HOUSTON (AP)Most of the Authentic Danny Woodhead Jersey Black offseason questions surrounding the HoustonTexans concerned Danny Woodhead Jersey On sale their defense. A day after the preseason opener, coach GaryKubiak was more worried about an alarming rash of injuries, mostly on theoffensive side.Backup running back Derrick Ward(notes) left Monday night's 20-16 win over the NewYork Jets with a concussion, and guards Antoine Caldwell(notes) and Kasey Studdard(notes) willmiss Saturday's game against New Orleans with serious ankle injuries. Lefttackle Rashad Butler(notes) was the latest Texan to encounter a hamstring injury,joining running backs Arian Foster(notes), Steve Slaton(notes) and Ben Tate(notes). Replica Chad Ochocinco Jersey Replica Danny Woodhead Jersey Blue Kubiak said Ward and Slaton Patriots Danny Woodhead Replica Jersey were doubtful to play against the Saints, butsaid Foster, the NFL's leading rusher last season, may return to practice onWednesday. Kubiak said Tate, a second-round pick in 2010, Premier Danny Woodhead Jersey Blue is recovering "veryslowly." Texans coach Gary Kubiak walks off the field after beating the Jaguars 34-17 Sunday.(AP Photo/Dave Einsel) Authentic Danny Woodhead Jersey White "We've got some issues at that position, and at the offensive lineposition," Kubiak said.Rookie linebacker Cheta Ozougwu(notes), the last pick in the draft and a product ofnearby Rice, also sustained a concussion in the Jets' game and spent Replica Danny Woodhead Jersey Red the nightin the hospital. Kubiak visited Ozougwu and his family on Tuesday."He Authentic Chad Ochocinco Jersey was resting and doing fine when I went to see him and his family awhile ago," Kubiak said. "Obviously, he took a pretty good shot, and so it'sgoing to take some time."Kubiak says the growing list of injuries has put him in a bindhe'd loveto replenish the roster with new players, but says that would complicatepreparations for the regular-season opener on Sept. 11."Once you get to this point in training camp, you've got to get creative,if you start to have problems like this," Kubiak said. "You're three weeksaway from putting your team together. Yeah, I'd love to go get 2-3 runningbacks, a couple of offensive linemen. That sounds easy, but that's not as easyas it sounds. We'll have to get creative in what we're Authentic Danny Woodhead Jersey Red doing going into the NewOrleans game."The defense got through Monday's game mostly unscathed, and Kubiak sawobvious progress in the unit's first game executing coordinator Wade Phillips'3-4 scheme.At the start, Premier Danny Woodhead Jersey Red all eyes were on Mario Williams(notes), who's Reebok Chad Ochocinco Jersey making amuch-ballyhooed move from defensive end to outside linebacker in the rebuiltdefense. Williams, Houston's sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, wasonly on the field for 15 snaps."I know Mario is excited with what we're doing," Kubiak said. "I talkedto him at halftime coming out of the tunnel and he told me that one of thebiggest factors in standing up in our stadium with noise and everything wasgetting off on cadence and coming off the ball quicker as compared to havingyour hand downPremier Danny Woodhead Jersey White and your ear a little closer to the football. I think you'll seehim continue to improve."The Texans produced seven sacks in the game, after getting only 30 all oflast season. And the Jets' longest pass play covered only 25 yards, anotherencouraging sign for a secondary that allowed a league-high 18 receptionscovering 40 yards or more in 2010."Our total effort on defense across Authentic Chad Ochocinco Jersey the board, I thought it wasexceptional," Kubiak said. "We got to the quarterback, we made plays on thefront end, the back end, the linebackers. The ability to rush the passer isexciting for all of us."The Texans have been impressed by the rapid progress of first-round draftpick J.J. Watt(notes), projected Premier Chad Ochocinco Jersey to start at defensive end this Danny Woodhead Jersey Outlet season. Kubiak saidWatt stood out on film from Monday's Authentic Danny Woodhead Jersey Blue game, though he wasn't credited with anytackles."He was very good," Kubiak NFL Chad Ochocinco Jersey said. "He was Replica Danny Woodhead Jersey White very active, gets his hands up,and I think he's going Replica Danny Woodhead Jersey Black to knock a lot of balls down. He doesn't play like Premier Danny Woodhead Jersey Black arookie; he's a very mature young man, so we'll up his reps this week."One of the closest competitions at camp is between punters Brett Hartmann(notes)and Brad Maynard(notes). Hartmann, a rookie, had a 52-yard punt and also handled fourkickoffs. Maynard, entering his 14th season, averaged 38.3 yards on three puntsand was the holder for Neil Rackers(notes) on two field goal attempts.Rackers connected on both field-goal attempts, from 47 and 49 yards."He's been consistent," Kubiak said of Rackers, who won the job from KrisBrown(notes) in training camp last year. "He's come back stronger this Chad Ochocinco Jersey 85 year. I don'tknow if y'all noticed, he worked really hard on himself this offseason and tookcare of himself physically."
