Notes from the Texans' practice and locker room on Wednesday at Reliant Stadium:
Day of ChangesThe Texans acquired veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason from the New York Jets on Wednesday, and also made some more roster moves. You can learn more about all of that by clicking here.
Mason's ArrivalThe newest Texans wide receiver met with the Houston media after getting together with the coaching staff, and is excited to be a part of the squad. He compared the new situation to "a breath of fresh air", and likes that the organization was aggressive in trading for him.
"I'm going to enjoy this run that we're going to go on," Mason said. "It's going to be a nice run, so hopefully it'll end up in Indy. I'm looking forward to that."
He plans on studying his playbook fervently, and also intends to play against Baltimore.
"I will play Sunday," Mason said. "I'm going to do whatever I need to do to play Sunday and not just because it's Baltimore or just because I want to be out there. I'll be in the playbook all night tonight, tomorrow morning, all the way up until Sunday to make sure that whatever plays that I'm called to run, I'm able to run them."
Familiar FacesThe Texans will line up against two starters from last season in Ravens' safety Bernard Pollard and fullback Vonta Leach. The former was with the club the past two seasons, while the latter was in the Texans' backfield from 2006 through 2010, earning All-Pro honors last year. Wide receiver Kevin Walter thinks Leach will be amped up for the Texans.
"He's going to be excited to play and see all of us and we're excited to see him," Walter said. "It's going to be a dog fight. He's going to be out there trying to hit us."
Running back Derrick Ward is excited to see Leach, and even joked around about getting information out of the player nicknamed 'The Coke Machine'.
"I'll probably talk to him later on today and see where his mind is at and see if I could get a couple ideas from him what they're going to do for the game," Ward said.
As for Pollard, quarterback Matt Schaub was very complimentary of what the hard-hitting safety adds to the Ravens defense.
"He brings energy to the game," Schaub said. "He loves to be out there, fly around and make plays and hit people. He's a good football player."
Pollard said the game against his former teammates isn't anything special.
"This is a regular game on our schedule, a team that's in our way," Pollard said. "We're looking to go somewhere. That's just how it is."
Quotable"I've played these guys in my career close to a dozen times and especially at their place, it's going to be a street fight." – WR Kevin Walter on facing the Ravens.
"Maybe, if I have enough breath to talk then I'll talk, but I'm usually I'm too dang tired to say much." – TE Owen Daniels on whether or not he's a good trash talker.
