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October 7, 2009

Houston prepares for Arizona’s passing attack

Kristie Rieken

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s ever-changing secondary looked great against Oakland’s NFL-worst offense last week.

The group has a much bigger challenge Sunday in trying to contain Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Houston has a pair of rookie cornerbacks in Glover Quin and Brice McCain who will play against the Cardinals, and veteran Jacques Reeves should make his 2009 debut after dealing with injuries.

“We’ve got a couple young guys that are fixing to go against some great players,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’ll have to have some young guys grow up real fast.”

They say they are up for the job and that facing Pro Bowler Andre Johnson in practice each day has helped prepare them for this week.

“I go against some of the best receivers every day,” said McCain, a sixth-round pick. “I’m blessed that I get to go against Andre and the rest of the guys every day. So with Fitzgerald, I can’t wait to see what he’s like.”

Johnson said he doesn’t cut the rookies any slack because he wants to help them.

“I try to do everything I can when I’m out there in practice when I go against those guys to give them my best because when they go out in games they’re going to get his best,” he said. “So I just try to go out and do what I can to help those guys while trying to get myself better.”

The Texans have not started the same four players in the secondary once this season because of injuries and inconsistency. Kubiak is still looking for the right combination and wouldn’t say if Reeves will return to his starting role this week or if he’ll stick with Quin.

Cornerback Dunta Robinson is slowly returning to form after missing all of camp in a contract holdout.

“I feel like I’ve been improving out there,” he said. “Every week I come in with better confidence.”

Reeves, who started each game last season, broke his leg early in camp and was set to return last week. Instead, he injured a finger in warmups for practice last week and had to sit out another game.

He’s itching to get back in a game and knows the difficulties of dealing with Arizona’s offense after facing the Cardinals when he played for the Cowboys.

“Barring any kind of disaster I’ll be there this week,” he said. “I understand what I’m getting myself into and I’ll be ready for it.”

It’s not just Fitzgerald and Boldin, who combined for 3,205 yards receiving last season, that the Texans have to worry about this week. Steve Breaston is averaging 14.8 yards a catch and running back Tim Hightower leads the team with 20 receptions.

“It’s probably as explosive of a group as we’ve seen, so it will be a big challenge for us,” Kubiak said. “They’re going to make some plays, we’ve just got to find a way to contain them and hopefully make a couple of big plays of our own.”

Reeves, a six-year veteran, isn’t worried about whether the rookies are ready to face Fitzgerald and Boldin and said nothing needs to be said to prepare them for the task.

“Who wouldn’t want to do it,” he said. “If you’re afraid or if you don’t step up to this challenge you shouldn’t be playing this game. The reason I like playing the game is to accept challenges. So it should be exciting.”

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