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Houston Running(?) Game


Chadman
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Let me preface this question with the fact that two days ago I picked up Earnest Graham to possibly fill my flex position due to injuries. Therefore, it goes without saying that I am trolling for RB help until one of my other backs can play again, and if Rudi is not playing on MNF (not that he would have much impact even if he does...sigh).

 

Is Dayne the logical choice there over Gado if I had to play one this weekend? He seemed to get carries in weeks one and two WITH Green in there, but I see Gado's name surfacing as getting time this week. Anyone local hearing anything solid yet?

 

If you think I'm not desperate enough yet...then I should mention that apparently I will now have Steve Smith depending on Carr to get him the ball as my main passing attack.

 

And so it goes...any thoughts (other than uncontrolled laughter and smiley faces) are welcomed - thanks.

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:D

 

Texans' running game is still missing in action

 

By DALE ROBERTSON

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

 

When the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts last December — the franchise's only victory over the Super Bowl champions — their cannonball of a tailback, Ron Dayne, rammed for 153 punishing yards.

 

Hampered by painfully bruised ribs, Dayne couldn't answer the bell against the Colts on Sunday. It would have been imprudent to force the issue, coach Gary Kubiak said.

 

"Ronnie wanted to play, but it didn't make a lot of sense because he wasn't feeling 100 percent," Kubiak said Monday. "Usually when a player's not looking at you, banging the door down saying, 'I'm ready to go,' you know there's a problem."

 

More distress followed. The Texans' starter, Ahman Green, took a shot to his already sore knee on the first play from scrimmage and hung on for just over a quarter, rushing four times for 5 yards.

 

The third tailback, Samkon Gado, hadn't taken a handoff in Houston's first two games, and Kubiak admitted the rust showed in his six-carry, 12-yard effort, although Gado insisted it shouldn't have.

 

"It's my job to get ready to play, and as a matter of fact, I felt like I was ready to play," he said. "In all honesty, I don't think I've ever prepared harder for a game than that one for as long as I've been playing football. It was a little frustrating to make so many mistakes. I've been in situations before where I came in without many reps and did fine, so that's not an excuse."

 

Desperate to establish an effective presence on the ground against the Colts, the Texans even handed the football five times to veteran

fullback Jameel Cook, whose average had been one carry per season over the previous six years. Cook accounted for 15 of Houston's 40 rushing yards — only nine of them came in the second half — and nearly doubled his NFL career total.

 

"I've always been a guy who's had to know both (running back) positions," Cook said. "I've played a majority of my snaps at fullback because I've always had good running backs behind me. You don't want 30 (Green) to go down. You don't want 36 (Dayne) to go down. But it doesn't scare you if they do. We've got other guys who can step up."

 

Except no one did. Under the circumstances, losing to the Colts by only six points (30-24) was almost miraculous. But the coaches and players know the running game must get fixed, and 0-3 Atlanta this weekend offers an enticing opportunity.

 

For starters, Kubiak expects Dayne to be ready, although the coach will have a better feel today when practice resumes.

 

"I think Ronnie is going to be fine," Kubiak said, "and that would be a big positive."

 

Another plus is how the Falcons' run defense has struggled. After Carolina accumulated 175 yards, Atlanta ranks 25th among 32 teams, yielding 4.3 per carry. With the Texans' run offense also 25th, Sunday's matchup becomes a resistible force meeting a movable object.

 

"We've got to open bigger holes," tackle Eric Winston said of the offensive line. "Everyone's got to take on that much more of load himself so we play better as a whole. We can't control what's going on behind us or who's back there running the ball. But we can control what we do. We have to block better."

 

Green is unlikely to contribute much, if anything, in Atlanta. (Kubiak said his being able to play would be "a big, big bonus.") Should Dayne also turn out to be less than whole, Kubiak hasn't lost confidence in Gado.

 

"He had a couple (missed assignments against the Colts), which is unusual for him," Kubiak said. "In fairness to Samkon, I can't say we got him going with only six touches."

 

The Nigerian-born Gado, acquired from Green Bay last season when injuries also had thinned out the Texans' backfield, will be happy to see the Falcons, foils for maybe the most memorable afternoon of his short NFL career. The Packers visited Atlanta on Gado's 23rd birthday in 2005, and with his parents watching in the stadium, he produced his first 100-yard game in his first pro start, rushing for 103 on 25 carries. He also scored three touchdowns as the Packers won a shootout.

 

"That was pretty hard to forget," he said. "My whole family was there. It was the probably the highest high I've had to date, a wonderful experience. This is a different situation, with a different team, but it will be good to go back down there."

 

The Texans collectively need to make it a get-well trip.

 

"I don't think we're finishing well in the running game and that's everybody — offensive line, tight ends, running backs," Kubiak said. "We have to be more committed to it, and that starts with me. Our football team needs to run the football. It will be a point of emphasis this week."

I'd have to go with Dayne if you HAVE to choose one of them.

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