www.authenticsdallascowboys.com

Brian Gaine has had a long journey to the top.

After 19 years serving in various roles in the personnel departments of several NFL teams Connor Williams Color Rush Jersey , Gaine is the one calling the shots now.

”I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top at every level of every organization that I’ve been in,” said Gaine, who was introduced as the Houston Texans’ general manager on Wednesday.

Gaine spent time as a player for three seasons before turning to the other side of the game in 1999 as a scout with the New York Jets. He has also worked with Dallas (2005-07), Miami (2008-13), Houston (2014-16) and Buffalo (2017) – most recently as the vice president of player personnel.

”I do believe, with a great amount of humility, I’ve been in five different organizations, so I have a unique perspective on what it has taken to win and what it has taken to achieve,” Gaine said. ”I’ve had a chance to play a small part in going to the playoffs and winning division titles in each of those organizations. But most importantly, I think it requires good people, people that love football and are passionate about winning. Equally, a good process.

”I’ve seen varying processes in terms of how to build a roster and how to build a championship-caliber team, and I hope to implement some of those things here at the Texans.”

When Gaine last worked for the Texans, he served as the director of pro personnel in 2014 and then as the director of player personnel for two years. Heading into this new role with Houston, Gaine said he will work collaboratively with Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who recently received a four-year extension.

”What you see on Sundays obviously is the result of player acquisition and coaching, but there’s a process that’s involved in terms of getting to Sunday,” he said. ”Bill and I are very philosophically aligned in terms of how to do that, how to build a right program, how to build a right culture, and it’s not just the football roster, but it’s also the football operation and that requires every aspect that touches the game and touches the locker room.

”All those aspects of the football operation, Bill and I are philosophically aligned in terms of how to run it and how to do it.”

One position on the Texans’ roster that Gaine won’t have to worry much about is quarterback – once Deshaun Watson returns from injury.

Watson tore a knee ligament during a practice on Nov. 2 Bradley Chubb Color Rush Jersey , but quickly established himself as an exciting playmaker. He finished his rookie season passing for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns – the most TD throws in a quarterback’s first seven career games since 1970.

”He’s certainly a foundational piece for us, in terms of what we can build around,” Gaine said. ”It certainly would be an advantage for any general manager coming into a team to have a quarterback in place that you believe in, that you know that can help you win football games.”

Having a high-caliber player such as Watson at their disposal, Gaine – who has been evaluating players since arriving back in Houston – understands they have to put pieces around him to help him succeed on the field.

Some of that will be done through free agency, but also in the draft, in which the Texans will not have a pick in the first or second rounds this year.

”We will pursue every avenue to improve this roster, as it relates to the draft, to free agency, to waiver claims, to trades, to practice squad steals, to tryouts, workouts,” Gaine said. ”Whatever we have to do to upgrade the roster in any aspect of the operation, we’ll continue to do that. If free agency presents the opportunity for us to add a championship piece to the roster, we certainly will pursue that.”

—

AP NFL website: Mike Foltynewicz loves trying to one-up his fellow hurlers in the Atlanta Braves red-hot pitching rotation.

He kept even with cohorts by tossing five shutout innings and Freddie Freeman homered as the Atlanta Braves held off the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Sunday.

”It’s like a friendly competition with a fun group of guys,” Foltynewicz said. ”It’s a good vibe.”

The Braves outscored St. Louis 22-10 in sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis for the first time since May 11-13, 2012.

Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis, which has lost four in a row. The Cardinals scored five times in the seventh to rally from a 6-0 deficit.

Foltynewicz matched Julio Teheran and Max Fried to post the Braves third successive scoreless appearance by a starter. Teheran tossed six scoreless innings a 5-1 win on Friday. Fried did not allow a run in 6 2-3 innings of an 11-4 victory on Saturday.

”They’ve been awesome,” said Atlanta infielder Charlie Culberson, who had two hits and drove in two runs on Sunday http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-marquez-valdes-scantling-jersey , ”It makes it easier for us (hitters). A little bit more relaxed for us going up there.”

Foltynewicz (6-4) surrendered one hit – a fourth-inning single to Marcell Ozuna. He struck out nine and walked three in an 86-pitch outing.

”He never gave in, he kept grinding,” manager Brian Snitker said.

Foltynewicz has allowed just two hits and one run over 10 innings in two outings since coming off the disabled list with tightness in his right tricepts on June 25.

”He was kind of wildly effective,” St. Louis infielder Kolten Wong said. ”When you’re throwing as hard as he was, it makes it tough.”

The Braves three starters allowed seven hits over 17 2-3 innings with 24 strikeouts in the series.

”We’ve been feeding off each other,” Foltynewicz said. ”We’re always pulling for each other, pushing each other, asking questions. We hang around together and you can see that we take it out to the mound. It’s been a really fun time.”

A.J. Minter picked up his third save in as many tries by setting the side down in order in the ninth. He has not allowed a run in his last seven appearances.

Freeman’s 16th homer of the season, a two-run drive, pushed the lead to 3-0 in sixth. The blow highlighted a five-run uprising that also included a run-scoring hit from Culberson.

Pham hit a three-run homer off Peter Moylan in the seventh to bring the Cardinals to within 6-5.

St. Louis starter John Gant (2-3) allowed four runs on four hits over 5 1-3 innings.

”I’ve definitely got to do better,” Gant said. ”Came out on the losing end, so anytime that happens, improvements need to be made.”

Francisco Pena had a two-run single in the seventh for St. Louis, which will play 17 of its next 20 games on the road.

The Braves have been in first place or tied for first in 60 of the last 62 days. They kicked off their 10-game road trip in style.

”To come out and win the first three games, that’s really nice,” Culberson said. ”But this series is done. We took care of business. Time to move on.”

Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: C Tyler Flowers returned to the starting lineup after missing Saturday’s game. He suffered a muscle cramp in the sixth inning of Friday’s 5-1 win.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Gregerson began a rehab stint with Triple-A Memphis on Sunday. He did not allow a hit over one inning. Gregerson was placed on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder impingement on May 16.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 2.68) will face RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0, 1.93) in the first of a three-game series against the Yankees in New York. Sanchez is 4-1 in six lifetime starts against the Yankees.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (4-4, 3.22) takes on Arizona LHP Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.01) in the opener of a three-game series in Arizona that kicks off a nine-game road trip. Martinez is 2-0 in three starts at Chase Field.