Running back Chris Brown missed a third straight day of practice with back spasms. Coach Gary Kubiak talked about how Brown is treating the injury.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on anything new with the team from this morning) "No. Of course, you guys know Chris Brown is not here. He got an injection this morning, so we're resting him. Give him today to rest off of that injection. We think he can help himself. Other than that, that's it."
(on RB Chris Brown) "Well, I mean, naturally I want him out here playing and competing and getting ready to go with this team. It's just something we've got to deal with. I think a lot of Chris as a player and a person. It's just unfortunate that this has happened, but we're going to do everything we can to get him right. It would be easy to sit here and say, 'I hope he's out here tomorrow.' But we're probably looking at a few days if this injection goes good. Am I disappointed he's not on the field? Yes. I'm not disappointed in Chris. I just know he can help this team. We need him out here on the field to do that. We got to make sure we get him right."
(on WR Jacoby Jones) "I think he's pretty close. I've been watching him during our individuals today, go through some of the ropes and stuff. We just want to be smart with him and with what we're doing. Plus, we've got some of these young guys we really want to look at. It'll give us a chance to give him a few days rest. I'd hope he's pretty close."
(on situation at right guard and if G Mike Brisiel is the current leader at the position) "Mike Brisiel is something right now. You talk about a guy who is having a heck of a camp. We're starting to play him a little bit of center too just because we have to prepare for suiting seven guys on game day. He's a player who got an opportunity, did a hell of a job when he got the opportunity, can't get him off the field. He's doing a heck of a job. I don't need to go much further than that. He's a good football player."
(on WR Kevin Walter) "(General manager) Rick (Smith) and I were talking about him before we came over here to you guys. He's turned into a heck of a player. He's a special worker. He's a great kid and he's managed in taking his skill and expertise - what he's done is take it to a new level. Nothing would surprise me. He's a very accountable kid. His teammates count him, so you know I think a lot of him."
(on having a quick player with good hands like WR Kevin Walter) "Well, you know he's a tough player, too. That's what we want to do offensively; we've got to have guys that go out there and dig out safeties and stuff in the run game. He reminds me of a kid who played for me a long time, Ed McCaffrey. He reminds me of him a great deal. What happens to guys that people say they are lacking this or lacking that, they find a way to make up for it. Kevin (Walter), in his career, has become such a technician at what he does that if he's lacking a tenth of a second here or there speed-wise, he'll find a way to make it up."
{QUOTE}(on implementing new run-blocking scheme) "We've been doing it. We came in here, and we were doing it and teaching it. The calls haven't changed a lick. We brought the expert in here to make sure we're doing it the right way. If anything, we've cut back, but our players are familiar with it and getting more and more familiar with it every day. The thing we want to do with running the ball, we want to back off, get simpler, cut down on plays and get good at the one's we're going to run."
(on amount of zone blocking the Texans did last year) "We did a lot. We still do some gap stuff because Ahman (Green) does some of those things real well and (Mike Sherman) had some gap schemes from Green Bay. We've maintained those. It's not like we've abandoned them. It's just that the majority of our work is in the zone scheme."
(on T Rashad Butler) "He's kind of up and down, and I don't mean that in a negative way. The key to his career is that he can play both sides. That's a step in your career as a tackle. You've got to be able to swing (between tackle spots). Having him do that has set him back some because it mentally builds up on him sometimes. But when it's all said and done, that's what is going to give him the chance to be a hell of a player."
(on T Eric Winston) "He's a lot like (WR) Kevin Walter. He's turned into a pro, busts his tail every day. Good kid, good technician, should play out there for a long, long time. He's got a lot of respect around this league and I think the future is very bright for him, just like the type of guy he is out here day in and day out."
(on whether or not the team should make and be in the playoffs) "Do I think we should be in the playoffs? That's our goal. I'm going to find out if we should be in the playoffs. To get in the playoffs in the National Football League you've got to do something special. You've got to be dang good. This is a young franchise going on year seven and we open with a team that's been around for 60-something odd years. It's tough in this business and we understand that, but our goal and what we're working toward is being one of those teams that can be a playoff football team. You don't do that by me answering that question to you. You do it by working, and we're working."
(on if the Texans have the talent to win) "I think we're getting a hell of a lot better."
(afternoon practice)
(on the 80-man roster limit) "Well, it's been good for us so far. We've been fortunate. We've had our nicks, but we haven't lost players for an extended period of time. We've been pretty good. I think adjusting our afternoon practices has helped us with our players and now we have reached a point where we basically get a break every other afternoon. So I feel good so far, but you never know."
