Running back Arian Foster had 16 carries f or 49 yards in the game.
The Texans spoke to the media following their 27-20 preseason victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
Head coach Gary Kubiak DE Connor Barwin TE James Casey RB Arian Foster QB Rex Grossman WR Jacoby Jones QB Dan Orlovsky
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on QB Rex Grossman) "I was very impressed. You just see signs of that during camp whenever he was working that first seven or eight days. Kyle (Shanahan) and I were excited to watch him play during preseason, and (then) of course he has a problem (hamstring injury). Obviously, he knows what this league's about. He knows how to make plays. He was ready to play."
(on if QB Rex Grossman will make the team based on his performance) "I don't know. The cuts are tomorrow."
(on what QB Rex Grossman must do to make the team) "Well, we've got to go look at a lot of things. It's a tough process, that 53 situation, so we'll see. It sure as heck helped him."
(on WR Jacoby Jones) "He played very well. He made a big play. He had a little heat issue, had to leave the game, but came back the second half, played some more in the second half and obviously he's capable of making plays. I think he's had a good preseason and I think he's ready to go."
(on S John Busing) "Well, he had a chance for another pick, too, didn't he? He had the one on the sidelines. But he's kind of made plays throughout camp and he's done some good things for Joe (Marciano), and obviously he helped himself again tonight, also."
(on what he was hoping to see out of the game) "Well, we had so many issues. You know, running back, defensive back, Rex' s situation, what do we need to do to get all those questions answered. I feel good about the way the game went. I think we got a chance to look at all those players. Obviously, Rex looked good, the secondary, you know everyone play in the secondary. With the two running backs, I think I got to see them enough. I've got to make a tough decision there, but I think I got to see them both enough. I liked watching our two tight ends play. I thought James Casey, he played three different positions tonight, he didn't miss a beat, so it was very encouraging for us. (Rashad) Butler needs a lot of work. He got a lot of work, basically played the whole game. So I think we came out of this game being able to get on the plane and watch a lot of reps, so that's good news."
(on G Chester Pitts) "I wanted him to play a half, like I told him. I know the streak is important and I know he's a lot better than he was last week and he knows that, too; he just hasn't been playing. We will go back and look at this half but it was important for him to get some more time so that he feels good going into New York."
(on who else "flashed" besides Grossman) "There was a lot of players on the defensive side of the ball. I thought Frank Okam did some good stuff in the game. Kevin Bentley played almost a whole game. I'd have to go look, but one thing about it, all our backups, they played the whole game. So we will get on the plane and see 50-60 snaps, we're not going to get like 10-12."
(on what he was thinking after early turnovers) "Well, obviously, it worries me. Anthony (Hill) doesn't hang on to the ball there, and I think he probably should have hung on to the other one, too. I couldn't see across the field. But there was a lot of young players playing. They were playing a lot of young guys, we were playing a lot of young guys. It was a little sloppy early, but then it settled down and it was a good, competitive football game. I think we both got some good work out of it."
(on if Grossman exceed his expectations) "Yeah, I would say for not having played and throwing a lot at him, yes. Did he do something I didn't think he could do? No, I know he can do that stuff. I have seen him do it time and time again. But to not be with us and not work and not do anything to all of a sudden step out there and play the way he played, it was very impressive."
(on what positions will be hard to cut) "Defensive line's going to be extremely tough. Secondary is going to be extremely tough cuts. The running back position is going to be extremely tough. There are four or five right there that I honestly cannot sit here and say that I have an answer until I really look at the film and get everybody's opinion on it, and we will do that on the way home and early in the morning."
(on the preseason) "Well, I think we could've had a better preseason, obviously. We played some real good football teams in the preseason, playing New Orleans and Minnesota back-to-back, who to me are excellent football teams. I think our ones did some good stuff throughout the preseason on offense. Defensively, we did the same but had some mistakes in the offseason. We've got things to fix like everybody else, but it's time to go. We've got to play a great football team coming out of the gate right there."
(on if there is any question that QB Dan Orlovsky is still the backup) "I'll go back and look. I thought Dan did some good stuff tonight. I'm going to evaluate him and Rex and make a decision from there. I felt like it was very competitive going into camp, it's just that Rex missed a great deal of time."
