NOTEBOOK: "X" MARKS SPOT FOR J. SMITH ; TEXANS' SPECIAL TROUBLES

By Joe Platania

OWINGS MILLS -- In the sometimes-incestuous pro football world, there are many instances when teams run into former players and coaches at various points on the schedule.

But the Houston Texans are taking things to a new level.

Approximately two dozen of the team's players have left during the past few offseasons because of trades or free agency.

But even though so much top-flight talent has left town, the Texans have not only become one of the league's elite teams, but remained among the top echelon.

This Sunday's game against Baltimore will feature the only two AFC teams that have winning records. Both are 5-1 and could be on course for another postseason meeting, such as the one that took place at M&T Bank Stadium last season during the Divisional round.

Because the Ravens won the regular-season game, the playoff matchup took place in Baltimore, and the home team eliminated a depleted Texans squad, 20-13. This season, the Ravens might feel as if they have already played Houston several times.

Baltimore has run into quite a few former Texans in Cincinnati cornerback Jason Allen, Philadelphia linebacker DeMeco Ryans, Dallas fullback Lawrence Vickers and Kansas City tackle Eric Winston.

Baltimore will run into a few more later this year in Oakland guard Mike Brisiel, Denver tight end Joel Dreesssen, Cleveland running back Chris Ogbonnaya, and more.

"That's just part of the league nowadays," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said in a Wednesday conference call with Baltimore-area media.

"It's the way the league is built," Kubiak continued. "You're not going to be able to hang on to everybody, especially when a player's been successful. It's strictly a salary-cap-related deal. Everybody has to be able to deal with that."

Three ex-Texans wound up in Charm City during the past two offseasons: receiver/returner Jacoby Jones, fullback Vonta Leach and strong safety Bernard Pollard. Jones was the most recent to arrive, coming as an unrestricted free-agent acquisition earlier this year.

The Texans let him go because of his fumbling problems in the return game, but he tied an NFL record in a Ravens uniform last week with a 108-yard kickoff-return touchdown against Dallas.

Despite his own squad's special-teams troubles (see "Texans Talk," below), Kubiak doesn't seem to hold a grudge against Jones.

"He's playing well and congratulations to him on a great return," Kubiak said. "We know what he's capable of, and not just on special teams. He's been catching a lot of balls."

But Jones, the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, won't be caught being sentimental about facing the team that let him go after a punt-return muff during the playoff game in Baltimore.

"Just another team to get ready for," Jones said Wednesday afternoon. "Just got to get it done. ... It was a good five years with a team that gave me the opportunity to play in the NFL, and then moved [here] for a breath of fresh air.

"[The NFL] is a business. They had to do what they had to do, and I did what I had to do. I've been through my ups and downs, and now I'm up again."

Pollard, last year's Media Good Guy award winner and newly elected player representative, had his guard up. He concentrated more on Baltimore's shoddy defensive play of late rather than being reflective about his Texans days.

Devoid of his usual smile and relaxed manner, Pollard stood firmly with his arms crossed as he pondered the coming game at Houston.

"We should be [ticked] off, and we are [ticked] off about the way we played," Pollard said. "We will fix it. ... It's about us executing, and we're not executing."

Pollard, like all his teammates, is especially concerned about the lead-stretch play, which Houston's Arian Foster is good at running. Such plays have already gashed the Ravens for rushing totals they haven't allowed since the franchise's early days.

The Ravens have allowed consecutive 200-plus-yard team rushing performances for the first time in team history, and it is only the fourth time in NFL history that has happened, with the 1985 Philadelphia Eagles being the most recent team to do it.

"The object is to get the guy to the ground," Pollard said. "Dallas had four or five running backs and we didn't get any of them to the ground. One of them stiff-armed a guy, and another guy, and scored a touchdown. The second guy was me."

But Pollard, at least rhetorically, sees himself as the first line of defense against a team that gave many like himself their NFL start.

And it's a team that could help finish off many others, including the Ravens.

***
 
JOEY P'S TRIVIA TIME: Today's question:

The Houston Texans have never beaten the Ravens, during five regular-season matchups and one postseason game. But during their first meeting, in 2002, the Ravens had to battle to put away the fledgling expansion franchise.

