense improved the more he played. He was a beast against Cleveland in the last game of the 2006 season with 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, and a TD. I think that game was a nice foreshadowing to his play this season.


Other candidates:

DeMarcus Faggins - Appears to be more comfortable in the Nickel. Has shown good ball skills and playmaking capabilities in the past. If he can repeat his 2004 season (45 Tackles, 3 INT's, 1 TD) it will be a nice season for him.

Kevin Walter - Not much history to go on when you have one TD in your career and 19 receptions is a season high. However, out of his total of 47 career catches 30 of those are for a 1st down.

Morlon Greenwood - Highest paid, highest profile guy on this list. He's averaged 110 tackles in the past 5 seasons, but never seems to make big plays (1 INT, 6 sacks in 6 seasons). Is this the year?

Eric Winston - Showed nice progress, especially in the area of run blocking, as the season went on. Probably the most athletic lineman on the roster. Does he solidify himself as the franchise RT or maybe even win the LT job?

I'm expecting a lot from KW this year. I think he's going to surprise a lot of people.

I have to admit that I almost voted for Maddox.

If "other" would have been another option, I would have chosen Babin because of the addition of Okoye. But for the players listed, I voted Walter. He's supposed to get a lot more playing time this year, so I think he will surprise a lot of people with a 50-60 catch season and a few TD's.

Eric Winston. I think he will play well this year and become a leader on the line.

Anthony Maddox was my second guy because he played well toward the end of last season. Next year we will be able to sub defensive line guys in and out all game and wear opposing offensive lineman down. I can't ever remember the Texans having such promising defensive lineman. This can also help the offensive line in practice because you know that having a defensive line that recorded some of the lowest sack numbers in the last 5 seasons has not helped our offensive lineman in practice.

Preperation is key.

I think Greenwood will be able to step up to the plate this year because he seems to have a cover style to him more than blitz.

I still had to vote for Maddox because he will be forgotten by opposing OL and let in the backfield.

the wonger need food said:

DeMarcus Faggins - Appears to be more comfortable in the Nickel. Has shown good ball skills and playmaking capabilities in the past. If he can repeat his 2004 season (45 Tackles, 3 INT's, 1 TD) it will be a nice season for him.

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Don't know if I really think he's going to breakout this year or if its wishful thinking. My hope is the front 7 put a lot more presure on the QB allowing our secondary to be more aggresive when the ball is in the air.

I like Maddox too, but he was kind of the suprise last year. I expect both him and Winston to do well this year. I don't have a problem with Greenwoods play and don't consider it to be subpar (I know, I'm a minority with that opinion). And, I'm just not sure about Walters.

How could I not vote for Winston? Except for a bad injury, he would have been a first rounder in last year's draft. We will start to see why this year. As he gets comfortable with his position, the right side of the line becomes a real strong point. (However, it won't be until next year that he really takes off.)

BTW - I agree that Babin could have a break-out year. He would have been my pick, too, if available. Also, OD. I think the system will be set up to make use of him over the middle to make teams pay for double-teaming Dre.

Other - Cory Anderson. The FB plays a big role in this offense and I think he is going to be a player. Huge hitter and can catch the ball. I'm surprised he wasn't drafted.

I think it will be Mathis, he'll finally step up as a receiver along with the return duties. I know he's on the hot seat with Kubiak.

I vote for KW because not a person outside Kubs and some of us fans believe in him. KW should see alot of passes early in the year when teams ar still doubling up on AJ. I think Green and OD will get some consideration from the pass def too, which will help the underated guy(KW) step up.

Faggins wont be a suprise for me. He may not be a shut down corner, but when he is healthy and has support he is the next best thing. He wasnt healthy last year and we still played him cause he was better than anything else we had.

Maddox could definatly win this award and I am rooting for him, he played awesome last year.

Eric Winston isnt a suprise to me. Most teams would be building him as their LT of the future, which I am not sure we arent. At RT he should step up and play better than he did at the end of last year and possibly take over some of the swing tackle duties.

Greenwood-- I am continually amazed at people everywhere who dump on a guy that has registered 100+ tackles 3 seasons in a row, last season 108 (his second best), 83 of which were solo tackles. He didnt come in as a pass rusher, he came in as a run stuffer and cover OLB. He has Demeco right there at MLB next to him, there are only so many tackles to go around, and if the Dline were more solid, they would both have less IMO. He also had 2 FF's last year and on a team lacking in turnovers thats not to bad. Is he worth 5M-6M a year, depends on what you want from that position. To me he isnt a suprise player he is already solid.

My vote also goes to Kevin Walter in this instance, the guy does have talent and Kubes seems to have alot of faith in the guy, and I personally put alot of stock into what Kubiak thinks.

