With Ryans out for season, Texans move LB Cushing to middle

HOUSTON -- The Texans are turning to Brian Cushing to solve their crisis at middle linebacker.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Monday that Cushing will take over the position for DeMeco Ryans, who's out for the season after rupturing his left Achilles tendon in the Texans' 35-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 17. Cushing has started at outside linebacker since the Texans drafted him last year.

"We thought that was the best thing for our team," Kubiak said of moving Cushing to the middle. "We want him to lead the defense, take over the defense. That's where we're going."

The Texans had a bye last week, giving Kubiak time to consider options for replacing Ryans, who has played in two Pro Bowls. Kubiak felt most confident moving Cushing to the middle, even though he has started in just two games this season after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on banned substances.

The Texans (4-2) play at AFC South rival Indianapolis (4-2) on Monday night.

"I'm just doing what they want me to do," Cushing said. "I'm excited about the new opportunity. With DeMeco down, somebody had to step up. Coach asked me, and I'm more than willing to do it."

Cushing was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season after making 133 tackles, including four sacks, and intercepting four passes. He was a first-round draft pick out of USC, where he played mostly outside linebacker, but he practiced at the middle spot behind starter Rey Maualuga, who's now a Cincinnati Bengal.

"I've just got to lock in a little bit more," Cushing said. "I'm going to have to be the quarterback of the defense, and I'm fine doing that."

When Ryans was hurt against the Chiefs, Zac Diles moved from the weak side to play the middle, and second-year pro David Nixon was pressed into action to fill Diles' spot. The Texans waived Nixon last week, and Kubiak said Monday that he wasn't comfortable with Diles playing in the middle.

Three other linebackers -- Kevin Bentley, Xavier Adibi and Darryl Sharpton -- were inactive for the Chiefs' game with injuries. Bentley (knee) and Sharpton (ankle) were two candidates to replace Ryans, and both practiced Monday.

Bentley has backed up Ryans for three years and was surprised by Kubiak's decision. Bentley still will have a starting role, taking over Cushing's position and backing him up at middle linebacker.

"I feel like I'm a leader, and I can lead from anywhere on the field," Bentley said. "I'm not worried about being disappointed. What I am worried about is how I'm going to step up and play and make sure I do my job to the best of my ability."

Ryans underwent surgery Friday, and Cushing said he has talked to his injured teammate about the specifics of playing middle linebacker. Cushing said there's not much difference between the middle spot and the outside position, but Bentley laughed at that notion.

"There's a lot more thinking, when now you're the guy getting everybody lined up," Bentley said. "You're responsible for all 11, not just yourself. You've got 10 other guys -- you've got to make sure they're lined up, you're lined up and then make plays."

Cushing believes he's ready. He put himself through rigorous physical training during his four-game suspension to keep himself in football shape, then used the bye week to brush up on the Texans' playbook.

"I think he can jump right in and get it done," defensive end Antonio Smith said. "I've got confidence that he can handle it. You see what he can do on the field, and the mike linebacker, for his type of motor and energy and (ability) running sideline-to-sideline, it's kind of like the best position for him to play."

Notes: The Texans signed free-agent LB Stanford Keglar and DT Damione Lewis. Houston also moved rookie DT Malcolm Sheppard from the practice squad to the regular roster and signed DE Tim Jamison to the practice squad. The Texans waived former University of Texas NT Frank Okam. ... Adibi sat out Monday's workout. Kubiak hopes Adibi will return to practice Thursday.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Texans LB Cushing practices for first time since suspension

HOUSTON -- Brian Cushing insists he hasn't lost a step. The Texans will find out soon enough.

The linebacker returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since his four-game drug suspension, saying he's eager to play again after feeling "helpless" at times watching his teammates on the field.

Coach Gary Kubiak said Cushing will play for the Texans (3-1) against the New York Giants (2-2) on Sunday.

Cushing said he'll use the rest of the week to sharpen his football techniques and relearn Houston's defensive calls and schemes.

"I'm back," Cushing said. "It's going to be the same old (No.) 56 running around. It's what I do. I take a lot of pride in playing football, and I want to be the best at it. Hopefully, I cannot skip a beat, come in Week 5 and be the player I'd be in Week 1."

Kubiak said he's concerned that Cushing is about 250 real-game snaps behind the Texans' other defensive starters. But Cushing has proven before that he can catch up in a hurry after missing practice time. He sat out every preseason game last year, then led the team in tackles in its first four regular-season games.

"He's always handled himself well with the team, he's always been very accountable in his preparation and his work," Kubiak said. "It's not like you have a player who we're fighting to get in here and work and take care of his business. This guy is working all the time, so that's not a problem."

Cushing wasn't shy about sharing what he did in his month away from the team.

Videos posted on YouTube in recent weeks show Cushing working out in a New Jersey gym, with hard-rock music playing in the background. Cushing turns over a giant tire, bench-presses a 347-pound barbell, dead-lifts weights attached to heavy chains and pushes a weighted sled.

Cushing said he worked out about 3 to 4 hours per day during his suspension, including physical therapy and studying film of Texans' games. He took Sundays off and decided not to watch the live broadcasts of Houston's games after the opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

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"I couldn't really watch the games anymore, just from the fact of not being able to be out there and not being able to help the team," he said. "It's kind of a helpless feeling. I played golf and tried to get my mind off it. But I was on my cell phone every single second, checking the score updates."

Cushing was suspended in May after testing positive for HCG, a drug on the league's list of banned substance. Cushing says he never took the drug, which can be used to restart testosterone production after a steroid cycle, and has no idea how it got into his body.

Cushing said during training camp that he has a unique medical condition -- "overtrained athlete syndrome" -- that led to the positive test. Cushing said the syndrome can trigger hormonal spikes after breaks in training. The NFL denied an appeal based on the argument.

Cushing wouldn't address questions about his medical condition Wednesday, other than to say he was relieved to finally have the suspension behind him.

"It's peace of mind," Cushing said. "The last two weeks, it was getting to me a little bit. I was a little on edge. Now I'm back to doing what I do, and it's a really mind-clearing kind of feeling. Now, I'm home."

Cushing said he has talked to Texans left tackle Duane Brown, who received a four-game suspension Sept. 21 for also violating the NFL's banned-substance policy. Brown is eligible to return for the Texans' Nov. 1 game at Indianapolis.

"I just reached out to him and said if he had any questions, let me know," Cushing said. "I know what he's going through. I gave him some positive encouragement, told him to keep his head up and time will pass, and he'll be back on the field again."

Cushing was Houston's first-round draft pick in 2009. He had 133 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions last season to win The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He retained the honor after a revote following his suspension.

Cushing is motivated now to show skeptics that his performance level hasn't tailed off.

"I feel like I have something to prove every time I step on the field," he said. "I'm sure some people will be looking for drop-offs and stuff like that, but nothing like that is going to happen. Come Sunday, I'll be right back out there again, and I'm looking forward to it."

The Texans need Cushing to return to form as soon as possible. They rank last in total defense (408 yards per game) and have given up several big pass plays. Houston also has lacked a consistent pass rusher other than defensive end Mario Williams, who has five of the team's nine sacks.

"Any time you have a Pro Bowl player come back and play for your team, it helps out a lot," defensive tackle Amobi Okoye said of Cushing. "We're looking forward to him getting out on the field and showing us all the things he did last year, and even more. I know he has a lot more in the tank."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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