Is There Hope For The Run Game?
by Jake on Oct 28, 2009 1:27 PM CDT
in News
24 comments
Over the offseason, many Texans fans felt confident about the offense. One of the reasons was the emergence of Steve Slaton last year running behind an Alex Gibbs coached line. Something has gone wrong though. The Houston Texans have the 27th ranked rushing offense in the league. That's down from 13th over the course of the 2008 season. So is it getting better and can it get fixed?
Having played 7 out of 16 games, the level of the competition must be taken into account. The Texans have played the 1st, 5th, 6th, 9th, 13th, 22nd and 30th ranked rush defenses in the NFL so far. While it might make the average Texans fan feel better to know that they've played stiff rush defenses, the fact that the Texans contributed to those opponents' success by rushing 75% below those teams' collective yards allowed average isn't comforting.
Is it getting better though? The good news is that for the last two weeks the Texans have been right at the average yards allowed against the 5th (Bengals) and 6th (49ers) ranked rush defenses, and they were both wins. The bad news is that was only good for 87 and 90 yards rushing, respectively. The yards per carry averages were two of the higher marks of the season, although no one would consider 2.9 and 3.3 very respectable.
Usually matching the average isn't cause for excitement, but consider that the remainder of the rush defenses the Texans will face average 113 yards allowed per game. If the Texans were able to gain close to that yardage on the ground for the remainder of the year, this would be an amazingly potent offense with the success that Matt Schaub is having through the air.
The litmus test for this theory will be in Buffalo on Sunday. The Bills have given up a league-worst 172 yards per game. Even Jamal Lewis, who hadn't previously gained over 100 yards on the ground since 2007, was able to run for 117 against the Bills in week 5.
I'm not suggesting that the Texans need to rush for 170 yards on Sunday to prove anything. They have a pass-oriented offense, which I'm okay with because I believe that's what you need to have in order to win today in the NFL. Even 75% of 172 is 129 yards, which would qualify as the Texans' best day rushing day in 2009.
I do think, however, that if the Texans can't run against the Bills this weekend that there is something seriously wrong that will get worse. If you can't run the football, then safeties will not be fooled on play action, something our passing attack is predicated on. If that happens, Schaub and the passing offense will come back down to Earth...quickly.
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Kubiak continues to have answers
if we are able to run the ball, it helps. If we are not able to run the ball, it doesn’t hurt, surprisingly.
Kubiak and Shanahan should be given credit for always seeming to have the answer on the offensive side of the ball.
… after week 1, that is.
Smushiak will take us to the playoffs in 2009.
by texanphil on Oct 28, 2009 1:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Chicken and the egg...
If safeties stop biting on play action, then presumably, they’ll be a step slow to support the run. Run to pass, or pass to run…doesn’t really matter to me. My guess is that with the numbers Schaub has been putting up, safeties are going to start laying off, which will open up more running lanes. It’s all game theory…but I think in the NFL it plays out week-to-week with more consistency that it does play-to play. And with 350+ yd game Schaub posts, the scale tilts a little more toward the running game.
by -Jay on Oct 28, 2009 1:52 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd
For truthiness, and your monthly appearance at BRB
by Shake on Oct 28, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rookie learning curve...
Has a little to do with it as well. We’re young at the guards. Each week seems to prove them able to learn and adapt with the help of the vets. Antione really responds well to the tips he’s picking up from Caveman, Biesel and (sophmore) Brown—who grew game by game last season. Our best running game has yet to be played, I hope.
by SBond on Oct 29, 2009 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think this week COULD be good for the running game.
But given that the weather is looking crappy, I think windy and possibly rain, it may not be the day we hope for the run.
If the wind and run take away the pass the Buffalo can shore up their run D by stuffing the box.
Weather is the single biggest factor right now in that game, in my opinion.
In other news, ever noticed that Talent ain’t always pretty?
"An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and unguarded."
The ROSENFAIL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKAKE-uq-8&feature=related
by TexansForever on Oct 28, 2009 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
But sometimes it is
And sometimes it knocks the back out of multiple supermodels.
by Shake on Oct 28, 2009 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well....he does love to go deep
But I was thinking that Brady would win the “doing supermodels in a very uncomfortable place” award.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Oct 28, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like the back of a volkswagon?
