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Total Titans
Last updated 11/17/14
To help get a better eye on the Texans before this week's game, I once again turned to Steph Stradley. Steph was voted the ultimate Texans fan in 2006 and when not practicing law in Houston writes the Texans Chick blog on the Houston Chronicle's website. You can also follow her on Twitter @StephStradley, where she says smart things about the Texans and mean things about Bud Adams. In addition to answering questions from me, she also sent me questions I answered over at Texans Chick; I'll add that link when those go up.
In an effort to keep things fresh and interesting, I tried not to duplicate things I asked her in our first exchange, so check that out for more information on the Texans. On with the new Q&A.
Total Titans: 458 yards and 37 points against the Jaguars. 525 yards and 31 points against the Lions. What the heck is going on with the Texans defense, especially a pass defense that's allowed 791 yards the past two games, that wasn't happening earlier in the season?
Steph Stradley: I think it's a combination of things. Loss of key guys and having to re-shuffle players. Injuries on the defensive side of the ball increasing the snaps for the remaining guys. Having to play two games in less than 5 days with a defensive roster that was already stressed. Their 3rd down percentage allowed in early weeks was absurdly, perhaps unsustainably low. (Still in the 20s at 29% even after the last couple of weeks). Oh, and they shouldn't have knocked Blaine Gabbert out of the game. (A minor joke, but Wade Phillips did mention that their game plan originally assumed not too many downfield throws).
It's also worth mentioning that the 1st quarter offense of the team hasn't been as good as of late. Nobody's offense was working during the bad weather Bears game. Overall, the Texans are 8th in the league in 1st quarter scoring, but that number accounts for the last 3 games where they've been tied near the bottom of the league in 1st quarter scoring. When the Texans put up early points they are more able to play conservatively, and do their clock chewing offensive drives that keep the Texans defense off the field. When the Texans team as a whole is working well, they feed each other: offense chews clock, defense gets off the field on 3rd downs and gives the offense more chances.
I'm guessing that the Texans defense would like to get their mojo back in the game against the Titans. If they don't, the Patriots game might go for a combined 1200+ yards.
Total Titans: At the same time, the Texans won those last two games because they put up 653 yards and 43 points against the Jaguars and 501 yards and 34 points against the Lions. Are the Texans doing anything new and different offensively, or is this still Arian Foster outside zone, Arian Foster inside zone, and Matt Schaub throwing play-action passes to Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels like we're used to seeing?
Steph Stradley: This year's Texans offense looks fundamentally different to me than in years past. They have experience at the tight end position and often have been putting 3 on the field at one time in looks where you can't tell run or pass. The combo of Owen Daniels, Garrett Graham and James Casey (who is more of a hybrid TE/FB/WR) are all in the top 15 of TE efficiency rankings at Football Outsiders. (I wonder if 3 TEs of the same team have ever been top 15 at the same time?)
A lot of defenses aren't used to covering that many big guys who can make wide receiver, tough, circus catches. If you watch the Texans a lot, you get very spoiled at how good their play action game is too. Matt Schaub does a great job of selling play action and out of the big formations, it can be very hard to guess pass or run, and overpursuit is punished with touchdowns.
Before the last two games, the Texans really haven't had to open up their offense much, like they had to do prior to Wade Phillips' improvement of the Texans defense. When the defense struggled the last two games, the Texans flipped the switch and went to more 3 and 4 wide sets to score faster. That puts more inexperienced WRs on the field, but that become fairly irrelevant because WR Andre Johnson has been used a ton as the Texans' Break Glass in Case of Emergency guy. If defenses don't put extra attention on Johnson like he usually gets, the last two games happen.
Total Titans: Injuries, and particularly linebacker injuries. First it was Brian Cushing the week after the first matchup between our teams, and now Brooks Reed is out. Are there any other key injuries, and how concerned are you about them and the Texans this week and going forward?
Steph Stradley: The Texans ended the game with two inside linebackers healthy: Darryl Sharpton (who just came back a few games ago after being IR'd with a serious quad injury) and Barrett Ruud (a veteran in-season pickup). Both did well given the circumstances, but that's thin.
CB Johnathan Joseph missed the last game with a hamstring. He sounds like he will be back for Sunday, but I think they will be cautious with him if there is any doubt because big picture issues.
The Texans offensive line has been very healthy until the last game. They had been doing some unusual rotations at RT, RG which isn't typical of many lines, but they were trying to make it mentally easier for inexperienced players getting used to play at NFL speed. Derek Newton at RT and Antoine Caldwell at RG may not be available this weekend, so that rotation may end.
