Tag Archives: Houston Texans

NFL

Walker, Darius

sco07 dwalkerCard: Score 2007
Acquired: 2014, Albany Acquisition

Darius Walker was a solid runningback at Notre Dame from 2004-2006. Clocking in at 5’11”, 205, Walker ran for 3,249 yards and 17 touchdowns, but also was a great receiver out of the backfield, setting the school mark for runningbacks with 56 catches in 2006. He declared after his Junior season, but after a subpar combine, was not drafted. Walker was in the process of signing with the Chicago Bears, when he had a change of heart and signed with the Texans. Darius felt he had a better chance of making the Texans roster, after the sudden injury retirement of Dominick Davis/ Williams the previous season.

Hoping that Ahman Green was the answer, the Texans signed him to a contract, but injuries limited his effectiveness.  In the end Ron Dayne ended up with the lion’s share of the carries and the yards. Darius finally saw game action in week 13 and helped the team go 3-1 down the stretch. During week 16, Walker rushed for a career high 86 yards on 10 carries, and his first professional touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He’d join the St. Louis Rams in 2008, but was unable to secure a spot on the squad. With Green back on IR the Texans resigned Walker during the season, but he wouldn’t see time on the field. Darius also spent time with the Broncos and Cowboys in 2009. He’s spent time as a sideline reporter and as analyst for Fox.

I had forgotten about Walker. He was the poor man’s Arian Foster to me, but much rougher. I was pretty disappointed after he signed with the Rams, and hoped he was going to be our long term answer at runningback.  Although he saw action in 4 games, he ran well and did not put the rock on the ground. With the glut of backs out there looking for jobs, Walker always seemed lost in every roster’s number game.

G/Gs     4/2       Rush   58     Yds  264      Td   1        Lg   41    |       Rec  13       Yds  81       Avg 6.2     Td 0      Lg  9

NFL

Wells, Jonathan

bow02 jwells
Card: Bowman 2002
Acquired: 2014, Albany Acquisition

Jonathan Wells played for the Ohio Buckeyes, where he ground out 479 carries for 2,381 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’d be taken at the top of round 4 by the then expansion Houston Texans in 2002.  Wells was expected to back up James Allen who had signed as a free agent, but Jonathan ended up getting the start in the Texans first game against the Dallas Cowboys. He finished the season as the Texans leading rusher with 529 yards and 3 TDs.  After a rough 2003, Jonathan rebounded in 2004 with 82 carries for 299 yards and 3 TDs in a crowded backfield. Splitting time at fullback the following season, Wells started 6 games rushing 90 times for 325 yards and a career high 4 TDs to go along with 22 receptions.  The team sunk to a 2-14 record and head coach Dom Capers was relieved of his duties after the season.  With a new regime installed under new head coach Gary Kubiak, Wells was a free agent. At a tryout with Seattle he blew out his calf and decided to put his energy into something else.

Wells had a nice run in Houston and was the franchise’s first career leading rusher. In addition, Jonathan was captain of the special teams 3 years running. Although Wells and fellow rookie QB David Carr were forced into the lineup right from the start behind a horrible offensive line, Jonathan has no regrets. Currently he’s been involved in record label management and is a big Buckeye fan to this day.

G/Gs 60/18   Rush 374     Yds 1167    Avg 3.1     Td 10      Lg 37
Rec  44     Yds 323     Avg 7.3      Td 2      Lg 28

 

NFL

Davis, André (2)

ud04 adavisad10 adavisCards: Adrenalyn 2010, Upper Deck Foundations 2003
Acquired: 2013, C/o Home
Sent:  8/15/13    Received:  2/17/15   (555 days)
See Also: André Davis

The new longest wait champion briefly was this response from André Davis at 555 days. Since then amazingly I got another player’s autograph through the mail that was over twice that long. The success percentage for waits over a year is pretty low, so I had easily given up on this one. I think that I sent it to an address in New York, but the response was postmarked from South Carolina.

I really liked these two cards of Davis. The Upper Deck Foundations card has a really nice design, but I really enjoy the Adrenalyn set. – It’s too bad that the set is a virtual card game that doesn’t really place any focus on the card backs.  Still it is a winner because it features Davis in a Texans’ uniform, where he enjoyed some of his finest play outside of Cleveland.