A nice day for Ron Dayne

[sneakers]

He had 122 yards on 21 carries, and a TD. Good job Ron Dayne!
(Also, a nice day yesterday for Brooks Bollinger (Go Badgers!!))


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5273212.html

Dayne still has legs to carry the load
Veteran barrels way to 124 yards, second-quarter TD

By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

OAKLAND, CALIF. — The more yards Ron Dayne accumulated Sunday, the more razzing he received from his teammates.

With the help of a block from Ephraim Salaam, Dayne went around left end for 39 yards in the third quarter of the Texans' 24-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders. He was pushed out of bounds 30 yards shy of the goal line.

Wide receiver Kevin Walter jokingly told Dayne the play should have been a 70-yard run for a touchdown. Dayne, who finished the day with 122 rushing yards, replied honestly by saying he just can't do that anymore.

"I'm like, 'I was almost full speed when I took off,' " Dayne said with a smile. "They were just messing with me."

Dayne, who did have a 14-yard touchdown run, told his teammates he leaves the 80-yard runs to Ahman Green. The 30- to 40-yard runs are more within his range, he said.

[omac]

That's an excellent team. With all the injuries they've been having, someone new always steps up every week. Now, it was Dayne's turn.

[sneakers]

2 weeks in a row! He is starting to hit his stride just like he did at end of last year.


http://blogs.chron.com/gamedaytexans/2007/11/dayne_deserves_next_start.html

November 18, 2007
Dayne deserves next start

There are few players I like watching play more than Ron Dayne. Part of it may just be because I covered Iowa during his final seasons at Wisconsin and saw him play often.

But part of it is also because of his approach. He's a guy that works for every single yard he gets. His teammates rib him about his speed (or lack of speed), and he laughs with them. He's quiet and humble. But the more you listen to him, his sense of humor shines through.

My favorite line of the day came from Dayne. When asked how it felt outrushing "the other" Heisman Trophy winner 89-34, Dayne laughed and said, '"I wish I would have scored, because I would've done the Heisman."

After eight years in the NFL and little success, Dayne can laugh at himself. Against Oakland when his teammates were ribbing him for getting caught on a long run, Dayne said he was already going full speed when he was given the hand off. He said those long runs are all for Ahman Green.

The more you watch him and listen to him, it becomes evident why his offensive linemen gush about him.

"That's Ronnie Dayne football right there," right tackle Eric Winston said after the 23-10 victory over the Saints. "I think we need to get him 20 carries a game. Sometimes the game won't allow that or whatever, but he's at his best when he can just get carry after carry and really punish defenses. That's how he's always been - Wisconsin, anywhere he's been where he's done well.

"He's not a guy that you can catch once and think he's going to take one to the house. He's a guy that's going to slowly wear down defenses and he's going to pop those runs in the fourth quarter when you need them."

Dayne has done everything right for the Texans. He hates to leave the field, even when he is completely gassed, like he was in the midst of the fourth quarter against the Saints. He loves to be out there, and his teammates love blocking for him.

I realize Ahman Green still has plenty of talent left in his healthy leg. He proved that against Oakland when he made his brief appearance. But I think the Texans should continue to start Dayne and forget the weekly drama of will-he or won't-he with Green.

The Texans should sign Darius Walker to the 53-man roster, like they are expected to do. Then bring him and Green off the bench against Cleveland, if needed.

[sneakers]

*sigh* Have I ever expressed the opinion that it was stupid to get rid of him? Only once or twice :D

[sneakers]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/sports/5315179.html
Houston's Dayne excels in 2 wins filling in for Green

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press

HOUSTON — There was a time when some referred to Ron Dayne by the unflattering nickname of 'No Gain Dayne.'

After two straight solid rushing performances in wins, his Houston Texans teammates have given him a much more positive rhyming moniker: 'The Dayne Train.'

The 1999 Heisman Trophy winner isn't too concerned with nicknames, but did crack a smile when a teammate yelled it as he passed him in the locker room.

"Whatever. As long as I can get out there and help the team play and win, it don't matter what they call me," he said.

With Ahman Green out for most of the season with an ailing knee, Dayne is Houston's leading rusher. He had 21 carries for 89 yards on Sunday and 21 carries for 122 yards in the Texans' win over Oakland before the bye.

In Sunday's win, Dayne carried six times in Houston's last drive to eat up five minutes of the clock and keep the Saints off the field in a 23-10 victory.

"We have a lot of confidence in him," coach Gary Kubiak said. "He makes plays for our team and there at the end of the game he really took the game on his shoulders and ran the ball well."

Kubiak was impressed by a 20-yard run on that last drive where Dayne shed three would-be tacklers before he was brought down at the 9.

"I've never seen Coach Kubiak really get excited about a run, but when he got that run, Coach Kubiak got pretty pumped up," Andre Johnson said. "So that was exciting to see."

After five tumultuous seasons with the Giants and one year of limited work in Denver, Dayne finally feels at home with the Texans. He came to Houston before last season after being released by the Broncos.

"(Kubiak) hooked me up and gave me an opportunity to play, which I feel like I'd never had since I've been in the league," Dayne said.

That doesn't mean that Dayne hasn't been without his struggles in Houston. In his first four games with the Texans he had 15 carries for negative yards or no gain. He came on late in the season and had 429 yards rushing with five touchdowns in December.

He did well in the first two games as a complement to Green but was derailed by bruised ribs that kept him out of two games and slowed in four more.

The 243-pound Dayne is most effective late in games and when he gets more than 20 carries. In two seasons with the Texans, Dayne has gained at least 85 yards in all but one game where he had at least 20 carries.

It's a statistic that tackle Eric Winston has noticed, saying the team needs him to get 20 carries a game.

"Sometimes the game won't allow that, but he's at his best when he can just get carry after carry and just really punish defenses," Winston said. "That's how he's always been. He's not a guy that you can just touch once and think he's going to take one to the house. He's a guy that's just going to slowly wear down defenses and he's just going to start popping those runs in the fourth quarter when you need them."
Kubiak said he is not considering placing Green on the injured reserve now, but that it's getting harder to use a roster spot on him when he isn't playing.

"We're trying to be as patient as we can and make sure that we give him every opportunity to feel like he can fight through this and help us before we would make a decision of that nature," Kubiak said.

Dayne, who still holds the NCAA Division I career rushing record, will remain Houston's starter as long as Green is out. Even if Green returns, the 29-year-old hopes Houston is the last stop in his winding NFL career.

"I definitely would love to end my career here and play as long as I can and long as they let me play," he said.