How (I Think) Kubiak Plans on Stopping the Run and Rushing the Passer
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 26, 2010 1:57 PM CDT
in News
204 comments
It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.-Sun Tzu
If you've been following this little corner of the Texans blogosphere at all the last few days, you've no doubt heard the gnashing of teeth by many of us about Smithiak's seeming lack of interest in drafting that mammoth, space/time eating defensive tackle (that I've taken to calling Galacticus) to take the spot next to Amobi on the defensive line. Pivoting off of BFD's post, I'm going to give my theories about how our defensive front is going to adapt to this cruel, assmass-free existence.
Let's break it down like this. Bill Kollar's philosophy, now firmly planted in our defensive personnel system, is to use lighter, quicker down linemen to get upfield and get to the quarterback. As pointed out by Scott Jake, Kollar's lines have a tendency to be better at rushing the passer than they are at stopping the run. The reason is simple physics: assmass + weightspeed = O-linemen getting KTFO. Put in layman's terms, the quicker player may get past his man with regularity, but it's hard to push a pile back when that pile consists of three people and weighs approximately half a ton. Let's put that into perspective. You know what else weighs half a ton?
One of these:
It would be kinda hard to push my little friend around, dontcha think?
The Texans had to have known this when they hired Kollar. If we here at BRB figured it out, then I have to assume that Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith got it pretty quickly. I believe that they assumed that Kollar would light a fire under Amobi, Mario would be his normal supernatural self, and the newly arrived Antonio Smith would come in with the result being that they would be a better pass-rushing team but the run defense might suffer. Well, they were kind of right and kind of wrong. They were a better pass-rushing team, but that's only because they were horrible at it under Richard Smith. But they turned out to be better at stopping the run than most believed.
The reason for this improvement in run defense comes not so much from improved d-line play (although the defense certainly got better simply because Anthony Weaver and Travis Johnson weren't there) but because of better play from the linebacking corps and defensive backs. According to ProFootballFocus, Ryans, Pollard and Cushing were all among the league leaders at their position in stops (defined by PFF as "the cumulative number of solo tackles made which constitute an offensive failure") with G-Lover Quinn pretty close. So even though our defensive line wasn't great against the run (with the exception of Mario Williams) our linebackers and defensive backs were, for the most part, very good against the run.
And there's the rub. I believe that Kubiak's defensive philosophy basically accepts that Kollar's line won't be great against the run and puts that responsibility on the linebackers and the defensive backs. Kubes is betting that Kollar's system is going to produce a better pass rush this year while the guys behind the linemen will have to work extra hard in run support.
When you look at it this way, the defensive draft strategy makes sense. We pick up a cornerback who can play press and is good against the run. We pick up the prototypical Kollar defensive tackle. We pick up a linebacker who could push the weakest of our starters.
It's not how I or a great many people at BRB would do it, but I'll give Kubes (and Bush) credit for creating a system and drafting accordingly. I suspect that it is possible to have success with this system, but it's going to take shrewd tactics on the part of the coaching staff to make sure that the Texans compensate for their weaknesses on the defensive line.
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Very, very nice
And that’s where you have to give credit where it’s due: they drafted a player that fits the system in Mitchell. Hopefully, we’re past the days where we expect a Chris Brown to be a short yardage back as it clearly doesn’t fit his skill set. So you draft for the system.
Where I find fault…well, in two ways.
First, do you expect Mitchell to play the classic NT position? If not, we have two huge problems on our hands. You’re taking away snaps from Okoye, and you’re still trotting out a wad of shit at NT.
The other problem I have is the basic, underlying strategy.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
by bigfatdrunk on Apr 26, 2010 2:25 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
The strategy that
you D-line stops the pass while the Linebackers and Secondary stop the run?
That sounds like Bush’s defense at its finest!
