"Because of rain, the Texans practiced Thursday inside their training bubble, which is lined with artificial turf. Inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who missed last Saturday's preseason victory against New Orleans because of an elbow injury, didn't go Thursday, and Gary Kubiak wasn't sure where that left Ryans in terms of Saturday's exhibition in San Francisco.

"We'll wake up (Friday) and see where he's at," Kubiak said. "Obviously, he hasn't had any work this week. That really doesn't scare me really as much as just that we do the right thing with him."

It's the third preseason game, in which Kubiak has already declared his starters would play a healthy amount of snaps. Would it be detrimental if Ryans didn't play against the 49ers?

"I think every player needs to play," Kubiakh said. "I don't care who they are. DeMeco has played a lot of football, but we have to do what's best for him physically right now. I think he's going to be fine, so we'll see."

Oh-oh o-line

There are injury concerns, especially along the offensive line. The depth is dangerously thin, especially after guard Shelley Smith was rolled up on Wednesday. His status is wait-and-see for this weekend.

"It's a little nerve-racking right now," Gary Kubiak said. "Obviously our 'ones' have been fine. Our second group is really our third group that we started camp with. It's been a struggle here the last couple weeks… It's a big game to get through hopefully healthy and play those young guys next week, but we're down in numbers."

Already, backup guards Kasey Studdard and Antoine Caldwell have suffered ankle injuries. Reserve swing tackle Rashad Butler tweaked his hamstring last week, and Kubiak said he didn't think Butler wouQuld play after not practicing all week.

Quotable

"I feel at home on the football field. I don't care where they put me - at outside backer, nose tackle… I just like being on the field. I feel like if I get on the field, I have a chance to make plays and that's where I feel at home." – strong safety Glover Quin

A new No. 2?

Anything is possible, and it's not as if - by his own admission - Matt Leinart has been lights-out in his role thus far as Matt Schaub's backup. Gary Kubiak was asked if rookie T.J. Yates, who has improved throughout training camp and the last week of practice, had a chance at being No. 2."