Broncos spoil Kubiak's return, top Texans
NFL.com wire reports
DENVER (Aug. 27, 2006) -- Gary Kubiak took the playbook and plenty of knowledge with him to Houston after serving as Mike Shanahan's apprentice in Denver for more than a decade.
If only he could have taken some more of the talent he left behind.
The Broncos beat Houston 17-14 on Sunday night, spoiling the return of the Texans' first-year coach who spent nearly two decades in Denver, first as John Elway's backup and then as Shanahan's assistant.
"Coming back doesn't feel real good right now," Kubiak said.
Although Houston's front seven thoroughly impressed Shanahan, it was Denver's defense that had an answer for just about everything Kubiak tried.
"It was like practice," Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. "We saw so many things that were so similar to what we do, which was expected. But at the same time, Kub put a twist on a few things and had us guessing and thinking a little bit. But it was like practice all over again."
After covering a deep pass that fell incomplete along the Texans' sideline, Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams smiled and wagged his finger at Kubiak.
"What we saw, we see every day in practice," Williams said. "It wasn't anything new to us."
And what the Texans saw wasn't anything new to them, either.
Gary Kubiak couldn't come up with anything to fool the Broncos.
Kubiak took five members of the Broncos' coaching staff with him to Houston, and they were soon joined by general manager Rick Smith, who had been an assistant GM in Denver. Plus, the Texans signed tight end Jeb Putzier, who had been cut by the Broncos in a salary cap purge over the winter, along with former Broncos tight end Patrick Hape and tackle Ephraim Salaam.
"That entire organization is becoming a mirror image of this organization," Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith said. "Which I think is a good thing for them because we set a standard a long time ago and he's been a part of that for 20-plus years and you can see those guys are playing a lot better football than they played the last couple years. They're going to win a lot of football games."
Like many homecomings, however, this one was bittersweet.
"I saw a lot of people who were a big part of my life, and that was special," Kubiak said. "Once the football game starts, it kind of all goes out the window. It was nice to see everybody. This was a good challenge for our team, and I liked the way we fought all night. We were not very clean at all early in the game, but I liked the way we played hard to the end."
After the game, Kubiak and Shanahan embraced.
"I just told Mike, thanks for all he's done and giving me the chance," Kubiak said.
The biggest return belonged to Javon Walker, who caught three passes for 41 yards, his first receptions since tearing up his right knee in the season opener for Green Bay last year.
"It's been behind me since Denver got me in the trade. I was just ready to go out and be the person I was in Green Bay," the former Pro Bowl receiver said. "It felt good because you don't get hit in training camp. To get that done lets me know, `Hey, I'm all right and ready to get this season kicked off."'
Tatum Bell scored from a yard out and Cedric Cobbs followed a big block from right tackle Adam Meadows for a 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Denver's Jake Plummer (10-for-22, 96 yards) was off target all night and David Carr, although a respectable 15-for-22 for 128 yards, fumbled once, threw an interception at his own 20-yard line and couldn't lead the Texans into the end zone in seven possessions.
As might be expected from two offensive minds who know each other so well, the first 25 minutes was a stalemate until the Broncos got the ball at the Texans 45 and took advantage of the short field.
Their drive stalled at the 14 and Jason Elam nailed a 32-yarder, but Houston tackle Alfred Malone was whistled for an illegal procedure that gave the Broncos first-and-goal at the 9. Bell spun his way across the goal line three plays later.
On the next play from scrimmage, linebacker D.J. Williams picked off Carr at the Texans 20 and Elam followed with a 23-yard field goal that made it 10-0.
The Texans pulled to 10-3 on Kris Brown 's 29-yard field goal just before halftime. His 32-yarder in the third quarter made it 10-6 and came after rookie tight end Owen Daniels lined up offsides on fourth-and-1 at the Broncos 9.
After Cobbs' TD made it 17-6, Sage Rosenfels threw a 19-yard TD pass to Derrick Lewis with 2:53 left, and Vernand Morency's 2-point run made it 17-14.
Notes: Houston CB Phillip Buchanon bruised his ribs. ... Broncos WR Todd Devoe aggravated a shoulder injury.
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