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I like the
Sun Tzu quote. I’m just not sure the Texans are following it. From game play it appears we are handled fairly well by the o-line from all divisional opponents, JAX, Indy and the BESF’s. Both the Titans and Jags are more physical upfront than we are. Instead of finding and exploiting a weakness of the divisional teams we almost seem to play right into it, hence a 1-5 record in the division last year despite having the best record in Franchise History!!! If we plan to ever win or even compete in our division we have to dominate it, which we have shown over the years that we can’t. We had the perfect opportunity to bolster this line in the draft and we didn’t. I really like the pick up of Smith last year and we all love Williams but the fact is that teams can double on both of them which leaves Okoye, and either Zgonnia or Cody. If you have someone in the interior that can take on double teams then you free someone, anyone up to make more plays. We have two dominant players on the outside but have zero help on the inside. Both Smith and Williams can be taken out of most plays based on the blocking schemes of the oline. All they have to do is double up on either Smith or Williams and take the other one out based on which direction they run the play.
BFD – I disagree. Mitchell will be playing opposite Okoye. Zgonnia and Cody will rotate in and out.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
I hope you're right
The only other serious option is DelJuan.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
Sadly
There’s a real argument he’s our second best DT.
No offense to Bobo...
but he’s wrong already. Jeff Zgonina, our best DT according to BFF, has not been resigned. There’s no indication that he will.
"Lord, beer me strength."
I know he hasn't signed yet but...
with an unproven reach in the third round this year and only Cody and Okoye on the inside, if they don’t make any other moves by bringing someone else in, I bet they sign him for another year right before the season starts.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
Everything I read...
says they won’t bring him back unless they’re thin due to injuries. Kinda like Salaam last season.
"Lord, beer me strength."
Please don't ever say Zgonina will play again...
I can’t bear the thought.
As to the idea of the “dline built for pass rush” I think that’s valid, since teams are passing more and more this year.
Sadly, we play in a division where you either have to build to beat the Colts or the BESF’s… you cannot build to do both. It appears they’re building to the Colts, and hoping we’ll have enough offense to outscore MoJo Drew and Chris Johnson. I’m still not sure we’ve filled ALL the holes, but I think we’re certainly at the point where there aren’t any more holes on our team than any other team we play, or they’re not as gaping as they were when a certain #23 was starting for us.
Bacon tastes good... Pork chops taste good.
I hate Kollar because his line doesn't fit the defensive philosophy as a whole
He essentially has DTs that fit a Tampa/Indy-2 defense.
However, everything else fits a 4-3 under with a cover-2 shell. Big fast DEs that are balance in run v. pass, LBs that do everything, and physical DBs who can cover and tackle.
The small DTs don’t make sense without a fatty next to him.
"Lord, beer me strength."
by TexansDC on Apr 26, 2010 3:02 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
This goes back to the discussion of what kind of defense are we trying to be
are we trying to be a Tampa Cover 2 or a Jim Johnson 4-3 under? Because Johnson utilized a combo of lighter DTs, great DEs, bigger LBs, and a tackling secondary. However, his defense was held together by a strong NT plugging the middle even though it was usually a lighter player. Does it surprise anyone else how good blitzing defenses utilize a strong NT while we sucked at blitzing last season?
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions
That's thing...
Our defense is a hybrid.
You want all small, quick players? Go to Indy.
You want a true 4-3 under? Go to Minnesota.
You want a bastardized version of both? Go to Houston and see that you can’t cross-breed.
"Lord, beer me strength."
But why?
why model after a “bend but not break” defense? The name by itself implies that it’s good enough but will never be great. Outside of Tampa, was there a Tampa 2 defense that did well? I am really wondering this so if someone knows, please inform me. But if we are trying for a Tampa 2, then we need to find a Warren Sapp because that defense dipped down in production once he left. So to compare, what are some 4-3 under teams that consistently rank as one of the top defenses? We know Minnesota. Anyone else know some others?