Mincey, the only University of Florida player remaining on Jacksonville'sroster that was once sprinkled withAuthentic Danny Woodhead Jersey Gators, is dealing with the death of achildhood friend and thoughts that his starting job might be in jeopardy."All I can do is handle the things I can control," Mincey said Tuesday."I have to accept the things that I can't change."Mincey is still coming to grips with the loss of his close friend, DaleByrd. Byrd died Aug. 5 in Statesboro, Ga., after being shot in the head by hisgirlfriend, Gwen Coney. Byrd's family believes it was murder; Coney's familyinsists it was self-defense.All Mincey knows it that it's a major loss."He was a good dude," Mincey said.Mincey was excused from Saturday's morning walkthrough to attend Byrd'sfuneral. When he returned to practiceCheap New England Patriots Jersey later that day, the Jaguars Danny Woodhead Jersey Outlet had signedveteran defensive end Matt Roth(notes) to a one-year, $3 million contract.Considering Roth's arrival, Aaron Kampman's(notes) return from a knee injury,Austen Lane's(notes) huge strides in his second season and defensive tackle LegerDouzable's(notes) repetitions at end, Mincey had concerns he was being relegated to abackup role."I know what I'm capable of," Mincey said. "I've got to let them do whatthey do. I've got to continue to play hard and see what happens. It can befrustrating, if you let it. I just take it as motivation. I've got to keep itmoving and worry about things I can control."Mincey did go from the getting time with the starters to working with thesecond team, but defensive line coach Joe Cullen said it happened only so Roth(left end) and Lane (right end) could get time at new positions."It will all shake out, and when it does, I'm sure Mince will be right inthe mix, no question," Cullen said. "It was by no way Premier Danny Woodhead Jersey a demotion."Mincey has played just 24 games since signing with Jacksonville in December2006. He has 87 tackles, seven sacks and more injuries than he cares toremember. He was hampered Customized Patriots Jersey by a broken left wrist in 2007 and Danny Woodhead Jersey Authentic 2008, and a brokenright custom Patriots Jersey hand in 2009.Just when it looked like he would get a chance in 2010just hours afterthe Jaguars benched former first-round draft pick Derrick Harvey(notes) and namedMincey the starterhe broke his right hand in practice. It was his New England Patriots Jersey fourthhand/wrist injury in four years. Despite the setback, Mincey started the finaleight games and finished with a team-high five sacks.The coaches love Mincey's attitude and work ethic. And when the teamreleased Harvey last month after three disappointing seasons, Mincey figured itwas Cheap Danny Woodhead Jersey his time to shine. Instead, custom New England Patriots Jersey he might have to share the spotlight with Roth,Lane and others."From where we were a year ago this time, it's not even close," Cullensaid, calling Danny Woodhead Jersey Premier the defensive changes a much-needed makeover.Mincey is a big part of the transformation."My standards are Danny Woodhead Premier Jersey high and I feel like I've been playing really well,"Mincey said. "I'm Customized New England Patriots Jersey starting to come into my own and play the way that I know.I've been doing Patriots Jersey Outlet well, been studying myself. I've been watching film two or threetimes a day on my Danny Woodhead Authentic Jersey own and trying to find out what I can do better. I'm reallygetting there."
