Week 4 vs. Buffalo Bills REVIEW: 3-1 is definitely better than 2-2!!!

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE68 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Week 4 vs. Buffalo...' From 'Bulls On Parade Talk'

Turn down for WATT???!!!!

The Houston Texans returned home and have won their third win of the season.  It wasn't pretty at all but the bottom line is that the Texans are 3-1!!!  After only winning two games total last year, the fan base for the most part have to feel pretty good about this win especially considering our next opponent.

The game once again started really slow especially for the Texans.  The lack of rushing yards was the key to the slow start even with Arian Foster returning.  The Buffalo Bills scored the first 10 points of the game in the second quarter.  Near the end of the half however, the Texans scored the next 7 points closing the gap.  This gave the Texans major momentum at halftime which carried over into the second half.

The second half appeared to start in a similar fashion; however, the defense made a big play wiping out the tipped pass which resulted in a Buffalo interception which is how the Texans' first offensive series in the second half started.  With the Bills threatening in the red zone, the Texans brought the blitz and they left J.J. Watt UNBLOCKED!!!!  What do you think happened next?  J.J. Watt jumped up and picked off the pass intended for the running back and took it 80 yards for a PICK SIX!!!!  From there, the momentum was solely on the Texans' side.  They had to change their gameplan to more passing to move the ball down the field and score the last 6 points of the game which came courtesy of Randy Bullock.  Randy Bullock nailed a 55 and 51 yard field goals to increase the lead.  The defense for the most part did their job and held Buffalo in check for a major portion of the game overall.  

False start, pass interference, and illegal contact penalties need to be cleaned up as well as the running game.  Ryan Fitzpatrick was the team's leading rusher for the game.  That should pretty much tell you right there that the running game needs work.  The team will continue to monitor Arian Foster as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury.

Overall, the Texans did just enough to win the game: 23-17.  It wasn't pretty but a win is a win.  This positive momentum will be key as we look ahead to the next game which is against the Dallas Cowboys.

What do you want to see fixed immediately on the Texans right now?

Week 4 Preview + Prediction vs. Buffalo Bills

The Texans have quite a challenge in front of them in the Buffalo Bills.  There's plenty of speed offensively especially just looking at C.J. Spiller and Sammy Watkins alone.  The only question is can their quarterback, E.J. Manuel, make the right decisions and throw the ball accurately enough to give the Texans something to worry about.  The one thing working for them for sure is the running game.  Since the season began, the Texans have continuously struggled stopping the run.  Therefore, I look for the Bills to try and get their running game started early and often throughout the game.  The key for the Texans defensively is to keep E.J. Manuel in the pocket and make him read the defense.

It will be about assignment football.  Everyone needs to do their job and remember their fundamentals that they started working on with their position coaches in offseason workouts.  This particularly is fact especially as it pertains to tackling.  When you have an offensive player in your grasp, you can't let go.  Big hits are good for making highlights but you need to make sure you get the player down and stop him from getting extra yards after contact.

It will also be a game of reunions.  This will be Ryan Fitzpatrick's first game against Buffalo for the first time in a Texans uniform.  It will also be former #1 overall pick Mario Williams' return to Houston for the first since he tested free agency for two days in late March 2012.  Doug Marrone and Bill O'Brien were assistants under Coach George O'Leary at Georgia Tech many years ago as well.  So there will be several reunions to look out for in this matchup at NRG Stadium.

Overall it will be all about execution once again.  Who's going to get off to a hot start early and keep it going during the game?

Week 3 vs. NY Giants REVIEW: Where was the execution?

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE67 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Week 3 vs. NY Gian...' From 'Bulls On Parade Talk'

The Houston Texans have suffered their first loss of the season.  Now why, after the Texans looked pretty good in their first two games, did they struggle to execute against the New York Giants?  The keyword is of course as previously mentioned: execution.  However, there were also several other factors that played into the Texans' loss against the New York Giants.

Starting at some point this past week, Arian Foster had a bit of a hamstring issue bothering him.  Because of that, he wasn't active for the game against the New York Giants.  They worked him out before the game and he just wasn't feeling good enough.  Whether he pulled himself out or not, the fact remains that Arian Foster's hamstring remains an issue.  Everyone points to the 50+ carries he was given in the just the first two games of the season.  In this day and age, the running backs barely get over 20 carries a game.  The feature back is slowly becoming extinct.