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions
because it's hard to get all the players to run the kind of defenses fans dream about
What most fans want is a D with two lock-down corners, a ball-hawk free safety, a bone-crushing strong safety, elite pass rushing defensive ends, stout DT’s who push the pile back every snap, and LB’s who can rush the passer as well they drop into coverage all while laying the wood on the RB’s. If you can just find the players to fit two of those criteria you are doing good.
I would love to be able to put both our CB’s on an island and blitz every play, but we just don’t have the personnel for it. It’s not like teams haven’t won playing zone…and it’s not like that’s all we ever play either.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
I am not sure what you are getting at about the blitzing every play
but I am not against zone. The Eagles defense runs a zone blitz scheme from the 4-3 and do well consistently. I would actually argue that it is more difficult to emulate a working Tampa 2 defense than a working 4-3 under. Can you name a top 5 Tampa 2 defense in the last ten years? Can you argue that it would be harder to find a Pat Williams versus a Warren Sapp?
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
The blitz thing was just a general statement
Because that’s the average sports radio call in guest’ solution to everything.
Zone Blitz-we ran plenty of zone blitzes last year, and people (not necessarily you or anyone here) bitched because it had lineman dropping in coverage. Zone blitz’s are effective because it makes it hard for the QB to know where the pressure will come from, and it’s hard to tell where the coverage holes will be. I know some of Bush’s we’re poorly designed and executed, but if we’re going to zone blitz then we have to be ready to see the d-lineman in coverage otherwise it becomes predictable.
I don’t know which one is simpler to emulate. The Tampa 2 is often lauded for its simplicity, and one of the reasons the colts went with it is because it allowed them to use less heralded (read expensive) corners. Since so many teams want speedy guys on defense now any advantage in going after undersized fast players may have been lost.
Chicago used the Tampa 2 once Lovie Smith got there. I’m sure they have had multiple top 10 rankings since he’s been there. He was also defensive coordinator when the Rams went to the Super bowl in 2001, though I doubt they were top ten. Indianapolis also uses it as their base. Again, maybe not a consistently dominant defense in Indy, but they have had their share of success.
I think it is very hard to find an elite player at any position, but guys like Pat Williams and Sapp don’t come along very often. They are both among the best at what they do. I would guess there are more undersized DT’s running around….but that doesn’t mean they are effective.
I’m not advocating one scheme or the other. I believe they are plenty of ways to skin a cat, and sometime the kneejerk reaction is to view a Zone as “soft” (again just a general statement). To me there is no one “right” way to play defense. I love watching a 46 defense, but it’s not the only way to win. The key is having a clear view of what you want on defense while being flexible enough to tailor your scheme to the players available. Bush might take another year or two to really flesh out exactly what he wants, and that is a legitimate complaint. Like everybody else I’m not exactly sure what he’s trying to do. I think the fact that we showed improvement over the season last year is a good sign though.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
I think the 2001 Rams actually had a pretty good D.
Just a hunch though.
Indy.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Pretty much every "system" is a cross breed in some way
Not all mutations are beneficial, but just the fact that we appear to be cross-breeding two different systems isn’t intrinsically flawed. Our offense is basically a Bill Walsh’s west coast offense, cross bred with zone blocking schemes and Shanahan and Kubiaks other little tweaks.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
That's where I think we're getting it wrong....
We’re crossbred, but are we out of Frank Bush’s vision or Bill Kollar’s insistance? What is the overall arching defensive philosophy from our defensive coordinator?
And of course, bfd’s favorite: How does Frank Bush utilize and unify these defensive talents? Is he calling the right kinds of plays to maximize the talent?
"Lord, beer me strength."
They tried Frank Okam at NT last year..
it didn’t work out, so they improvised. So, I would say it’s work in progress.
In training camp? Or in 2008?
Because it sure as hell didn’t happen last year during the season.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions
He played the first 2 games in 2009
against Jets and Titans.. and a third one in the first half of the season too
He played 37 snaps.