ASHBURN, Va. -- This was yet another kick-off that had very little return. Authentic Wes Welker Jersey The Washington Redskins' duel of the kicking Grahams, which was supposed to provide some special teams drama throughout the preseason, lasted all of one game thanks to a sudden NFL Wes Welker Jersey wild streak from oneAuthentic Wes Welker Jersey of the most reliable veterans of all time. Shayne Graham was cut by the Redskins on Sunday, two days after he shanked a 29-yard field goal attempt and also missed a 49-yarder in Friday's 16-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The move leaves incumbent Graham Gano, who ranked last in field goal accuracy in the NFL last season, as the only kicker in training camp. Gano hit from 32, 34 and 45 yards against the Steelers. "We haven't solved our kicking issue," special teams coach Danny Smith said. "He had a good game at 3 for 3 with a guy that wasn't very productive. We made a decision to let that guy go. We did find out coming out of that game that Shayne Graham wasn't the guy. We didn't prove the point that we're solid at kicker yet." Gano will continue to work by himself for now, Wes Welker Jersey Outlet although the team will keep an eye out for available unemployed Tom Brady Jersey On sale kickers for the rest of preseason. "It all depends who's out there," coach Mike Shanahan said. "Right now I don't see anybody that's out there that would really compete against him, but you never know what happens down the road. We're always going to try to make it as competitive as we can." Graham would have been a good bet to win the job at the start of camp. His 86 percent field goal success rate makes him third most accurate kicker in NFL history, behind Nate Kaeding and Mike Vanderjagt. He went 12 for Tom Brady Jersey 12 12 last year, plus 2 for 2 in the playoffs, with New England. But he never found his rhythm with the Redskins, spraying the Patriots Tom Brady Jersey ball right and left in his few days of practice. He got a late start because Replica Wes Welker Jersey of the rule that kept veteran free agents off the field Patriots Wes Welker Jersey in the early days following the NFL lockout, and because holder Sav Rocca had to wait several days for a visa to return to the United States from Australia. "I know that I'm better than I was today," Graham said after Friday's game. "I proved it for years, and I just didn't do it today. ... I'm trying to win a job, and it just didn't go down the way I wanted it to." Gano was the epitome of a hit-or-miss commodity last year in his first full NFL season. He made only 24 of 35 field goal attempts for a 6-10 team that played a lot of close games -- nine decided by three points or fewer. He made overtime game-winners against Green Bay, Tennessee and Jacksonville. Watch preseason games LIVE online in HD. Get the Back to Football special at NFL.com/preseasonlive. "I think mentally IReebok Tom Brady Jersey have to stay positive," Gano said. "I know I missed quite a few kicks last year, but I also hit a lot of big kicks, and that's what I focus on, the three game-winners I hit." Gano said he also spent much of the offseason working Tom Brady Stitched Jersey on his leg speed. When told that, Tom Brady Jersey Outlet SmithCheap Wes Welker Jersey was unimpressed. "Tell Graham to Reebok Wes Welker Jersey stop talking cheap Tom Brady Jersey about that (stuff) and make field goals," Smith said. "That's as simple as that. Graham wanted to decipher leg speed and this foot and that foot, and I've changed this and I've changed that. Tell Graham to shut up and just do what we're coaching him to do and he'll be better." Notes: QB John Beck took part in a full practice for the Wes Welker Jersey 83 first time since straining his groin more than a week ago. The injury caused Beck to lose ground to Rex Grossman in the battle for the starting job, but Beck should be good to go for Friday's game at Indianapolis. ... WR Brandon Banks, who showed his NFL Tom Brady Jersey old spark as a kick returner against the Steelers, again missed practice with a sore left knee. Shanahan said Banks had fluid drained from the knee. ... TE Chris Cooley's left knee is Premier Wes Welker Jersey so sore and swollen that he'll stay inside this week during practice instead of watching his teammates. "There's no sense to put added pressure on that knee," Shanahan said. The coach was Tom Brady Jersey Free shipping noncommittal on whether Cooley will be ready for the start of the regular season. "We'll see what happens in two weeks," Shanahan said. ... RB Ryan Torain (broken hand) will see a specialist Monday to find out when he can return to practice. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