You know... for kids.
by Jake on Oct 28, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Oct 28, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So Sexy Rexy
Cause Brady would never be caught dead in a VW.
by nolander on Oct 28, 2009 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Obviously, you have not seen Mallrats.
And its 3 fortune-telling nipples of glory.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Oct 29, 2009 12:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mallrats
My vote for Kevin Smith’s best.
And possibly the only movie in which Ben Affleck did a good job.
When I'm on the mic, I'm like global warming, you can't ignore me.
by tehGrindCrusher on Oct 29, 2009 4:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Although I also give Affleck credit for a job well done in Dazed & Confused. But that’s it. Just those 2. Where he sort of plays a similar character. With no range. At all. And short sentences.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Oct 29, 2009 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Walt Flanigan's dog
is a better actor than Affleck.
You are banned from Music City Miracles.
Happy Now Tits?
You are banned from Blogging The Boys.
by CFHTim on Oct 29, 2009 8:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No Way
Clerk II is by far and away a better movie than Mallrats. Although I do appreciate it for its own special comedy, Shannon Doherty and the Star Wars jokes.
Also, I have a puppy named Pillow Pants.
by distant_texans_fan on Oct 29, 2009 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sorry Jesus!!!
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Oct 29, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Last year...
Steve Slaton was a nobody. Ahman Green was an old man with little left in the tank. Opposing teams were more concerned with our passing game. I don’t believe that teams took us seriously on the ground until the latter part of the season.
Now, with a year of the Zone Blocking Runs under our belt, we should be good at it….right?
But teams have had a whole off season to look at Slatons’ running game and find ways to defend it. So I’m not overly surprised that he has had more trouble.
Also, from memory, Slaton wasn’t busting 10 yard runs all day last year. His averages look great because he had the ability to bust one or two runs for 30 or 40 yards a game.
I might have to do some study on this.
by distant_texans_fan on Oct 28, 2009 2:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Rushing averages are always deceiving
Even the greatest running backs do not gain 4.5+ yards every time they touch the ball. They mix in a few long runs every game and voila, a 5+ yard average. Salton’s late 30+ yard carry is a prime example of this. He should have stayed in bounds on that play but as it turns out, it did not hurt us because the Texans would have had to run one more play to get to the 2 minute warning, and that’s what in fact transpired.
The most extreme example of the long runs skewing the average (that I can think of) is Barry Sanders. His style of running was to try to break every play for the big gain. Typical results would be little to no yards gained, resulting in many negative yardage carries. Then he would produce one of those highlight reel plays that we all remember him for. Badda bing, badda boom, a career 5 yd average (I was just guessing at that, looked it up and his career average is 5.0)
If it is gusty on Sunday, and the safeties crowd the line, we may have trouble consistently running the ball even though Buffalo is last in run D. If the weather is halfway decent though, we should put the Bills down, like we did Cincy and should have done vs. SF. Either way a win here is a must. A loss would undo all of the good mojo built up over the last 4 games.
5-3 here we come. GO TEXANS!!!!!
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Oct 28, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I seem to remember...
how last season SS had several carries in which he would plow into the line, there was a train-wreck style bunchup, then the O-line started grabbing hold of the kid and pulling him along for extra yards, including at least one TD as I recall.
by SBond on Oct 29, 2009 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
there is some fundamental fault in the blocking this year. Repeatedly Slaton is getting hit in the backfield by defensive linemen. This shouldnt be happening. Slaton depends on hitting a hole quickly, then using his speed and agility to make people miss. If you dont give him that hole in the beginning, he just cant be successful. Im not sure what changed since last year, but even changing out 2 of the starters on the line, the results have been the same, they are either missing their man entirely, or simply getting pushed out of the way. Our linemen dont have the size to switch to a power blocking scheme, and Slaton doesnt have the size for it either. Gibbs is going to have to find out whats wrong and fix it, because we have to keep defenses honest on the run game so our play action can continue to work. This Buffalo game is going to be one telling story about the future of the running game.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
by DaGoaT on Oct 29, 2009 7:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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