Thats less than Tim Jamison.
In other words, hardly a sample worth pointing to as “we tried him”.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions
We barely even
Had him active on game day as i recall.
I think that is the key
Bush seems to be feeling his way through, and still seems to be searching for his defensive philosophy basic principles so to speak. That was the risk with a rookie DC. I think improvement over the course of the season last year was a good sign though. Hopefully he figures this out sooner rather than later….as in before training camp starts.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
I mean, you're right
Kubiak’s offense is Zone-blocking scheme + West Coast passing game, but the kinds are worked out there. There’s a philosophy: Run to set up the pass. The play-action pass is the unifier.
What’s the defense’s counter-part to that?
"Lord, beer me strength."
I've thought we we're bulit like a tamp 2 all along?
I don’t see why you don’t think the rest of the defense fits a tampa 2?
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Because a Tampa 2 defense
has undersized players throughout the entire defense (See: Indianapolis). They’re small so you can power run all over them, but their speed creates pass rush and forces turnovers/passes defensed (bend, don’t break).
Outside of our DTs, we’re not really undersized or “speedy.” The defense more matches the 4-3 under personality (see: Minnesota’s cover-2 shell with a strong front 7).
"Lord, beer me strength."
The big difference is coverage
our LBs aren’t that great in coverage (see: Ryans and Cushing trying to cover Clark and Vernon Davis) and it’s huge in Tampa 2 to have LBs who can cover.
"Lord, beer me strength."
Fair enough
I’ve always thought that forcing Demeco to take a deep drop in the middle would take him away from his strengths. My thinking is that when Barwin is on the field every lineman is undersized, but quick for his position….except for Mario and he’s just a freak.
We like physical corners who can help in the run support which is also Tampa 2ish.
Our LB’s aren’t a perfect fit, but I think everywhere else personnel wise is a decent match for Tampa 2.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Watching college videos of DeMeco...
His strength really is rushing the passer as opposed to dropping in coverage. Definitely wish Bush would bring him on a blitz more as opposed to letting him get shredded by a TE.
"Lord, beer me strength."
Minnesota is the same way
corners who can tackle and blitz. Plus, I should point out that many of these big NTs are two down players and are usually taken out on passing situations much like we did last year when we brought in Barwin. So that part of defenses is not unique to a Tampa 2
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions
The other problem, p-bear
Is that Frank Bush thinks we’re running a 4-3 under.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
His play call does resemble that...
with the dependence on a front-4 that is applying pressure…
Which means the problem is Bill Kollar.
"Lord, beer me strength."
I know that
I just think that some of our personnel also meshes with a Tampa 2 scheme.
I would actually like to see Bush actually run the 4-3 under more…because my understanding going into last year was that would mean that Cush was on the line were he could bump the TE’s off the line. I saw him keep OD in check during one of the training camp practices doing this. Once the season rolled around….he was off the line and trying to cover TE’s without getting a jam first….and it didn’t always go well.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
The first Indy game
He bumped Clark on the first play of the game, and never again. Literally never. It was an utter fail of coaching.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
by bigfatdrunk on Apr 26, 2010 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
He thinks he's still running a Richard Smith 4-3 Under
But he’s really running a cross between Tampa 2/4-3 Under
Tampa 2 designates a particular zone coverage, whereas the 4-3 under is a defensive allignment… It’s possible to play tampa 2 out of a 4-3 under. We don’t do that though, we run a more traditional cover 2 when we play zone.
The likeness between the Texans defense and Tampa styled defenses are in principles such as the attacking 1 gap front 7, physical corners who are willing hitters, and a heavy reliance on some form of a cover 2.
Alot of the reason it looks Tampa-styled could be that Kiffen was a pioneer of both the 4-3 under allignment and the Tampa2, it’s only natural to see similarities between the two as he’s stayed pretty consistent in his core defensive principles in every scheme he’s run.
