(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
The Houston Texans continue to set ambitious, yet attainable goals for the 2009 regular season. Coach Gary Kubiak embarks on his fourth year at the helm after taking over a disgruntled team that finished 2-14 in 2005.
Now, with several critical elements in place, owner Bob McNair expects his team to be a playoff-caliber squad. It’s realistic to believe the Texans can win at least 10 games this season based on their offensive firepower and talented, young defense.
Houston entered the offseason looking to assemble the right coaching staff. Kubiak had some holes to fill and took the initiative to hire guys who fit his overall coaching philosophy.
Last season, Kubiak showed discontent toward defensive coordinator Richard Smith. Overall, the Houston Texans’ offense ranked third in the NFL, but the defense finished 22nd. So, the Texans elected to fire Smith, defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, and secondary coach Jon Hoke.
Kubiak promoted senior defensive assistant Frank Bush to replace Smith as defensive coordinator. Bush, 46, understands Kubiak's philosophy and has the respect of the team's top defensive players.
Also, David Gibbs, son of Texans' offensive line coach/assistant head coach Alex Gibbs, officially replaced Hoke as secondary coach. Gibbs held the same job title over the past three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Texans possess young talent on defense, a Pro Bowl receiver in Andre Johnson and a solid quarterback in Matt Schaub, when he's able to stay healthy. What the Texans also have is Steve Slaton, one of the best young running backs in the league.
If Houston really does make that long-awaited leap to being a postseason contender, Slaton's contributions will factor heavily on the team's success.
When analyzing the strengths of the Texans, it all starts with Johnson. In six seasons, Johnson has 6,379 receiving yards on 486 receptions, including 33 touchdowns. He led the NFL with 1,575 receiving yards last season with Arizona Cardinals superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald (1,431) finishing second and Carolina Panther’s Steve Smith (1,421) third.
It’s not just the exceptional stats which propelled Johnson into becoming the best receiver in the NFL. In fact, everything he does without the ball makes him the most dangerous player on the field.
Top corners do everything in their power to cover Johnson over the course of a game, yet the former University of Miami standout produces better than anyone off “bump and run" coverage.
Johnson has a way of getting his hands in the right position by using “swim” tactics to maintain position and get in front or a step behind defensive backs. This typically results in a catch for the two-time All-Pro receiver.
What makes him truly unique revolves around his ability to open up the field, especially for No. 2 receiver Kevin Walter and Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels.
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