Turnovers are the other big reason that people point to as it regards to reasons as to why the Texans lost.  Now granted, when you turn the ball over more than your opponent, there is a very high chance you aren't going to win especially when your opponent can score points.  And of course a lack of a running game forces the quarterback to try and make plays almost by himself.

Lastly the run defense continues to show how much they are struggling to maintain gap discipline.  Rashad Jennings mustered 176 yards on the ground by himself against the Houston Texans.  When the running game is working, the West Coast offense will more than likely find their rhythm.  And lo and behold, Eli Manning and the NY Giants offense appear to have found their rhythm against the Texans.  Again it is all dependent on the running game and its effectiveness during the game.

So what's the overall takeaway?  The answer can be defined in one word: execution.  The Houston Texans did not execute and the New York Giants did.  Although the Texans made some slight adjustments at half time, it was not enough to catch up to the New York Giants that were executing on all cylinders.

Will the team adjust and bounce back against their next opponent: the Buffalo Bills?

Week 2 vs. Raiders REVIEW: Houston, We Appear to Have a Football Team!!!

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE65 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Week 2 vs. Raiders...' From 'Bulls On Parade Talk'

The Houston Texans are 2-0 to start the 2014 season once again.  But what makes it different this time aside from the new coaching staff, new quarterback, new offense, new defense?  The biggest difference is that the Houston Texans are playing as Bill O'Brien likes to say "complimentary football."

The offense remains consistent starting with the offensive line creating running lanes for the ball carriers as well as protecting the quarterback, the quarterback is making the proper checks and reads at the line of scrimmage, and the defense is creating pressure and turnovers.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has not been sacked once since the start of the regular season.  Arian Foster continues to prove that he is still one of the best running backs in the NFL today even after having back surgery.  Andre Johnson, despite showing early frustrations during the offseason, continues to show that he can still play at a very high level in his 13th year (all with the Houston Texans).

The defense continues to show that they excel in two things: applying pressure up front and creating turnovers.  The Texans were +4 in turnover ratio against the Oakland Raiders.  Every play, the defense shows hustle and continuous activity thus resulting in big plays that feed into the concept of "complimentary football."

The defense forces a turnover which results in the offense getting an extra possession.  This allows the offense to take more time off the clock as well as getting an opportunity to add more points to their current score.  And while the offense takes time off the clock, the defense gets rest on the bench thus keeping them fresh throughout the game.

As long as the Texans keep playing in this fashion, maintaining this type of energy as well as staying healthy, I can definitely see the Texans making some noise down the stretch.

Week 2 Preview + Prediction vs Oakland Raiders

The Houston Texans are coming off their first win of the season.  It wasn't perfect in the end but a win is a win.  Also, the Texans proved that they are able to execute in close game situations.  They made enough plays to take the lead and hold on to it on all three phases of football: offense, defense and special teams.

Now they go on the road to play the Oakland Raiders in the Black Hole.  They present a very different yet interesting match-up.  First off, their starting quarterback is the young rookie out of Fresno State, Derek Carr.  He was 10 years old when his older brother, David Carr, got drafted #1 overall by the Houston Texans in 2002.  Andre Johnson has developed quite a bond with the entire Carr family since he arrived on the scene the year after David got drafted.  You can bet we'll see Andre and Derek catching up at some point.  It wouldn't surprise me if, during the game, the media talked about Derek's childhood since he spent most of it in Houston.

So aside from that story line, what else will you be looking out for during the game against Oakland?

Week 1 vs Redskins REVIEW: Texans Win Their First Game under Bill O'Brien

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE63 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Week 1 vs Redskins...' From 'Bulls On Parade Talk'

The Houston Texans have snapped their 14 regular season game losing streak after walking away from with a 17-6 victory over the Washington Redskins.

Both teams started off very slow offensively yet were very successful in establishing their running games.  Alfred Morris was given the ball 14 times for 91 yards rushing while Arian Foster carried the ball 27 times for 103 yards.  Both offenses rely on the running game and it was really good to see Arian Foster on the field running like his old self especially after having gone through back surgery.

