HOUSTON (AP) -When Texans No. 1 pick Mario Williams plays against Donovan McNabb on his Madden video game he can't catch him.
He's hoping for a bit more success against the real McNabb when the defensive end makes his regular season debut for Houston against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
``It's going to be a challenge,'' Williams said. ``We as a unit have to contain him or slow him down at least.''
It will be a day of challenges for the young and revamped Texans when they face a healthy McNabb and the ready-to-rebound Eagles. Philadelphia went 6-10 last season, when it was hit with myriad injuries and forced to take part in the soap opera that was Terrell Owens.
``With everything that happened last year, it doesn't make me any more eager to go back out to prove a point,'' McNabb said. ``It's all about winning football games and not about stats. I think if we all continue to have that mind-set of doing the right things and having that confidence that the guy next to you is going to do his job, then good things will happen for us.''
Houston didn't have any similar drama, it just couldn't win. The Texans lost their first six games en route to a franchise-worst 2-14 record that got coach Dom Capers fired and several players released.
Besides Williams, the Texans will start four other rookies as they look for their first win in an opener since 2003 in the inaugural season under coach Gary Kubiak.
But the question for the Houston is, can a team win while developing young players?
``I don't know. Maybe I'm about to find out,'' Kubiak said. ``If you don't have a vision in this business, if you don't know where you're going and what you're trying to get accomplished, you can spin your wheels fast. We do understand we have a lot of young players, but we won't use that as an excuse.''
McNabb should get a boost by the addition of Donte' Stallworth, who was recently traded from the Saints, and a healthy Brian Westbrook. Stallworth is prepared to immediately contribute to the offense, McNabb said.
``He has an understanding of the West Coast offense. He knows exactly what we're doing,'' McNabb said. ``It's just important that we begin to reach out to him and let him know about the approach, the attitude and what we plan on to get done.''
While Westbrook seems to be recovered from a foot injury that kept him out of most of camp, the Texans aren't so lucky in that department after recently placing Domanick Davis on injured reserve. Davis, Houston's leading rusher for the past three seasons, will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie sixth-round pick Wali Lundy.
Lundy, who grew up in Philadelphia and speaks with reverence about McNabb, could get some help from 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, claimed off waivers by Houston after being released by Denver.
More interesting than how the running game will perform is how David Carr will execute Kubiak's new offense. He has more ammunition than ever with the addition of Eric Moulds, who signed a $14 million contract after being traded from Buffalo in April, to complement emerging star Andre Johnson.
The offense looked sharp in preseason, but things will certainly be tougher against the Eagles' defense, which features a secondary with three perennial Pro Bowlers. The starters allowed only three points in exhibition play and defensive end Darren Howard, also from the Saints, joins the Eagles after getting 14 1/2 sacks combined in the last two seasons.
``I think even more so in this offense, you're seeing his athletic ability,'' Eagles coach Andy Reid said of Carr. ``He sure throws the ball well on the move. I think he is really buying into Gary's offense and he looks like he is executing well.''
Philadelphia's defense is not only good, it also is out to prove something after the struggles last season in allowing an average of more than 24 points a game.
``What we are trying to do now is get back to where Eagles football is and has been prior to last year,'' safety Brian Dawkins said. ``And even go a step further and be the last team standing. We are trying to go out and dominate and cause havoc - pure havoc.''
Joining Williams as the other rookie starter on Houston's defense is middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, a second-round pick and the star of Houston's preseason. Williams, who at 21 will become the youngest player to ever play for the Texans, acknowledged he will have to guard against getting overexcited, which got him winded in his first preseason game.
If he needs someone to calm him down, the serene Ryans might be the perfect candidate for the job. It's hard to tell if his attitude comes from naivete, confidence or simply the Alabama-raised player's laid-back demeanor. Either way it could be a good sign for a defense that will count on him heavily.
``I know it's not Alabama, but I don't have anything to be nervous about,'' he said with an easy smile. ``It's football. They're men just like I'm a man.''
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