I'm Getting Fidgety

I got an email from the Texans ticket office today stating that season tickets will be mailed at the end of this week. That means I should have them by Monday (Tuesday at the outside). I had someone telling me I was being impatient over the arrival as the season doesn't start for nearly 2 months. I look at it this way - I spent a lot of money for 2 season tickets and I will feel better when they are secure in my hands.

That said, I found another fan blog called houstondiehards.com. Obviously they go into a lot more detail than I do. But one article did catch my eye - their rundown of the Running Back position for this year. They seem to make the case that Arian Foster will be the starter out the gate with Ben Tate being groomed to take over as the starter as time goes on. I'm not too sure if that's the way it will work.

Arian Foster did show flashes last year in the final 2 games of the season. As time has proven again and again, flashes don't always necessarily pan out. Foster sat the bench most of the 2009, where Slaton was inserted early in the 2008 season and remained durable throughout. I'm not trying make excuses for last season's disappointment, but a neck injury would definitely have an affect on a person's ability to carry the ball effectively (not to mention having a decent O-Line). The fumble problems weren't just limited to Slaton - Chris Brown fumbled at key moments in a couple games as did Ryan Moats. And neither of those 2 players contributed significant yardage to the stats.

Slaton has been cleared by doctors for contact. He has also gotten back into his rookie year playing weight, which should help his speed. He participated in OTA's and is ready for training camp. The way I see it working out (and this is contingent on how the RB's look in preseason) is Slaton gets his starting job back with Foster and Rookie Ben Tate rotating behind him. If Foster and Tate both live up to the potential they have so far shown, the Texans have a potentially very lethal backfield. Now we just need to get up on that O-Line to open up some nice running lanes for them.

I'm getting more excited each day.

Just a Quick Update

Dorin Dickerson (University of Pittsburgh) has signed with the Texans, becoming the 6th of 9 draft picks to sign with the team. He played Tight End in college, but will be transitioning to Wide Receiver as a Texan. He's not expected to contribute on offensive plays right away (227th picks normally don't) but there is talk of him contributing on special teams as Jacoby Jones starts to work more as a Wide Receiver. I guess we'll see as training camp progresses and we get into the pre-season.



If what he says is true, I would look for a much more aggressive line this season. Of course, a lot depends on how the coaches want them to run their plays. However, if Mario Williams is taking shape as a leader, then he should have some input into how the plays are designed and run. That means utilizing the players to their full talents and not just running a formula. If the players are allowed to utilize their talents more effectively, look for DT Amobe Okoye to explode this season. The other player I'm interested in watching is Conner Barwin. That kid was a beast in his rookie season and should only get better this year.

My season tickets haven't arrived as yet but I did get my hands on 2 tickets for one the open training camp dates. This will be my first experience at an NFL training camp. I know I shouldn't expect much, but I'm still excited. I'll make sure to have my camera ready as I would love to get some photos to test my skills in action photography.

Owen Daniels on NFL Total Access

Training camp will be happening soon as the NFL mandates the month of July to be an off month. Owen is definitely upbeat about the season. My tickets should be arriving soon. I'm getting excited as hell.