Houston Texans – Blog

Foster says he wants to stay in Houston

Texans running back Arian Foster will be a restricted free agent this offseason. The 2010 NFL rushing champion, who made his second consecutive Pro Bowl in 2011, was asked about his contract situation on Thursday afternoon during an interview with SportsRadio 610 from Radio Row in Indianapolis.

“It’s out of my hands,” Foster said. “It’s not under my control. The Texans are going to make the best move for their organization and their team, and if I happen to be a part of that, that’s a wonderful thing because I want to be a part of it. But if not, I have to continue living my life and they’ll do that with theirs. But I want to – they’ve expressed interest that they want to, and they already know that I want to stay in Houston. I’m just looking for that day. Hopefully, I can. Hopefully, they can make my dream come true, because I just love the city of Houston, man. I really do.”

Foster is entering his fourth season in the league. As a restricted free agent, he can sign an offer sheet with another team after free agency begins, but the Texans will have the right to match it. The Texans can place as high as a first-round tender on Foster, meaning if another team signs him to an offer sheet and the Texans elect not to match it, they would get a first-round draft pick in return.

An undrafted free agent in 2009, Foster played last season on a one-year contract. He didn’t raise any issues with his contract in the media or miss any of training camp. He went on to finish fifth in the NFL with 1,224 rushing yards despite missing three-and-a-half games.

“I think that’s the kind of stuff that only happens during the offseason,” Foster said in response to a question about how much he thinks about his contract. “During the season, I’m trying to win ballgames and I’m trying to be the best running back I can for my team. And I think that if you get too caught up in the business end of it, you’ll forget that you actually have to play the game. I just try to play the game, and I’m a firm believer that if you take care of this game and you treat this game and respect it how it’s supposed to be played, I think that eventually it’ll take care of you, and so that’s kind of how I live.”

Pollack reportedly joining Knapp in Oakland

Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp was hired as the Oakland Raiders’ offensive coordinator on Wednesday. It appears he’s taking at least one Texans assistant with him.

According to Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times, Frank Pollack is the new Raiders offensive line coach. Pollack has been the Texans’ assistant offensive line coach under John Benton since 2007.

Pollack, 44, has roots in the Bay Area. He played tackle for the San Francisco 49ers from 1990-91 and 1994-98, winning a Super Bowl title in 1994.

Pollack and Knapp are two of the more affable people I’ve come across in this business. Congratulations and best of luck to them both; the opportunities have been well-earned.

Reports: Knapp hired as Raiders offensive coordinator

Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp has been hired as the offensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders, according to multiple reports.

Jason La Canfora of NFL Network broke the news via Twitter on Tuesday morning. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday afternoon that he received confirmation of Knapp’s move to Oakland from Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. Nothing official has been announced by the Texans or Raiders at this time.

Knapp, 48, was an NFL offensive coordinator for nine seasons before joining the Texans’ staff in 2010. He was the Raiders’ offensive coordinator from 2007-08. New Raiders head coach Dennis Allen coached with Knapp in Atlanta from 2004-05.

Knapp received high praise from Kubiak this season for his work with rookie quarterback T.J. Yates following injuries to quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. He also spent countless hours with late-season veteran additions Jake Delhomme and Jeff Garcia to get them up to speed on the Texans’ playbook. The Texans used four different quarterbacks and had six on the roster in 2011.

Joseph gets Pro Bowl INT, plenty of grief

HONOLULU — Cornerback Johnathan Joseph provided the Texans’ highlight of the 2012 Pro Bowl with an interception of Cam Newton in the third quarter on Sunday at Aloha Stadium.

After the game, all Joseph – and his teammates – could talk about were the interceptions that he didn’t get.

“I expect more of him, because he dropped two of ‘em today, and he should’ve caught them,” defensive end Antonio Smith said. “If he wants to get his ninja sword, he must do that.”

Joseph finished his first-career Pro Bowl with two passes defensed, including one in the fourth quarter on a pass over the middle intended for Roddy White. Had he corralled it, he was likely bound for the end zone.

“He should’ve had another one, another interception for a touchdown,” Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said after being asked about Joseph’s interception. “But he had a good game.”

Even Joseph’s teammates watching the game from Houston got in on the ribbing.

“When I got back (in the locker room) and I looked at my phone, I probably had 10 texts from all the DBs – all of ‘em saying that cost me about 1,500 bucks for the drop,” Joseph said.

Phillips named Sporting News Coordinator of Year

Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is the 2011 Sporting News Coordinator of the Year.

Phillips received 15 votes from a panel of 32 NFL coaches and executives, ousting 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio (6 votes) and Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano (4).

In his first season in Houston, Phillips improved the Texans’ defense by 91.2 yards per game, the third-biggest turnaround in modern NFL history. The Texans ranked second in yards allowed (285.7/game) after ranking 30th (376.9) in 2010. They ranked third against the pass (189.7) after ranking 32nd in 2010 (267.5, seventh-worst  in NFL history). They were fourth against the run (96.0) and fourth in scoring (17.4 points/game), up from 13th (109.4) and 29th (26.7) in those categories.

Phillips, 64, accomplished all of that despite having a lockout-abbreviated offseason in which to convert the Texans from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The Texans also set a team record with 45 sacks and had 27 takeaways, nine more than in 2010.