Total Titans: The Texans are 10-1 and can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Titans. What does a successful rest of the 2012 season look like for the Texans? Is it a playoff bye, a top seed, a playoff win, or Super Bowl or bust? How disappointed will you be if you won't be cheering the Texans on when you're in New Orleans in early February?
Steph Stradley: Certainly, I'd love for the Texans to be in the Super Bowl. Almost like a too beautiful dream to think about. But I guess my expectations have a lot to do with what sort of health the team has by the end of the year at key spots. Too many games left for my liking. Last year with a rookie 3rd string quarterback, it was like playing with house money. I'd like the Texans to be able to get homefield through the playoffs because I could go. And if they get to the Super Bowl, I am certain it would feel like a home game. Texans fans will max their credit cards for tickets and can make an easy drive to New Orleans. We've waited so long. And we love our football.
I like that the Texans have a set philosophy on both sides of the ball and have experienced coaches that aren't surprised by much. I don't think their record is a mirage one, like some playoff teams of years past, because I think they are built to win in different ways. They've beat good teams and bad teams. They've won blowouts and close games. I like their chances as much as anybody's...they just need to stay healthy at key spots. Too many games, and quirky division games at that, left for my taste.
Total Titans: Name a Texans player or three who will be instrumental in Sunday's game whom Titans fans, or non-Texans fans in general, don't know enough about.
Steph Stradley: Bryan Braman. Most well-known by outsiders for being the dude whose helmet came off that tackled another dude. He's one of the few bright spots on a special teams that has been the Texans' worst in their franchise. Wade Phillips has described him as someone with great physical size and athletic gifts but raw.
With Brooks Reed being sidelined for the immediate future, first round pick Whitney Mercilus is going to be getting more playing time. And Bryan Braman will work into the OLB rotation as well. Will be interesting to see if the Titans try to exploit the inexperience at WLB with the run. Connor Barwin had been playing WLB but has been moved to SLB. In addition, with more players that typically play special teams being pressed into more time in their regular positions, is this going to stress the special teams more than it already is? I don't want to contemplate the answer to that.
Rookie wide receiver Keshawn Martin has been doing returns after the Texans released Trindon Holliday. Martin has had some iffy moments, but also has looked like he's going to break out a big return.
Thanks again to Steph for some great answers, and don't forget to check out Texans Chick for my answers and lots of great Texans-focused content, including a Q&A with Nick Lachey. Nick, if you're reading this, you should go to the tailgate, it's good.
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Cherry & almond tarts
By Sarah Cook
Cooking time
Prep: 15 mins Cook: 40 minsSkill level
Serves 12These mini Bakewell bites combine pastry and cake are designed for making in batches and cooking from frozen
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Bake from frozen
Nutrition info
Nutrition per tart
- kcalories
- 362
- protein
- 6g
- carbs
- 39g
- fat
- 20g
- saturates
- 9g
- fibre
- 1g
- sugar
- 23g
- salt
- 0.5g
- 375g pack all-butter puff pastry
- 75g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 12 rounded tsp morello cherry jam
- 75g plain sponge or Madeira cakes
- 100g butter, softened
- 75g ground almonds
- 75g golden caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 25g flaked almonds
- 100g icing sugar, sieved to decorate
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- Very thinly roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out 12 x 9cm circles with a fluted cutter, if you have one, and use to line a bun tin. Spread 1 rounded tsp of the cherry jam in the bottom of each tart.
- Whizz the cake to crumbs in a food processor, then tip into a mixing bowl and add the flour, butter, ground almonds, caster sugar, eggs and almond extract. Beat together until smooth, then divide between the tarts, spreading a little with the back of a teaspoon to cover the jam. Scatter over the flaked almonds and openfreeze for 2 hrs, then wrap well in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 with a baking sheet in it. Unwrap the tarts from the freezer and loosely top with a sheet of foil. Bake on the heated baking sheet for 30-40 mins until golden, removing the foil halfway. Cool the tarts a little, then add a splash of water into the icing sugar to make a runny icing. Drizzle over the tarts and leave to set.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2012
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Comments, questions and tips
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Show comments
made these last night for a jubilee picnic today. They tasted great and baked well from frozen (I made them last night and froze them, then baked them this morning). My only problem was getting the pastry cases to be nice and neat. I didn't have a large enough cutter and ended up improvising, and it was quite warm so the pastry wasn't easy to handle. Still, tasted lovely which s the main thing. Will make again.

subset: commoncrawl


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I just moved to a new subdivision this week and discovered the first day that there is a pond in the neighborhood. I walked down there and discovered that there are two ducks down there. One is a Pekin and the other a Mallard (male).
