Official Texans @ Panthers Fake Game Thread, 8/11/2012
 

Whelp, the NFL preseason games are here. New Orleans kicked it off with a win over the Cardinals on Sunday.

Texans will get it going this Saturday at 6 pm on the NFLN (and probably Ch 13, too) against the Carolina Panthers in Carolina.

Two more Saturday games follow with San Francisco (home) and New Orleans (away). The Texans will finish up on a Thursday night game against the Minnesota Vikings (home).

Sat, Aug 11 @Carolina 7:00 PM NFL
Sat, Aug 18 vsSan Francisco 8:00 PM
Sat, Aug 25 @New Orleans 8:00 PM CBS
Thu, Aug 30 vsMinnesota 7:00 PM

The Texan offense is more interesing to me than the defense this year... Will be keeping an eye on how the new O-linemen, the young receivers and the backup QB's (TJ, Beck, Keenum) do...

I guess everyone has seen the preliminary preseason depth-chart
http://www.houstontexans.com/team/depth-chart.html

See if they all get to play against Carolina?

I guess WR's and CB's are what I am most interested in for right now on the first game

I'm curious to see the development of T.J. Yates. Heard good things about his progress in camp.

I am as well. It will be very interesting to see if he has taken a big step between the two seasons.

I can't believe this all starts again tomorrow. It's almost too good to be true.

Absolutely. I love to talk about the Texans and argue the days away, but I still get almost giddy about gameday.

We need some team in this town that doesn't stink worse than the B.O. at Gold's Gym when the AC breaks down.

Let's go ahead and make this the official game thread for tonight. Discuss game action here.

Group prayer in here too for everyone to stay healthy.

Kickoff in T-minus 5 minutes.....

Channel 13 working for me - NFLN may be blacked out in Houston....

Texans to kickoff (Graham)...

Panthers down the kick in the endzone so Panthers ball at their 20.

Pass to Smith in the flat complete for 4 yds. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Williams rushes for about 3. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Pass is deflected inc. Almost INT'ed by the Texans. Panthers to punt on 4th down.

Trindon Holiday gets about 10 yards on the return. Ball at the Texans 33.

Pass to KW gets about 9 yards. 2nd and 1 coming up.

Pass to Martin complete for nice gainer about 20 yards - 1st down.

Schaub can't find a receiver and throws it away, inc. 2nd and 10 at the Panther 37.

Tate hits the left side for about 6. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Pass over the middle to OD goes all the way to the Panther 9 yard line. 1st and goal.

Tate hits the right side for about 7. Ball at the Panther 2.

Tate for no gain. Makes it 3rd and goal to go at the 2.

Schaub chunks it away, inc. Texans to go for the FG.

Graham knock it in for the FG (good).

Texans 3, Panthers 0

9:20 left in the 1st quarter.

Rashad Butler mistake #1:

Went for the cut block on that last redzone pass...didn't work...forced Shaub to get rid of the ball early.

Graham is credited with a 20 yard FG.

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Texans to kickoff.

Panthers bring the kickoff back to their 29 but flag on the play. Block in back against the Panthers puts the ball at the Panther 10.

Williams gets about 3 yards. 2nd and 7 coming up.

Sack by Reed! Ball at the Panther 3. 3rd and 17 coming up.

Newton can't find a receiver and scrambles for about 1 yard. Panthers have to punt.

Holiday fair catches at the Texan 39.

7:23 left in the 1st quarter.

2 series for the defense...2 three and outs.

The defense is looking pretty good. Kareem is looking good early on.

Oh no, Foster fumbles after about a 10 yard gain and the Panthers recover about midfield.

Play is under review......

Excellent cutback by Foster...good thing its preseason...take care of the football though.

On another note...good to see KMart downfield blocking on that run.:D

Review places the ball at the 50.

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Williams for about 3. 2nd and 7 coming up.

Short pass is dropped by Tolbert, inc. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Newton scrambles out of the pocket up the gut for a big gain. Ball at the Texan 32, 1st down.

Screen to Stewart gets about 13.

Williams sweeps left for about 4 yards. 2nd and 6 coming up.

Pass at the flag is inc. 3rd and 6 coming up from the Texan 15.

Pass in the endzone off the fingertips of Ajirotutu (sp?) inc. Panthers to go for the FG.

Mare's FG is good from 33.

Texans 3, Panthers 3

4:11 left in the 1st quarter.

Woohoo, Holiday takes the kickoff for 90 yards, TD!

Texans 10, Panthers 3

Kareem is looking extremely motivated.

2 targets..

1...across the middle he jumped the route and tipped the pass...almost a pick

2...out route in the red zone to steve smith...he jumped the route and forced a wide pass...


