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Williams seeking change for better
Intent on getting to the QB, the much-scrutinized DE of the Texans will try some new tricks this week
By MEGAN MANFULL
Mario Williams realizes there is a citywide debate occurring because of him. His skills are being questioned. His intensity is being questioned. The whole reason he's in Houston is being questioned.
Williams isn't oblivious to any of it, but talking about it isn't his favorite activity. Instead, the Texans defensive end is trying to spend his time working to end the debate. To silence his critics. To show the franchise he can be the disruptive player it drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last year.
"I'm just trying so hard," Williams said. "I have so many different people telling me this and telling me that. I'm just trying to do too much right now."
Williams isn't going to stop listening, though. He has been working closely with the coaches this week, watching film and dissecting his performances. He said he is going to test out a new approach in the third preseason game against Dallas on Saturday in hopes it could spark something in the pass rush.
"We have got to change everything as far as how I come out here and do things," Williams said. "We're looking at how I was coming off the ball and my point of attack and things like that. ... I'm going to change that up a little bit as far as how I'm coming out there on opposing tackles."
The Texans are also changing the personnel on their defensive line this weekend by putting their eight-man rotation in place. Travis Johnson will see his first action with the first team at left tackle, and Earl Cochran will get more repetitions with the first team at left end. Anthony Weaver hoped to make his return from a knee injury, but the doctors haven't cleared him.
No matter how the others perform, the focus will remain on Williams. His teammates realize that and are trying to help him.
"He's such a good kid," veteran end N.D. Kalu said. "He's trying to do everything right, and it kind of takes away from his aggressiveness. I just try to tell him, 'Man, you're 6-7, 300 pounds, and you've got great explosiveness. Just use it and hit somebody in the mouth. Don't sit here and count your steps and worry about your hand movements. ... You've just got to be a freak.'
"Because he's a freak of nature, some things that a guy like myself has to do, he doesn't have to do. And that's what point I try to get across to him."
Williams has stayed after practice to work with Kalu. And he has listened — to everyone.
"Everybody is trying to help me. Everybody," Williams said. "Everybody in the stadium is trying to help me relax."
Williams realizes the focus of the preseason is to prepare for the regular season. So after his approach in the first two preseason games didn't result in any tackles, assists or sacks, he was willing to take a chance and try something new.
"This is the point where it needs to be done," Williams said. "The preseason is for the players. We don't even watch film necessarily of the (other) team. So this is the time to do it."
Frustration among the Texans' defensive linemen is evident. With so much attention being paid to their unit, they understand they must deliver. But they aren't panicking about the pass rush — or about Williams.
"I think Mario is still searching for his fastball," Weaver said. "Right now, he's experimenting with a lot of things, and that's what the preseason is for. But come game time, I think you saw it last season, he turned the corner, and he was rushing the passer and was getting to the quarterback.
"So now it's just a matter of waiting for the numbers to come."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5073885.html
Intent on getting to the QB, the much-scrutinized DE of the Texans will try some new tricks this week
By MEGAN MANFULL
Mario Williams realizes there is a citywide debate occurring because of him. His skills are being questioned. His intensity is being questioned. The whole reason he's in Houston is being questioned.
Williams isn't oblivious to any of it, but talking about it isn't his favorite activity. Instead, the Texans defensive end is trying to spend his time working to end the debate. To silence his critics. To show the franchise he can be the disruptive player it drafted with the No. 1 overall pick last year.
"I'm just trying so hard," Williams said. "I have so many different people telling me this and telling me that. I'm just trying to do too much right now."
Williams isn't going to stop listening, though. He has been working closely with the coaches this week, watching film and dissecting his performances. He said he is going to test out a new approach in the third preseason game against Dallas on Saturday in hopes it could spark something in the pass rush.
"We have got to change everything as far as how I come out here and do things," Williams said. "We're looking at how I was coming off the ball and my point of attack and things like that. ... I'm going to change that up a little bit as far as how I'm coming out there on opposing tackles."
The Texans are also changing the personnel on their defensive line this weekend by putting their eight-man rotation in place. Travis Johnson will see his first action with the first team at left tackle, and Earl Cochran will get more repetitions with the first team at left end. Anthony Weaver hoped to make his return from a knee injury, but the doctors haven't cleared him.
No matter how the others perform, the focus will remain on Williams. His teammates realize that and are trying to help him.
"He's such a good kid," veteran end N.D. Kalu said. "He's trying to do everything right, and it kind of takes away from his aggressiveness. I just try to tell him, 'Man, you're 6-7, 300 pounds, and you've got great explosiveness. Just use it and hit somebody in the mouth. Don't sit here and count your steps and worry about your hand movements. ... You've just got to be a freak.'
"Because he's a freak of nature, some things that a guy like myself has to do, he doesn't have to do. And that's what point I try to get across to him."
Williams has stayed after practice to work with Kalu. And he has listened — to everyone.
"Everybody is trying to help me. Everybody," Williams said. "Everybody in the stadium is trying to help me relax."
Williams realizes the focus of the preseason is to prepare for the regular season. So after his approach in the first two preseason games didn't result in any tackles, assists or sacks, he was willing to take a chance and try something new.
"This is the point where it needs to be done," Williams said. "The preseason is for the players. We don't even watch film necessarily of the (other) team. So this is the time to do it."
Frustration among the Texans' defensive linemen is evident. With so much attention being paid to their unit, they understand they must deliver. But they aren't panicking about the pass rush — or about Williams.
"I think Mario is still searching for his fastball," Weaver said. "Right now, he's experimenting with a lot of things, and that's what the preseason is for. But come game time, I think you saw it last season, he turned the corner, and he was rushing the passer and was getting to the quarterback.
"So now it's just a matter of waiting for the numbers to come."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5073885.html
