Kubes Wants A Big Back

by curtisdisco on Mar 28, 2009 8:10 PM CDT Comment 11 comments

Gary Kubiak has been spilling the beans to ESPN lately and this time he says he wants a big back to compliment Super Steve Slaton.

This article talks about possibilities if we go with an RB in round 2. Andre Brown, Rashad Jennings, and Shonn Greene are listed as possibilities. I personally like Greene, but would prefer to take a LB and CB in the first two rounds and go RB in round 3 or 4.

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Agreed completely

Kubiak is hung up on the Denver running style and seems to think that without two full time backs a running game isn’t succesful. Unfortunately for him most successful running games are led by a single talented back, not two good ones. Use a 3 or later pick to get a decent backup that could help support Slaton, but otherwise just let Stevie run… he has earned the FULL starting job.

by last texans fan on Mar 28, 2009 9:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Totally disagree

Hung up on the Denver running style? We’ve built our entire offense that way, we brought in Alex Gibbs, and last year we finally had a successful running game last year, and you want us to stop?

I honestly don’t think Steve can hold up for a whole season with 25+ carries. I think you’re just asking for trouble with that. The two-back trend isn’t something that I think is as necessary as the NFL has seemed to make it – but it actually fits our offense pretty well I think. Slaton can go for 25 carries in spots here and there, but there’s no way I’d go into the season putting him out there with the intention of carrying a full load every week. He’s a little small in stature and though he’s proven he can play at a high level – it would eventually catch up with his body if it was a full load every week. Why shorten his career? Why lessen his effectiveness?

I say keep him fresh… I wrote this entry recently, and I stand by it. I’d love a 20-10 or 18-12 type split, depending of course on who the other back is and how effectively he plays.

Also:

“Unfortunately for him most successful running games are led by a single talented back, not two good ones.”

2008 NFL Rushing leaders (by yardage)

1. NYG – Jacobs/Ward, sometimes Bradshaw
2. ATL – Turner
3. CAR – Williams/Stewart
4. BAL – McGahee/McClain/Rice
5. MIN – Peterson
6. NE – Different starter seemingly every week
7. TEN – Whine/Dine
8. WAS – Portis
9. NYJ – Jones
10. OAK – McFadden/Fargas/Bush

Four of the top ten rushing teams rely mostly on one back. That’s nowhere near the most in the league. Now – that’s not to say that the tandem teams could NOT do well with just one back – I’m pretty sure most of them could – but in our particular case, I think it fits our needs.

Chris - www.HoustonDiehards.com

by HoustonDiehards on Mar 28, 2009 9:45 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Rec'd

for Whine/Dine

So you're saying that now I have to think of some witty Sig that will be applicable across all the SBN sites? Go Texan Horn Stros!

by Shake on Mar 30, 2009 8:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

God, I WISH that was mine. LOL

I forget where I saw it originally, but it’s freaking brilliant.

Chris - www.HoustonDiehards.com

by HoustonDiehards on Mar 30, 2009 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not correct

You stats are convincing, but can even use a little more juice for the 2-back system:

Atlanta has jerrius norwood with turner, the vikings have chester taylor with AP, the jets have leon washington with thomas jones

so now only the Redskins with Portis are the onle 1-back team in the top 10…hmmm seems like a pattern here and the steelers would be up there too with a healthy parker, mendenhall, and moore and the super bowl loser, the cardinals, had the edge and hightower

Texans SB Champs 2009
elevenwarriors.com

by curtisdisco on Mar 31, 2009 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

seems like a good idea

especially in a draft (like this) full of prolific, big college backs. However, much recent analysis shows Greene potentially coming off the board in the 1st (not that I put much stock in that happening).

This could also just be a case of a Kubiak smoke-screen. Maybe we could move on up in the third?

by dearsiryes on Mar 30, 2009 7:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't believe what I'm reading!

Houston hasn’t had a solid back in ages, and Slaton is even better than Dominic Davis in his prime. Don’t screw with him, and don’t throw away an expensive pick on a back that will probably just reduce our yardage in the long run. Thunder and lightning is an overhyped gimic that doesn’t win championships. Denver’s running system is decrepit, it bombed in New Orleans and Tennesse, the Colts let their “thunder” leave to Arizona, and Carolina after putting up epic yards last year in the 2 back system lost in the playoffs to Arizona flying Edgerin James solo. There are other examples of failure and success, but it has no better rate of leading to championships than solo back teams.

I don’t mind drafting another back to spell some of the carries, but why spend such a costly pick when the Texans defence still needs help holding their own?

by last texans fan on Mar 30, 2009 8:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

entirely agree

That’s why I think this is a smoke-screen by Kubiak. Because this a RB filled draft and the elite tier (Moreno, Wells and Brown) will be long gone by the Texans’ pick, Houston can toss up their 2nd round pick for the highest bidder who would be looking to snag Jennings or Shonn.

I sincerely hope we can capitalize on the extra 4th we obtained in the Sage trade and be big movers in the draft. We don’t need to draft a ton of players (i.e. we don’t need an infusion of youth); we simply need the best (immediate impact) players at the most cost-effective slots.

by dearsiryes on Mar 30, 2009 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Denver running system worked in Houston last year

And in Atlanta a few years ago. It’s hardly decrepit. And the idea that Steve Slaton needs help makes sense. For one thing, he’s not great in short yardage situations. As much as people dump on Amman Green (mostly about the money, obviously, and for good reason) he was very good in short yardage situations. After he left/hurt his womanbone we were left with a pretty big gap because Slaton just wasn’t as good in those situations.

Furthermore, Slaton is undersized for an everyday back. He might have lightning in his feet now, but running backs go from great to mediocre in a hurry (see also: Alexander, Shaun) because they get overused. There is no doubt we need a bigger back who can take the short yardage load off of Stevie.

Having said all that, short of some phenomenal unforeseen developments, I don’t see any need to draft a running back until the third round at the very earliets.

When I'm on the mic, I'm like global warming, you can't ignore me.

by tehGrindCrusher on Mar 31, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shaun Alexander is the exception not the rule, and by “Denver running system” I literally meant “Denver’s Running System” like the one in Colorado.

by last texans fan on Mar 31, 2009 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry Do Not Agree

I think it is essential to have depth at RB, and a contrast in styles is not a bad thing either.

The Steelers have Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Mewelde Moore on their roster. Mendenhall was a 1st round (I think – let me know if it was 2nd round) last year. Ultimately, the Steelers lost Parker for a spell and Mendenhall for the season. I think their season turned out OK.

Having multiple backs will not screw up Slaton. It will enhance the team’s running game overall by providing needed depth. If (optimistically) the team gets 400 carries at 4.2 ypc that is almost 1700 yards. Having two (or more) backs to share that load is a good thing!

by ColoradoOwl on Mar 31, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs