How often does he come to you with questions?Doan: He

Just under two months ago, following their spirited fourth-quarter rally to victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the Texans owned a two-game lead in the AFC South, including a pair of victories over their most threatening divisional rivals.As a testament to how quickly wind changes directions in the NFL, the Colts (6-6) will host Houston (6-6) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium with a share of first place in the division on the line. With the Tennessee Titans (6-6) also tied atop the division, the Texans are in the precarious position of having to not only fend off the Colts and Titans for a division title that once seemed theirs to lose, but they must also reverse the nosedive that put Indianapolis and Tennessee in position to swipe the AFC South.While the Colts have won three of four, Houston has dropped three consecutive games. The Texans offensive woes have been longstanding yet their recent late-game defensive collapses are equally troubling. Injuries have undermined them defensively, with cornerback Johnathan Joseph (ribs), linebacker John Simon (chest) and end Jadeveon Clowney (wrist/elbow) missing varying lengths of time recently.But the bigger picture is the Texans have gagged up what previously appeared to be a comfortable lead in a widely panned division. While the Texans rarely performed like a juggernaut, they won just enough over the first half of the season to seem viable as a postseason lock. Now that their record matches their uneven efforts, the Texans appear to be in serious trouble as the stretch run approaches.I dont know, Texans coach Bill OBrien said after being asked whats different between his team now as opposed to in mid-October. I think every week is different. Im not sure whats different about our team right now. I think weve got to get back on the winning side of things. Whats different is weve lost three in a row and weve got to get back on the winning side of things. Our guys realize that.For a team seeking even the smallest measure of good news, a return to relative good health qualifies. The remaining challenge is maintaining a positive perspective.A three-game losing streak can get a lot of guys down, especially guys that are young that have never lost like that coming from college, Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said. Just to show them, its a long NFL season. Ive seen a lot of teams with losing records make it to the playoffs and go deep. You just have to encourage those guys.The Colts find themselves in a different role after having built momentum with their recent success. Indianapolis pulled out of its tailspin after blowing a 14-point lead to the Texans in the first meeting, overcoming a spate of injuries to find stability on both sides of the ball and set the stage to take the division lead on their home turf.We cant sit here -- you look back at that game and where we were record-wise, it would be real easy to go woe is me and fold your tent, but thats not our character, Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. Thats not our foundation. Thats not in our DNA because of our players and because of our staff, our coaches. They do such a great job.Given the stakes, neither team is leaning on maladies as an excuse.We know what situation were in, Colts running back Frank Gore said. I know they also may change because theyre the same way. Its going to be a tough game. We just want to go out there and try to get a win. Get a win and put us in a better situation. We know its going to be tough. Cheap Colts Jerseys . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. Cheap Colts Jerseys Authentic . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. http://www.cheapcoltsjerseysauthentic.com/ .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Whoelsale China Colts Jerseys . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. At age 40, Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan continues to serve honorably as one of hockeys great ambassadors. While leading a rebuilding club last season, Doan enjoyed one of the better seasons of his 20-year pro career and paced the Coyotes with 28 goals. This season, Doan has been tasked with mentoring one of the leagues youngest teams, which includes teammate Jakob Chychrun, an 18-year-old defenseman who was born almost three years after Doan was drafted, in 1995.The arrival of all this young talent -- including Arizona native Auston Matthews, with whom Doan skated as part of the Coyotes youth program -- makes Doan excited about the future of the game. Even if it does make him also feel kind of old.ESPN.com: How complicated is it being a veteran on such a young team?Shane Doan:?At one point we had nine guys 21 and under. Thats pretty incredible. I dont think its like that anywhere else in professional hockey, including the AHL or the East Coast League. Obviously, its exciting for the future, but