For the most part, both defenses did a very good job especially in the first quarter making each team work for each first down.  However, after the blocked PAT by J.J. Watt after the Redskins' first and only score as well as a blocked punt by Alfred Blue which led to a touchdown, the Texans' defense held Washington to 0 points for the rest of the game.

This was due to two red zone turnovers (both fumbles) by the Redskins thus giving Houston a chance to hold the lead and perhaps extend it.  They extended the lead indeed to seal the deal by kicking a field goal late in the fourth quarter.

Overall, the Texans showed that they can win in close game situations.  Now the question becomes, can the Texans put up more than 17 points when they face teams that can put up lots of points?

Week 1 Preview + Prediction vs. Washington Redskins

The first game of the Texans' 2014 regular season is only 2 days away!!!!  Here's a preview + prediction of what to expect on Sunday, September 7th.

Latest Depth Chart Released for the 2nd Preseason Game: Arian Foster's New Backup

The latest depth chart for the Houston Texans has been released.  Speaking of releases, now that Dennis Johnson, Tim Cornett, and Andre Brown, we now see that Arian Foster has a new running back as his backup.  That spot is well deserved based on his performance in the first preseason game.  Time will tell if what we saw in the first preseason game from the running backs consistently improves.

Preseason Game 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals Review

The Houston Texans have wrapped up their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.  Overall it was a performance that nobody really wanted to see to start the preseason under a new regime.  The reverse argument, of course, is that it shows signs of a fresh, new, young team learning to work together.  And while they were very limited in their game plan in terms of personnel, they did establish somewhat of an identity with the power running game.

Every player, every unit (offense, defense, and special teams), every member of the coaching staff all have their work cut out for them entering this next week.  While there were several ugly spots in this game on all sides of the ball, there were also some signs of optimism as the Houston Texans look ahead to the rest of the preseason and ultimately the start of the regular season.

There is no logical reason to panic right now.  Do you agree?

First Unofficial Depth Chart Released

The Houston Texans have released their first depth chart on the 2014 NFL season with just a few days before their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.  This will be the lineup we will see on Saturday, August 9th.  

Now obviously as the preseason continues the roster will continue to be trimmed down until the coaches determine the final 53 by the end of preseason.  Updates will come as the depth chart continues changing throughout the preseason.

2014 Open Training Camp Dates Released

Fig 1: 2014 Houston Texans Training Camp Schedule

Houston Texans' 2014 NFL Organized Team Activities (OTA's) Review

This article will consist of week-to-week reviews based on the the OTA schedule the Houston Texans currently use.

Week 1: May 27-29th

The first week was all about getting everyone (rookies and veterans) together, continuing on improving their craft, and continuing to get acclimated to the new regime and their system/culture.  Right away, you see changes when the offense took the field for the first time.

The biggest factor that head coach Bill O'Brien emphasized to his offense is PACE!!  Based from what we have heard to Bill O'Brien, the offense's tempo will be not be the same every time.  It might change game-to-game, offensive series-to-series, or even between offensive plays.  This increased pace will also help the Texans' defense since the biggest struggle they faced the previous two seasons were teams that ran no-huddle such as the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers.  With the up-tempo offensive style being run in practice, this will help the defense improve communication which is key against teams that run up-tempo, no-huddle offensive systems.  

The hands-on approach by this coaching staff will definitely help this team along the way.  Everyone on this coaching staff, from head coach to positional coaches, is out there on the practice field drilling the players on the little details that make all the difference in the long run.

Bill O'Brien, being the quarterback guru, takes his hands-on coaching approach towards his quarterbacks as he will give them more freedom within the offense.  As it has been explained on numerous occasions, Gary Kubiak's offensive system only allowed the quarterback to run one of two plays called in the huddle.  Well in this new offensive system, the quarterback will be responsible for protection schemes and call plays based from what the defense is showing him thus taking advantages of potential mismatches.

Speaking of adapting, that is exactly what Romeo Crennel's defense is going to be doing throughout the season.

Week 2: June 2-3, June 5th

The first week was all about everyone getting used to each other: players and coaches.  The second week was all about continuing to show progress while learning something new based on the installment schedule in place.  Everyone seemed to be more comfortable on the field and even in the classroom during this second week.  Two of the biggest names talked about this second week of OTA's are RB Arian Foster and CB Kareem Jackson.

