content: HOUSTON (AP)Most of the offseason questions surrounding the HoustonTexans concerned their defense. A day after the preseason opener, coach GaryKubiak was more worried about an alarming rash of injuries, mostly on theoffensive side.Backup running back Derrick Ward(notes) left Kids New England Patriots Jerseys Monday night's 20-16 win over the NewYork Jets with a concussion, and guards Antoine Caldwell(notes) and Kasey Studdard(notes) willmiss Patriots Jersey Youth Saturday's game against New Orleans with serious ankle injuries. Lefttackle Rashad Butler(notes) was the latest Texan to encounter a hamstring injury,joining running backs Arian Foster(notes), Steve Slaton(notes) and Ben Tate(notes). Kubiak said Ward and Slaton were doubtful to play against the NFL New England Patriots Jerseys Saints, butsaid Foster, the NFL's leading rusher last season, may return to practice onWednesday. Kubiak said Tate, a second-round pick in 2010, is recovering "veryslowly." Texans coach Gary Kubiak walks off the field after beating the Jaguars 34-17 Sunday.(AP Photo/Dave Einsel) "We've got Womens New England Patriots Jerseys some issues at that position, and at the offensive lineposition," Kubiak said.Rookie linebacker Cheta Ozougwu(notes), the last pick in the draft and a product ofnearby Rice, also sustained a concussion in the Jets' game and spent the nightin Patriots Jersey the hospital. Kubiak visited Ozougwu and his family on Tuesday."He was resting and doing fine when I went to see him and his family awhile ago," Kubiak said. "Obviously, he took a pretty good shot, and so it'sgoing to take some time."Kubiak says the growing list of injuries has put him in a bindhe'd loveto replenish the roster with new players, but says that would complicatepreparations for the regular-season opener on Sept. 11."Once you get to this point in training camp, you've got to get creative,if you start to have problems like this," Kubiak said. "You're three weeksaway from putting your team together. Yeah, I'd love to go get 2-3 runningbacks, a couple of offensive linemen. That sounds easy, but that's not as easyas it sounds. We'll have to get creative in what we're doing going into the NewOrleans game."The defense got through Monday's game mostly unscathed, and Kubiak sawobvious progress in the unit's first game executing coordinator Wade Phillips'3-4 scheme.At the start, all eyes were on Mario Williams(notes), who's making amuch-ballyhooed move from defensive end to outside linebacker in the rebuiltdefense. Williams, Houston's sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, wasonly on the field for 15 snaps."I know Mario is excited with what we're doing," Kubiak said. "I talkedto him at halftime coming out of the tunnel and he told me that one of thebiggest factors in standing up in our stadium with noise and everything wasgetting off on cadence and coming off the ball quicker as compared to havingyour hand down and your ear a little closer to the football. I think you'll seehim continue to improve."The Texans produced seven sacks in the game, after getting only 30 all oflast season. And the Jets' longest pass play covered only 25 yards, anotherencouraging sign for a secondary that allowed a league-high 18 receptionscovering Men New England Patriots Jerseys 40 yards or more in 2010."Our total effort on defense across the board, I thought it wasexceptional," Kubiak said. "We got to the quarterback, we made plays on Patriots Jersey Womens thefront end, the back end, the linebackers. The ability Youth New England Patriots Jerseys to rush the passer isexciting for all of us."The Texans have been impressed by the rapid progress of first-round draftpick J.J. Watt(notes), projected to start at defensive end this season. Kubiak saidWatt stood out on film from Monday's game, though he wasn't credited with anytackles."He was very good," Kubiak said. "He was very active, gets his hands up,and I think he's going to knock a lot of balls down. He doesn't play like arookie; he's a very mature young man, so we'll up his reps this week."One of the closest competitions at camp is between punters Brett Hartmann(notes)and Brad Maynard(notes). Hartmann, a rookie, had a 52-yard punt and also handled fourkickoffs. Maynard, entering his 14th season, averaged 38.3 yards on three puntsand was the holder for Neil Rackers(notes) on two field goal attempts.Rackers connected on both field-goal attempts, from 47 and 49 yards."He's been consistent," Kubiak said of Rackers, who won the job from KrisBrown(notes) in training camp last year. "He's come back stronger this year. I don'tknow if y'all noticed, he worked really hard on himself this offseason and tookcare of himself physically."