What Ravens receiver -- one with a rather checkered history with the team -- caught a go-ahead touchdown pass during that first game against the Texans, which gave them the lead for good?

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of this entry

***

SUGGS PRACTICING, NGATA NOT: With cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee) and linebacker Ray Lewis (tricep) ostensibly out for the year -- they will both have surgery this week -- their ailments are not permitted to be placed on the weekly injury report.

But defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (shoulder, knee sprain) has been cleared to continue playing this season, but he was one of three Ravens to be missing from Wednesday's padded practice.

The others were nose tackle Ma'ake Kemoeatu (knee) and cornerback Jimmy Smith (groin).

Last year, Ngata played the second half of the season with a thigh bruise, among other injuries, and the ailments noticeably slowed him down. But he added weight and strength during the offseason, and he leads the team with three of its 10 quarterback sacks.

Also, linebacker Terrell Suggs took the field for his first day of practice after spending the required six weeks on the Physically Unable To Perform list.

"[Suggs'] presence makes everybody smile," Smith said. The fact that Suggs took the field through a different entrance -- away from a phalanx of waiting cameras -- made everyone laugh.

Lewis will be the first Raven to have the Injured Reserve/Designated To Return tag, meaning he is the one Baltimore player on IR who could possibly be taken off the list and activated if his injury heals before the season ends, but there has been no indication that it is likely to happen.

Linebacker Josh Bynes and running back Bobby Rainey have been brought up from the practice squad to fill in the roster spots, while inside linebacker Nigel Carr and cornerback Jordan Mabin, a pair of undrafted free agents in this year's Ravens training camp, were re-signed to the practice squad.

Carr is wearing the same No. 42 he wore during camp, with Mabin being re-issued No. 43. Bynes is still wearing No. 56, and Rainey is back in No. 34.

The offense will be wearing white all week, because it will wear white Sunday to contrast the Texans' all-red uniforms, which they wore the last time the Ravens visited Houston, in 2010.

***

SMITH STEPS UP: Cornerback Jimmy Smith, the team's 2011 top draft pick (27th overall), will now bring his 6-foot-2 frame -- one of the largest the Ravens have ever had at corner -- to bear against every team's "X" (split end) receiver each week in place of the injured Webb.

That means Smith will be defending downfield more against the likes of Houston's Andre Johnson and more of the league's top wideouts.

"I've been working hard," Smith said. "I took this offseason to really work on my skills, and, being a confident player, I'm ready."

With Smith and Cary Williams manning the outside flanks, it appears as though veteran Corey Graham will be the first option to cover a slot receiver, although Smith could probably do so if asked.

"There are a lot more route combinations [in the NFL]," Smith said. "Turning my head and knowing when not to turn my head is a skill I'm going to have to perfect."

Character issues harmed Smith's status during the pre-draft evaluation season, but he feels those have long since been overcome.

"Have you heard my name called [for being in trouble] one time?" Smith said with a smile. "But everybody knows I still have a lot of growing to do."

Veterans such as Johnson and Texans quarterback Matt Schaub may have Smith, a second-year corner getting his first NFL start, in their sights.

"Johnson is one of the best receivers in the league," Smith said. "And that [No.] 83, Kevin Walter, he can get behind you, too."

***

TEXANS TALK: When the Houston Texans entertain the Ravens this weekend (1 p.m. Sunday; WJZ-TV; WIYY-FM), both teams' defenses will be a concern.

After all, the Texans -- despite fielding a unit at or near the top of the league rankings for most of the year so far -- surrendered 42 points at home to the Green Bay Packers as they suffered their first loss.

The Ravens' defensive problems have been well-documented, especially against the run and in the training room, where Lewis and Webb will be for the rest of the season.

But one area where the Ravens might hold the cards is on special teams.

Baltimore's coverage units are noticeably improved this year, and thanks in part to ex-Texan wideout Jacoby Jones' 108-yard kickoff-return score last week, the runback corps has also done well. Rookie kicker Justin Tucker and veteran punter Sam Koch are also excelling.

Meanwhile, Houston is averaging only 18.5 yards per kick return and 9.8 per punt runback. Former St. Louis punter Donnie Jones has placed only 11 of 32 kicks in the coffin corner and is netting 39.5 yards per punt.