(on if he expected Grossman to play as well as he did because of Grossman's playoff experience) "I don't think any of us knew, because he really hasn't done nothing. He really hasn't practiced. He hasn't practiced until – what's today, Friday? He practiced Wednesday for the first time. We're out there an hour and 20 minutes and we're out there 40 minutes on Thursday morning. He comes in and plays the way he did and handles the team very well, which I was impressed with."
DE Connor Barwin
(on the play of the Buccaneers' offense) "The quarterbacks are pretty elusive that we saw, Josh Freeman and the other guy, number 11 (Josh Johnson). They are guys that can feel the pressure and are hard to sack once you get back there."
(on how he feels about the team coming out of the preseason) "I think we are pretty good. As a team, I think we are really happy that we finished the preseason with a win. I think that was important. Things are falling into place, and I think we will be ready for the Jets."
TE James Casey
(on his touchdown play) "Well, I jumped offside the play before. It was third and short and we were going to run a running play. So obviously, I felt terrible about that, but it ended up working out because then we ran a pass play. It was a double move play and the safety bit on it, I was open and Rex (Grossman) threw a great pass and the offensive line did a great job blocking. So it couldn't have been any better to get that first touchdown. Even though it was the preseason, it always feels good to be in the end zone. It was just a great experience."
(on how he felt he did as a lead blocker) "I thought I did really well. It's tough to tell before you watch the film, but out there, I felt good about it. I wasn't just out there getting run over or anything like that. I felt like I was doing a great job. We will see on film what it looks like, but I thought I did a great job at fullback and at tight end with the blocking stuff. Now that training camp is over, you can look back at everything you've done. I've gotten a lot better and I've done a really great job blocking. It's out of my control now."
(on if he is worried about making the team) "It's pretty stressful; it's really stressful. I felt like I did the best I could and I don't have any regrets about it. We'll see what happens."
RB Arian Foster
(on going against the Buccaneers defense) "They didn't really try to bring much or confuse us. They really just tried to play base. Schematically, it wasn't confusing, and I think that was by design."
(on his performance) "I put my heart out on the field, and chips are going to fall where they may. Whatever happens, happens. I felt like I gave it everything I could."
QB Rex Grossman
(on his performance) "I felt good about it. We were able to make plays and won the game. The defense played great and put us in great situations. When the play was called and we had the right defense on for that play, we usually made it, so that was encouraging. I knocked some of the dust off because I really haven't played since November of last year."
(on if he felt like he got into a rhythm right away) "Yeah, the long touchdown pass definitely made it easier to start feeling good and calm down. As soon as that play happened, everything was good."
(on his chances with cutdown day looming) "I am not sure. I just know I put a pretty good audition out there and I hope everything goes well tomorrow and see what happens."
WR Jacoby Jones
(on if he thought he made the team tonight) "Hopefully, but if not, that's a hard thing not to do after three catches for 148 yards."
(on if he thought he made the Texans' coaches choice a lot easier) "I hope so. I just had the mind frame to come out and make plays when they called my number."
(on if he was concerned going into the game that he wouldn't make the team) "I wasn't really worried at all. I mean, I put it in God's hands, then all I have to do is come out and be consistent and make the plays."
(on his touchdown) "Kyle (Shanahan) thought up a nice call. It was the right defense, so Rex (Grossman) made a heck of a throw and I just did what God gave me (the ability) to do – catch and run."
(on what goes through your mind when you are open deep) "First, I had to find it, and once I found it, I just thought 'Catch the ball.' It hit my hand and I just thought, 'I'm not getting caught; don't get caught.'"
QB Dan Orlovsky
(on his performance) "I felt that we did a good job as a team. We capitalized on some turnovers and ultimately got the win."
(on the Buccaneers defense) "It's a good defense. It has odd dynamics because it has some really good veteran leaders but it has some youth. Whenever you have a guy like Ronde (Barber) on your defense, you know your defense is probably going to be pretty solid. Barrett Ruud is becoming one of the better 'backers in the league, and those two ends of (Jimmy) Wilkerson and Gaines (Adams) are pretty good, too. I think that defensive coordinator is going to be aggressive and let those guys make some plays. I think it was a good job for us offensively to go and make some plays against this team and prepare. We are most likely going to see some of that defensive scheme because that is what the NFL seems to be morphing to a little bit. It was a good job of us executing."
