HOUSTON -- Texans defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips will take over as Houstons interim head coach and try to help the team end a six-game skid with Gary Kubiak out indefinitely after suffering a mini-stroke this weekend "Im just keeping the seat warm," Phillips said. Terry Porter Blazers Jersey . Its a familiar position for Phillips, a 30-plus-year NFL coaching veteran, who was last a head coach in Dallas and has twice served as an interim head coach in the league. The first time came in 1985 when his father Bum Phillips stepped down with the Saints, the second was in 2003 when Dan Reeves resigned as Atlantas coach with three games left. "Thirty-three years Ive been either a co-ordinator on one side of the ball or a head coach," Phillips said. "I think experience helps. I hope it does in this case. Im pretty familiar with what (to do)." Phillips has had a tough month with the recent death of his father and being thrust into this role with Kubiak ailing. Hes talked to the team about dealing with adversity and thinks the players will respond well Sunday. "A lots been going on in my life and, I told the players, too, weve lost some games, but there are tougher things than losing some ballgames that people have overcome," Phillips said. "And so we can overcome losing ballgames if people can overcome some of the things that have happened." Offensive co-ordinator Rick Dennison will take over the play-calling duties, with input from Phillips, when the Texans travel to Arizona on Sunday. Dennison doesnt believe much will change offensively with Kubiak out. "Ive been with him for a long time and we have the same philosophy on how to win football games," Dennison said. "I would say just being around him in this position for the last four years we would be very similar. I dont know that were exact, but were very similar." The team said Monday the 52-year-old Kubiak suffered a transient ischemic attack at halftime of Sundays loss to Indianapolis. He was released from the hospital on Tuesday and is expected to make a full recovery, but there is no timetable for his return to the team. Phillips said he has spoken to Kubiak, but they didnt really talk football. "Hes left it to me and he said: Do what you think," Phillips said. Dennison said Kubiak told him hed like to come by the stadium in the next few days, but he wasnt sure if that would actually happen. "I called him back and (Kubiaks wife) Rhonda answered the phone and I was in a bit of trouble," Dennison said. "So Im going to try to stay away." Phillips mixed up some things at practice Wednesday in an attempt to help the team get back on track. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph said Wednesdays practice was "energetic" and that it ran smoothly without Kubiak. "We are changing a few things in practice that we think will help," Phillips said. "We feel like we need to change something. Its not going the way we want it to go, so we have to change some things." Case Keenum will make his third start Sunday after solid performances in the first two. Phillips said Keenum has earned the right to start and has been impressed with his ability to make big plays. Hes completed 11 passes of 25 yards or more in his two starts combined as the Texans have dropped those games by four total points. C.J. McCollum Blazers Jersey . Johansen scored twice and Derek MacKenzie, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also had goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, ending a three-game losing skid. Gary Trent Jr. Jersey . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/ . Here at TSN.ca we will take a look back at the season by bringing together a panel of experts to help pick the best 50 players of the season.Time to go to work. After four months of everyone telling you how good you are, the transition of now proving how good you are begins. Yes, the contract still has to be signed and a residence found, but in a matter of 30 days for those drafted in the first round of this years NFL Draft, expectations will be high, as now you have to prove your worth. As always, it was an interesting process at Radio City Music Hall with limited drama and more logic than risk. The logic began early with with Jadeveon Clowney and Greg Robinson going #1 and #2 to the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams, respectively. Blake Bortles at #3 was a surprise, but then again the Jacksonville Jaguars have serious quarterback developmental problems, so this was a need pick more than a move for the best available player. Where the draft became interesting was when the Buffalo Bills moved up to take Sammy Watkins out of Clemson. As an organization, I doubt they will regret the move 365 days from now, as Watkins is about as sure as you can get (barring injury, of course). When you look at the Bills right now, and this is despite the trade earlier today of Stevie Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers, Watkins and Robert Woods make for a solid tandem at wide receiver. Add CJ Spiller at running back and EJ Manuel has a lot to work with. And all four are similar in age , that age being young . A #1 pick in 2015 is a lot to give up, but Watkinss ability to take a short pass and make it into a major gain is phenomenal. A good aggressive move by the Bills. The next 3 picks (Khalil Mack to the Oakland Raiders , Jake Matthews to the Atlanta Falcons and Mike Evans to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) were expected. But then how about the Cleveland Browns? Justin Gilbert at corner to work in tandem with Joe Haden, also a first-round pick, was a bit surprising, but getting Johnny Manziel buy trading up four spots with the Philadelphia Eagles was smart, Draft day football. So the Browns created a top cornerback and a new quarterback and will have two first-rounders in 2015 with the Bills pick. Nice day of Draft strategy for Cleveland. I think Manziel will do well in the NFL. Kyle Shanahan will be his offensive co-ordinator and personal coach and that is significant in that it was Shanahan who coached Robert Griffin III in Washington. Whatever developmental mistake he made, if any, in Washington, he will not make in Cleveland with Manziel. The next seven picks had reason and thought about the until # 16 with the Dallas Cowboys. Now Zack Martin from Notre Dame will be a solid player, but Dallas allowed the third-most points in NFL history last year, so it did not make sense to draft a guard/tackle with their first. Yes, their center and last years first-rounder, Travis Frederick, was outstanding lastt year, but there were glaring needs ignored. Zach Collins Blazers Jersey. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas to the Ryan Shazier pick one spot before and he was a player who Dallas wanted, but Calvin Pryor and CJ Mosley went to the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens with the next two picks! Both would be instant starters in Dallas. This one made no sense unless Zack Martin is a star very soon. Another team that made a good move was the New Orleans Saints with Brandin Cooks. They traded up with the Carolina Panthers and took the player who most emulates Darren Sproles, who is now an Eagle. Sean Payton is a master designer of both physical football on offence and speed football the next series. Cooks is a speed element that, in the Mercedes Superdome, could be difficult to contain. Pick #23 by the Kansas City Chiefs was pretty smart too. Dee Ford of Auburn fell off the evaluation radar completely as the Draft came closer to happening. He is a good speed rusher and now the Chiefs have three of them on their Roster. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos because of the pass rush in this years Super Bowl and the Chiefs took notice. Maybe the biggest risk/reward draft pick was #29 by the New England Patriots. i dont know much about Dominique Easley, a defensive lineman out of Florida, other than that he has had two ACL surgeries. If you are unfortunate to have a third, it is tough to remain explosive as your main body part is wearing out. I am sure the Patriots investigated his health intensely, but it is a risk, especially when you consider Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, that I am surprised they would take. Finally, Mike Zimmer and his Minnesota Vikings had a good day. Anthony Barr at # 9 out of UCLA could be a star on the horizon and then trading up with Seattle to get Teddy Bridgewater was also smart. The fans at Radio City Music Hall gave Bridgewater a standing ovation for a quarterback who lives for his mothers heath and dropped hard after his pro day. It will be really interesting to see how he does and, if he does well, it will put into dispute the emphasis on physical skills versus football skills coming out of college. He is in a great situation as Mike Zimmer will improve the defence, Adrian Peterson will be Adrian Peterson and with Phil Loadholt at right tackle and Matt Kalil at left tackle, Teddy Bridgewaters in-pocket skills will be supported. Bridgewaters coach by position is Norv Turner, who is responsible for Troy Aikmans success and Alex Smiths best year in San Francisco. Its a nice place to be. The first round is over in the NFL Draft and you know every team will say they got precisely what they wanted. We know thats not the truth, but with six more rounds to go, there still is optimism for all involved . ' ' '