Houstontexans.com - Official Website of the Houston Texans

Head coach Gary Kubiak announced that quarterback Sage Rosenfels will start on Sunday at Oakland and noted that wide receiver Andre Johnson continues to progress. Several players spoke to the media as well.

Head coach Gary Kubiak

(on feeling better about what he saw on the field)  "I like the way we practiced today.  I liked the way we bounced around.  We had a little edge about us today which we need to have.  Everybody got some good work.  Positives, (RB) Ahman (Green) practiced hard and well, so that's very encouraging.  (WR) Andre (Johnson) took another step forward, but we'll see.  It was a good practice."

(on the team having more of an attitude)  "If you play this game, you better have some type of edge and some type of attitude.  That's part of football.  I guess I look at that from if you're having to go find that, that's not good.  We better have it all the time.  But I did see something different out here today from our football team's standpoint, so we'll see.  Hopefully, that competitive edge, that nasty, you have to have that every day in this business or you won't survive."

(on if there is something he can do to get them started quicker)  "We've actually started pretty fast for the most part this year.  You go back, for a period of time, we're starting fast.  Jacksonville, we started fast.  We didn't have any points to show for a fast start.  Last week, as a football team, you can't start any... understand what I'm trying to say here.  Don't take this out of context.  We had a three-and-out and we went right down the field in 11 plays and we missed a third down.  For starting a game on the road, that was a good start.  Now, at the end of the first quarter, it was a disaster.  You're right.  Do you need to start fast in this league?  Yes, but you need to play for four quarters.  It's not about one quarter.  We didn't start fast in Carolina and we ended up playing a great football game.  I'm concerned about us protecting the ball, playing for four quarters, and going from there."

(on if QB Sage Rosenfels is going to start on Sunday)  "(QB) Sage Rosenfels will start the game.  I'm hoping maybe (QB) Matt (Schaub) is available as our third quarterback, but that decision will not be made by me.  It will be made by Kevin (Bastin) and our doctors whether they think he should be available for that situation."

(on if QB Matt Schaub is the third quarterback, would he have a problem putting him out there if need be)  "If he's fine, which today he is moving around good, he's feeling good.  If they say he's fine, then he would be an emergency player for us.  If we lost two players, I know he could go in there and hand the ball of and function us through the game.  Like I said, that's not my call.  They're the ones monitoring his situation and they would have to tell me its ok if that happens he could do that.  If they tell me no, then he won't have a uniform on."

(on how QB Craig Nall is picking up the offense)  "It's very, very difficult but at least he does kind of know what we're doing terminology wise.  We tried to get him as many snaps as we can with the scout team.  He has a limited package so if he has to go in there and play, it would be very limited in what we're doing.  At least it's nice to have somebody who's been in a pro game before."

(on flying out on Friday)  "I've been a part of it.  In San Francisco, we did it all the time because we had a lot of long trips.  Our trips here in Houston are not very far.  I don't think you'll see us doing this a bunch.  I kind of like it from the simple fact that we are 12 games into the season when you count the preseason.  A lot of football's been played.  Other then work and practice, our guys haven't done a whole lot together and we're taking it as an opportunity to come in here and get our work done tomorrow morning, go out there tomorrow evening, spending some time together as a football team in a different environment then meetings and practice.  We're going to go out there and do that and then get our mind right Saturday and get our rest and go take our shot because it's important that we get to this break feeling better about how we're playing." 
 
(on QB Sage Rosenfels and if becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL often depends on opportunity) "Well, my perspective on that is I hope that you think you're always competing for a starting job. If you're a player, it's only natural to know that if you're standing behind a certain player that you're probably not the starter, but in your mind you can't lose that edge. You've got to feel like if you play good enough or do things good enough that you'll have a chance to start, so as I said yesterday it's a big game in his career, it's in a very important game for this team. He knows he's starting, he knows he's the guy, he knows he's got to go lead this football team in a very difficult environment in Oakland, so there's a lot to gain for Sage Rosenfels and a lot to gain for our team, so I'm expecting him to play well."

(on if QB Sage Rosenfels could be a starter in this league) "Oh, there's no doubt in my mind. From day one that I came here, I told (former Texans general manager) Charley (Casserly) we've got to go get him, and I think he's very capable of starting. And he has a long, long career. You don't ever get settled one way or the other, and here's an opportunity for him to prove that to a lot of people."

(on T Brandon Frye) "I think he could get involved here as we move forward. He's an athletic young man that we've worked at tackle that we think may need to go in at guard, that's one of our questions about him. But he's been practicing very well and these young kids that are practicing well and earning the right, we want to take a look at them. (Rashad) Butler, I expect Butler to be active this week. He's come a long, long way and I think you'll see more of that, because these kids, I tell them all the time in practice, ‘Hell, if you do it, I'll find a way to get you up,' and I want to be true to my word with this team."

