Texans appear ready to make a run for it

They haven’t had much success yet in the win-loss column, but the Houston Texans are showing signs of a turnaround. First of all, they’re starting to run the ball. Over the last five games, they have averaged 139.2 yards rushing, more than double their 67.6-yard output through five games -- and that’s having lost both starting tackles to injury.

Also promising is how well the team drafted last spring. The Texans start five rookies -- running back Wali Lundy, tight end Owen Daniels, tackle Eric Winston, defensive end Mario Williams and middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans -- and each has played well.

Brown out

The Cincinnati Bengals might want to keep their fingers crossed for today’s rematch with the Cleveland Browns. After all, when Cincinnati posted a 17-point victory over its in-state rival in Week 2, the team lost several players to injury.

Most serious of those injuries was to outside linebacker David Pollack, who suffered a fracture of the C-6 vertebra while tackling running back Reuben Droughns. The break not only landed Pollack on injured reserve, it might have ended his career.

Other Bengals injured in that game were center Rich Braham, wide receiver Tab Perry and safety Dexter Jackson.

Not suited for it

San Francisco’s Mike Nolan and Jacksonville’s Jack Del Rio wore Reebok-designed business suits on the sidelines last week, but that style doesn’t fit every NFL coach. Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher, for example, said he had no plans to don a coat and tie for game day.

“Not me,” Cowher told reporters last week. “I don’t even wear one to church. I’m not a trendsetter with fashion statements. I just wear what they put in my locker. It really doesn’t matter to me. If it’s cold I’ll put layers on. I’m not looking into the process. I’m not interested, with all due respect.”

Lawn bombs

After losing at home to the New York Jets in the muddy slop, the New England Patriots had their messy natural-grass field torn out and replaced with artificial turf. New England’s players love the new surface, and now point to the old one as a reason they’re only 2-3 at Gillette Stadium this season. The field will be ready for today’s afternoon kickoff against Chicago.

New England tackle Matt Light told reporters it wasn’t uncommon to step in “nasty” holes on the old playing surface.

“That makes it a little treacherous out there,” he said. “I think now we’ll go out there and get used to this new field.”

Defensive tackle Mike Wright agreed, saying it was hard to find footing on the old stuff.

“You couldn’t do the same moves because it would throw you off-balance,” Wright said. “It was terrible.”

The late(r) show

In a testament to the popularity of the Steelers, for the second time in four weeks the NFL has moved a Pittsburgh kickoff from 10 a.m. PST to 1:15 p.m. The Dec. 3 game between the Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will air at 1:15 so Fox can show it in more parts of the country.

Big Apple brothers

New York Jets receiver Laveranues Coles emphasized to New York reporters last week that his bond with quarterback Chad Pennington is strong. It was not affected at all, Coles said, by Pennington’s decision last Sunday, when he missed a wide-open Coles in the end zone and instead forced a pass toward tight end Chris Baker that was intercepted by Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

“I love him more than I love this game, so there’s nothing we can do in this football game that can change any of that,” Coles said of Pennington. “I don’t care. He’s like a brother to me. I would take my last [breath] and give it to him. There’s nothing you guys can write or say or anything I can do to waver that. It’s as simple as that, man.

“A lot of my success rides with him. If he’s not successful, I’m not successful. There would never be a problem between us. Never ... never. Especially over football.”

-- Sam Farmer