Brisiel one of five Texans on All-Joe team

Texans right guard Mike Brisiel has been named the captain of USA Today’s 20th annual All-Joe Team, which “celebrates first-rate players who receive second-rate recognition.”

Here’s some of what USA Today’s Nate Davis wrote about the gritty, unassuming fourth-year lineman from Colorado State:

“He barely registered a blip despite playing two postseason games for the Texans not four weeks after breaking his right fibula, one of two weight-bearing bones in the lower leg.

“Let us be more specific. Brisiel had a player roll up the back of his right leg — a nightmare scenario for any offensive lineman while they’re engaged in a block — during an Oct. 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders. Brisiel played the next nine weeks with what he called a “hot spot” in his leg until it finally cracked Dec. 11 at Cincinnati.

“Again, let us be more specific. Brisiel broke the bone early on against the Bengals but finished the game, the one that clinched the first-ever playoff berth for the Texans. The next day, he needed six screws and a plate surgically implanted to stabilize the leg.”

Four other Texans made the All-Joe Team: running back Ben Tate, left tackle Duane Brown, defensive end J.J. Watt and outside linebacker Connor Barwin. Players are eligible for the squad only if they have never been named to the Pro Bowl.

Phillips feeling healthier by the day

HONOLULU – The entire Texans coaching staff is in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl this week. That includes defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who missed two games late in the season after having surgery on his kidney and gallbladder on Dec. 15.

“I was concerned whether he was gonna make the trip or not, but he really wanted to,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “It’s ended up being a blessing for him. He’s getting a lot of rest, and you can’t help but get well out here.”

Phillips, 64, looks noticeably healthier than he did in the final weeks of the Texans’ season, when he admitted that his surgery and recovery had taken a toll on his energy level. He coached the Texans’ regular-season finale and first playoff game from the press box before returning to the sideline for the Divisional Round game at Baltimore.

“Good,” he said on Thursday after being asked how he’s feeling. “I’m doing well. Getting better every day. I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m getting there…

“This is paradise right here, you know? I don’t know if I could stay on an island this far out too long, but a week is really nice.”

Aside from relaxing poolside or by the ocean, Phillips said he has enjoyed being around the Pro Bowl players and comparing them with players on the Texans.

“We feel like we should have more (Pro Bowlers), and looking at some of our guys compared to some of the players here, I think we’ve got some guys that are capable,” Phillips said. “So it’s nice to be here.”

Three-peat: Texans win top tailgating honors

For the third consecutive year, Reliant Stadium has been named the top tailgating site in the NFL.

Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of Tailgating, announced the honor at the Texans’ regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 1.

“Congratulations, Houston, for being named the best tailgating NFL city in the country,” Cahn said. “It’s special because of the tailgaters, it’s special because of the fans, it’s special because of the Texans. Go Texans!”

Texans fans have filled Reliant Stadium for 101 consecutive sellouts. The atmosphere outside the stadium before games has become just as renowned as the in-game homefield advantage. Reliant Stadium also received recognition as the league’s best tailgating venue in 2009 and 2010.

“When the Texans began playing here, team management openly encouraged tailgating as a value added to the ticket price,” Forbes Traveler magazine said in 2010. “Fan enthusiasm was immediate, and huge. The parking is big–there’s tons of room around Reliant Stadium and the adjacent Reliant Astrodome, allowing for numerous big vehicles and large tailgater groups. The huge steaks, beef briskets, giant piles of ribs, and some of the best jalapeno poppers in the country create a Texas-style culinary nirvana.”

Check out photos from the Texans’ H-E-B Tailgater of the Year competition on Jan. 1.

Kubiak keeping things simple for AFC

HONOLULU — We got a question on Twitter on Tuesday asking how many plays the Texans’ Pro Bowl coaching staff gives to players on the AFC squad in such a short period of time.

The answer: Not many.

“To be honest with you, we just put in a few and we ask the quarterbacks what they want to do and just let ‘em go out there and have some fun and compete,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Wednesday after the AFC’s first practice. “This is more about a reward for the players and coming here for the great seasons they had. We just want to make them comfortable and do what they feel best doing.”

Center Chris Myers, one of the Texans’ three 2011 Pro Bowlers, also discussed the scope of the playbook on Wednesday.

“Obviously, we’re not going to install our whole offense,” Myers said. “But it’s very vanilla right now. We’re installing some things in today, but it’s easy enough where everyone can pick it up real easy and relate it to their own offense.”

Jones-Drew hopes to glean secrets from Texans coaches

HONOLULU — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2011, is playing in his third consecutive Pro Bowl. It’s the first one in which he’s being coached by a division rival.

“Obviously, being around the Texans’ coaching staff is nice to learn their playbooks and their scheme so I can take it back to Jacksonville and help us,” Jones-Drew said with a smile after Wednesday’s AFC practice at Kapolei High School. “That’ll be great.”

Joking aside, Jones-Drew said he knows a lot of the Texans’ coaches from the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine and other meetings over the years. The Texans are 11-9 all-time against the Jaguars, including a season sweep in 2011.

“That fierce (rivalry) stuff is during the season,” Jones-Drew said. “After that, it’s pretty much, hey – friendship type of deal. So it’s very nice. The guys you compete with – obviously, Coach (Wade) Phillips and his staff and the defense, I’ve gone against them a couple times. They’ve gotten the better of us, and to keep seeing ‘em and keep that competing is great.”