Texans’ Tidbits

Posted by Stephen Rhodes on December 29th, 2007 filed in News

                                 

It has to suck - for the short-term, at least - to be Houston Texans defensive tackle Travis Johnson.  According to Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle, Johnson was apparently under the weather and did not participate in Friday’s practice and conveniently or not, this happened after the NFL fined him$5,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts tight end Bryan Fletcher last Sunday. 

It was Johnson’s second unnecessary roughness penalty against him during the game - the first being after he was flagged for a late hit on Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.  Both Texans’ coaches and teammates seemed to question the Manning flag, but conceded that the Fletcher hit was bound to cost Johnson.  Texans offensive coordinator Mike Sherman’s - for the last time this week - final practice was nothing out of the ordinary; however, head coach Gary Kubiak expressed his thanks and gratitude for Sherman being a part of the Texans staff this season.  Sherman has been wearing 2 hats as of late - the second being as the newly hired head coach at Texas A&M.

Kubiak also noted that QB Matt Schaub will be listed as third on the QB depth, behind Sage Rosenfels and Shane Boyd.  This basically means he will miss his 4th consecutive game; Schaub has been inactive due to a dislocated shoulder, suffered against Tennessee December 2.  Also despite a torn posterior cruciate ligament, Texans middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans will apparently play this Sunday; according to Kubiak, Ryans injury -  despite its seriousness - should not prevent him from playing.