There has been much talking about the slot corner spot which is THE key when playing nickel defense which calls for 5 defensive backs in the alignment.  This week, Kareem Jackson who looks as confident as ever was placed as the "nickel" corner.  Bill O'Brien and his coaching staff is all about versatility.  With the ability to move players around the formation on all sides of the football, it just creates several more opportunities to do even more things on offense and defense and get the best out of their players.

And speaking of moving players around, that is exactly what Arian Foster will be doing in this offense as head coach/offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has plans to include Arian Foster in passing situations.  The first season where the Texans had the #1 rushing attack in the NFL (2010), Arian Foster not only led the league in rushing but also had the second most reliable hands on the Texans' offense.  Unfortunately, due to injuries and time missed, his overall numbers (passing and rushing) haven't been what they used to be despite the Texans' success offensively before the 2013 debacle.  But now with a healthy Arian Foster, who has been reported as looking better than ever, there is plenty of reason to be excited about the upcoming season for a guy like Arian Foster.

And the group that looked even more comfortable and in control this week were the quarterbacks.  All four of them had shown good progress based on how they demonstrated their better understanding of the offense.  Tom Savage did struggle his first day back this week since he missed the last practice from the previous week.  But just like the other quarterbacks, he started to get his feet underneath him once he got back out there on the field.

Overall everyone on the team seems to be getting more comfortable, even guys like Brooks Reed and Jadeveon Clowney, that are basically learning how to play a new position.  Even guys like C.J. Fiedorowicz look really impressive and are adapting well.  The sky is definitely the limit for all of these players as they enter the 3rd week of OTA's.

Week 3: June 9-10, June 12-13

The third and final week of OTA's were filled with headlines.

The first one occurred on Monday, June 9th where Bill O'Brien made it clear that the system in place is suited mainly for 3 quarterbacks at most.  So therefore the question concerning the quarterbacks is which of them will be gone before training camp?  The two that people immediately look at are T.J. Yates and Case Keenum.  Both have been alternating reps during the last two weeks.  Last week, T.J. Yates got all the reps with the second team.  This week, Case Keenum received all the 2nd team reps.  Tom Savage is set at the 3rd spot of the depth chart unless he outright beats out Ryan Fitzpatrick and whoever the 2nd string QB will end up being in camp.  Ryan Fitzpatrick is thought to be the starting quarterback at this point.  So overall it feels like a rerun of last year when Case and T.J. were competing for the backup spot behind Matt Schaub last year.  As we enter Mandatory Mini-Camp, we shall see which QB will be looking for a new team?

The other big headline reported on Tuesday was the one stating that OT David Quessenberry has been diagnosed with lymphoma.  This all began after it was reported that he "experienced fatigue and a persistent cough over the past week and sought a medical evaluation to find the cause."

With that being said, this brings us to the next big headline that came out of this week.  Derek Newton, who according to Bill O'Brien has had a solid offseason and looks much more healthier and in shape, has been named the Texans' starting right tackle.

The other big headline concerning #1 overall pick DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney.  On Thursday, he had sports hernia surgery.  Head Coach Bill O'Brien said that Jadeveon Clowney has experienced issues with his groin.  He will miss the Mandatory Mini-Camp scheduled for next week (Tuesday-Thursday June 17-19th).

Overall though, the team appears to be getting very comfortable with each other as well the system and culture that Bill O'Brien and his staff are putting into place.  And now that everything has been covered, the goal for Mandatory Mini-Camp is simply review and putting it all together: offense vs. defense.  At that point, we will definitely see how these competitions for roster spots shape out.

  

Installation Schedule Prior to Training Camp

According to Houston Texan's head coach Bill O'Brien, the team remains on track with their installation schedule throughout the 3 week OTA period.  Here's an overview of the schedule the Texans have been under since OTA's started:

Week 1 (May 27-29):  1st down & 2nd down offense

Week 2: (June 2-3, June 5):  1st & 2nd down situations, third down, backs up against your own end zone, and red zone situations.  Finally, they'd learn five man protection schemes to use against Romeo Crennel's blitzes.

Week 3: (June 9-10, June 12-13): Focusing mainly on red zone situations as well as two minute drill and four minute offense.

Mandatory Minicamp (June 17-19): This is the time where everything that was learned in OTA's will be reviewed and brought altogether.

