Neither team scored in the third quarter. The Texans had 101 yards of offense. The Colts had 87, more than doubling their first-half total of 72. The closest they got to scoring was a drive that ended with a punt at the Texans’ 39-yard line.

Texans running back Derrick Ward (right ankle) and wide receiver Kevin Walter (left shoulder) left the game with injuries. Their return is questionable. Running back Steve Slaton entered the game and had two carries for 12 yards, along with one catch for four yards, late in the quarter.

Among the most notable cuts were linebacker Xavier Adibi, wide receiver Dorin Dickerson, guard Andrew Gardner, wide receiver/kick returner Trindon Holliday, safety Shiloh Keo, defensive end Damione Lewis and running back Chris Ogbonnaya. Rookie linebacker Cheta Ozougwu, a seventh-round pick from Rice, and wide receiver Terrence Toliver, an undrafted rookie from LSU, were placed on injured reserve.

Among the notable players who were not cut were running back Steve Slaton, outside linebacker Bryan Braman, inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, safety Dominique Barber, defensive end Tim Bulman, rookie cornerback Roc Carmichael and rookie offensive tackle Derek Newton.

The Texans have room for one more player, and they do not have a punter. Here’s the makeup of the roster as it stands now:

Quarterbacks: 3
Running backs: 4
Fullbacks: 2
Wide receivers: 4
Offensive linemen: 8
Tight ends: 3
Defensive linemen: 6
Linebackers: 9
Cornerbacks: 7
Safeties: 4
Specialists: 2

A Texans sat at every table during the luncheon, which benefits the Houston Texans Foundation. McNair, Kubiak, a few players and the Texans’ three coordinators — Rick Dennison (offensive), Wade Phillips (defensive) and Joe Marciano (special teams) — addressed the crowd to give a preview of what fans can expect in the 2011 season.

Here are some highlights from the event, pulled over from my Twitter feed @NickScurfield:

• LB DeMeco Ryans is being honored as the Texans’ inaugural Spirit of the Bull Award winner, recognizing excellence on and off the field
• Bob McNair: “DeMeco has really been symbolic of what we want this team to be recognized as in this community.” Hard to argue w/ that
• McNair on the 2011 Texans: “We’ve got the best roster, the best coaching staff that we’ve ever had… We’ve got the pieces in place.”
• Kubiak on Texans players this offseason: “They’ve been all business. Every team has a personality; this one’s pretty quiet.”
• Kubiak on Wade Phillips: “At the end of last year, he had many opportunities to do what he wanted to go do in this business, but he chose to come back (to Houston).”
• Kubiak: “Things don’t always go the way you want ‘em 2 go, but it’s about how you respond 2 disappointment. That’s your measure as a person”
• Kubiak cont.: “We’re busting our *ss to respond – sorry, Mom. We’re busting our butt to respond, and that’s what we plan on doing.”
• Wade Phillips, not surprisingly, said the Texans have been using their base defense only this preseason. Building the foundation.
• Schaub speaking on stage now. Interesting dynamic to see his teammates watch him get interviewed. Wonder if they’re critiquing his skills

Immediately following the luncheon, Kubiak was interviewed by the media in a side room. Here are a few Tweets from there as well:

• Texans coach Gary Kubiak confirmed the signings of WR Bryant Johnson & G Andrew Gardner. Both will play @ MIN in 2 days
• RB Steve Slaton (hamstring) returned to practice today, but Kubiak isn’t sure if he’ll be able to play on Thursday
• Arian Foster stretched w/ the team & did light jogging at practice again today. He’ll stay in Houston this week to rehab

TEXANS CHANGES: 

Players not dressing for tonight’s game are:

16 WR Trindon Holliday
17 WR Paul Williams
18 WR Lestar Jean
20 RB Steve Slaton
36 CB Roc Carmichael
46 LS Jon Weeks
54 ILB Mister Alexander
57 ILB Cheta Ozougwu
59 ILB DeMeco Ryans
62 G Antoine Caldwell
64 G Kasey Studdard
71 G Shelley Smith
78 T Rashad Butler
92 NT Earl Mitchell

Starting lineup changes for the Texans are:

51 Darryl Sharpton will start at ILB for DeMeco Ryans

49ERS CHANGES: 

Players not dressing for tonight’s game are:

30 S Reggie Smith
36 CB Shawntae Spencer

Starting lineup changes for the 49ers are:

35 Tarell Brown will start at CB for Shawntae Spencer

STARTING LINEUPS: The Texans and Saints will both introduce their offense.