Oh, and welcome back.
That’s probably the most love im going to show you in this blog.
So don’t get used to it, k?
It's beat the Colts or bust,
because Kubiak has made it abundantly clear that his defense is being built to stop (slow down?) Indy. They don’t run a power game so why design your defense to stop that? Four down linemen who can penetrate and possibly disrupt Peyton is as good a plan as any. The AFC South title is through them as long as 18 is there. He ain’t going away any time soon.
The bonus is it may also help in containing the run-threat of David Garrard and Vince Young. Lord knows we’ve seen Garrard run for too many first downs against us. Radio, too.
In fairness, I can't think of many CBs who can cover Vernon Davis
And I can’t think of many LBs who have shut down Dallas Clark!
Give Antonio Smith some credit,
he played well against the run last year.
A statement to the players of the Jazz and Mavericks: Please stop flopping all over the court.
He played well in all aspects.
Of course, so did Eugene Wilson, but no one ever acknowledges that.
Bacon tastes good... Pork chops taste good.
by beefy on Apr 26, 2010 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I will
It’s his health that’s the question.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
agreed
Very happy with Wilson. Over the last four years he has played in 4, 11, 12, and 8 games. He’s approaching 30. Not over the hill yet, but he’s probably only a few years, or major injury away, from diminished skills.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Sharper would be a massive upgrade though.
Sharper (career averages): 93 tackles, 6 INTs, 1 FF, 10 PDs, 1 TD
Wilson: 50 Tackles, 2 INTs, 5 PDs, 0.2 FF and TD
Wilson may be nice, but Sharper outperforms him and stays on the field (never played less than 13 games a season). Sharper also is a huge studier and has a wealth of knowledge on routes and QB tendencies (ESPN did a great piece on this last season). If he’s anchoring our very young DBs…then I’d feel much better about our secondary.
"Lord, beer me strength."
Don't be stupid
Prudent and cheap are entirely different things.
Rudimentary creatures of flesh and blood, you touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding.
Speaking of health questions
And I know this is a bit off topic, but is there any indication Molden will ever be a good CB in this league? 3rd round pick. Still young. If you had a good player in him, that would start to make our secondary look pretty intriguing… The only reason I ask is because I hardly know anything about the guy and dont know where else to post this question.
by Da babyfacedassassin Meco on Apr 26, 2010 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions
There were some tweets sent about this over the weekend
There are some smart people – Diehard Chris, Rivers – who believe that Molden would be a good CB. I’m among them. He just needs to stay healthy.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
I also share this opinion.
For the love of Durga, take BBS’s ankle instead of Molden’s!
"Lord, beer me strength."
Fixed
For the love of Durga, take BBS’sanklebrain instead of Molden’s!
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
What's there to take?
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
His ability to speak or type
For every time BBS is on the Interwebz, Durga chokes a puppy.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
he has shown flashes
his problem is the same as Eugenes, he cant stay healthy o save his life
if he actually stay on the field then he may actually be able to contribute
His health is a question.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t give him credit for what he’s done while he was healthy.
We gave up less 30yd passing plays with him in the FS slot.
Do we really want a big rookie NT at this point?
Last year we had a defense that did a pretty good job defending the run following the strategy nicely summarized by tGC here. The strategy worked primarily because we had Demeco, Cushing, the bonecrusher and Quin. In other words, because we had talent outside of the defensive line to pull it off.
At this stage, I see the Mitchell pick as a low-risk option at fixing our pash rush. We don’t know if it will work, but in the worst case it will stay the same as last year. He is not responsible for anchoring the line.
