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HOUSTON -- You would think the play that defined Steve Slaton's rookie season to his Houston Texans teammates and coaches would be some sort of amazing run. After all, he did lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage, an impressive stat for a third-round pick who some deemed to be too small to be an every-down back.
While there are many runs to choose from, his cutback style being perfect for the Texans zone-blocking system, it isn't a run or even a reception or a block that stands out.
It's an effort play.
The Texans all talk about it -- rave about, in fact.
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It happened in the third game of the 2008 season against the Tennessee Titans. Slaton had already run for over 100 yards against the Titans, the only player to do so last season (and he did it twice), but it was a play at the end of the game that really impressed.
Quarterback Matt Schaub was intercepted at the Tennessee 1 by Titans corner Cortland Finnegan, who had a clear path to the end zone and a 99-yard return for a touchdown to ice the game. Nobody had a chance to catch him. Nor did it matter. There was just over a minute left and the Texans trailed by 12. Why bother?
Slaton sure tried.
"Man, you see him running all out to track him down, even though he didn't have a chance, and he never gave up," Texans guard Chester Pitts said. "That's when I knew we had a special player."
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Sleeper ... Chris Brown: Brown didn't play in 2008 because of a back injury that forced him to injured reserve. It would have been interesting if he was healthy because Slaton's emergence might have never happened. Slaton moved up the depth chart last year due to injuries to Brown and Ahman Green. Now, Brown will try to be the No. 2 running back behind Slaton, and the Texans likely don't want Slaton to have 268 carries like he did last year. Remember, Brown had a successful stint in Tennessee when he was healthy, rushing for 1,918 yards and 11 touchdowns from 2004-05. If he wins the job as expected, he's a good handcuff option for Slaton. And if you're looking for good value with a late-round pick, take a chance on Brown. Breakout ... Owen Daniels: We keep waiting for Daniels to have a breakout season, and it's yet to happen even though he's produced at a high level. He's improved every year in terms of catches and yards, but his touchdowns have gone in reverse from five as a rookie in 2006 to just two last year. If he can put it all together, he would go from a Top 10 Fantasy tight end to a Top 3 option. And the potential is there, especially if Schaub can stay healthy for a full year. Daniels shouldn't be in the first group of tight ends drafted, but he should come off the board in the second tier since he's ready for a big year. Bust ... Kevin Walter: He has earned the right to start opposite Andre Johnson based on his play the past two years, especially last season when he had 60 catches for 899 yards and eight touchdowns. But it's hard to expect Walter to play at that level again. While he might get 60 catches and 800 yards since he's done that the past two years in Houston, prior to last year he had five touchdowns combined in six seasons. Walter does have the extra motivation of entering a contract year, but I just don't see him improving on last year's totals, especially the touchdowns. -- Jamey Eisenberg Current Draft Averages QB: Matt Schaub (57th overall) RB: Steve Slaton (12th) WR: Andre Johnson (15th) TE: Owen Daniels (96th) |
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The coaches noticed as well.
"You saw one guy going from one side of the field trying to catch up to him," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "That shows you what he's made of as a player."
Slaton ran for 116 yards and scored a touchdown that day, but the biggest stat was winning over the locker room.
"Just trying to make a play," he said.
The rest of that season he showed he was much more than just an effort player and could make plenty. Slaton led the AFC in yards from scrimmage, an impressive feat for a runner who was seen as a third-down back coming out of West Virginia.
Even Kubiak said recently that the Texans weren't quite sure what they had.
"Anybody who tells you that we knew what we had in him would be telling a little bit of a fib," Kubiak said. "We thought he might be able to help us on third down. He surprised a lot of people."
Slaton rushed for 1,282 yards, even though he didn't get 20 carries in a game until the 11th game of the season. He also caught 50 passes.
Now, as he readies for his second NFL season, he helps form one of the better young trios in the league, teaming with Schaub and Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson.
Those three will key a Texans offense that should put up a lot of points, an offense that has many pegging the Texans as the trendy team going into this season. Slaton's ability to run the football just might be the most important aspect of the Texans trying to go from an 8-8 team to the playoff party.
"You don't come into this league and expect to put up numbers like that," Slaton said. "I just did the most when I got my chance. I still want to do a lot better. That's just a start. I know I have to keep working to get even better."
At 5-feet-9, Slaton is a shorter back. But to help ready for a heavier workload this season, he added some weight. He's now at 213 pounds, up from the 205 he weighed last season.
You can see the added weight in his legs. He looks stronger, and just as quick.
"The NFL mold is 6-foot, 210-pound back," Slaton said. "I don't fit that, but adding the extra weight in my legs will keep me stronger in the fourth quarter."
His ability to run the ball will help take away some coverage from Johnson, arguably the league's best receiver. Now in his seventh season, Johnson has been doubled and tripled for much of his career. Much of that had to do with not having a real threat on the other side, but also because the Texans didn't present much in the run game.
Slaton's speed changes that. He had five runs of 40 yards or more last season, tops in the NFL.
"It helped me a lot," Johnson said. "When you have somebody who can pound the ball, make big plays, it helps the play-action passing. That helps us out a lot as receivers."
This season expect Slaton to get 20 or more carries in nearly every game. Of the top 10 rushers from last season, Slaton's 16.8 carries per game was the lowest. Like Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, who led the league in rushing, Slaton averaged 4.8 per carry.
If Slaton received the 22.7 carries a game that Peterson had, his numbers would have been close to the top of the NFL. Slaton finished sixth overall.
Slaton should nudge closer to 21 carries a game this season, since he has proven to be much more than just a change-of-pace back.
But now comes the hard part: Doing it again.
"People know what to expect from me now," Slaton said. "That's why I have to do even more to get ready for this season. I'm not resting on what I did last season. That's not me. I work hard to get better all the time. I'm not going anywhere."
We know the effort will be there. The blur on the tape chasing after Finnegan full speed with no chance to catch him is something the Texans won't forget.
"We're beat and he does that after getting 100 yards against a good defense?" Kubiak said. "That's impressive."
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