TEXANS CHANGES: 

Players not dressing for tonight’s game are:

16 WR Trindon Holliday
17 WR Paul Williams
20 RB Steve Slaton
24  CB Johnathan Joseph
32 RB Derrick Ward
36 CB Roc Carmichael
37 SS Antonio Baker
46 LS Jon Weeks
54 ILB Mister Alexander
57 ILB Cheta Ozougwu
59 ILB DeMeco Ryans
62 G Antoine Caldwell
64 G Kasey Studdard
66 ILB Matt Marcorelle
93 DE Tim Bulman
97 DE Damione Lewis

Starting lineup changes for the Texans are:

30 Jason Allen will start at CB for Johnathan Joseph
45 Scott Albritton will start at LS for Jon Weeks
52 Xavier Adibi will start at ILB for DeMeco Ryans

 SAINTS CHANGES: 

Players not dressing for tonight’s game are:

22 CB Tracy Porter
24 CB Leigh Torrence
29 RB Chris Ivory
32 CB Johnny Patrick
34 CB Fabian Washington
54 LB Ramon Humber
57 LB Clint Ingram
62 LB Ezra Butler
72 T Alex Barron (placed on injured reserve)
72 DT Tom Johnson
79 DE Greg Romeus 

Starting lineup changes for the Saints are:

21 Patrick Robinson will start at CB for Tracy Porter
25 Paul Oliver will start at FS for Malcolm Jenkins
52 Jonathan Casillas will start at at WLB for Scott Shanle

PFT’s Gregg Rosenthal, whom we interviewed at the NFL Scouting Combine, listed the following eight items:

1. Find a starting cornerback
2. Add a potential starter at safety too
3. Build defensive line depth
4. Teach the 3-4 defense for dummies
5. Settle the third (Editor’s note: second?) receiver position
6. See if anyone wants Amobi Okoye or Steve Slaton
7. Bring back Vonta Leach
8. Thank Mr. McNair once again

Do you agree with some/all/none of Rosenthal’s points? And what do you view as the Texans’ biggest remaining needs? Opine away in the comments section below.

Repeat: the event is in Reliant Center, NOT the Stadium like it was last year.

There will be an all-day free kids clinic sponsored by the Mostyn Law Firm. Mario Williams and Steve Slaton will be instructors there. 

Also, there will be a Houston Sports Museum at the event, featuring memorabilia like an 1869 Peck and Snyder Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball card, a Babe Ruth rookie card, a Jackie Robinson game-worn 1940’s baseball cap, the first football ever put into play in Houston Texans history in 2002, and Gary Kubiak’s letter jacket from St. Pius X high school.

Additionally,  NASA will have a booth where you can check out space items and meet astronaut Clay Anderson from 2-4pm.  

Finally, it wouldn’t be a Fan Fest without the Houston Texans Cheerleaders. They’ll take pictures and do a q&a for any young girls interested in cheerleading.

• Paid attendance was 69,143.

• The loss drops Houston’s record to 5-9 on the season.

• With the loss, Houston’s record against Tennessee falls to 5-13.

• The Texans defense recorded 3.0 sacks in the game.  After last week’s five-sack game, it marks the first time this season that the defense registered three or more sacks in consecutive games.

• The Titans won the toss and elected to receive.

• CB Jason Allen intercepted his fifth pass of the season and his second as a Texan when he picked off Tennessee QB Kerry Collins in the third quarter.  Allen’s five interceptions this year are a career high, topping his three interceptions in 2007.

• DE Mark Anderson recorded his fourth sack of the season when he tackled Tennessee QB Kerry Collins for a seven-yard loss in the second quarter.

• TE Owen Daniels caught a pass in his 50th straight game when he hauled in a 23-yard reception in the third quarter.

• DE Tim Jamison made his first career start, taking the place of the injured Mario Williams in the starting lineup.  Jamison finished the game with one solo tackle.

• WR Andre Johnson made his 115th start, moving him past G Chester Pitts (114) for the most games started as a Texan.

• Johnson caught the 50th touchdown pass of his career on a 12-yard scoring throw in the third quarter.

• The touchdown catch was Johnson’s eighth of the season, which ties the second-highest single-season total in his career.  He caught nine touchdowns in 2009 and last had eight in 2008.

• Johnson extended is franchise-record streak of consecutive games played with a catch to 79 straight games on a four-yard catch in the first quarter.  Johnson has caught at least one pass in 114 of his 115 career games.

