Texans get first taste of Schaub, Green
Matt Schaub was just what coach Gary Kubiak expected him to be in his first game with the Houston Texans.
He was poised, made smart decisions and evaded defenders when pressured.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t things he could have done better.
Schaub overthrew a wide-open Kevin Walter in the end zone in the first quarter of Houston’s 20-19 loss to Chicago on Saturday night in the preseason opener for both teams. But he also evaded the rush and got off a perfectly thrown pass on third down that was dropped.
“Making all these other plays he should make, it just drove him crazy that he didn’t make the one to Kevin,” Kubiak said.
Schaub and the rest of the starters played just two series on Saturday. Kubiak wanted to see a bit more from his new quarterback, but decided before the game to pull the starters after the first quarter.
Fans didn’t get to see much from new Texans running back Ahman Green, who had just three carries for seven yards. Kubiak was encouraged by Green’s play, though, and said after watching replays of the game that the free agent addition was close to breaking long gains on two of carries.
Bills’ Hargrove in trouble
Anthony Hargrove is running out of second chances with the Buffalo Bills, who are considering releasing the defensive end after he landed in trouble for the second time in a week.
“Releasing him is an option,” coach Dick Jauron said, a day after the NFL suspended Hargrove for the first four regular-season games without pay for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Jauron said he’s still gathering information before deciding the status of Hargrove, who is entering his fourth season.
The suspension capped a difficult week for Hargrove, who was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors stemming from a confrontation with police outside a Rochester night club in the early morning of Aug. 5. Police say Hargrove broke an officer’s glasses. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 21.
Hargrove potentially faces further punishment if the NFL determines he violated its code of conduct policy.
Around the league
Nearly three weeks after pain forced Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis to stop practicing after surgically repaired Achilles’ tendon, there is new concern that he may be forced to retire because of the injury. No current player has been with the Cowboys longer than Ellis, who still hopes to be heading into his 10th season. … The Minnesota Vikings activated third-year defensive end Erasmus James from the physically unable to perform list after a serious knee injury last year.