"Less than three weeks after having successful surgery on his sports hernia, defensive end Mario Williams has started rehabilitation.

"I'm moving around pretty good, so I'm pretty excited," Williams said. "I'm glad we got that out of the way, and now I've got to get back and go to rehab."

Williams, who spent the last three games on injured reserve, led the Texans with 81/2 sacks, 19 hits on the quarterback and 10 tackles for loss, had the surgery in Philadelphia.

Williams said he has already started working out his upper body and hopes to be 100 percent by the end of the month, the start of February at the latest.

"I'm feeling really good right now, so I think I'm ahead of the game," Williams said. "I'm excited about fixing my groin and coming back, working hard, and I'm just looking forward to next year."

After spending his first season without playing a snap, third-string quarterback Matt Leinart said this year was a learning experience for him, but he's ready to be a starter.

"Personally, I think I really learned a lot, and I think it made me a better player," Leinart said. "Getting released (by Arizona in September) kind of opened my eyes, and I came here and had a wonderful experience. I don't know what the future holds for me, but I think this year definitely got me better as a player.""