(on where T Rashad Butler plays) "Well, he can go either side. He can play right or left (tackle), so I expect to go into the game with him as our swing tackle – he's been that good in practice."

(on the team having had their eye on T Rashad Butler for a while now) "Yes. When we got him, y'all know the story. The kid was very light. He had lost a lot of weight. He had an issue that they couldn't keep weight on him. We got down here, we think our guys got it under control, we've put some good weight on him, I don't know if it's like 12-15 pounds. He's been able to hold the weight, that's been an issue for him as a player, and now he's holding it. He's out here playing extremely well in practice. Our players want him up. They want him up because of the way he's practicing, so he'll get his chance this week. He'll be up."

(on if WR Andre Johnson looked spry in practice today and whether he may play on Sunday) "Yes, he did. I would think right now it sure looks that way, but let's see. Let's see how he comes out of today in the morning. Let's see how he does tomorrow. There's a long way to go, but it sure looked like he was making progress toward being ready to go."

(on CB Jamar Fletcher) "They took his appendix out. They did that yesterday. They were able to do it with the scope; they didn't have to cut him, so that's a good thing, so we're hoping maybe about three weeks."

(on TE Owen Daniels) "He practiced today. He should be ready to go."

(on RB Ahman Green saying he wants to play on Sunday) "Well, I trust him. He's been doing this a long time and like I told him, ‘Hey, Ahman, it's not important that you show me on Wednesday or show me on Thursday, but it's important for this team that you're there on Sunday if you can be.' And we made the right decision last week – the kid wasn't feeling good. His knee was swollen. We gave him yesterday off, he practiced very well today. Let's not get ahead our self; let's hope he wakes up in the morning and is feeling good."

(on if WR Andre Johnson could play on Sunday) "I think there's definitely a chance that Andre could be out there, definitely. No doubt, from what I saw today. But we'll see. We'll take it day to day."

(on if the return game is improving with WR Jacoby Jones and WR André Davis) "Well, Jacoby looked like himself last week for the first time since he's been back. He went out there, he got hit, he jumped up.  He looked like the same kid with the little spunk that he had throughout the preseason, so I would expect him to get better. As far André, that's new for him back there, but to be honest with you over the course of the last few weeks it wouldn't have mattered who we had back there returning kicks. We weren't doing a good job blocking. If we improve in our blocking this week, we'll return kicks well."

(on the impact on the team's psyche if WR Andre Johnson returns) "I know it means a lot. Just to watch him come out to practice brings something special to these guys. He's the face around here that has been special every day he's been at practice and every day he's been a player with the Texans, so I don't have to tell y'all how much we miss him. Y'all know that."

T Rashad Butler

(on how he has corrected his weight issues) "Well, I've been going to the doctor. Recently I just found out I've got a chronic disease that I've got to deal with, ulcerative colitis, and once they got that under control, weight came back on. I probably gained about 20 pounds in about a good like four or five weeks, so now everything seems to be heading upwards for me. I'm about like at 290 (pounds) now."

(on how it affected him at Carolina when he didn't realize what he had) "Oh, man, it was hard because I just didn't have energy, really didn't have no strength. I mean, I was losing weight daily. At one time, I got down to about like 275, 270 – you can't play o-line at that weight. I haven't been 270 since I want to say maybe like junior year in high school or whatever. So I mean it was hard practicing, (getting) real tired easily, but I'm happy I got it under control now because that's something I don't want any athlete to ever go through."

(on if it scared him to find out there is no cure) "Not really, because we all go through something. Like somebody might look healthy, but you don't know what they're going through behind closed doors or whatever. So I just have to deal with it for the rest of my life. It's no problem. As long as I'm staying healthy with it, hey, I'm happy with it."

(on staying healthy) "I've got to take medication every morning for the rest of my life. And as long as I take the medications consistently, doctors say I'll be fine. It wouldn't be no possible outbreak or anything like that."

(on if there is a history of ulcerative colitis in his family) "No. I heard of it on TV, but I never heard of anybody in my family having it. I know my dad's a diabetic, that's about it. But other than that, everybody's healthy in my family."

(on if he was surprised the Texans still brought him) "I'm really happy to be here with the Texans, because they gave me a chance. A lot of teams probably would've been like, ‘Well, hey, he's going to have to show us that he can put on the weight before we pick him up.' So I'm definitely happy that the Texans gave me an opportunity to come here. And I'm very happy they sent me to the right doctors to attack it and to get it under control, because I felt in Carolina, they got it under control but I don't think they attacked it the way it should've been attacked."

