Don't Panic. Yet.

The most alarming thing about the Texans' loss to New Orleans was that the Saints ran the ball so well. Drew Brees threw for over 5,000 yards last year and he'll chew up a lot of teams. But if you give him a ground game, prepare to replace the bulbs on the scoreboard.

The Texans gave up 173 rushing yards. If I tell you that, this weekend, good defenses like the Giants and Steelers gave up 167 yards and 150 respectively would it make you feel any better? The Titans surrendered 466 total yards including 111 on the ground. Does that soothe you?

It should help but it shouldn't cure anyone associated with the team of their anxiety over a run defense that has to build strength going into the regular season. The other teams mentioned above all have a great track record while the Texans are auditioning to join the postseason brigade.

The score got out of hand as the Saints piled up 24 points after Dan Orlovsky failed to get points on a late first half deep drive by throwing a game changing pick. He would later turn it over again on a busted bootleg play on fourth down near the goal line. He showed signs that he can make big plays but must cut down on the errors if he can be counted on as an understudy.

The Texans aren't a good enough team to stink up a preseason game and know they can pull themselves together when the lights go on for real. These are important rehearsals for what's supposed to be their best campaign. With the Vikings coming in for a Monday nighter next, you know everyone in the organization will put out a monster effort. Let's hope it's enough to remove at least some of the doubt created in the loss to New Orleans.

Best things about the Texans win over the Chiefs:

Chris Brown looked great. He carried the ball with a spring in his step and looked like the perfect compliment to Steve Slaton. Let's say it all together, "He just needs to stay healthy."

Connor Barwin getting a sack was a nice debut. Barwin looked like he belonged. And Tim Bulman looked like he wanted to set up residency in the Chiefs backfield. Between those two playing well and moving Antonio Smith inside, the Texans plan for an improved pass rush might bear fruit.

Dan Orlovsky made a nice debut. Okay, a few passes sailed but that's correctable. He made some big plays with long completions. Give him more time in this system and he'll get up to speed to be the insurance QB this team needs.

Things to look out for:

Steve Slaton does not need to carry the ball much in August. We already know he's excellent. He bulked himself up and that's ok but only as long as it does not affect his speed. Remember when Demeco bulked up last year and lost some speed (only to get lighter and quicker as the season progressed)? You would hate to see that happen with Slaton. Not that it will but we'll be watching.

Defensive line depth is getting tested early. With Travis Johnson out and Deljuan Robinson and Frank Okam dinged up it's going to be interesting to get through the next three games.

Finishing drives and staying on the field is key to this teams development. The Texans only converted two third downs. This is hardly 'sound-the-alarm' material but if they are going to win big games on the road they need to score and eat clock. The first team offense had an impressive 94 yard drive so you can exhale for now. Against the Saints and Vikings it will be important to start hogging the ball

When you talk about Texans vying for playing time you don't automatically say "hey, how about that battle for long snapper?" But those are the things that Special Teams Coordinator Joe Marciano thinks about all the time.

James Casey is trying to win a job there to go along with a job at TE and perhaps some part time work as fullback as well. It's Marciano's task to see if he can cut it in short order. Casey is a throwback who can do a lot of things. Marciano compares he and Connor Barwin to Jim Thorpe (in versatility not degree of difficulty, of course).

In well over two decades Marciano has seen NFL players and coaches come and go but he insists the game of football basically stays the same. "The game hasn’t changed. The players are the same players. When I got in this league in ’86, we got the same players in there, they just have different names, different faces.

"We’ve got some great guys and we’ve got some guys we’ve always got to keep our thumb on all the time. But the game hasn’t changed. I still show tape of Bennie Thompson, Steve Tasker, the tackling of Rod Woodson and Deion Sanders. I still got all those tapes. What I coached then, I coach now. The principles of football don’t change.”

Marciano says being a father has made a difference in his coaching style. "I’ve learned from raising a boy, my son, that you’ve got to have patience, especially with a special needs son like I’ve got. He’s come along fine so that has helped me transform into having some patience with these guys."

Plus, the attitude of gratitude is something Marciano likes to push. "I tell those guys, ‘I’m not going to yell at you. If you do this you’re going to be out of work. I’ve got to work, you’re looking to get work. Where else can you go and come to work in underwear, where else, and go make $325,000? Try doing it my way.’ That’s all I say. Plus, being around Tony Dungy has helped. He’s not a yeller and those guys will run through a wall for him."

It's easy to understand why Joe Marciano has been so good for so long.

Gil Brandt was at Texans practice this weekend and told me he likes the team's chances to win the AFC South. The Colts and Titans have not stood still acquisition-wise but it's the Texans who appear poised to leap forward while the others may take a small step back.

Anyone who saw Sunday morning has to be pumped about the defense. They're performing like they are sick of hearing all the love about the offense while they get analyzed like a dysfunctional child. Demeco picking off a pass and Mario and friends forcing negative plays got plenty of oohs and ahhs from the crowd. The offense will be fine. It's the defense that needs to look better immediately.

It's the 8th Texans camp and the buzz is louder than ever. The turnout for the first few practices has been super strong and there is an expectation of success in the air that we only caught occasional whiffs of the last couple of years.

The contract quotes from Ryans and Daniels put a bit of damper on day one but Rick Smith put it all to rest for the moment by saying "it's time to play football." The most important thing about negotiations is leverage and Dunta, Demeco and Owen don't have enough. Ryans and Daniels are likely to remain restricted free agents next year and Dunta can still be franchised. If he is not then his value likely dipped below the reported $23 million guarantee offer he turned down this offseason.

Enough on the cash, how about the dash? Arian Foster looks spry and James Casey catches almost everything thrown at him. Jacoby Jones was sensational Saturday and David Anderson looks more solid than ever. Punt returner is wide open with Andre Davis getting a long look with the rest of the candidates. It should be Jacoby's job but he left the door open.