roster after game 3

So we finally got to see our starters go 3 quarters. We should have a much better idea of what kind of team we are right? Or do we. We've looked pretty sharp until the first quarter Saturday. The questions continue. Which team are we? The scared rattled 1st quarter Texans or the sharp focused and improving Texans of weeks 1, 2 and some of 3?

It's hard to assess the play of the line after the Dallas game, Schaub was clearly worried about his blind side. I don't think it was because of Brown's inexperience. Studdard was more of a DUDdard that a STUDdard. Brisiel was not as consistent and although Kubiak said Winston played his best game he looked less than perfect to me. I'll defer to the coach on that one.

we saw definitive improvement from our healthy backs and the only questions at this position is does the team have enough newspaper and styrofoam peanuts to rationalize keeping the glass backs?

WR's and TE's are as consistent as anyone, Jacoby improved so that helps his status as does the injury to Williams.

The DL is still a complete mystery. LB maintained and the DB's are more confusing with Reeves' play as well as little playing time for young guys like Molden and Barber.

All that said, here's my best guess with a few cuts looming on tuesday.

not much changes for me other than a few corrections:

2QB: Schaub, Rosenfels, (Boyd is lost in the numbers game)
4RB: Green, Slayton, Taylor, Walker (Brown out, Walker in)
1FB: Leach
4TE: Daniels, Dreesen, Bruener, Krause isn't getting the playing time but 4TE's make the 53)
5WR: Johnson, Walter, Davis, Anderson, Jones (best of luck Harry)
9OL: Brown, Pitts, Meyers, Brisiel, Winston, Butler, White, Frye (+ a Guard to be named later off of waivers) Studdard family ties to Kubiak and his "motor" aren't enough to make up for his lack of talent.


1K: Brown
1P: Turk
1LS: Pittman


9DL: Williams, Okoye, Johnson, Weaver, Cochran, Okam, Kalu, Robinson, Maddox or Zgonina (until they figure out how to help Williams we keep all these guys)
6LB: Diles, Ryans, Greenwood, Thompson, Bently, Adibi (still cutting colvin)
5CB: Bennett, Reeves, Fletcher, Molden, Faggins
5S: Demps, Brown, Earl, Ferguson, Harrison (Harry's injury bumps Harrison up as best ST guy, he makes the squad at the expense of Boyd at #3 QB

PUP: Robinson
IR: Weary
PS: Barber, Roberson, Nading, Coley, Boyd & McCoy or Studdard

Lets see who gets cut on Tuesday.

Here's my best guess:

QB - Schaub, Rosenfels (I don't think we can afford the spot for Boyd)
RB - Taylor, Slaton, Walker, Green
FB - Leach
WR: Johnson, Walter, Davis, Anderson, Jones
TE: Daniels, Dreessen, Bruener (I don't think Krause makes it but I find it hard to believe he gets cut.)
T - Brown, Winston, Butler, Frye (I don't have a spot for Salaam.)
G - Pitts, Brisiel, Studdard (White also backs up at Guard)
C - Myers, White

DE - Williams, Weaver, Colvin, Cochran, Kalu
DT - Okoye, Johnson, Okam, Robinson, Zgonina or Maddux
LB - Ryans, Diles, Greenwood, Adibi, Bentley, Thompson
CB - Bennett, Reeves, Faggins, Fletcher, Molden
S - Demps, Brown, Earl, Harrison, Barber, Ferguson

LS - Pittman
K - Brown
P - Turk

PS - Brink, Jenkins, Long, Nading, Moffitt

I've got 1 player too many. They may cut Barber and put him on the PS.

This first cut will probably be Shipp, Wynn, Washburn, Fenton and Harry Williams goes on IR.

yeah kubiak already said 4 "or maybe as many as 5" Safeties. So you'd loose one of those guys. I guess it's reasonable that they keep Colvin in hopes that he's a regular season guy who just takes it easy during camp. i don't know the financial issues with cutting him either.