• Johnson recovered his own fumble in the third quarter.  The recovery was the second of his career and his first since 2004.

• WR Jacoby Jones caught a career-high seven passes in the game, topping his previous high of six receptions earlier this year at Washington (9/19).

• DT Earl Mitchell made his first career sack when he dropped Tennessee QB Kerry Collins for an eight-yard loss in the first quarter.

• The game captain for the Texans was C Chris Myers. He joined LB Kevin Bentley, WR Andre Johnson, QB Matt Schaub and DE Antonio Smith at midfield for the coin toss.

• SS Bernard Pollard led the team with six tackles, including four solos.

• K Neil Rackers connected on a 37-yard field goal in the second quarter.  The field goal gave him 101 points on the season, marking his fifth career 100-point season and his first since 2008.  He finished the game with five points, giving him 103 on the year.

• Rackers’ 37-yard field goal was his 50th consecutive made field goal of less 45 yards or less.

• QB Matt Schaub threw his 80th career touchdown pass when he hit WR Andre Johnson from 12 yards out in the third quarter.  He also extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to six.

• Schaub attempted more than 50 passes for the second consecutive game, throwing the ball 54 times today after attempting a franchise-record 62 passes last week vs. Baltimore (12/13).  His 54 pass attempts were tied for the second-most in a game in Texans history.

• Schaub’s second touchdown pass of the game, a four-yarder to WR Kevin Walter, was his 75th as a Texan.

• Schaub threw for 325 yards in the game, giving him his 20th career 300-yard game and his sixth this season.

• Schaub has surpassed 300 yards in each of the last three games.

• RB Steve Slaton’s 50-yard kickoff return in the first quarter was the longest of the season for the Texans.  The previous long was 35 yards by WR Jacoby Jones at Indianapolis (11/1).

• DE Antonio Smith sacked Tennessee QB Kerry Collins for a 10-yard loss in the second quarter, giving Smith 4.0 sacks on the season.

• G Wade Smith recovered a fumble by QB Matt Schaub in the fourth quarter.  It was his first career fumble recovery.

• WR Kevin Walter caught a four-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.  It was his fifth score of the season and his 20th as a member of the Texans.  He has 21 touchdowns overall in his career.

Quarterback Matt Schaub is from West Chester, Pa., a suburb 45 minutes west of Philadelphia. He starred at West Chester East High School, where he developed an affinity for hoagies, before enrolling at the University of Virginia in 1999.

“It’ll just be exciting,” Schaub said of playing in his hometown. “It will be fun to go back up there, see a bunch of family and friends. Playing in a little bit colder weather outside up there, it’s always a fun time.” 

Running back Steve Slaton is from Levittown, Pa., which is 40 minutes to the northeast of Philly. Slaton starred at Cornwell-Egan Catholic before going on to a standout career at West Virginia. He will return kickoffs for the Texans on Thursday.

Also making a return to Philly is senior defensive assistant Ray Rhodes, who was the Eagles’ head coach from 1995-98. Rhodes was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1995 after leading the Eagles to a 10-6 record and the first of two consecutive playoff berths.  He finished his tenure in Philadelphia with a 29-34-1 record.

Texans

Out

Did Not Participate in Practice
DT Earl Mitchell (ankle), DE Jesse Nading (knee)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Kevin Bentley (knee), G Mike Brisiel (knee), TE Owen Daniels (knee)

Full Participation in Practice
LB Xavier Adibi (hamstring), WR Dorin Dickerson (knee), TE Garrett Graham (shoulder), WR Andre Johnson (ankle), CB Sherrick McManis (hamstring), CB Karl Paymah (wrist), LB Darryl Sharpton (ankle)

Notes: Running back Steve Slaton was back on the field after missing Thursday’s practice because of a death in his family. That was the only change to the injury report today on the Texans’ end.

Colts

Out

Did Not Participate in Practice
RB Joseph Addai (neck), WR Austin Collie (hand), LB Kavell Connor (foot), DT Antonio Johnson (knee), DB Jacoby Lacey (foot), DB Jerraud Powers (foot), DB Bob Sanders (biceps)

Limited Participation in Practice
RB Donald Brown (hamstring), WR Reggie Wayne (hamstring)

Full Participation in Practice
LB Gary Brackett (groin), WR Pierre Garcon (hamstring), WR Anthony Gonzalez (ankle)

Notes: Brown and Garcon both improved from yesterday. There were no other changes to the Colts’ injury report.