For some Womens Nick Martin Jersey , Hallowed in mystery and ominous fortune, many shy away from anything related to the abhorred prime number. Whether true or not, there is something culturally poignant about 13. For Texans’ cornerback Johnathan Joseph, 13 is the number of seasons he’s played in the league. For Joseph, 13 may not be so unlucky after all.Part of the scotch tape that’s holding Houston’s defense together is Johnathan Joseph. Accumulating five passes defended and 16 tackles so far this season, Joseph is arguably playing the best ball we have seen in years. The main difference between this year and recent seasons prior is the ability to close on routes and break up passes. He did so midway through the third quarter against the Cowboys when he popped the ball in the air for a Justin Reid interception.Blaine Gabbert said it best: “You know what you are going to get with Johnathan. Really fast man-to-man cover guy who can make plays on the ball.” That statement is the cornerstone of Joseph’s 13 year career. In year 13, with top-end speed in his rear view mirror, J-Jo has been relying on his knowledge of the game to pick his battles in coverage. When watching Joseph’s film over the past three or so games, everything has been consistent and reliable.After a rather lackluster campaign last year, some were surprised when the Texans re-signed J-Jo to a two-year deal. In an offseason ripe with change at the secondary positions, the team stood firm in its tradition of a veteran secondary. Keeping Kareem Jackson and J-Jo while adding Aaron Colvin and Tyrann Mathieu only emphasized the team’s lack of concern about age in the secondary. At the age of 34, the Texans are going to squeeze every ounce of football Joseph has out of him. Usually, running a horse past its prime does not win you any races, but put that horse on a team and in a position to lead, and it can be entertaining to watch.Jonathan Joseph has been a leader on the team for quite some time. He arrived in 2011 as a free agent in the last major overhaul of the secondary and has been a pillar on the defense ever since. He has 14 interceptions while playing in Houston and has made countless critical plays throughout the seasons. With how much rosters turn over year over year, J-Jo has really been an unsung reliable centerpiece to this organization. With all the big names stealing the spotlight on this team, he has gone about his business for an incredible length of time. Although a terrible measurement to evaluate a player’s talent, Joseph has only been featured in the NFL’s “Top 100” once, back in 2012.The man coverage that Joseph has provided in the past few games has been crucial to the success of Romeo Crennel’s defense. If he can lock down a team’s best receiver, that allows the rest of the more versatile defensive backs to flex their talents more often. Particularly against possession receivers, Joseph shines with his intuition and tenacity at the point of attack. Despite a lean frame, he rarely gets bodied out of position by bigger receivers. We have seen faster receivers get under his skin, though. T.Y. Hilton types drive Joseph bananas with downfield crossing routes. In the preseason,Jimmy Garoppolo threw a dart to Olympic track star Marquise Goodwin. The raw speed players like Goodwin possess are not what Joseph handles best. Speed and distance are not his forte; toughness and positioning are. The Texans’ secondary is thin. Injuries to Kevin Johnson, Aaron Colvin, Kayvon Webster, and Jermaine Kelly, as well as Andre Hal’s cancer diagnosis Authentic J.J. Watt Jersey , have stripped the secondary of most of the expected talent going into the season. Even with a patchwork secondary, the Texans are 19th in the league in passing yards allowed. Considering 104 of those yards came in two overtime games, they would be 14th in yards allowed otherwise. That’s from exceptional, but rather expected if you consider who is on our roster and the quarterbacks we’ve faced. The wily veteran is playing at a level the Texans have missed from Joseph of late. He has put countless rookies under his wing and taught them how to play in the NFL. It’s great to see the Texans succeeding with Joseph. When put in the right position, he can still make plays even in his 13th season in the NFL.Houston Texans Rosterology: August 13, 2018 After a two week hiatus and one preseason game, there have been some big changes to Texans’ Rosterology. In a Thursday night preseason football game, the Texans controlled the Chiefs for a 17-10 win. It was great to see Deshaun Watson on the field in his return from a