This will be Okoye's first encounter with the smash-mouth Jaguars.
On Thursday, members of the Texans spoke to the media as they continued to prepare for their road test against the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(opening statement) "Let's see, what's new? Nothing much; Jacoby (Jones) looked really good today, Ahman (Green), so we're on schedule for them to be ready to go if there's no setbacks. DeMeco (Ryans) was limited in practice, but I think he's going to be fine. We just kind of limited him and kept him away from contact. Other than that, it's encouraging because those other two look like they're on schedule."
(on how good it is to have WR Jacoby Jones back) "Well, it's big in our return game, let's face it. I mean, he can change the field position in what we're doing. He's made big plays also as a receiver, so just his presence back and how hard he's worked to get back as fast as he can, it's been impressive because our football team needs him."
(on if WR Jacoby Jones will return kicks) "I don't know about that. He'll definitely return punts. Whether or not he returns kicks, I don't know. We may get André Davis involved in that, too. But I think Dexter (Wynn)'s done a good job. He's done a solid job. The difference with Jacoby, a guy like him, is he can change the game because he can go to the house. So if he's ready to go, he'll do his normal job."
(on if there's a possibility WR Jacoby Jones won't play on special teams to ease him back into the game) "No. We wouldn't put him out there unless he's ready to play. You're going to get hit on special teams just like you're going to get hit on offense. If you're playing, you've got to be ready to play, and it sure looks like he's going to be OK."
(on going out there with more firepower this week) "Well, to me the biggest one's Ahman (Green). To have him back and his ability back in the backfield is a big plus for our team. From a receiver standpoint, I can't sit here and tell y'all enough how well those kids have played. Even though Jacoby (Jones)'s back, those kids have been playing and doing a heck of a job; they're going to be hard to get off that field right now, and he's found that out and I think it's helped him come back a little faster. So hopefully that pushes him."
(on if WR André Davis and WR Kevin Walter will still start) "Yes. Nothing will change. David (Anderson) will play in the three wides and then Jacoby (Jones) will be a backup for those guys."
(on if he'll still use the same rotation at corner) "We'll probably do it kind of the same way. Petey (Demarcus Faggins)'s playing inside Nickel so that frees up Fred (Bennett) to get more reps at the corner, and then we rotated them also during the game. I think it's helped Fred. The key to Fred playing good is Fred practicing good, so we've got to keep pushing him. He's got to become a better practice player, and he's pushing toward doing that."
(on plan B if LB DeMeco Ryans is limited or there's an issue during the game) "Danny Clark can go to the MIKE linebacker. If we ever had a big-time issue, if we didn't think DeMeco was ready to play, then Zac Diles is the guy that can do that. But if it gets down to suiting five linebackers, you've got to do what you can do. So if we're suiting five, then Danny would take DeMeco's place."
(on if LB DeMeco Ryans hurt himself during the game) "Yes, he rolled his ankle pretty good. He fought through it. At halftime, they tried to help him out and re-tape him and do some things; he battled through it. DeMeco would practice if I let him. He's a little hobbled so we pulled him out, we didn't want him any contact, but I expect him to take everything tomorrow and be ready to go."
DT Amobi Okoye
(on how it feels to be part of the best sack combo in football right now) "That's what they're calling it now? It feels good. I mean, I think a lot of people wish to be in the situation we're in, so it feels good."
(on his introduction to the Houston-Jacksonville rivalry) "It's real serious. I've heard a lot about it. I think last year they wore the Battle Red for that, so I've heard a lot about that. But it's a division game, so the stakes increase for us and I'm just looking forward to going down there and playing them. Pretty good bunch, pretty big bunch."
(on Jacksonville's running back and what they have to do) "Real shifty guy, strong for his size and runs the ball real hard every time he gets a chance. Also a good blocker, something you don't have a tendency to find that a lot in the league from what I've heard or from what I've experienced. But he's a pretty good player, real good player. Both of them. So we're looking forward to the matchup. We've been pretty good at stopping the run the past couple of weeks; we've just got to make a few changes and adjustments to how we did it last week and I think we should be fine."
(on if he can keep up with mobile QB David Garrard) "That's the goal. The goal is to keep him in there and try to get him down before he throws the ball. But he's a real mobile guy and they also have things, plays designed for him to move around so we're just going to keep an eye on that and adjust as it goes."
(on if he feels like he's more comfortable each week) "I feel like my comfort level increases every week, but at the same time, just the whole drag from since my college career was over, I think it's starting to dawn on me. But I'm just doing everything the vets tell me to do as far as preserving your body, getting more sleep and stuff like that, so I'm just trying to do that so I can have this longevity going."
(on if it seems weird he still has 11 games left this season) "It's – I don't even want to hear the numbers. Yeah, I don't even want to hear the numbers, because it's lengthy."