(on the adjustment to the afternoon practices) "It's hard to teach your players not to be physical in a practice, but basically what we have told them is, 'Hey, what we want in the afternoon is speed, non-contact, total non-contact.' It is an assignment-check situation, but we can continue to work on timing in what we do."
(on the ideal number of players on the team) "I don't know if I can say what that number is. I think all of us would ask for more players. But the bottom line is that we are all having to adjust. And from what I see right now, I would do some things different, I think, next year as I go through this and make notes of what is going on right now. But I think we can make this work. We just have to be smart in how we work."
(on discussing with other coaches about the ideal number of players at training camp) "A bunch of us talked. I talked to many of them about how they were going to go about it. Most guys are doing something different in the afternoon. I think that probably the majority of the teams around the league have chosen to go that way. Some teams are doing a lot more walkthroughs and stuff."
(on injury updates) "Chris (Brown) had the injection. He came back here, or he rested here for a couple of hours, then they sent him home to rest. He was back at the 2:15 p.m. meeting today and we'll see. I don't think you'll see him on the field in the morning, but the shot went well. We will see how he comes out."
(on working out RB Mike Bell and whether he's interested in signing another running back) "We're concerned. We're concerned about having just those four kids right now and running them too hard, but we'll see. We're going to work out a group of guys tomorrow including (Mike) Bell, and we'll have to make a decision. I would like to have another pair of legs. We'll see."
WR Andre Johnson
(on what he is thinking when he is about to catch a pass) "The only thing you can be thinking is, "Hey, it's seven points. If I make this play, I'm going to be in the end zone for a touchdown.' So that's pretty much what you're thinking; just make a play."
(on if he is itching to play a game) "I wouldn't say to play a game right now. I think we are still working and still kind of installing. We have a few more days of installing the offense. I think once we finish doing the install and get out here for a couple more days after the installs are all in, then I think guys will feel like they are ready to play a game."
(on if he thinks it is important to play in the preseason games) "I really don't know what to expect. I'm always ready for whatever. To be honest, I really only like playing in two preseason games. I really don't like the whole four-game thing. But, you have to play, so you just go out there and make the best of it with the playing time that you get."
(on if he is able to do everything he wants to during practice in regards to his knee) "Yeah, I haven't been limited or anything. At times when I'm running certain routes, I tend to baby my left leg a little bit. But it will get better the more I'm out here. I've only been doing it for about four weeks now, out running full speed and things like that. It's getting better."
(on if he needed training camp to make sure his knee was fine) "I definitely really wanted to be out here, especially after missing OTAs. We had installed some new things in the offense, and by not being out there on the field going through the motions, installing all those new things, when you come to camp you fall behind a little bit. I definitely wanted to be out here during training camp."
(on if he is at the point where he has confidence in what he can do) "I definitely have confidence in what I can do. But I feel like I can still get better. I feel like I'm not where I want to be. Like I said, at times I still kind of baby my left leg when I'm running routes and things like that. The only thing that's going to make that better is me doing more stuff out here on the field and it becomes more natural to me."
OT Eric Winston
(on the Major League Baseball trade deadline coming up) "I've gotten a couple of calls. The Yankees and Red Sox are looking for a left-handed bat in the lineup. We'll see what happens."
(on being on a list of top-20 players ready to take that next step in their careers) "I feel like I've been slowly improving. I feel like my first year here, I was kind of all over the place, and then when I got my chance I took the most of it. Last year, I think I took a big sophomore step in proving myself and solidifying my spot and what I can do there. Now I'm really able to come out here and do something special. Maybe not such a leader, but just a standard bearer for the offensive line and just give it everything I have every play and every game, practice. I try to lead by example and do things right. Try to set up a tradition here with the Texans with the offensive line play."
(on if it's nice to not have people constantly scrutinizing the offensive line play) "I think that kind of goes with the territory. Especially here, just because of the past we have. Now we are trying to turn the corner. It kind of reminds me of when I was at (University of) Miami and everyone acted like we were still a bunch of thugs there even though we were graduating guys and no one was getting into trouble. It's always, "Oh, the offensive line isn't any good" even though we gave up, I think, the fourth-least amount of sacks in the NFL last year. I think it's one of those things were we will always be scrutinized here; I think we will always be looked at. It's gotten to a point where those rushers on each side are so good now that it doesn't matter now if you are playing left or right. You're going to be matched up against someone that can play, someone that can go. You have to bring your 'A' game every time out, because if you don't, you got those (Michael) Strahan's that play left-hand and guys like that, and those guys will come and get you."