season-ending ACL injury last November. I wish we could have seen Whitney Mercilus, D.J. Reader, J.J. Watt, Tyrann Mathieu, among others, play for at least a series, but I’m glad health is a primary concern. As a result, players vying for a roster spot get an additional series or two in preseason game. A couple notes before we jump on in. First, Corey Moore’s play, along with the lack of any competing safeties, puts him close to a lock for a roster spot in my view. He was a surveyor of the field on Thursday night, and his knowledge of the defense make him a vital part of the unit moving forward. I’m also starting to wonder if Jay Prosch will be a part of this offense. Having him on the roster for short yard situations is understandable, but how often will he be used? I also thought Treston Decoud was in a relatively safe position, but seeing him as a third string safety with not much special teams prowess, I no longer think he is a part of the ‘First Four Out’; he is probably part of a ‘Next Four Out’ group that isn’t published.With that said, here we go.Safe, But In Position BattlesBraxton MillerCongrats, Braxton.You have begun to prove many doubters wrong. Although his skill set is starting to mirror Bruce Ellington’s in terms of route tree and play making, Miller looks faster and is better at running routes than he ever has during his three year career. He’s finally healthy and had his first consistent performance in a football game. Yes, it was preseason, but the team showed more confidence putting him as the split end receiver. He needs to stay healthy and keep getting open over the middle; if he does those two things Authentic Johnathan Joseph Jersey , Miller will join Corey Moore and not be featured in this article in the weeks to come, as his spot should be locked up. Joe Webb IIIAfter a game like that, how can you not want that type of athleticism on your roster?An unbelievable play by the third string QB puts him in a safe position heading into the second preseason game. Being able to participate on special teams as well as mimicking Deshaun Watson’s offensive play style makes Webb a true dual threat quarterback. More spectacular plays would definitely be welcome in the preseason. Kyle FullerI spent a ton of time watching the offensive line block this past game. On my notepad, I had Fuller’s name written three times for good pass protection. The Texans played the second-year offensive lineman at center during the game, but he’s just as capable at guard. What’s that word the Texans like to use? Versatility? Oh, yeah...Fuller fits the bill. May the development continue.Peter KalambayiHis job is to replace Brennan Scarlett. Brennan had a better game and held the edge better than the rookie sixth round draft pick did. I thought Kalambayi played fine, but he may need more time to develop on the practice squad. I still have him on the team, but it’s necessary to highlight him as a roster casualty. Last Four InAlfred BlueThe Texans have an affinity for Alfred that I do not see. He had eight carriers for 14 yards against Kansas City. His missed catch in the flat to avoid getting creamed by a defender was lackluster at best. It’s only one preseason game, but after watching Troymaine Pope bust through the defense on multiple plays, Blue is quickly becoming an afterthought in the Texans’ backfield. When D’Onta Foreman comes back, Blue will slide back in the depth chart immediately. Troymaine PopeFrom not being on this list at all to skyrocketing up the Rosterology board, Pope was the biggest surprise on Thursday night. Speed, patience, and versatility were Pope’s biggest assets, and they were on display this past week. Indeed, he has passed Tyler Ervin on the depth chart and is in a intriguing spot with D’Onta Foreman potentially starting the regular season on the PUP list. More to come on Pope.David QuessenberryI never thought Quessenberry would be this developed as an interior offensive lineman. The greatest story on the Texans’ roster, a cancer survivor, an inspiration to us all, played with tenacity and balance in the 35 plays he was on the field for. If you watch the video in Joe Webb’s analysis, Quessenberry’s (#77) block on the defensive tackle springs Webb and gives him a lane to run. The trio of Kyle Fuller, Chad Slade, and Quessenberry are campaigning to be backup interior linemen on the 53-man roster. Before the preseason game, I would’ve had said Chad Slade is a better option, but Quessenberry was a better run blocker and finished plays with more aggression than Slade. Sammie CoatesCoates is going to bounce in and out of the 53-man roster