What do you think of this schedule and what are you most excited about?

Hidden Value of Organized Team Activities (OTA's): Technique

EPISODE57 - Bulls On Parade Talk - Hidden Value of OT... From Bulls On Parade Talk

Now that the Houston Texans have wrapped up their first week of OTA's, we will take a look at certain things that NFL players focus on during OTA's.  Technique is something that is overlooked by various people.  This qualifies, not just in the world of sports, but in various other professional worlds.  It's one of those little nuances that people forget about sometimes, not just when they are watching a sporting event, but their own profession.

When one works to get better at something, the tendency generally is to look at the little pieces that can inevitably complete the bigger puzzle.  Normally once the little things are figured out, people see big-time improvement in their overall skill-set.

So as you are watching a professional athlete perform, do you think about what you can improve on skill-wise when it comes to your own profession?

The truth about Gary Kubiak's offensive system??!!

Former Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub recently spoke to Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area New Group about how much control he will have in the Oakland Raiders' offense.  These quotes from Matt Schaub have gotten several people, especially in Houston, talking about how Gary Kubiak's offensive system was really like especially for the quarterback.

It’s exciting. It’s just like going to a new place and getting a fresh start. To come to an offense where the coach is looking to give you more freedom, and looking to give you more control of things. I had that in some aspects in Houston, but there are things I’m being asked to do here that I didn’t have control of in Houston. I would have loved to, but we just weren’t in control of it. To now be in that position, and being the quarterback, that’s such a great place to be because you can get everyone on the same page.

From what I've understood about the offensive system Gary Kubiak ran during his time in Houston, the quarterback wasn't given much control at the line of scrimmage.  Based from what I've read and heard, the quarterback was given 2 offensive plays by the play-caller (Gary Kubiak in this case) to call in the huddle.  While at the line of scrimmage, the quarterback couldn't call an audible or adjust the protection based from what the defense was presenting.

Under Greg Olsen in Oakland, Matt Schaub will apparently have more control over the offense in games than he had in Houston.  For the most part, Matt Schaub has been productive during his time in Houston aside from the 2013 debacle that occurred in Houston.  Time will tell if he can turn things around in Oakland.

But as far as the offense that Bill O'Brien runs, the quarterback has loads of responsibilities during the games.  How do you feel about the new offense that'll start getting installed soon?

Talkshoe podcast schedule for the 2014 NFL season is SET!!

After the last podcast episode, a caller had sent a message on Twitter (@BullsParadeTalk) suggesting that the podcast episodes should be scheduled more regularly.  To those that have followed the podcast this past offseason, the episodes have been recorded pretty much right after Texans/sports news occur.  After some time of looking ahead at the 2014 NFL regular season schedule, a format has been created for this year's NFL regular season.  The format is as follows:

• Sunday afternoon games will have a LIVE pregame/preview show scheduled the Friday before along with a concise video on the BullsOnParadeTalk YouTube channel FOR EACH GAME.  After the game is over and the film has been studied, a LIVE postgame/review show will air at some point later on that very same Sunday along with another concise YouTube video reviewing what happened during the game based from what was seen on the game tape.
• The single Monday Night Football game scheduled this year will have its LIVE pregame/review show broadcast on the Sunday before including a brief YouTube video.  Due to the late ending to the football game, the postgame/review episode will be recorded at some point the next day (Tuesday) including the brief video.
• Finally, the Thursday Night Football game will have its LIVE pregame/review episode broadcast the Wednesday before, again, including the YouTube video.  And again, due to the late ending to the game, the postgame/review will be broadcast at some time (which will be determined at a later date) on Friday.

That is the overall initial scheduling plan for future podcast episodes for the 2014 NFL regular season.  Actual times will be determined later and based on the host's availability.  Therefore, please be patient.  If anyone has any suggestions or questions, feel free to let me know.

BULLS ON PARADE!!!  GO TEXANS!!!!

Houston Texans' 2014 NFL Draft Review

Overall, the Houston Texans had a very solid 2014 NFL Draft.  Lots of versatility and development to go around for the Texans' coaching staff.  Training camp is going to be filled with plenty of competition.  A promising future lies ahead short terms as well as long term.

Do you feel the Texans' had a good Draft?