I have no experience and little knowledge about ducks but I have been relentlessly researching ducks and their care. I am very concerned for these two little guys... Just a little back story over the past couple of days...the first day I went down there, I discovered about 7 or 8 eggs just laying around. All of them were cracked open with the insides seeping out. They appeared larger than the normal chicken egg so I assumed they were duck eggs from the Pekin. But I thought it odd that they were just laying around everywhere. I am not sure if some other animal is getting them or since there are children in the neighborhood that they are messing with them. Also, I grew up going to the local lakes and parks and taking a loaf of bread to feed the ducks but in my research the past couple of days, I have discovered that bread and things along that line are very bad for the ducks. I am concerned for these two because people in the neighborhood are down there at all times of the day feeding the ducks bread and such. The subdivision that I am in is a new development. None of us in the neighborhood have been here more than a couple of months. I am however not sure where the ducks came from. Were they here before the development started or were they domestic and someone just dropped them off? I am basically looking for any advice anyone can give me here. I am currently working on an informative flyer to pass out to the neighbors about not feeding the ducks bread and such. I am also planning to get with the owner of the land to maybe see about getting a sign put up at the pond also stating to not feed the ducks bread and such and explaining why. Is there anything that is ok to feed the ducks if someone should feel so compelled? I know I read about cracked corn and greens. I am also worried that they are domestic and someone dropped them and that they are not going to survive out there. They appear to be doing well for themselves in the pond. I have witnessed them eating fish and plants and such from the pond but I read somewhere that domestic ducks that have been dropped usually don't survive a year. I just want to make sure that they are getting the proper care and that they both live long happy duck lives. |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by eric_wa San Juan, z8 WA (email@example.com) on Wed, Mar 17, 10 at 23:32
Pekin duck can lay from 150 - 225 eggs a year and she will probably just drop them anywhere. Poor mothers. They maybe fertile if you truely have a Mallard drake. The Campbell and Rouen drake look similar to a mallard. Feed: corn, grains, worms, grubs, larvae, greens, slugs, snails, grass, some soft vegetables and fruits. Non medicated chicken feeds. Ducks are pretty tough and will probably live with just a little shelter. Predators are more of a concern. Cats, dogs, raccoons, eagals, foxes, weasels, minks, etc... will take them out probably before the cold. Pekin being a non fly duck was probably someone cute Easter duckling dropped off. The drake also, unwanted mouth to feed. My ducks eating Kale Hope this helps Eric |
- Posted by heartzlink 7VA (My Page) on Wed, Mar 17, 10 at 23:34
Bless you for caring about these ducks.... and you are so correct, bread is the infamous duck food in parks etc and is absolutely the wrong thing to feed them. You are on the right track with greens , cracked corn, scratch grains etc... I am not sure where you are located but here in VA, I have 24 ducks and they do quite well in the elements and they free range, but of course have the availability to be supplemented mash and grain in winter; that is when I would be concerned for these ducks..winter..... lack of some sort of real shelter and a resource for supplemental feed. The mallard will most likely head for greener pastures as the weather diminishes but the Pekin can not fly so some special attention may be needed as weather deteriorates. I would keep a watch to see if the mallard is seen flying at all...if these were 'drop offs', it is possible he has been pinioned and can not fly either.... just a thought.... and again, bless you for caring !! Good luck and keep us posted. |
Dogs would be my major concern. Ducks don't mind harsh weather (i.e., cold, wet), and a little bread won't do them in, as long as it's an occasional treat and not 100% of what they eat, and they have a good water supply. I concur with all that's said above. Yes, they lay eggs anywhere. Bozos. Mine usually lay at night, so if they were in a duck house, it would be easier to gather/protect them. |
Thanks for replying. I am in East Tennessee. The winter is almost over here but we did have a very snowy winter this year. We had about 6 good snows and not knowing how long the ducks have been out there doesn't help me determine whether they have been out there long enough to have truly made it through the winter. Like I said in the previous post...they appear to be doing well in the pond. The thing that mainly concerned me was the fact that lots of people are feeding them bread and that they may starve to death! I knew I read about the Pekin duck not being able to fly but I also have not seen the mallard even attempt to fly. The pekin is very friendly...she will meet me halfway when she sees me coming up the road. The mallard however is a little more skiddish. He will get about 3 feet from me but that is as close as he will come. The pekin will practically jump in my lap. I know that the neighbors are going to feel inclined to feed them at some point so that is why I want to put together an informative flyer of what they can feed them that is better than the bread and give them an explanation of why. Also, maybe this is just my lack of knowledge shining through but you said that Pekin's can lay 150-225 eggs per year and they will just drop them anywhere. Does she not feel inclined to hatch them?? Isn't that supposed to be a motherly instinct? I looked into possibly incubating them but I don't have the equipment to do that. So I am not sure about that. I posted a link to the pictures of the ducks. Sorry about the quality, it was taken on my phone. |
Here is a link that might be useful: pictures of the ducks.