Picking a big body NT is a bigger risk. Our team is closer to making it to post-season than ever before. Do you really want a rookie NT anchoring the line, completely knowing that even if he takes 2-3 games (I have no idea regarding learning curves for NTs, so anyone with more knowledge is welcome to comment on this) to adjust to the NFL, it could break the season? Smithiak and Koller did try Frank Okam in the first 2 games last year before he was effectively benched for the season. Even Kubiak at that time made a comment regarding moving to quicker tackles, without explicitly saying that the Frank Okam experiment failed. Being big is just part of the job description, not the end of it. While I was upset about us picking KJ over Dan Williams, the more I think about it the more I find that all the players that we have drafted fit a general strategy. And that I would prefer we acquire a starting big veteran NT before we go on to draft one.
It may not be the ideal strategy, but it’s one which plays to the strength of our current players without taking huge risks. Get the front four to apply pressure so the LBs and DBs have to cover for the least possible amount of time, and have the LBs and DBs be responsible for containing the run. Most importantly, it is something that worked for us when the Frank Okam experiment failed miserably.
Kollar joined the team this off-season so he had nothing to do with last season
I don’t think you can compare fifth round Frank Okam and say that it failed miserably. Also, I don’t see how you can say that Mitchell in the third would be low risk but taking a big NT in the third would be a bigger risk. They both would do one thing just like they did last year with Barwin. I would like to point out that because of the better talent, the defense played better. But the defense was not great at anything.
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Sorry
I was wrong about the Kollar comment. It slipped my mind that it is 2010.
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions
Do you want a rookie cornerback anchoring the secondary?
This really just comes down to Williams vs. Jackson.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions
I'd love John Henderson anchoring the defensive line.
What were we talking about again?
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions
We drafted for depth instead of filling holes?
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't even think it's that
I believe the Texans were going BPA in the last four rounds. I have no problem with that concept.
I do have a problem with continuing to pretend that safety and nose tackle don’t exist. When we were a mediocre team trying to win 5 games, fine, let the young guys play. But I just know we’re not going to go after Henderson or Sharper even though they could really help us, and seeing as how there is no cap and Mr. McNair seems to be doing quite well for himself, I can only assume it’s pure schematic stubbornness by the staff.
Safety, they’ve at least managed to find some short-term cheap fixes at. Defensive Tackle is almost impossible to do the same with. Thus why Jeff Zgonina is still employed.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 5:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Rivers, that is a good deduction
While Henderson and Sharper would fill the holes in the defense, it really does seem like they do not value those positions because there is no way they can think that injury prone Wilson and Zombine Zgonina are better than what is available out there. And it’s not like those two guys have huge contracts so we are stuck with them either.
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 26, 2010 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions
One day
At Andre Johnson’s hall of fame ceremony, they are going to question him on why his teams were so bad for so long, and he is going to shake his head, smile, and say something cliche like “we had to learn how to win”.
But really, Jeff Zgonina will pop up in his head.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 26, 2010 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
I feel so bad
For Andre, can you imagine what he could have accomplished without wasting years with David Carr?
He would shatter every single record by Jerry Rice.
Yes, depending on he ages….he very well can challenge them, but if we had a better QB from day one…..he shatters them. Easily. And this is coming from someone who thinks Jerry Rice is the best player in NFL history (in my own personal opinion).
"Lord, beer me strength."
Well you said anchoring the secondary
But yes, Henderson and Sharper.
Those 2 moves would send people here over the moon.
"Lord, beer me strength."
And make me drink less
For about 15 seconds.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
i've decided i'm not drinking anymore
…but I’m not drinking any less
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 26, 2010 7:36 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
we have much more youth/inexperience/shittyness/unproven players in the secondary
then we do on the DLine. It was a no-brainer taking a top level corner in the 1st. So the argument for Williams is moot because he would’ve been gone by our 2nd.
Does anyone have a list of DTs who were still on the board when we took Mitchell? That would put the pick in perspective a bit more.
by leacheatsbabies on Apr 26, 2010 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I think Bernard Pollard anchors our secondary
To all Houston sports fans, Houston is the 4th biggest city in America, there will be traffic on the way to your respective sports game. Come Early, Be Loud, Stay Late.
by TexasHoosier on Apr 26, 2010 11:42 PM CDT up reply actions
just let running backs run through the line ...
so Bonecrusher can nail them!
