Tag Archives: Houston Texans

Sapp, Ricky

epix10 sappCard: Epix 2010
Acquired: 2013, Target Autograph Memorabilia

A defensive end for the Clemson Tigers in college. Ricky Sapp got the nod to play as a backup going into his true freshman season in 2006, after earning USA Today All-American honors in High School. He finished his 4 year career at Clemson starting 36 games, with 160 total tackles, 16 sacks, and 41 TFL.

NFL draft pundits pegged Sapp as an outside linebacker/ defensive end. A definite ‘tweener’ (6’4″, 242) Sapp is an ideal candidate to be a team’s designated pass rusher in a 3-4 defense, but as he hadn’t really been tested in pass coverage leading up to the draft, his stock shot up and fluttered. With a few moves and quickness off the snap, Ricky was drafted primarily on his athleticism. The Eagles took him in the 5th round of the 2010 draft but blew out his knee in camp. Cut in 2011, the Jets picked him up where he has seen time primarily on the practice squad since then. Head coach Rex Ryan liked his overall tool set, but with Ryan on the hot seat and Sapp in his final year of PS eligibility, Ryan had to make some moves with a new GM looking over his shoulder. Ricky was released by the team when they signed Ed Reed off of waivers. Ricky didn’t have to wait too long as he’d be scooped up by the Houston Texans, and in 2014 made the active roster.

Watt, JJ “Swatt” (2)

sco11 jjwattCards: Topps Inspiration 2013, Score 2011
Acquired: TTM 2013, C/o Home
Sent: 8/20 /13   Received: 2/14/14       (174 days)
See Also: JJ Watt

Well you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth. JJ Watt is a great signer through the mail, so much so he receives a mail bag full that he’s rumored to take with him into the off season and into bye weeks to sign. I don’t blame him for short handing his autographs to ‘JJ 99’ at this point, though I fault the fans who abuse his charity, and the companies that own the rights to his autograph signings. I doubted I was going to get the opportunity to get JJ again, in person, so I thought I’d take a stab at him TTM before it was too late. I thought that this one was gone. His response time has really atrophied over the past year and I fully expect that he will peter out of the TTM business in the next few years.

JJ since his rookie season has really cemented himself as an impact player in the league. A fearsome pass rusher and special teamer, Watt is a team leader that leads by example for the Texans. During the playoffs in 2011, Watt intercepted an Andy Dalton throw at the line, and returned it for a touchdown. Over the next season, Watt sparked a revolution on the defensive line, as other players became more aggressive about blocking passes at the line of scrimmage. In 2012, JJ led the NFL with 20.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and an unheard of 16 passes defensed- a number higher than even most defensive backs. Even more impressive was the fact that Watt did this all in a 3-4 alignment. After the season Watt earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Pro Bowl, and All Pro Honors.

to12insp jj wattWhile the Texans planned to go deeper into the 2013 playoffs, about everything that could go wrong did for the team, with disastrous results. After winning their first 2 games in exciting comebacks, the team imploded and lost 14 straight. Free agency and injury had stripped the Texans of much needed depth on defense and on the offensive line. The quarterback rotation fell apart, and finally head coach Gary Kubiak had a mild stroke. Still Watt despite facing constant double teams and new schemes specifically designed to frustrate him, was able to come through with another 10.5 sacks and 65 tackles. Again Watt earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Pro Bowl and All Pro Honors for his efforts.

The Texans cleaned house after the 2013 season. Even beloved defensive coordinator Wade Philips was sent packing. With a new coordinator in Romeo Crennel joining the staff under rookie head coach Bill O’Brien, and the #1 pick in the 2014 draft, who knows what’s in store for JJ Swatt? A thoughtful and caring individual JJ gives much of his time to charity and to his youngest fans.

Putzier, Jeb

ud06 putziertntufl11 putzier
Card: TNT UFL 2011, Upper Deck 2006
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 2/10    Received: 6/23   (133 days)

Jeb got his start in 1999 with the Boise State Broncos. He got out onto the field as a Freshman and logged 10 receptions for 120 yards and 2 TDs from the tight end position. Considering the offensive wizardry that was employed at Boise St., Putzier was redeployed as a wide receiver from his Sophomore season on out. He topped his numbers fairly evenly each season, culminating in a Senior year with 44 receptions for 824 yards and 12 touchdowns when he was an All WAC selection. He finished his career on the blue tundra with 128 receptions for 2,050 yards, 16.0 YPR, and 19 touchdowns.

The NFL reclassified Putzier back as a tight end, going into the 2002 draft. He did not receive a combine invite, but his fairly productive career at Boise St., coupled by his size (6’4″, 251) and well received team day (4.6 40), turned some heads of the scouts enough to get some attention. He was also valued for his special teams play as a long snapper. Jeb was tabbed in the 6th round, by the Denver Broncos as a ‘value pick’. He’d start off slowly and not even see the field consistently until 2004. He’d provide some nice mismatches, making 36 receptions for 572 yards and 2 TDs in 2004. (The 15.9 YPR was the highest number by a Bronco TE in over 25 years.) Putzier then followed it up in 2005 with a modest 37 receptions for 481 yards. With the Houston Texans making Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak their head coach, Putzier signed with the team to replace Billy Miller at the position in 2006. The Texans however found Owen Daniels in the draft. While the position was retooled now with Daniels getting the majority of the snaps, Putzier ended up sharing time with Mark Bruener as well. He’d log 126 yards on 13 receptions. In 2007, he made 6 receptions for 39 yards, and 1 TD- a 7 yarder in a 38-36 loss to Tennesseee. After the season Putzier was allowed to sign with the Seattle Seahawks for 2008. There, he lasted about 6 games before resigning with the Denver Broncos, where he was cut in 2009.  Jeb signed with the UFL Hartford Colonials, but was waved in June of 2010. The Omaha Nighthawks picked him up, and he immediately fit right into the offense guided by Jeff Garcia. Putzier had 14 receptions for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns- which tied for the team lead. Of the 3 touchdowns, 2 were game winners against the Moutain Lions and the Hartford Colonials. Due to financial instability in the league, (namely players not being paid,) Putzier decided to retire after the season. Currently he lives in the Denver area where he has served as a guest on some of the local sports radio stations.

A few things were going in Jeb’s favor for me sending a request out to him: 1) He’s a former Houston Texan, and 2) I did a UFL custom entry of him a few years ago for the Omaha Nighthawks. I really had high hopes things would take off, and as some fans had egged me on to do more cards I expanded off the base set and pushed the original UFL offering out to a bit over 100 cards. It became a labor of love when I lost out on a job in the industry I wanted, and I realized the league wasn’t going to make it. A lot of it to me is about preservation, and recovering that which is already forgotten to some. It’s just an added bonus when the player wants one of these cards to remember it by too, since a lot of them didn’t get squat from the league in the end. I didn’t honestly expect this one back, but lo and behold after a little wait, Jeb signed the TNT card, plus added one of his own, and asked me for a copy of my custom! With the recent flood of requests, I really have my work cut out for me!

NFL   69/17     Rec  96        Yds  251             Avg   13.0           Td  3              Lg 39
UFL      Rec 14       Yds 144      Avg 10.3       Td 3      Lg 33