On another note....


WOOOOOWWWW!!!!

TRINDON HOLIDAY...guy is trying to make the team....this guy is FAAAAAST

Way to go Trindon.

Panthers bring the ensuing kickoff back to about their 25.

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Tolbert for about 2 yards. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Pass to Ajirotutu good for nice gainer but flag on the play. O-lineman downfield brings it back - loss of 5. 2nd and 13 coming up.

Pass in the flat gets about 12. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Runner is stuffed by Dobbins for a loss. Panthers have to punt.

Holiday brings it back about 7 yards to the Texan 25.

End around to Martin gets 10 and a 1st down. Ball at the Texan 36.

Schaub's pass over the middle is INT'ed by the Panthers. Panthers ball at the Texan 39.

Play is under review....

WOW...the cobwebs are definitely visible...

Sidenote:

Newton got blewup on the pass protection...almost gave up the sack...

52 seconds left in the 1st quarter.

Panthers ball at the Texan 42.

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Short pass in the flat goes inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Short pass in the flat to Pilares good for about 8. 3rd and 2 coming up.

Whistles before the snap..... End of the 1st quarter...

This reviewing every turnover is so utterly stupid I'd swear Bud Selig thought it up.

Rush up the middle gets the 1st down. Ball at the Texan 25.

Flags presnap. False start Panthers, -5. 1st and 15 coming up.

Pass to the TE gets about 7. 2nd and 8 coming up.

Dobbins with the sack! Loss of 7 or 8. 3rd and 15 coming up.

Pass over the middle off target, inc. Panthers to go for the 48 yard FG...

FG is good.

Texans 10, Panthers 6

12:30 left in the half.

Appears we got out of Q1 unscathed. That's good enough for me.

Quarter 1:

Defense looks fantastic...all this without Watt and Cushing...

Offense two turnovers too many...

KMart is looking really good...

Lestar Jean looks uninterested...

Holiday nearly caught at the 10, brings the kickoff back to the Texan 29.

TJ in at QB.

Tate rushes for about 8 on the right side.

Tate for about 6 or 7 more over RG, 1st down.

Short pass to Casey good for about 7.

Tate gets about 5 on the left side, 1st down. Ball at the Panther 46.

Tate on the right side for about 6 tough yards.

Rollout pass to Martin good for just 3. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Forsett for 2 or 3 on the right side, 1st down. Ball at the Panther 33.

TJ can't find a receiver and scrambles right side for about 4.

Forsett for maybe 1. 3rd and 5 coming up.

Short pass to Graham gets 8 and the 1st down.

Forsett for 5 on the right side. 2nd and 5 coming up at the Panther 15.

Forsett powers all the way to the Panther 3 yard line. 1st and goal.

Timeout Texans, 4:46 left in the half.

Mid-season form in red zone play calling.

Ball at the Panther 4.

Ow, pass to Casey in the endzone, inc. 2nd and goal.

Forsett stopped at the LOS. 3rd and goal coming up.

Pass to Martin knocked away, inc. Texans to go for the FG.

Bullock's 21 yard FG is good.

Texans 13, Panthers 6

3:55 left in the half.

Has anybody heard anything about Shilo Keo playing LB?

Why has he been in the box with 2 safeties behind him?

Adams brings the kickoff back to the Panther 17. Panthers ball, 1st and 10.

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3:45 left in the half.

Anderson is sacked by Mercilus! Loss of 4. 2nd and 14 coming up.

Oy, Braman goes for the INT but pass is complete for a 1st down at the Panther 33.

Deep pass on the left side sails inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass is complete down the left sideline for the 1st down. Ball at the Texan 45.

Deep pass to Ajirotutu is inc but holding on McManis. Puts the ball at the Texan 40, 5 yard markoff.

Delayed handoff play to the right side goes all the way to the Texan 24, 1st down.

2 minute warning.

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Deep pass on the left side is inc. but flag on Ball for PI. Places the ball at the Texan 4, 1st and goal.

Pass in the endzone goes inc. 2nd and goal.

Dump off pass to Pilares goes for about 2. 3rd and goal coming up.

Timeout Panthers....

Pass out of bounds but PI on Ball again. 1st and goal at the 1 for the Panthers.

Alan Ball is looking like another ex cowboy...Jacque Reeves....doesn't look for the ball...

Well, that was a Ball.

Panthers run it up the middle for the TD.

Texans 13, Panthers 13

56 seconds left in the half.

Is Ball playing for Carolina? Most of yards were intereferencen on Ball.

I really wanted to think that the Texans are good enough and deep enough not to have to waste time anymore with players who are totally useless. Sure, some of the calls were calls by replacement refs but that was atrocious cornerback play.