its a little more difficult for the present.ESPN.com: You have four teenage children. Does that help you deal with the kids on your team?Doan: My oldest daughter is the same age as some of them. There are obviously similarities. But these guys are so mature. As a hockey player, you leave home when youre 15, 16 years old. It forces you to grow up. Our guys are great. Theyve handled themselves incredibly well. Its fun to be around them.ESPN.com: Are younger players better prepared for the NHL today?Doan: I think, because of social media, you get to see the day-to-day life of an NHL player a lot more. If you follow someone on Twitter or Instagram or whatever, you see what goes on a little bit more because of that. That makes it a little bit easier. You understand things you may not have understood in the past because there just wasnt exposure to it.ESPN.com: Do you wish you had social media when you were younger?Doan: No. Im so glad, so thankful that I didnt. Its crazy how much it affects our day-to-day lives as players and how much it affects the young guys.ESPN.com: What are the main differences today for young players compared with 20 years ago?Doan: Their skill level. It all comes down to exposure. When someone in the Swedish Elite league makes an incredible move, then the kids everywhere get to watch it and practice it -- and it becomes part of the hockey community. I think it pushes the skill level so much quicker because everybody can see things and their imaginations are kind of expanded by being able to see what other guys are doing around the world. In the past, if you saw it on the late-night sports TV shows, it was pretty amazing, but you only saw it once. Now everyone watches it over and over and can break it down. I think that helps. The skill of the young guys is just incredible now.ESPN.com: Youre skating alongside players whose fathers you played with and against. Have you talked to any of them about playing with their dads?Doan: Ive played with quite a few of them.?Max Domi?and Connor Murphy. Weve hadd?Philip Samuelsson?and Brett Hextall on the team.dddddddddddd Getting to play against Matthew Tkachuk after playing with his dad, or Josh Manson in Anaheim. They were in our dressing room as kids when I was a player.ESPN.com: Have you reminded them about how you saw them as kids in the dressing room?Doan: For sure. Without a doubt. Thats one of the things that, as a player, you remember. Matty and Josh were so young, they dont really remember. But my daughter is the same age as Matty. They were both born here [in Arizona]. Ive gotten to know Josh as he got older. Its exciting. Its fun. You feel old, but you enjoy it, for sure.ESPN.com: Do you ever chat with Matthew Tkachuk about how you bought and moved into his childhood home in Arizona?Doan: Oh, yeah. We have horses here and Matty would come out and go riding at the farm. It was fun.ESPN.com: You skated with Auston Matthews while he was in the Coyotes youth program. What do you remember about him as an emerging young player?Doan: I got to know his family a little bit. His mom and dad go to the same church that we go to. Hes an unbelievable kid. Hes an even better person than player, and thats exciting because hes an incredible player.ESPN.com: Was his talent evident right away?Doan: The first time he skated with us, it was just shinny. I think his team won or lost 5-4. He had all his teams goals and it was against NHL guys, and he was a year away from being drafted. I was pretty impressed.ESPN.com: How important is it for youth hockey players in Arizona to see someone like Auston make it?Doan: Its huge for us. It gives validation to an organization like the Junior Coyotes. Any time anyone asks how the program is, you can say Auston Matthews grew up in the program. Thats huge for minor hockey and grass roots.ESPN.com: Your general manager, John Chayka, is more than a decade your junior. How often does he come to you with questions?Doan: Hes not afraid to come and ask for your opinion. But at the end of the day hes the one who makes the decisions. Thats the way it goes. As much as I think every player wants his opinions heard, its not our [call]. Hes very professional in that he asks questions and wants to gain perspective from people who might have experienced a few things. At the same time, he recognizes its his call and he makes those decisions when he needs to.ESPN.com: Youre coming off one of your best statistical seasons, but have you given any thought to retirement?Doan: It crosses your mind daily. But you dont make those decisions on a daily basis. Ten days ago, if you had asked me I probably would have retired on the spot. Today if you asked me, I think Id sign a five-year deal. It kind of goes back and forth. You understand you cant make rash decisions like that. It has to be something you make over the course of the year. I kind of approached last year the same way I approach this year. Ill just see how I feel at the end. ' ' '