(on if it was diagnosed in Carolina) "Yes. Actually, it was diagnosed in West Palm Beach, but when I came back for training camp at Carolina, they knew about it and everything."

(on when he received the diagnosis) "I found out in West Palm Beach when I went home, from my doctor in West Palm Beach told me."

(on when exactly that was) "After OTA's (with Carolina), because after OTA's we had a chance to go home, work out, whatever before training camp. That's when I got checked out."

(on if the Texans knew he had the condition when they signed him) "Yes, exactly."

(on if he was surprised signed him with that condition) "It didn't really surprise me. It's kind of hard to describe, because I know a lot of teams wouldn't really take a chance on a guy that has a condition like that, but like I said, I'm thankful for the Houston Texans taking a chance on me."

(on getting the disease under control) "It was a big relief. Like I said, soon as I went to the doctor out here, he attacked it a lot stronger than it was attacked when I was at home or in Carolina. Once he talked to me and everything, I kind of knew I was going to be on the rebound upward and everything."

(on having to take seven pills every morning) "At first it was kind of hard, just remembering every morning when you wake up to take it with breakfast or whatever, but now it's just like a daily routine. I've been doing it now for about six weeks now, so it's nothing now. It's just like a part of my life now."

(on what it's like getting reps this week) "Oh, man. I'm just happy, man, because I only dressed out one time in Carolina last year, my rookie year. It was kind of hard just sitting on the bench, watching, not in uniform every week for about the last 15 weeks of the season. So to actually come here, to get a chance to be out there, I'm definitely happy with the opportunity."

(on how much he would like to be a part of the future of this offensive line) "It's definitely important because all the young guys they have here, Chris White, Eric Winston who I played with in college, all the young guys are working hard and doing what they're asked to do. So to be a part of that is definitely exciting."

WR Andre Johnson

(on head coach Gary Kubiak saying it was likely he would play on Sunday) "Like I said yesterday, I feel pretty good. I'm just making progress every day. I didn't talk to coach, so if that's what he said, he makes that decision if I play or not. So like I said, I'm preparing to play, so if he tells me I'm playing, then I'll be ready. So that's what I'm doing, just taking it one day at a time and trying to get better every day as I go out there. I felt better today than I did yesterday, so like I said I'm making progress."

(on if he feels good enough to play) "Yes. Like I said, I said yesterday if this was a game that depended on our season and I had to go out and play, yeah, I feel healthy enough where I can go out and play. But I knew that the decision was not on me, it was about what I could go out and do in practice and what I show the coaches. Like I said, I'm just going out there working every day."

(on how satisfying it would be to play on Sunday) "It's been a while. It's been fun just being back out there with my teammates and things like that. If he (head coach Gary Kubiak) gives me the go-ahead, I'm going to be ready. It's been a while, but I'll be excited to be out there playing again."

WR Jacoby Jones

(on if he is 100 percent)  "I wouldn't say 100 percent, but I could take some shots now, take a couple of hits in the game.  I feel pretty good about it."

(on if this injury was more difficult to recover from than he thought)  "It was because I tried to rush back too because I don't like to sit on the sideline, but it was something different."

(on having higher expectations because of what you did in the preseason)  "Yes, I have high expectations because, like I said, when you get in the end zone four times, you get spoiled.  I just have to patient and let it come to me.  We have eight games left, we can make a turnaround."

(on if there is anything they saw in film that could spark the return game)  "Just buckle down and play ball, man up, that's it. Come together as a group and rally and play ball."

(on enjoying returning punts at home)  "Of course, I love returning at home.  The crowd getting loud on fourth down and that just gets me a little geeked."

(on if it changes offensively with QB Sage Rosenfels starting)  "No, it's the same tempo, same rhythm.  (QB) Sage (Rosenfels) is a good quarterback.  You found that out in preseason.  I think I was Sage's main go-to guy in the preseason.  We connected a couple of times.  Sage is a good quarterback."

QB Sage Rosenfels

(on knowing he will start on Sunday) "Well, it's an opportunity for me, but it's a great opportunity for our team and it's a huge game for us against a very, very good defense. And it's going to be tough going out there and we're going to have to find a way to score some points."

(on if this is a big game for his career) "I don't know. I'm just trying to attack their defense and figure out what their coverage is and find a way to get our guys the football, so I don't look into all that so much and more of I just try to help our team win games."

(on if he could get carried away with thoughts like that) "That'd drive you nuts. It'll drive you nuts if you're worried about every throw, and you've just got to let the ball go and make things happen and execute."