One Idiot's Guess--Starters On Offense
by Tim
on May 5, 2008 9:55 PM CDT
With the draft in the books and the first mini-camp of the off-season ready to kick off on Friday, I figured it's as good a time as any to put my very early guess down onto virtual paper as to who's going to be starting when your Houston Texans kick off the regular season in Pittsburgh in approximately four (4) months. With the always-present caveat that injuries could change the equation, here's my prediction as to who'll be starting on the offensive side of the ball when the dust clears and the starters take the field in Week One:
QB: Matt Schaub
RB: Chris Brown (I still foresee Ahman Green falling victim to the reality of the NFL salary cap and more importantly, an overcrowded backfield)
FB: Vonta Leach
WR: Andre Johnson
WR: Kevin Walter
TE: Owen Daniels
LT: Ephraim Salaam (for all our excitement over the prospect of Duane Brown laying claim to LT, it would take a major miracle for it to happen by Week One and, in my opinion, a minor miracle for him to be starting at any point in 2008)
LG: Chester Pitts (though I think that Pitts' status as an automatic starter on the OL is in greater jeopardy than at any other time since the franchise's inception)
C: Chris Myers (on a related note, it's been awfully quiet on the Bring-Back-Steve-McKinney front, hasn't it?)
RG: Mike Brisiel (Fred Weary's return notwithstanding, I'm not sold on the idea of Weary transitioning to a pure zone blocking scheme better than Brisiel will)
RT: Eric Winston
Not a ton of changes from last year, but I don't think many of us expected big changes from what was a reasonably effective offense (despite being ravaged by injuries) throughout much of 2007. What say you? Am I way off on any of these positional predictions?
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Like WR Last Year
OL may very well go from perceived weakness to a strength in one year. Although I agree with your likely lineup, if a couple of younger guys emerge, Salaam could end up being the odd man out. Given that Salaam is a valuable veteran with proven ability, you might be faced with a situation where you keep a guy like Frye instead because he is younger and may have more upside.
by kozanack on May 5, 2008 11:22 PM CDT 0 recs
Re: Salaam
I think the best case scenario is that he goes back to doing what we brought him in for – swing tackle. He’s very very valuable in that sense. If Brown’s play is to where Salaam can be relegated to a rotational substitute, then it’s a win win for everyone. Me included.
by SOLIS on
May 6, 2008 3:11 AM CDT
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Re: Salaam
Totally agreed, Solis…the ideal scenario is for Brown to step up so Salaam is allowed to do what he was originally signed to do: Back up both tackle spots. From everything I’ve read, D. Brown is raw enough that we should not expect him to be ready for a starting role until late 2008 or 2009, so I think the likely scenario is for Salaam to start one more year while gradually incorporating Brown into the rotation throughout the season.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on
May 6, 2008 8:46 AM CDT
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OL Depth a plus
I expect heated competition at both guard spots as well as the Salaam/Brown battle at the all important LT position. I give the nod to Brown, but it is nice to have Big E available if Brown needs some time to learn the intricacies of and adjust to the speed/power of the pro game. Even if Spencer is not quite ready to push Pitts at LG, Studdard will give him a reason to dig deep, and I think Kasey may be the better player. If Weary is not 100%, and even if he is, Brisiel may be the better ZBS guard as you have pointed out. We have yet to make it through a season without some nicks on the OL, but this year’s squad is shaping up as the deepest ever. Studdard, Spencer, Frye, Butler et al give us the combination of youth and depth that every good team needs.
We are set and deep at WR. The RB battle should be interesting. Not enough room for everyone. I expect Slayton to excel as a 3rd round specialist.
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades (not original but hopefully dead on balls accurate…......Ok that was not original either but you get the idea).
GO Texans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on
May 10, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
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I'm clueless on the O-line
I really thought Brisiel did a great job last year, so I agree with you there that he’ll wind up at RG. But outside of that, Winston is the only guarantee on the line. Hopefully Chris Myers lays claim to center. I think Studdard or Butler will give Pitts a run for his job though. And left tackle will be interesting as well; how quickly can we get the kid ready to play?
Anyways, I was bored a few days ago so I posted my full roster projection:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/mcc/messages/chrono/8090791
K-Dubs was big-time last year, but I think he winds up playing slot receiver. It’s not like we have another good tight-end to run two-TE sets anyways, so he’ll still be on the field a lot. Andre Davis is just too good of a deep threat to not be on the field every down.
And maybe this is a hope rather than a real prediction, but I’ve got Ahman Green getting the axe (ax or axe? Twenty years on this planet and I haven’t figured it out yet) too. It just seems silly to me to carry two injury prone RBs on the roster. I don’t want to see Jameel Cook get ten carries in a game ever again. And I really think that Chris Taylor has a good chance to win the #1 RB spot out of camp if he doesn’t have any lingering injuries.
by Nashmeister on May 6, 2008 12:45 AM CDT 0 recs
Re: Clueless
Nash, we’re of the same mind; after Winston (and I think Myers), picking the starting OL is sort of a crap shoot. I would love to see Studdard push Pitts at LG, but in my mind it’s still Pitts’ job to lose (and after last season, I think it’s totally possible he loses it).
