t4t on that btw

Our run game sucked last year. It had to be a combination of things though: Lack of a lead-blocking FB, makeshift right side of the offensive line and Arian Foster not breaking off many big runs like he did two years ago. He started to run better late in the season and playoffs. He said he started eating some meats in his diet some time in November when his running got better. Going Vegan may or may not have been a mistake. He ran better eating meats though.

hopefully the texans can get a good ILB that can cover and brian cushing will be back to form so we can rush our OLBs like we did in 2011 and not have to count on them to cover.

I'm ready! When will the schedules come out? Another few weeks or so?

I finally went back and re-watched the Texans versus Patriots playoff game. It was too painful to watch closely until now. We came out strong after the 94-yard kickoff return by Danieal Manning but settled for that field goal instead of touchdown on the opening drive. Looking at those three plays called by Gary Kubiak I felt they were good plays. It was poor execution: Good hard run by Arian Foster on first down. Touchdown pass dropped by a wide open James Casey on second down which he usually catches 9 times out of 10 (good luck with the Eagles), another Touchdown pass overthrown on third down (Schaub to Andre). That set a bad tone for the rest of the game.

Only trailed 17-13 at halftime after fighting back. We couldn't stop those quick screens Tom Brady threw to Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker on the opening drive of the second half. That was the drive the Patriots broke our back. Everything went south after that one statement drive they made. We had all the momentum going into the half and couldn't stop them from methodically moving down the field with their basic screen plays, which they use as an extension of a run game.

Having Brian Cushing and Ed Reed will definitely help stop those dink 'n dunk plays that we couldn't stop in that playoff loss at Foxboro.

I think the Texans can make a Super Bowl run in 2013-2014 if they stay relatively healthy going into next year's playoffs. We have not added another deep threat in the passing game yet (waiting for the draft - more defensive depth will be drafted also).

A luxury would be if the Texans can land a ballhawking inside linebacker to groom next to Cushing. They already have a pretty good foundation with Brooks Reed and Whitney Mercilus on the outside who can both stuff the run and rush the passer. J.J. Watt (defensive player of the year) and Antonio Smith are leaders at defensive end. Obviously an upgrade at nose tackle would help.

Also Tom Brady's first pass attempt in the second half was thrown right into Johnathan Joseph's hands.

We have to make those plays. It was an easy turnover we failed to pounce on. Brady doesn't make many mistakes. When he does, we've got to take advantage. What sucks is that INT should have happened before they beat us like rag dolls with those quick screens, play after play on the same drive.

If you watch the Ravens and Patriots AFC Championship. Their defense made the big plays in the second half that our defense couldn't make.

We both scored 28 points on the Patriots. But we lost 42-28 and the Ravens won 28-13.

Both games were low-scoring, close games at halftime: 17-13 in ours and 13-7 in the AFC Championship.

If Cushing can get back to himself this season, and we can get another good ILB, we can go back to our 2011 defense where we practically rushed our OLB 99% of the time, unlike last year when we had to use Barwin and Reed in overages.

Houston Texans 2013 pre-season schedule

Dates and times not determined yet except for the Saints nationally televised game.

@Minnesota
Miami
New Orleans (National TV) Sunday: August 25 on FOX at 4:10 PM Eastern
@ Dallas

It kind of sucks we play Dallas the final pre-season games. Starters usually don't play that game. It's going to be the meaningless game.

But the starters should play into the 4th quarter if not a full half against New Orleans. That will be a good game.