throughout the entire preseason. He was another player who surprised me against the Chiefs with several impressive catches and drew pass interference penalties. I like him more on the outside than inside, whichis good because there will be less competition for that role. I still want to see Coates burn a cornerback on a deep route. He put up good film to work off, but now it’s a matter of stacking week after week. First Four OutKurtis DrummondA vanilla performance with no big plays or mistakes, Drummond is still teetering on the Rosterology board. This week, the seesaw leans out for the Michigan State product. Currently the fifth safety on the roster http://www.houstontexansteamonline.com/benardrick-mckinney-jersey , Drummond is relying on either an injury, special teams success, or purely better performance to get back in the lineup. Not to worry, Drummond.At least you didn’t get upstaged like the next guy.Tyler ErvinHe recorded 12 yards on just two carries, which isn’t bad, but Troymaine Pope sprinted on the field and outperformed Tyler at his own game. Ervin had a couple of opportunities on special teams, but he’ll need to make a splash against the 49ers if he wants to stop his fall. Ervin was one of the biggest disappointments this week in terms of Rosterology and Houston’s depth chart. Dee VirginI don’t think Virgin had his best game against the Chiefs. He was slow in his trailing technique, and had a tough time on both comeback and curl routes. He will need to battle for the last cornerback position, but there were still a lot of positives in Virgin’s game. A good tackler, he had the second most tackles in the preseason opener, and can play outside corner, which is a position of need. He definitely was getting targeted by Chad Henne and gave up a couple of easy catches, but he’s still in the running for the last corner spot.Stephen AndersonConfidence is waning for the third year tight end. On the Texans’ published depth chart, Anderson is the fifth tight end. Teams usually only keep three, so being the fifth isn’t a comfy seat. His performance on Thursday didn’t reflect roster-worthy play. He dropped an easy pass late in the game and wasn’t productive with the quantity of plays (17) he was given. If another preseason game goes by and Anderson is not further up the depth chart and playing like a starting TE, he may drop off this list entirely.Biggest RiserTroymaine PopePope, along with Jordan Akins, shined on offense.Pope is quickly becoming a hot topic for Texans’ fans. His biggest competition is Tyler Ervin; they both are shifty running backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Pope ran several effective screen plays and had the longest reception last week that went for 34 yards. He still has work to do in a tight race for running back.Biggest FallerTreston DecoudHe’s falling behind in the competition for the last remaining spot in the secondary. If Decoud does not make the roster, I think Houston would put him on practice squad to let him continue to train. Since he’s making the switch to safety, it will take some time for him to adapt to a new position. Player to WatchKeenan GilchristGilchrist is listed as the fourth weakside inside linebacker, but he recorded the most tackles in the game on Thursday night. Nine tackles, eight of which were solo tackles, and one tackle for loss is an impressive day with minimal reps. This is his first season out of Appalachian State, so he’s purely a try-out player with some upside. There is a small chance he makes this roster with so many players ahead of him, but if Gilchrist keeps racking up tackles in preseason games, the Texans cannot ignore his playmaking ability.LDE: J.J. Watt, Carlos WatkinsNT: D.J Reader, Brandon DunnRDE: Christian Covington http://www.houstontexansteamonline.com/ka_imi-fairbairn-jersey , Joel HeathLOLB: Whitney Mercilus, Brennan Scarlett, Peter KalambayiILB: Benardrick McKinney, Brian PetersILB: Zach Cunningham, Dylan ColeROLB: Jadeveon Clowney, Duke EjioforCB: Aaron Colvin, Kevin JohnsonCB: Jonathan Joseph, Johnson BademosiFS: Justin Reid, Kareem Jackson, SS: Tyrann Mathieu, Corey MooreQB: Deshaun Watson, Brandon Weeden, Joe Webb IIIFB: Jay ProschRB: Lamar Miller, D’Onta Foreman, Alfred Blue, Troymaine PopeTE: Ryan Griffin, Jordan Akins, Jordan ThomasWR: DeAndre Hopkins, Keke Coutee, Braxton Miller WR: Will Fuller, Bruce Ellington, Sammie CoatesLT: Julie’n Davenport, Kendall LammLG: Zach Fulton, Kyle FullerC: Nick Martin, Greg ManczRG: Senio Kelemete, David QuessenberryRT: Seantrel Henderson, Martinas RankinLS: Jon WeeksK: Ka’imi FairbairnP: Shane Lechler