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on
May 6, 2008 8:50 AM CDT
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Interesting
You see K-Dub as the WR2 instead of Davis – I can’t help but think that Davis is going to slide in that slot, with the new contract and all. K-Dub has always been very Ricky Proehl-like in my mind – which is to say the boy can catch when it counts – like third down. Now that Davis has had a full year under his belt to learn the playbook, I think he’s gonna land the WR2 spot. I think.
by SOLIS on May 6, 2008 3:19 AM CDT 0 recs
Re: K-Dub
Yup, I’m sticking with K-Dub as WR2. First and foremost, I think his production last year showed he’s capable of doing the job. Secondly, I think he’s more of a classic possession receiver than Apostrophe (who’s more of a sideline deep threat, in my book) is.
I do, however, hope that we see considerably more 3 WR sets in 2008 to allow the Andres to stretch the field while K-Dub and OD work the middle/under.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on
May 6, 2008 8:53 AM CDT
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What really scares me.
If I were the defensive coordinator, and I saw the Texans come out with Andre Johnson, Andre Davis, Jerome Mathis, UDFA Grice Mullin, and Steve Slaton, I’ld call time out, especially if it were 2’nd and 1 or 3’rd and 1. I’ld just put the 6 fastest DB’s on the roster on the field tell them do the best you can and then I’ld go change my shorts. If the offensive line can hold for 3 seconds, that’s 5 players that can take it to the house all on the field at the same time. Now, like an old Oilers fan, I wonder if there’s room on the team for all those guys.
I think the Texans are trying to create as many match up problems for the other teams defense as they can, as they will have the personel on hand to run Chris Taylor behind Vonta Leech with 2 blocking tight ends, or go spread. They also look to be acquiring the personel to change formations without running players on and off the field. Now that I think about it a little bit, it’s looks sorta like they’re thinking about that defensively too.
Texans don't just love football, when a son is born in the state of Texas, before he gets home from the hospital, there's a footbal waiting in his crib.
Football in Texas, not just a state of mind but a whole religion.
by Tomriffic on
May 7, 2008 7:38 PM CDT
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Speed Kills
That kind of speed (with the exception of Mathis, who’s now a Redskin) would definitely present problems for any DC. Having been subjected to the horrors of the Chris Palmer and Joe Pendry offensive philosophies, I’m positively giddy at the thought of the plethora of options the Texans appear to have now.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on
May 7, 2008 8:26 PM CDT
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Couldn't agree more
nm
So you're saying that now I have to think of some witty Sig that will be applicable across all the SBN sites? Go TexanHornStros!
by Shake on
May 7, 2008 10:36 PM CDT
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Tight end
With those three reciever sets, does that mean less oppurtunity for Owen D or Vonta? I think that Owen drops too many passes anyway so it wouldn’t bother me. Vonta is a nice blocker but has no abilty to help in other areas. I gotta think we need a boost in one of those two areas.
by txnpwrlifter on May 6, 2008 9:43 AM CDT 0 recs
Re: TE
I would think Vonta would be the odd man out in that scenario. I also think that Vonta’s playing time will hinge a great deal on how the OL gels. In other words, do Kubes and Gibbs believe that Schaub is sufficiently protected by the OL and the occasional help from RB and/or TE so as to allow them to sit a FB? Or do they need that extra blocker/safety valve in there for Schaub?
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on
May 6, 2008 9:56 AM CDT
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Jacoby
I know he disappointed slightly last season but I think by the end of the year he could be our #2 or at worse #3. I love Apostrophe but Jacoby has more upside in my very humble opinion. I am still a card carrying member of the Jacoby fan club and I see him as the most likely candidate to make “the leap” in season 2 on offense (amobi being the most likely candidate on D).
by clutchcity on May 6, 2008 1:08 PM CDT 0 recs
o starters
I would like to see Spencer at one of the guards, and Brown be able to start at LT. I also would like to see Davis in an expanded role at WR. Having a solid running game that garners respect w/twin threats outside should open up the offense and prevent defenses from cheating on us. Add the speed threat Slayton can be and the possibilities are endless. We really ought to be able to keep defenses off balance and dictate the flow of the game.
meaningful football games in '08
by do on May 6, 2008 1:49 PM CDT 0 recs
WR2
I’m going to agree with Nash (or was it SOLIS…damn my being too lazy to scroll back up) and say that K-Dub works out of the slot most of the year. That’s the model that has worked for the Colts in recent years All-world WR1 (with a bullet!), speed-burner WR2 on the other side to stretch the field, and a possession guy (usually white) in the slot. Not that we have that kind of octane, but if the line holds, we aren’t far off in that regard.
On the flipside, putting K-Dub at WR2 means that Apostrophe isn’t being put to his highest best use in the offense.
Yay, sports.
by MDC on May 7, 2008 9:24 AM CDT 0 recs
Simon
We both said the same thing. The way I see it, last year Davis was geared to play in place of AJ. Given that he’s scored a nice contract, I see him being retooled to play with AJ. But like Nash, I do see K-Dub on the field a whole bunch.
Imagine -2nd and 2. AJ and Davis go long on a post/corner route, K-Dub and OD run a crossing route over the middle, and Slaton runs a wheel route out of the back field – Talk about picking your poison.
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by SOLIS on
May 7, 2008 10:34 AM CDT
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