When the Texans begin two-a-day practices today at their training facility, Payne, Walker and Smith will be among those players who were ordered to report at a lighter weight than last season. "They all made it," Texans coach Dom Capers said Friday. "It's another point of emphasis of us trying to get quicker and faster on defense."
The Texans intend to improve on last season's 7-9 record that included sweeps of AFC South rivals Tennessee and Jacksonville. But they still haven't defeated Indianapolis, the defending division champion.
Part of the plan to meet increased expectations in their fourth season is to improve the speed and quickness of the team. Capers wants to get faster on offense, defense and special teams. "We have some guys who are significantly lighter than what they have been in the past," Capers said.
A lot of players were given lighter reporting weights by Dan Riley, who's entering his 24th season as one of the NFL's top strength and conditioning coaches. It's a tribute to the players, Riley and his staff that no one is going to be fined for being overweight.
Speed and more speed
Capers and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio plan to be more aggressive this season. They would like to blitz the run and assault the quarterback unmercifully.
With lighter starting linemen, faster linebackers in Antwan Peek and Morlon Greenwood and a super-quick cornerback in Phillip Buchanon, the coaches believe they have the talent that will allow them to attack from every angle. "We're challenging our players," Capers said. "There's a sense of purpose on everyone's part."