There are two NFL columns that I read, without exception, every Monday: Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column for SI.com and John Clayton's Last Call on ESPN.com.
I read them because they're expansive, insightful and written by two of the most respected writers in the business, but also because I want to see what (if anything) they say about the Texans.
They said plenty this week. Here's a Texans-centric recap of both columns today:
King's MMQB
Fine Fifteen: **The Texans are 12th** in King's weekly power rankings. They were 15th last week.
Coach of the Week: Texans defensive coordinator Frank Bush gets the nod. King writes that Bush has added an aggressive tone to the defense and that the **“Texans are a wild card threat** because of the chip-on-the-shoulder attitude Bush has instilled."
I think this is what I didn't like about Week 8:Owen Daniels suffering a potentially serious knee injury. "He was **battling Dallas Clark and Antonio Gates** for top tight end in the AFC," King says.
Clayton's Last Call
Week 8 observations- Five things I learned:No. 3 is the **“big blow for surging Texans”** dealt by the loss of Daniels. "Matt Schaub losing Daniels is like Peyton Manning losing Dallas Clark," Clayton says. "Daniels' ability to stretch the field and move the safety opens up big plays for wide receivers Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter."
John Clayton's game balls:Texans rookie linebacker Brian Cushing doesn't win Clayton's defensive player game ball, but he receives mention for his 10-tackle, one-sack, one-interception game.
Looking ahead- An early look at next weekend's biggest games:Texans at Colts is first on the list. "Maybe the biggest game in Texans history," writes Clayton.
