Amobi Okoye Criticism Is Getting Old

Couldn’t have said it better than anybody.

I completely agree with this post.

Ok, well not all of it, just parts. The Texans obviously needed help in the pass rush area. But, if you draft a DT with the 10th overall pick, the assumption is that he will be able to hold up against the run and be able to play more than on third and long. So, yeah you’re right, it’s only year 3, he was injured last year, supposedly, so let’s wait and see on Okoye. But he needs to be showing some sign that he will be able to penetrate or at least hold the point of attack on run plays. I haven’t really heard anyone call him a bust. Linking to Justice doesn’t count.

Amobi Okoye <—— TOO MANY VOWELS!

Lets see you defend him NOW!

I agree with your “stats” on the pro bowlers, but how many of those guys ALSO had a 60/40 Vowel to Consonant Ratio?!!?!

Now lets see you make an argument with your precious logic and alleged statistics!

that’s a mocospace emote which means thumbs up! lol

I think there are more Texans fans that are now aware of everyone’s concerns about Okoye. Because of that, I will spend more time keying into the D-line play next “Monday Night!!!” But, that is a good thing. There is another stat that I have not seen mentioned that is a KEY stat in assessing the effectiveness of a defensive player and it relates to their rush-defense abilitie and that is TFL, Tackles For a Loss. I could be wrong, but I haven’t seen it mentioned. Sacks are one way to measure their pass-defense, but in my opinion, TFL by premier tackles can be a telling stat as to how they are able to affect a game. That being said, and still tapping away on my BB, I have to claim ignorance on how Okoye weighs in on this stat. I will say, if he truly is a good “penetrating” tackle, then his TFL stat should be respecable.

Anyways, I am patiently waiting for the breakout game when Okoye and Oakam both dominate a Texans game and the headline for the follow-up story reads: “Shootout at the OK Corral!” …keep reading…I’m full of them…still waiting for the big game when Steve Slaton and fill-in-the-blank go for a combined over 200 yards and the headline reads, “Wonder and Awe Thrill the Texans Faithful!”, that’s all for now…

 Tackles Interceptions
Year Team G Total Solo Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int TDs Yds Avg Lng
2008 Houston Texans 14 24 15 9 1.0 — 2 - - - 0.0 -

2007 Houston Texans 16 32 23 9 5.5 — 0 - - - 0.0 -

TOTAL 30 56 38 18 6.5 0 2 0 0 0 — 0

Copy and paste didn’t work too well, but you can see that amobi’s tackle total went down by eight. same number of assisted tackles, solo tackles went down by eight and sack numbers went down from 5.5 in 07 to 1.0 in 08. From what i’ve heard he was injured last year and he did miss two games. I couldn’t find the TFL stat coz im too lazy but im sure somebody will cough it up later. Can’t really compare him to Mario because they play two different positions but since we’re measuring Okoye’s progress by his sack numbers it should do.

                                                                            Tackles Interceptions
Year Team G Total Solo Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int TDs Yds Avg Lng
2008 Houston Texans 16 53 44 9 12.0 — 0 - - - 0.0 -

2007 Houston Texans 16 59 43 16 14.0 0 1 - - - 0.0 -

2006 Houston Texans 16 47 35 12 4.5 — 3 - - - 0.0 -

TOTAL 48 159 122 37 30.5 0 4 0 0 0 — 0

I promise I tried to align that to the best of my ability.(not really) Mario played hurt in his rookie season and notched 4.5 sacks. Yet he played all sixteen games. Criticisms started coming from every spectrum that he was the wrong pick, he’s not gonna be a good DE blah, blah, blah. He came out firing his second season with 14 sacks and notched 12 more tackles than his rookie season. As im typing this im forgetting the point that im trying to make because people at work keep bothering me so im just gonna hammer it down now. The best thing we can do is wait. His progress isn’t going as fast as we’d hope for him to but he’ll eventually get there(or not). Give it this season and then all criticism about Okoye wont be for naught because we’ll have two horrible seasons to back those criticisms with.

oh. I remember the point im trying to make.

Stats for Pat Williams.

                                                Tackles Interceptions
Year Team G Total Solo Ast Sck SFTY PDef Int TDs Yds Avg Lng
2008 Minnesota Vikings 14 44 31 13 1.0 - 3 - - - 0.0 —

2007 Minnesota Vikings 16 62 43 19 2.0 - 3 0 0 0 0.0 -

2006 Minnesota Vikings 16 44 37 7 1.0 - 2 - - - 0.0 —

2005 Minnesota Vikings 16 66 41 25 1.5 — 1 - - - 0.0 -

The Viqueens bolstered one of the best defensive line in the NFL last season. They were very effective in stopping the run, getting to and rushing the quarterback. If you look at Pat Williams stats, they dont like that different from Okoye’s stats. Sack numbers are the same and Tackles differential is 20 but when okoye wasn’t injured he registed 32 tackles in his rookie year. What im saying is that Okoye isn’t the one we should be criticizing because of his lack of production. It’s the players that he’s surrounded with. Grant it we have mario on the right or the left end but that was about it. He had to play in between a dead corpse and a “run stopping(not really)” DT. If we find another DT that compliments Okoye’s skill set, his production should increase.

Are there any kinesiology experts or anything here? I think I read that the reason many offensive and defensive line players struggle initially in the NFL is that people typically reach their peak strength at 24 or 25 or something like that. Is that true? And could that explain Amobi’s struggles?

I am more worried about Smith producing on the D-Line than Okoye. Smith is older & makes more money. If he doesn’t produce then we wasted a lot of money on him when we could have given it to Ryans or someone else.

The Texans should just pay ME $750,000 this year and I WILL take over at DT.

Hell, I can give up 270 yards a game and not sack the qb for $750,000…which is a GREAT deal compared to Okoye.

Okoye has not yet lived up to expectations. I expect some shred of contribution in Year 3, or it’s time to start talking bust in earnest, I don’t care what his age is.

agree with everything…

Cody lined up with the first team defensive unit during Thursday’s practice, the Texans’ official site reports.

A starting job is up for grabs at one of the defensive tackle spots, and Cody is just the latest flavor after DelJuan Robinson and Frank Okam got their turns during the first two preseason games. “I think he’s pushing for a starting job,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “That’s how well he’s played. So (it’s a) big two weeks for him. We’ll see how he comes along and see what happens, but he’s doing a good job.” Cody has three tackles (one for a loss) in two games, and he worked a nice stunt with Connor Barwin, who registered Houston’s only sack last week.