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    Texans 20, 49ers 9

    Wide receiver truths: Randy Moss looks old as Lestar Jean jumps up for HoustonTexans

    Chris Baldwin
    Aug 18, 2012 | 9:44 pm
    • Lestar Jean (No. 18) had a big night to the delight of quarterback Matt Schaub.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • Lestar Jean went up high for some Matt Schaub passes and held onto the football.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • New 49ers receiver Randy Moss wasn't nearly as impressive.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • Andre Johnson still made the biggest play of the night, soaring over two 49ersto bring in a 43-yard bomb on this play.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • But Johnson may have been even more excited about Lestar Jean's work.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • Trindon Holliday had the whole stadium excited when he ripped off another longtouchdown return.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
    • No quarterback is excited to face the Texans' Bulls On Parade defense. As the49ers Alex Smith found out very early.
      Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com

    The NFL waits for no one, whether legend or no name. Randy Moss and Lestar Jean are learning as much as each man tries to make a strong impression this preseason.

    Moss is a future Hall of Famer, one of most dangerous game-changing wide receivers in league history in his prime, known throughout the football world. Jean is a second-year player from a Sun Belt Conference school who is barely known in Houston let alone outside of it.

    Yet in exhibition game No. 2 — one of the "important" preseason games — for Moss' San Francisco 49ers and Jean's Houston Texans, the receiver who made the much bigger impact is the one with the ultra-light resume.

     

      Moss couldn't shake Jackson for anything close to a big play. Instead, he looked like an old possession receiver. 

    While Moss looked ordinary in a matchup against third-year Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson (when did you ever think you'd read that?), Jean jumped up in the Texans' wide receiver race. Often literally.

    Jean used his 6-foot-3 frame and long arms to extend high to catch several Matt Schaub passes in a 20-9 Texans win. He grabbed three on the first-team offense's only touchdown drive, capping it with a 9-yard turn and scamper into the end zone.

    That gave the Texans a 10-6 lead at halftime — and Jean a much better shot at doing something when the games actually do count.

    "He can be a big-time player," Schaub said afterwards. "He can be a real asset for us."

    Lestar might not be living up to his name yet, but with two catches for 50 yards in the preseason opener and now this, he's making an impact as the Texans search for a third wideout, for anyone really to take some of the pressure off All-Pro Andre Johnson.

    "For some reason this guy just continues to step up every time he gets a chance," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said of Jean. "He's pushing to get on the field very quickly for this team."

    "It's a lot of pressure," Jean said of playing for a spot and a role on the team. "But I feel like things will take care of themselves. Just go out there, do your thing and have fun."

    Fun is being had by these much questioned wide receivers. Johnson — who had the biggest play of the night as usual (a 43-yard catch between two 49ers) — rushed out to met Jean as No. 18 ran off the field following the touchdown.

    Hey, Andre wants some help too.

    That's what the 49ers are looking for from Moss, but at age 35 it's more and more debatable on how much he has left.

    It's likely hard for Moss to get too excited for a game on Aug. 18, but he still couldn't shake Jackson for anything close to a big play. Instead, he played like an old possession receiver (three catches for 24 yards).

    With a chance to make a big play, Moss went up and watched a pass sail through his hands. Get old, get the drops.

    So much for all the reports about Moss looking great in camp.

    "He's part of what we do," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said when asked about Moss.

     Football Reality

    The 24-year-old Jean is already getting an idea of how fleeting promise and opportunity are. Keshawn Martin, the rookie wideout from Michigan State, already appears to have passed him on the depth chart.

    Martin, who caught a nice 22-yard slant from Schaub on the third play of the game, didn't do anything to lose his gains. Jean must continue to rise — and catch. His biggest asset is how big of a target he makes himself.

    "It's a blessing," Jean said. "So many people want to be in my position, to have this type of opportunity in the NFL.

    "You have to make the most of it."

    The Texans are suddenly one of those fishbowl teams — roster battles play out in headlines and endless sports radio debates.

    One sign of the excitement over these Texans came in the crowd that turned out for an exhibition game on one of the last Saturdays of summer. Every seat at Reliant Stadium wasn't taken, but every section was packed — a far cry from the half empty stadiums that some preseason games have seen around the league.

     

      Alex Smith found himself caught in Phillips' mad funhouse, almost leveled by Barwin on San Fran's first offensive play and sacked twice on the opening series.

    And 71,196 people (an all-time franchise preseason record) paid for a ticket to a game that will be long forgotten by Sept. 9. And close to 15,000 remained till the clock hit 00:00, a shockingly large number for a preseason game.

    Wade Phillips' Bulls On Parade defense thrives off that crowd and Connor Barwin, Antonio Smith and Co. asked for even more volume from their first snap, turning to the stands and raising their arms. And Reliant more than obliged.