2QB: Schaub, Rosenfels
4RB: Brown, Slaton, Walker, Taylor
1FB: Leach
3TE: Daniels, Dreesen, Bruener
5WR: Johnson, Walter, Davis, Anderson, Jones
10OL: Brown, Pitts, Meyers, Brisiel, Winston, Butler, White, Frye, Salaam, Studdard


1K: Brown
1P: Turk
1LS: Pittman


9DL: Williams, Okoye, Johnson, Cochran, Okam, Kalu, Bulman, Robinson, Maddox
6LB: Diles, Ryans, Greenwood, Bentley, Thompson, Adibi
5CB: Bennett, Reeves, Fletcher, Molden, Faggins
5S: Demps, Brown, Earl, Ferguson, Harrison

interesting. why brown over green? 6 more snaps?

barrett said:

yeah kubiak already said 4 "or maybe as many as 5" Safeties. So you'd loose one of those guys. I guess it's reasonable that they keep Colvin in hopes that he's a regular season guy who just takes it easy during camp. i don't know the financial issues with cutting him either.

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I thought I heard him say he was thinking about maybe 6 because of the special teams play. I could have that wrong. I just don't see how it's going to be possible.

The toughest part for me was the d-line and I could easily see a couple of those guys getting cut to make space somewhere else (to be able to keep Krause or Salaam). However, Zgonina was playing in the first half along with Okam as part of the rotation and so I don't think he's gone. Cochran, Kalu, and Colvin were also getting rotated in during the first half. But Robinson has been doing nothing except making plays with the 2's.

i agree. the D line is a total mystery. how in the hell is Zgonina one of our 6 best linemen? Kubiak talks about these guys like Nading and Robinson "earning the right to play with the 1's" but I can't help but think it's kind of like our RB situation 2 years ago where he kept plugging people in hoping that someone would "step up". I think Robinson is legit. he's looked good consistently but how on earth are guys like Maddox, Robinson and Bulman not better than Zgonina already?

barrett said:

i agree. the D line is a total mystery. how in the hell is Zgonina one of our 6 best linemen? Kubiak talks about these guys like Nading and Robinson "earning the right to play with the 1's" but I can't help but think it's kind of like our RB situation 2 years ago where he kept plugging people in hoping that someone would "step up". I think Robinson is legit. he's looked good consistently but how on earth are guys like Maddox, Robinson and Bulman not better than Zgonina already?

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well, Robinson has been the most active DT in the preseason. The question is, how does he look against 1st teamers.

my DL:
Colvin
Mario
Cochran
Bulman
Kalu
Okam
Robinson
Okoye
TJ

Bulman's versatility and hustle earn him a spot over either Maddox or Colvin- I'm thinking we keep Colvin out of desperation to find a pass rush.

I still think the answer at DE is a rotation of Kalu, Cochran, and C.Thompson. My main concern is DT.

when you say hustle you mean?

barrett said:

interesting. why brown over green? 6 more snaps?

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They're the same guy really. I would just go with Brown because he's younger and has more upside, IMO. I think we will ultimately go with one of them but I think it is insignificant in the grand scheme of things as neither are likely to stay on the field for a good stretch of games.

nero THE zero said:

They're the same guy really. I would just go with Brown because he's younger and has more upside, IMO. I think we will ultimately go with one of them but I think it is insignificant in the grand scheme of things as neither are likely to stay on the field for a good stretch of games.

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Hopefully either Green or Brown will be cut tuesday. If Brown is having all these back problems and can't practice cut him. I say cut Green also, he played one play and got hurt. Give the young guys a chanch and pick up another back after the other teams cuts.

nero THE zero said:

2QB: Schaub, Rosenfels
4RB: Brown, Slaton, Walker, Taylor
1FB: Leach
3TE: Daniels, Dreesen, Bruener
5WR: Johnson, Walter, Davis, Anderson, Jones
10OL: Brown, Pitts, Meyers, Brisiel, Winston, Butler, White, Frye, Salaam, Studdard


1K: Brown
1P: Turk
1LS: Pittman


9DL: Williams, Okoye, Johnson, Cochran, Okam, Kalu, Bulman, Robinson, Maddox
6LB: Diles, Ryans, Greenwood, Bentley, Thompson, Adibi
5CB: Bennett, Reeves, Fletcher, Molden, Faggins
5S: Demps, Brown, Earl, Ferguson, Harrison

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I like it.
I'd swap one safety for a third QB though.
call it injury paranoia but I don't want to have to dial Brad Van Pelt's number to be Sage's backup if Schaub is out for any significant time.

And I'm not sure that McCoy's number won't be on Smithiak's speed dial if Jacoby has a fumblitis relapse.