One of the most significant NFL rule changes in years is already provoking strong opinions after just Replica Tom Brady Jersey one week of preseason games. "I don't like it," Lions receiver Rashied Davis told the Detroit Free Press. "I'm just going to tell you the truth. I hate it." "The five-yard start is awful," linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba told the paper. "Awful." "I understand it, but I don't necessarily like it," echoed return man Stefan Logan. In an effort Tom Brady Jersey Outlet to limit injuries, Cheap Tom Brady Jersey NFL owners voted in March to move kickoffs up five yards to the 35-yard line and restrict the running start coverage units get to five yards behind the ball. The change is expected to greatly increase the number of touchbacks, leaving many players and fans concerned about losing one of the most exciting plays in the game. Last season, about 16 percent of kickoffs resulted Rob Gronkowski Jersey On sale in touchbacks. In the first week of the 2011 preseason, that number rose to 33 percent, and might have been even higher except for the fact that some coaches were instructing their kickers to avoid touchbacks so their coverage teams could get some work in. "We're going to get more touchbacks," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "It's not just the ability to move up five yards, but coverage groups are five yards closer to Rob Gronkowski Jersey 87 it. I think it's going to accomplish what the league hoped to accomplish, which is provide more touchbacks." Logan said he expects about 25 percent fewer kick-return opportunities. "I'm on both sides," Logan said. "I'm on the kickoff coverage and I'm on kickoff return, Rob Gronkowski Jersey Outlet so it benefits me in a good way. But it takes Premier Tom Brady Jersey away some stuff in a bad way." Cleveland Browns wide receiver/kick returner Josh Patriots Rob Gronkowski Jersey Cribbs, one of the league's most electrifying return men, wasted no time voicing his opinion. “I see an immediate amendmentReebok Rob Gronkowski Jersey on the Authentic Tom Brady Jersey kickoff rule either [before] the end of the year or beginning of next year [because] without that part of the Cheap Rob Gronkowski Jersey return game it might as well be a scrimmage,” Cribbs wrote on Twitter after watching Thursday night's opening preseason games. Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is Rob Gronkowski Jersey Free shipping not a fan of the new rule, either. “If you look at the Eagles-Ravens preseason game, it was just a yawner,” Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun. “I wasn’t very impressed with it the first week.” In the Ravens’ preseason opener at Philadelphia, six of the seven kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. "We’ve done a lot of homework on that and what Replica Rob Gronkowski Jersey causes the concussions in our building," Harbaugh told the Sun. "So, we’ll be cheap Nate Solder Jersey looking forward to the offseason and share Authentic Rob Gronkowski Jersey some of that with the competition committee." Watch preseason games LIVE online in HD. Get the Back to Football special at NFL.com/preseasonlive. Harbaugh said Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff would not be aiming for the end zone Friday against Kansas City. "We’re going to have to punch it down there because we need to train our guys to cover kicks," Harbaugh said. "We’re not going to go through the whole season kicking touchbacks. That would bePremier Rob Gronkowski Jersey foolish. "When you’re coming from the 35-yard line, you are on top of that returner. It is scary how fast you can be on top of that returner. So, I think teams are going to try to pop it up inside the 10 and see if they can go smash the returner inside the 15. That will definitely be a strategy." Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis echoed Harbaugh's concerns. "It hurts us in our Authentic Tom Brady Jersey evaluation of our guys that can cover," DeCamillis told ESPN. "Part of what hurt us last year, in my opinion, is we have a lot of young guys NFL Rob Gronkowski Jersey and we got a lot of touchbacks in the preseason last year so we didn’t have as good a feel for who’s Nate Solder Jersey Free shipping going to be able to cover. I think that's got to be part of our evaluation. You got to find those guys that are able to do that."