    49ers quarterback Alex Smith found himself caught in Phillips' mad funhouse, almost leveled by Barwin on San Francisco's first offensive play and sacked twice on the opening series with Texans defensive end Tim Jamison in on both of them. Jamison is filling in as J.J. Watt recovers from his elbow injury and this preseason means more to him than most.

    You didn't have to look far to see how quickly things can change in the NFL.

    The 49ers are coming off a surprise 13-3 season that left them an overtime short of the Super Bowl. The Texans didn't see that team at its full power or ferocity — pass rushing force Aldon Smith (14 sacks in 2011) sat out the game and even Harbaugh isn't wacky enough to get too lathered up over a preseason game.

    No preseason game is a possible Super Bowl preview. Any such talk obliterates credibility.

    But there are still some notable things to take from the night.

    Arian Foster carried the ball 10 times for 46 yards and caught three passes for 16 yards, with the only alarming numbers there how much Kubiak used the best running back in football in a meaningless game.

    In the kicking battle, veteran Shayne Graham made a 48-yard field goal with plenty to spare and a 49-yarder too, while rookie Randy Bullock missed a 54-yard attempt.

    The Texans' first-team offense gained 177 yards on 25 snaps.

    University of Houston icon Case Keenum didn't end up taking his first snap until only seven minutes remained in the fourth quarter and only ended up throwing three passes despite all the pregame hype.

    And perhaps most importantly of all, 5-foot-5 return specialist Trindon Holliday took one back for a touchdown for the second straight week — this time, an 87-yard sprint off a punt in the fourth quarter that mimicked his Week One touchdown return in how quickly he found a seam and was gone. Yes, as I wrote last Saturday, Trindon Holliday is making this team.

    As Jean himself is learning, nothing beats making an impact.

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    in this corner

    Premier Japanese women's wrestling league performs in Houston this weekend

    Jef Rouner
    Jul 9, 2025 | 12:30 pm
    Two Japanese women wrestlers compete in a ring. One is stomping in the other with both feet.
    Photo courtesy of Tokyo Joshi
    Hard-hitting women's wrestling for two nights in Houston

    For the first time ever, one of Japan's premier women's wrestling promotion, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, will be touring Texas, with a two night stay in Houston this week.

    "Bringing TJPW to Texas reflects Tokyo Story’s broader strategy," said a TJPW spokesperson via email. "As a Japan-inspired toy and event company, we see major Southwest cities — especially in Texas — as prime for the growth of Asian pop culture. Houston, Dallas, and others are becoming more diverse, culturally curious, and open to new entertainment formats. This isn’t a one-off stop — it’s part of a long-term push to bring Japan’s creativity to cities with eager audiences. And we are making TJPW Live an annual event!"

    The events happen on Thursday, July 10 and Friday, July 11 at POST Houston (401 Franklin). Tickets are available at TokyoStoryUSA.com.

    TJPW split off from DDT Wrestling in 2012 as a sister promotion that ran alongside its male counterpart before becoming its own entity in 2015. In that time, they've launched the career of international superstars like Yuka Sakazaki and Mina Shirakawa (both currently signed to All Elite Wrestling in America), as well as hosting non-Japanese guest grapplers like Thunder Rosa.

    The fighting is excellent and often brutal, but TJPW is also known for its playfulness. Matches embrace anime-like absurdity, such as having a wrestler work in a giant panda mascot costume. The promoters are hoping to one day partner with Texas truck stop icon Buc-cee's for a more mascot shenanigans. Many of the women also perform in J-pop girl groups on of their wrestling duties.

    On Night 1, strike specialist Miyu Yamashita will take on Maki Itoh, known for her flamboyant style and high risk maneuvers. Night 2 will feature much of the local guest talent, such as Houston's own Kaylia Capri (Reality of Wrestling) vs Yuki Arai in a singles bout, and Austin's Vert Vixen teaming with reigning TJPW tag champ Hyper Misao. Other Texans slated to appear ar Maya World, Alejandra Quintanilla, and Billie Starkz.

    The last decade has seen a marked rise in the quality and prestige of women's wrestling in America, with WWE hosting all-women Royal Rumbles and stars like Rhea Ripley and "Timeless" Toni Storm becoming household names. Most major promotions now feature robust line-ups of Japanese women wrestlers, with some like Asuka and Iyo Sky becoming world champions.

    For Japan, women's wrestling has a more consistent history of legitimacy going back decades, and the talent pool there is vast. TJPW branching out into Texas tours gives them a chance to showcase their wrestlers in the land that spawned legends like The Undertaker, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and the Von Erich Family.

    "The response has been overwhelmingly positive," said the TJPW spokesperson. "Many who had never experienced joshi (women’s) wrestling before are discovering how entertaining, emotional, and uniquely captivating it is. Since announcing the Texas shows, we’ve received a flood of enthusiastic messages — not just from wrestling fans, but from people drawn to the theatricality, comedy, and creativity of TJPW. We've also heard from fans in other states asking us to bring the tour to their cities."


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