- Posted by eric_wa San Juan, z8 WA (firstname.lastname@example.com) on Thu, Mar 18, 10 at 0:31
Very few domestic ducks have motherly instincts. Muscovies are more apt to go broody. If the mallard is missing a back toe, it's a domestic and it came from a hatchery. I could be just to fat to fly or the wing(s) have been clipped. Eric |
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These hilarious bookmarks just make me laugh. Called 'Help!' it's easy to see where the name came from. This poor soul is stuck in your book, with only the top of his head and arms sticking out, waving furiously for rescue. Too cute.
The metal markers from i3 Lab of Korea can be used just as easily as paperclips. They are sold in packs of 5 for about $26 US from the Designboom webshop.


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When Gabe Bowling found out about the musical that has consumed his life for most of the last five years, it sounded perfect.
It's been a roller coaster ride for Palo Duro graduate and West Texas A&M sophomore point guard Sasha Watson the past three seasons.
During her four years playing varsity basketball for head coach A.J.
Search the database of Amarillo Independant School District employees by name, department or job title.
Amarillo Globe-News ©2015. All Rights Reserved.


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I can't wait to eat these again. Saving the recipe here. These are ALWAYS a party pleaser. My Grandma Evie first made them, and then my Mom would make them all the time, and then I started making them. They disappear at an extremely fast rate but they take about 3 hours to make! I usually buy about 3 cans of whatever I want to make (beef or chicken) and that makes about 75, if I can remember correctly. Depending on how much 'meat' you roll up in the tortilla. I do just a small pinch.
If you freeze them after you roll them up, you can fry them up when you are ready to serve. The frying can take a long time for 75 taquitos though! So just be warned if you try and do the whole thing at one time.
Libby's Roast Beef in a can
Swanson's Chicken in a can
Corn Tortillas
Onion – at least 1 – FINELY chopped
Lawry's Package Taco Mix
In a skillet, sauté the onions until they're VERY tender. Then add the meat with the juice and break up into tiny pieces, and simmer until it cooks completely down and loses all of the liquid.
Then get the Corn tortillas and a great big skillet and lots of Crisco oil – the BIGGEST can you can buy.
Melt the Crisco in a big skillet – very hot – take a spatula – soften the tortilla by putting it "in and out" of the oil quickly – drain on lots of paper towels.
Rolling the Tortillas: Place a little tiny bit of meat mixture in a line on the tortilla and roll them up – put them in plastic container with the rolled side down.
Refrigerate them for later….Place Wax paper between layers – can be frozen till later.
Fry them up in Crisco oil, and ENJOY!


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At a forum sponsored by Alaska Family Action, an affiliate of the anti-choice group Focus on the Family, three Republican state senate candidates debated their positions on reproductive rights.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has branded himself as willing to risk almost anything to work against the Affordable Care Act. It will be interesting to see if that includes a second term.
As Democrats struggle to take back the heavily Republican-dominated state legislature, reproductive rights and health-care access are sure to play out as central issues for both Republican Gov. Rick Scott and his likely opponent Charlie Crist.
On issues of reproductive rights, the candidates do not differ substantively; both incumbent Republican Gov. Mary Fallin and Democratic nominee Rep. Joe Dorman have staunchly anti-choice voting records.
Women's empowerment is key to Clinton's vision of progress, and she is forthright in supporting women's human rights. As such, it's curious that the book fails to address, among other things, maternal mortality, abortion, contraception, or the reproductive havoc caused by modern warfare.
Now is the right time for Clinton, who began a national book tour on Tuesday to promote her new memoir, to test narratives and messaging that can resonate with young people—namely young women—in order to get out the vote this November.
Even conservative candidates who support popular anti-choice measures like 20-week abortion bans might fail to satisfy a radically anti-choice Republican party, as U.S. House candidate Ryan Zinke is discovering in Montana.
Comments by Monte Shaw, a Republican primary frontrunner in Iowa's contested 3rd Congressional district, evoked hate groups like neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan to attack the idea of government saying "a religious institution has to provide a good or service that violates their beliefs because they're Christian."
With two weeks to go until the May 20 Pennsylvania primary, and with analysts observing that single women are the key to success in this year's elections, Rep. Brendan F. Boyle is the second Pennsylvania Democrat to stump on a woman's right to choose despite having recently supported anti-choice legislation.
Tillis, a staunchly anti-choice politician who says he would support a "personhood" amendment to the U.S. Constitution and believes states should have the right to ban contraceptives, won the Republican nomination for Senate outright on Tuesday night.