PITTSBURGH AP - Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expected some rust in his team's preseason opener.What he didn't expect? To see the defending AFC champions get so thoroughly dominated.The Steelers struggled on both sides of the ball in a 16-7 loss to the Washington Redskins on Friday. And while throwing a dud when the games don't really count is hardly a problem for one of the most veteran teams in the league, looking uninterested while doing so doesn't sit well with its coach."Quite frankly we got outplayed in just about all areas - blocking, tackling, running, throwing, kicking," Tomlin said. "That team was better prepared tonight than us. They showed it."The Steelers managed just 186 total yards against one of the NFC's worst teams a year ago and struggled to get the defense off the field. Washington moved the ball with ease, racking up 452 yards. Only some flawed execution Custom Vikings Jersey by the Redskins in the red zone and spotty kicking from Shayne Graham kept the final score from being more lopsided."There weren't a lot of things to feel good about," Tomlin said.Particularly in the training room. Veteran cornerback Ike Taylor broke his left thumb and will miss at least two weeks, possibly longer if surgery is required."It could be worse," Taylor said. "It will heal. Everybody plays injured."What the Steelers didn't do, at least on Friday, was play with any sense of urgency. Call it a side effect when so many of the key spots are already locked up.Pittsburgh did little in free agency before landing wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery on Thursday, opting to re-sign its own free agents in hopes of going one step farther than it did a year ago.The starters on both sides Custom Chiefs Jersey of the ball barely broke a sweat, standard procedure for Tomlin in the first exhibition.Ben Roethlisberger completed 2 of 3 passes; Rashard Mendenhall ran it just once. Mike Wallace caught it just once, though he missed a sure touchdown Custom Raiders Jersey when Roethlisberger overthrew him on a deep Custom Texans Jersey pattern during their only series on the field together. Defensive stars James Harrison and Troy Polamalu didn't even play to help keep them fresh for when the games start counting next month.Good thing, because even the defensive starters looked a step slow in the first quarter as the Redskins drove it the length of the field."I think we allowed them to drive the ball down the field a little bit too long, maybe Custom Saints Jersey 90 yards, but we Custom Dolphins Jersey just need to get back on the field and correct Custom Colts Jersey that," said linebacker LaMarr Woodley. "That's why it's called the preseason, so we can go back and correct mistakes like that."Tomlin downplayed the loss of organized team activities and mini-camps - both of which were Custom Jets Jersey scuttled by the NFL lockout - saying it's something the entire league has been forced to deal with.Quarterback Dennis Dixon, hoping to make the team as the third quarterback or get moved in a trade to a place where he can compete for playing time, did little to distinguish himself in the fourth quarter. He made a couple of nifty moves with his feet but his arm was spotty, completing just 1 of 10 passes for Custom Jaguars Jersey29 yards.The lone offensive bright spot Custom Patriots Jersey came from reserve running back Isaac Redman, who scored Pittsburgh's only touchdown on a 22-yard run in which he Custom Giants Jersey spun away from defenders and kept his legs moving until he reached the end zone."Anytime I get the ball in my hands I try to make the best out of it, and I feel like once I'm able to get into a rhythm and get into a game, there's a lot more I can do than get one or two yards," Redman said.The Steelers return to training camp Sunday at Saint Vincent College before beginning preparations to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. After a clunker in the opener, it can't come soon enough."Every time we hit the field, we expect to win and get it done," said offensive tackle Willie Colon. "We didn't do that tonight, not only as a unit, but as a team. It's a wake-up call. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror, watch the tape and find a way to dig in and get it done." Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use ordistribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and TheAssociated Press is strictly prohibited. PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare
KANSAS CITY, Mo. AP - Without a normal offseason because of the NFL lockout, early season play was expected to be rumpled and ragged.The Kansas City Chiefs looked the part on Friday night.KC's first three possessions resulted in one three-and-out and two lost fumbles. Tampa Bay and hometown kid Josh Freeman turned the two turnovers into 10 quick points and rolled to a 25-0 preseason victory which the Chiefs will try hard to forget.Chiefs coach Todd Haley could see at least one positive."That's the first one, not the last one," he Custom Cardinals Jersey said.The Bucs, who were 10-6 last season just like the Chiefs, rolled up three times as many first downs 18 to six, more than twice as many yards 353 to 137 and held Kansas City to just one conversion in 10 third downs.It was a thorough whipping, though in fairness the Bucs did keep most of their starters in the game much of the first half while the Chiefs did not.Bucs coach Raheem Morris found it difficult to find much wrong with the way his Bucs executed."Hard to say that, you know, but I've got to watch the tape. I'll find something," he said. "We had missed personnels on defense, and us looking across and getting the right guys out there. And then on offense we have to cut the miscommunications. One play we didn't even have a tailback. So little things like Custom Packers Jersey that we have to clean up."Freeman, who prepped just a few miles from Arrowhead Stadium and starred at Kansas State, led the Buds to points on three of the four series he played, going 9 for 13 for 73 yards.In his first appearance in Arrowhead, he also ran 5 yards for a score on a second-and-goal after Casey Wiegmann and Matt Cassel fumbled the center snap.The game figured toCustom Broncos Jersey be sloppy after the NFL lockout wiped away the offseason. The Chiefs have been especially careful since opening camp under the Custom Bengals Jersey broiling sun of St. Joseph, Mo.They've barely worked out in pads and have not scrimmaged. But after a day off on Sunday, all that may change."We knew this first preseason game was part of a process Custom Lions Jersey that looks different as a whole than last year would have, or the year before that would have," linebacker Andy Studebaker said. "So our approach Custom Cowboys Jersey to camp has been a little bit different. Obviously, the starters didn't Custom Panthers Jersey play a ton tonight. Different guys played. So a lot of the younger guys got a ton of reps. As the season gets closer, the intensity probably ramps up a little bit. Obviously, we've Custom Bills Jersey got some things to correct on tape."In addition to the fumbles and missed tackles, the pass protection was also lacking for the Chiefs.Backup quarterback Tyler Palko get sacked for a safety after Chandler Williams let a Tampa punt reach the 3-yard line.Freeman needed only two plays to turn the first fumble into a touchdown, then led Tampa Bay on an eight-play drive that Connor Barth capped with a 25-yard field goal.In the second half, Josh Johnson drove the Bucs 55 yards against the backups, capping the drive with a 3-yard TD pass to MichaelCustom Falcons Jersey Spurlock.Freeman is trying to build on a breakout season in which he threw for 3,451 yards and 25 Custom Bears Jersey touchdowns. The tall, strong-armed quarterback has looked sharp all camp, and he carried the momentum into his first preseason game.Freeman checked off when warranted, eluded Kansas City's pass rush when necessary, and deftly managed the offense."A couple of those first throws were a little bit off," he said. "But for the most part, I felt great. Saw the field clearly and made some plays. It Custom Ravens Jersey was great being back out there and moving the ball. I know the guys had a lot of fun, too."Johnson hit 7 of 12 passes for 108 yards and a TD and scrambled five times for another 57 yards.Cassel did not attempt a pass. The Chiefs' other two quarterbacks, Palko and Ricky Stanzi, combined to go 8 for 16 for 68 yards.But again, Haley found a positive."They know how to run for their lives," he said. Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use ordistribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and TheAssociated Press is strictly prohibited. PrintEmail a FriendFacebookTwitterStumble UponGoogleYahooDiggDeliciousShare