He’s always open. He catches a lot of balls. He’s un-guardable, no matter how old he is
I don't subscribe to the
“the coaches must figure out a way to compensate for their weaknesses on the Dline” point. Look, we drafted Mitchell in the 3rd round. They didn’t get him to “add depth” or “push amobi”, they’re expecting the kid to become a starter, most likely next to amobi and not in place of him.
We all believe that there are weaknesses in the Dline because we don’t have Pat Williams or any likeness of him on the roster. Kubes and Co. obviously don’t see it that way. They see Okoye and Mitchell motoring through the gaps while Mario, Smith and Barwin bring big pressure off the edges. They like Shaun Cody, Deljuan Robinson and Fat frank Okam as depth. They’re not in the lab concocting crazy pressure schemes to “compensate” for a weakness. They’re gonna line these guys up and tell them to go get the QB and they think it’s going to work.
We at BRB may not see it this way..but hey…..we’ve been wrong before..
by leacheatsbabies on Apr 26, 2010 4:53 PM CDT reply actions
I don't know...
in my head I’ve had better drafts and the Texans I’ve built have already been to the playoffs. My imaginary team would beat the crap out of the Texans. My big ass o-line destroys their game plan of “telling them to go get to the QB”. Myers does not exist on my team and I have already added Henderson to try and motivate Dan Williams my first round pick.
It’s like having all the ingredients in hand to make the best beer in the world. You have 2 out of the 4 best ingredients and have access to obtaining others to make it the best beer in the world. Better than any other beer and you could dominate all other beer companies and you settle for throwing in two other ingredients because you start worrying about the can, the label, the picture, where to bottle it. You get distracted and you don’t finsih what you started and in the end you could have had the best of all ingredients and the best beer in the world and you wind up with something of the equivalent of coors light.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
well of course..if you, or me or
anyone else on here was GM..the Texans would be a perennial Super Bowl contender.
..right?
by leacheatsbabies on Apr 26, 2010 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Duh
On my PS3, I’ve led the Texans to eight straight Super Bowl victories.
/grunge_dave
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
Does it piss you off
That schaub is like an 83 in the game and Romo is like an 87? I know it really ticks me off….
by Da babyfacedassassin Meco on Apr 26, 2010 10:30 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
What I'm waiting for is the
piss poor ranking of SS and the other runnign backs on the Texans in Madden 2011. I sure hope they give Tate a better rating than they did NCAA 2010. But the passer ratings should be much better in the next game.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
The Texans always get the Shaft
in Madden games… I think when Madden 10 came out our overall rank was 74…. below average compared to the rest of the rankings… plus Tony Homo gets overrated every time too.
"Your mother is a hamster and your father smells of elderberries! Now Go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"
Go Texans!
I'm glad Smithiak is not building this team for Madden standards
We could have an Al Davis GM who drafts fast players at every position making the team great in Madden because the Madden creators do not know how to proportion the importance of speed to the rest of the stats.
I bet we will be the lowest ranking 9-7 team in the game.
On a side note, does anyone know when the NFL license will be up with Madden so ESPN or others can start making football games again?
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 27, 2010 9:41 PM CDT up reply actions
I say covert a random TE to DT
He’s always open. He catches a lot of balls. He’s un-guardable, no matter how old he is
That's what Mitchell was in college.
Casey would be a perfect TE to DT conversion.
Pre-snap, he can talk to the other team’s o-linemen about Immanuel Kant’s Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals and On a Supposed Right to Lie because of Philanthropic Concerns. While they’re wondering what the fuck Casey’s talking about, Casey leaps over the center to sack the opposing QB for a ten yard loss.
by Jordann on Apr 26, 2010 10:50 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Whatever
I’m convinced we simply don’t want ragdoll being embarassed in practice. Bad for his self-esteem.