Reserve Bryan Braman did block a Packers punt last week, but head coach Gary Kubiak said he still wasn't satisfied.

"Our return game, especially kickoff return, has been poor, extremely poor," Kubiak said. "... We did make one positive play with the blocked punt, but gave them two possessions, too, with a couple of penalties."

Special teams coach Joe Marciano, who was on the Baltimore Stars (USFL) coaching staff, has been with the Texans since their 2002 birth. The last two years, Houston has ranked 22nd and 17th on the annual Dallas Morning News special-teams list.

***

EYES IN THE SKY: For a second straight week, a former member of the Ravens organization will be calling a Dallas Cowboys game.

Fox sideline analyst Tony Siragusa and his usual partners, play-by-play man Kenny Albert and analyst Daryl Johnston, will be in Charlotte to call the game between Dallas and the host Carolina Panthers.

The game might bring up bad memories for Johnston, whose Cowboys had a chance to win a fourth Super Bowl during a five-year span, but lost to the Panthers during the Divisional round.

Because of Joe Buck's baseball duties, Fox's Brian Billick will be working with Sam Rosen and sideline reporter Laura Okmin during the Green Bay-St. Louis game.

Billick was to have been paired with Rosen on last week's Cowboys-Ravens matchup, but Thom Brennaman took his usual place at Billick's side. This week, Brennaman will instead be with Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver on the Washington-New York Giants clash.

Meanwhile, former University of Maryland quarterback Boomer Esiason's Monday-night travels for Dial Global Radio (formerly Westwood One) will take him to Soldier Field in Chicago for the Bears' game against visiting Detroit. As usual, he will be working with Kevin Harlan and Mark Malone.

***

QUOTE OF THE DAY I: Jacoby Jones' touchdown celebration after his 108-yard kick-return touchdown won the best celebration award from the 'NFL AM' television show.

Jones didn't seem surprised, saying, "I'm getting close to 'Dancing With The Stars,' playa."

***

QUOTE OF THE DAY II: This quote was uttered way too late to be included in Dave Lomonico's outstanding PressBox cover story "Birdwatching," but Harbaugh was genuinely enthusiastic about having Orioles manager Buck Showalter at Sunday's game against Dallas:

"All of a sudden, I looked back and, bam, there he was!" Harbaugh said. "It's like: 'That's Buck Showalter! Hey, Buck, I think you're great!' I said, 'We've got to talk,' and he's like, 'Yeah, OK, good luck.'

"I don't know, you'd have to ask him, but ... it looked to me like he was pretty moved by [the crowd reaction]. It was really cool."

***

JOEY P'S TRIVIA TIME ANSWER: Here's what we asked you earlier in this entry:

The Houston Texans have never beaten the Ravens, during five regular-season matchups and one postseason game. But during their first meeting, in 2002, the Ravens had to battle to put away the fledgling expansion franchise.

What Ravens receiver -- one with a rather checkered history with the team -- caught a go-ahead touchdown pass during that first game against the Texans, which gave them the lead for good?

ANSWER:

In 2002, the Ravens fielded the youngest roster in NFL history, with 19 rookies and first-year players on the Week One team sheet. By the time Baltimore faced the Texans in Houston that December, things hadn't changed much.

As a result, the team struggled to get most of its wins; the last of its seven victories came on Dec. 15 at Houston's Reliant Stadium, where they beat the Texans, 23-19.

Toward the end of the first half, the team's second of two first-round picks in 2000, former University of Florida wide receiver Travis Taylor, caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Blake to give the Ravens a 13-7 lead they would not relinquish. The Ravens rushed for only 70 yards that day, so any help in the passing game was welcome.

Yet, through his career, Taylor didn't provide much of that help, despite his speed and draft status. He was one of seven receivers the Ravens have taken with one of their top two draft picks, but his five-catch game in Houston was one of 12 instances during 65 games when he caught five or more passes.

By contrast, Anquan Boldin has 14 games of five or more catches during his first 36 Ravens contests.

Taylor's questionable hands and questionable judgment -- he and his wife once dressed as Kobe Bryant and his alleged rape victim at a Halloween party -- resulted in a mere five-season stay in Baltimore. He played for Minnesota in 2005 and 2006 and split 2007 between Oakland and St. Louis before retiring.

Posted Oct. 17, 2012