Should be Starting Roster

You asked for a critique, here you go.

Kevin Walter should absolutely be the starter. He is a GREAT blocker and that’s very, very important to our current offensive scheme. Andre Davis is good for two things – returning kicks, and stretching the field on deep balls. He’s not a guy to go over the middle, and he’s not a good blocker. His greatest threat is as a #3 WR to come in and get downfield.

I don’t really understand why you’d want to change ANYTHING about the offense right now. They’re in the top 5 in the NFL if I’m not mistaken.

Antwaun Molden is nowhere NEAR ready to start. Bennett and Reeves is as good as we can get right now for starters, I think. Hopefully Dunta’s on his way to taking his starting job back… and hopefully Reeves can get better at locating the ball, because his coverage skills are there.

What’s Kevin Bentley’s starting spot based on? He’s been fantastic on special teams, and he did pretty well for DeMeco on a few plays a few games ago… and I’m not saying Greenwood is a monster, but if Bentley was the better choice to start – I think he’d be starting. I wish Adibi could get some snaps. I’d really like to see what he could bring to the table.

Bulman’s greatest asset is his insanely-high motor. He wouldn’t be able to bring that level of intensity on every single down. He’s best used as a situational pass-rusher right now, but I don’t see any reason he can keep getting better and challenge for a starting spot. Right now, I like how they use him in the rotation. I’d rather them continue to start DelJuan Robinson at the other DT as they have the last few weeks. Travis Johnson has quietly lost his starting job – though still gets significant snaps.

Earl Cochran I agree with and have said so on my own blog.

No way should Dominique Barber be starting. Based on what? Will Demps isn’t great, but in a nutshell – he’s just a more experience version of Barber… good against the run, average-at-best against the pass, and slowish.

So there ya go… my thoughts.

You made some GREAT points there. I wasn’t thinking that thought out. Thanks for critiquing me. The more the better.

I agree completely with what Chris said about the offense. We seem to have all the pieces that we need to do well. This isn’t to say that we couldn’t upgrade some of the players on that side of the ball, but all in all, they’re a pretty good bunch.

As far as defense, I agree about the Corners and the Linebackers.

On the defensive line, I agree with MDC’s argument that we need a big run-stuffer on the line next to Amobi. Right now, Okam is the only player we have that fits that bill. When he’s seen the field, he’s seemed to do as good of a job as anyone else. Assuming that it’s not an injury problem that isn’t being reported, I don’t think we lose anything by playing Okam, and we stand to gain a great fit for our D-line.

With Safeties, I’ve been an advocate of the Texans needing an actual FS, which is to say a safety with cover skills. Right now, with the exception of Eugene Wilson, and possibly Brandon Harrison, we have a bunch of SS’s. I know Wilson did not do much to help in the Miami game, but he played FS for a championship New England team, and I can’t imagine him having suddenly gotten that much worse. So, at FS, out of the players we have now, I’d like to see Eugene Wilson at FS, and Demps at his more natural position of SS.

Mine:
DE – Bulman/Cochran/Chaun (rotation)
DT – Okam
DT – Okoye
DE – Mario

Let’s stop for a moment and think about who’s getting the most snaps on the d-line aside from Mario: Zgonina and Weaver. I don’t have statistical proof of this, but it sure seems like it (anybody know where I can get play information?).

SLB – Diles – much improved.
MLB – Duh
WLB – Is anybody but Morlon an option? DHC, as he usually is, is on target about the X-Factor.

LCB – Bennett. Period. Yet another reason Smith should be fired yesterday.
SS – Brandon Harrison. There, I said it. As Steph has often pointed out, and I have no reason to disagree, our safeties are essentially interchangeable. Demps and CC and Ferguson have less range than me, and I’ve had 7 knee surgeries.
FS – Dunta. There, again I said it. Let him rehab his way back at FS, shifting him to nickle CB when necessary. He showed he wasn’t ready on Sunday. Demps is killing me.
RCB – Frenchy. I know, this is a major WTF. Look, if we can teach that scrub to look for the ball, he will be only slightly below-average. From what he looked like last year, he has improved immensely (which is scary). He should be looking over his shoulder at Molden every 15 minutes, though.

what ever happen to Jerome Mathis?