Alongside Andre he has the chance to shine, and you know Schaub doesnt yet have the David Carr syndrome of starring down Andre from the moment he breaks the huddle to the moment he throws the interception. He will read the Defence and spread the ball around, brining more catches and therfore more media towards Walter

Vinny said:

Other - Cory Anderson. The FB plays a big role in this offense and I think he is going to be a player. Huge hitter and can catch the ball. I'm surprised he wasn't drafted.

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Uh, doesn't Cory have a significant road block to deal with by the name of Vonta Leach?

Of the ones on the list I went with Winston. I think our O-line is going to be more solid this season. I don't think it will be all on the O-line, but it seems a lot of people want to blaim sacks that should be on the RB/WR on them. So as a sidebar to that I think that with Leach starting all season it will also help the O-line with blitz pickups.

So as an "other" I would go with Jacoby Jones and Leach. Leach showed what he could mean to the game at the end of last season and I have a good feeling about Jones.

Anthony Weaver - He was a good signing last year imo. Now that he has some real players in Amobi and a healthy Mario that will be demanding lots of attention... I look for him to make some plays this year.

Vinny said:

Other - Cory Anderson. The FB plays a big role in this offense and I think he is going to be a player. Huge hitter and can catch the ball. I'm surprised he wasn't drafted.

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Nice. I love the outside the box thinking. But, are you then saying that he will beat out Vonta Leach for the starting FB spot?

BTW - I selected Eric Winston, and my runner-up was Maddox.

Jason Babin- I've never been real high on this guy in past years but I think if he's an actual talent, this is the year he can cause havok as a pass rusher.

HOU-TEX said:

Jason Babin- I've never been real high on this guy in past years but I think if he's an actual talent, this is the year he can cause havok as a pass rusher.

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If they use Babin like they should as a situational pass rusher I think he can easily get double the sacks he had last year.

It is hard to say one person to have a surprise year because I think additions in certain areas or at least increased playing time should cause at least 2 or 3 guys to have surprise years. Althogh, I chose Maddox, I also thought Leach would be another. He had 1 TD last year and I expect him to have at least 3 this year. Pus his continued improvement in the pass protection and run blocking will help improve a lot of different aspects of the offense. The only problem with some players their work will not show up as much in the stat sheet as others do.

Someone will have to step up in the wr core, that is a given so would it be called a surprise year if Walters has a much improved work load since Kubes has already penciled him in as the #2 guy? For Faggins, I don't think he can but improve, how much worse can ya get in letting guys score 81 TD on a regular basis. So I pick the guys who do the dirty work and there work may not be as visiable, but a true follower of the game will see what they do. Of course I am not referring to some talking head that spouts crap just from watching a highlight or two.

Kevin Walter - I think he'll step up as a viable no. 2 receiver, and will prove to be a good target for Schaub. With AJ on the other side, Daniels giving defenses pause up the middle, and a consistent running game with Green, Dayne, etc., our no. 2 WR will be another weapon in a growing arsenal. I think KW will surprise a lot of folks this year.

None of the Above

Vonta Leach - He's going to surprise the whole league. Everyone knows he is good, but he has the chance to become well known this year. (I'm not going to go as far as house-hold name), but the next time he's a FA...we're going to pay or lose him quickly.


Otherwise: Greenwood. He's already solid as several have said, but will have the chance to look great with Def. Coordinators worried about Mario, Okoye, and Demeco. Greenwood will shine, and make some big plays.

quicksilver said:

Uh, doesn't Cory have a significant road block to deal with by the name of Vonta Leach?

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I don't know how the presence of Leach will make Anderson a lesser player. This wasn't a team with ideal personnel to run the wco last year and I'm going to assume we will carry more than one FB/h-back type on the roster now that Kubiak and Smith are molding the team in their vision. Anderson is perfect for this offense and I think he makes the team....he's an explosive blocker and a heck of an athlete. I like both players and I do watch a ton of SEC football since I really fell in love with SEC football living in Oxford.....all I do is watch games and comment on who I like....and I like Anderson quite a bit. I mentioned wanting to draft the kid before the draft.

quicksilver said:

Uh, doesn't Cory have a significant road block to deal with by the name of Vonta Leach?

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Cory takes Cooks job and cook can go work at burger king. I do not like there burgers anyway.

My vote goes to Anthony Maddox.

I hope it will be Mathis, but out of those guys I would say Maddox. He played well at the end of last year, and with playing time it should be interesting to see how he contributes.

My pick was KW. I think he will have 900 yards receiving and 6 TD's. I also think Maddox will have a great year benefitting from playing along side Amobi.

I voted for Winston. Not because I'll be so surprised by his play. Just to get this thread above the most disappointing player thread.

Most disappointing? They haven't even had a training camp walk through, yet. Oh, it ain't easy being a Texans fan.