*
*Head coach Dom Capers
(on preparing for some noise) "Yeah, we felt back in the off season, we talked about taking a few days in here with noise to prepare our team on the road. Of course we're on the road this week so we'll work with noise today and tomorrow to try and get our communication system down. It's amazing, a lot of things have to be communicated out there and that's why home field is a tremendous advantage in the NFL. The fans are educated, they know when to make noise and they can make it tough on you as far as executing and the pressure of the game on you."
(on the noise at Pittsburgh comparing to Three Rivers stadium) "I didn't sense it. Three Rivers was a special place, it was a loud, loud stadium. To make a comparison, most stadiums are loud, but Three Rivers was extra loud."
(on the bubble being the loudest) "Well, we try to make it that way. That means it's a piece of cake when we go on the road and they have to deal with it. You always try to make the conditions a little tougher than what you are going to play in."
(on working in the bubble) "It is by design. Last year we hardly did any work in the bubble at all, we were going to Miami to open up. Miami had won eleven straight home openers. In my mind the heat and humidity were factors. I think teams that don't have that to work in, it's hard to go down and play for sixty minutes. We worked outside and it worked out well. This year we're opening here at home then we go to Detroit and play inside. We know a little bit more about our team and I think the approach we've taken has helped us stay a little healthier and fresher."
(on the new guys playing) "Well, they're going to have to. They'll be on a crash course all week and we'll get them ready and they'll have to be prepared to play some for us."
TE Mark Bruener
(on the Texans' fans) "I've been very impressed with them. It's very exciting to know that you have such dedicated and loyal fans at this early stage of the franchise. What that does for me, and hopefully does for the other guys, is it motivates me to play better."
(on playing his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday) "It is going to be weird. It's going to be different playing on Heinz Field when I'm not a Steeler. I'm excited for the opportunity to play in a game against a great football team. But I'm most excited to be a part of a great football team that gets to play in this game."
(on dealing with the injuries afflicting the Texans' tight end corps and becoming ingrained in the Houston offense) "I am beginning to feel comfortable with the offense. We have had a lot of injuries at tight end. (Tight ends coach) Tony Marciano has been taking care of me and not working me too hard. I appreciate that greatly because we are working hard out here. I have to take that opportunity and make the most of it by taking mental reps and understanding concepts of the plays we're running. I'm really excited about who we have as players and about our offensive philosophy."
LB Kailee Wong
(on practicing in the team's indoor facility with artificial crowd noise) "Anyone who has been in here knows it's loud. It's different and makes you focus more on you assignment. I think it's louder out here (at practice) than it usually is in the stadium. During a game, you are so amped-up and in-tune with everything that it seems louder at practice."
(on seeing time at inside linebacker) "It's fun for me (to play inside). I actually understand the defense so much better playing inside rather than outside. I've been working all this week at it."
(on starting the preseason with a win against the Cowboys) "That was a good start. Any time you can hold a team to zero points, that's a pretty impressive performance, preseason or not. We're happy with that and it's something we have to build on."
(on rookie OLB Jason Babin) "I think he's doing a great job. He's going to be a great pro and a great Texan. He's doing all the things he needs to do to get better."
