The Texans spoke to the media following Day 8 of OTAs on Friday. Running back Ahman Green practiced after missing two days with food poisoning.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on if anyone missed practice Friday) "Ahman (Green) was back working. Darius (Walker) missed again today. I think we should get a few of these guys back Tuesday. About four guys will come back. I'm hoping Chester (Pitts), Darius Walter, (Ryan) Grice-Mullen – and there's one more I'll think of here in a second. We're going to get a few of these guys back, but other than that we're fine."
(on any new injuries or illnesses) "Petey (Faggins) kind tweaked his hamstring earlier in practice, so we just kept him out the rest of practice. We have plenty of guys to go around. We had a good week. We're a better football team after this week than we were last week, and that's what it's all about. So we have a week and a couple of days left to get better here and then we'll get away from each other for a while and then we'll get ready to go."
(on DT Tim Bulman playing with the first team) "He's done a lot of pass rushing with the first group in Nickel and those type of things. He's a guy that's earning his keep. He's done a very good job. He's going to be hard to keep off the field. That's the type of worker he is. He's an interesting kid. I remember last year I went to him and offered to take him on a trip with us when he was on the practice squad. He said, 'Coach, I'll go when I earn my trip when I'm playing.' So he's earning his trip right now."
(on if everybody was at practice) "Yes, everybody is here. We're fine."
(on what he expects from DE Anthony Weaver and if he is 100 percent) "I think he's working towards that. I don't think he'd tell you he's exactly 100 percent right now, but if you watch him he's getting better every day. He's been through the physical part, the weight lifting and all the things that you have to go through in the offseason to be a 100 percent player. And that's what he had been missing with his injuries. So far so good, so we're just keeping our fingers crossed. But he's getting better every day."
(on how much a good defensive line makes up for holes in the secondary) "It makes up for it a great deal. It makes people get rid of the ball. It makes people not cover so long. Those guys outside are depending on that down in and down out."
T Eric Winston
(on a difference from last year) "I can't say it's been just absolutely a huge difference, but I think there's been subtle differences in the way guys work. I think we're smarter in the way we work. You take my draft class, we were all out there playing really at this time (as rookies), too. We're going into our third years, (and) I think we're all a little smarter. Mario (Williams)'s working better, and not to say that he's not working hard. He's working smarter. I'm working smarter. Demeco (Ryans)'s out there doing a lot of different things because he doesn't have to focus on, 'Where am I supposed to line up? Where am I supposed to be?' That just comes natural. So they can get better in the little nuances of their positions, and that's definitely what I'm doing."
(on the running backs) "Well, I tell you what, there's a big battle going on there. You can really tell that all those guys really want to play and they all have really good skill. And that's good, because you want a lot of guys at that position because you never know what can happen. Sometimes, you have four there and everyone stays healthy and a guy doesn't get to play. Then, when you're a little thin there, then all of a sudden a rash of injuries hit. So you've always got to be prepared, because in our system it's such a vital point to have a guy that can really go at that part, and with Ahman (Green) looking healthy, Chris Brown coming in and (being) just real familiar with the zone scheme, and you've got Steve Slaton just carrying on what he's done from West Virginia. So I think we've got three different kind of backs but, at the same time, three very exciting backs."