NFL Draft 2014 Round 1 Recap + Previewing the later rounds

The first round of the 2014 NFL Draft has finally come and gone.  The Texans definitely drafted the best player available with the #1 overall pick.  Blake Bortles was the first QB drafted.  He's now heading to Jacksonville which is not very far from UCF.  Buffalo traded up to get Sammy Watkins.  Johnny Manziel wasn't taken until the 22nd pick.  He'll be heading to Cleveland along with Justin Gilbert.  Minnesota traded back into the first round to get Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick.  Basically the top 3 quarterbacks everyone was talking about ending up being first round picks.

Will the Texans draft a QB with the 33rd overall pick?  We shall see....

The Power Structure of the Houston Texans

We are only a few days before the 2014 NFL Draft.  Therefore, one thing that hasn't really been mentioned is who has the final say on Draft Day.  Every team is structured differently however it appears that many teams including Houston are mirroring the structure of the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks.  Pete Carroll was brought to the Seattle Seahawks with the promise of significant control of the team.  Basically, while GM John Schneider looks for players to build the roster, head coach Pete Carroll cuts the roster down to the final 53.  The same type of structure is used in Houston.

Bob McNair has always used the Patriots' as his model for how he wants the Football Operations to be run in the Houston Texans organization.  Who better than to help him than somebody that has been in New England under Bob Kraft for several years like newly hired head coach Bill O'Brien?  From what we have seen so far, it is clear that Bill O'Brien has final say over the 53 man roster while Rick Smith handles the NFL Draft and free agency.  Typically when there are huge football decisions to be made where Rick Smith and Bill O'Brien can't seem to agree, Bob McNair is the tiebreaker.  We haven't seen that yet being so early in Bill O'Brien's time here in Houston.

Bob McNair, Rick Smith and Bill O'Brien are all highly respected within the NFL.  Do you think the structure in place is going to benefit the Houston Texans long term?  Or are you more concerned about the immediate fix?

McNair let the bulldogs out??

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair spoke with FOX 26 in Houston about the plans the Texans have for the 2014 NFL Draft.  He apparently couldn't stop talking and probably gave too much information.  Here are a few quotes from the interview with FOX 26 in Houston:

Really at this point we don’t know and we really won’t know until right up at the time we have to make a decision because people are talking to us about the possibility of trading down and it’s a question of what people offer, whether their offer is such that it’s worthwhile to trade down.

He continues letting the bulls loose by saying:

You take a guy like Clowney.  He’s obviously the best player in the draft, but he’s a defensive end.  He’s not a quarterback.  If he’s a quarterback and the best player it’s easy, but that’s not the case.  So can that defensive player have a greater impact on the success of your team than one of these quarterbacks?  It’s not a sure thing that he is. . . . If somebody wants you to drop down and they give you two or three more picks that would let you get two or three more quality players, are you a stronger team dropping down a little bit, getting these additional picks and getting more depth?

Basically, the negotiations for the #1 overall pick have begun and it seems they are certainly looking to trade the pick for a lower spot in the first round and get a quarterback.  However, even if the Texans do pick a quarterback, which Bill O'Brien has said will definitely happen, Bob McNair is still concerned.

You got three quarterbacks and all of them have some holes in their resume.  A quarterback that goes out and performs for you and is a franchise quarterback is more valuable than a player playing another position, but there’s a lot more risk there.  It’s a more difficult position to play and there are lot more failures. 

You drop down and there’s another group close behind, not exactly where they are, and maybe one of those quarterbacks will become better than one of these other three. There are no slam dunks. There are no Andrew Lucks out there, no Peyton Manning's. If there were it would be an easy decision, but that’s not the case.

Despite all of that, Bob McNair continues having the mindset that no matter what happens, the Houston Texans will come out of this NFL Draft as a better team.

I think that we’re going to greatly strengthen our team as a result of the draft.  We’ve got 11 picks now in the draft and it’s a deep draft. So we’re going to get some good players regardless as to what we do.  If we trade down and pick up two or three more players, we’d have 13 or 14 [draft picks].  So you’re going to see some significant strengthening of our team as a result of this draft. 

Bob McNair also pointed out in the past that he has learned a huge lesson about starting a young rookie before he is ready referring to the David Carr experiment.  We shall definitely see how much the Texans have learned as we approach a big day in Texans franchise history: May 8th, 2014.