What a way to start the 2006 preseason! Here are some of my thoughts on the Texans' 24-14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs...
1)First off, I thought it was symbolic that wide receiver Andre Johnson was the Texans' lone captain. He walked out for the coin toss alone, while Kansas City sent three players. I'm not sure if that was by design, but if it was, I think it sends a powerful message that the team's 2003 first-round pick is becoming a leader on the team. Johnson is, after all, my pick for the mid-training camp team MVP.
Johnson didn't catch any balls this evening, but he only played one quarter. Expect No. 80 to see a ton of looks this year, and become more vocal in the huddle and on the sidelines.
2) Not all is perfect, even though the Texans looked great tonight. Kubiak emphasized to the team after the game that he's happy with the win, but nobody should feel like the Texans have arrived yet.
Quarterback David Carr, in his postgame presser, remembered moments in the game when the offense didn't execute just as well as he recounted the scoring drives. So there is room for improvement, and Kubiak is keeping the team humble.
3)Anyone notice Bennie Joppru's catch? The oft-injured tight end, and Texans' 2003 second-round pick, played in his first-ever NFL game and caught a nine-yard pass in the fourth quarter. It's hard not to cheer for him after all that he's been through.
4)The Texans look more than capable at running back, even without injured Domanick Davis in the lineup. Wali Lundy's vision and quickness were evident. I walked back from practice Friday with running backs coach Chick Harris, and he predicted Lundy would play well. Smart guy.
An interesting note about Lundy is that he and former Denver Broncos runninng back Terrell Davis both were drafted in the sixth round. Davis went on to have a hugely succesful career in Kubiak's offense. It's premature to put those kinds of expectations on Lundy, but his performance tonight certainly was promising.
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