I agree and I disagree with this Post
BTW, is that a Z branded on the ass of that buffalo?
I suppose if all of the stars, moons and planets align it could be possible, but what are the chances of that?
As much as we want a gigantic space/planet eating NT to start opposite Okoye.
We’re not going to get it. Why? Bill freaking Kollar.
By now, we are familiar with Kollar’s D-Line philosophy: The smaller and quicker the DT is, the better.
Although your write up makes perfect sense tGC, I have to disagree with this. I dont think Bush planned for all of this to happen. Im under the impression that Bush doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing and he’s just going with the flow.
When Frank Bush was hired, we had a discussion in this here blog about the 4-3 under defense. There was even a post written by Riott titled: A Very Brief Introduction To The 4-3 Under Defense And Why It’s A Good Fit For The Texans
I always refer to this write up when I have questions about our defense. It helps me understand our defense more and clears up a lot of things that the Texans do on the field.
After not drafting Dan Williams when he was available and after the Mitchell pick, I started reading this write up once again to fully understand why we drafted another undersized DT. Then I came across this gem:
Your weak side DT needs to be a premier pass rusher. Being positioned on the backside 3-gap with a DE right outside him makes it very difficult for the offense to double team him. A center-guard double team would require the guard to cross his face and leave the 1 technique in open space, while a guard-tackle double team would leave Mario Williams free. Both unfavorable. We happen to have Amobi Okoye manning the 3 technique spot in our D. A speedy pass rusher, Amobi’s talents were completely wasted in a read-and-react defense. In this scheme, Amobi will not only be allowed, but be required, to beat the backside guard one-on-one to rush the passer and break up the run plays. Another great fit.
The 1 technique is vital to the success of this defense. We happen to not have any fully qualified 1 technique DT. In this scheme, the strong side DT needs to be very big and powerful, able to withstand constant double teams, as he is essentially occupying the center and strong side guard to keep the others free. Heard of anyone like that on the Texans’ roster? Me neither. I think the coaching solution is to throw as many fresh bodies at that spot as possible. A 3 or 4 play rotation of TJ, Deljuan, and Okam might be the best solution, since we do not have a premier talent to occupy that space. It will be interesting to see how it is dealt with this season, but as of now is the primary weakness in our front 7.
If this is the defensive philosophy that Frank Bush subscribes too, why do we keep trotting a 310 lb DT that can barely hold the point of attack and occupy two blockers? It’s because of Bill Kollar. He’s obviously throwing off the defense that Frank Bush is trying to run.
I know. TLDR
What im trying to say is we have a DC that runs a 4-3 under and a D-Line coach that believes smaller DT’s are the wave of the future. In other words, we’re fucked.
If we can’t find the identity of our defense because the defensive coaches have different defensive philosphies(sp?), it doesn’t matter if we talented players like Mario, DeMeco, Cushing and Pollard. We’re not going to succeed because we can’t stick to just one thing.
Im officially starting (well, re-starting) the Fire Frank Bush Bandwagon. But im also throwing Bill Kollar and every single defensive coach in that fire.
by Jordann on Apr 26, 2010 11:48 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs
Thank you.
I’m calling shotgun on that bandwagon.
I don’t want to fire Frank Bush because he’s a bad defensive coordinator. I want to fire him because he’s weak. He should know his own philosophy (a clear-cut philosophy) and find assistants that subscribe to his theories and then players who meet it. I don’t know why Bill Kollar is employed by the Houston Texans.
The 4-3 under is a great defense. And all we are from utilizing it correctly is a freaking 1 technique.
"Lord, beer me strength."
by TexansDC on Apr 26, 2010 11:56 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I dont consider Frank Bush a shit coordinator yet.
His defense definitely made a surprising recover as the season progressed. But I think he’s heading in that direction if he can’t get the right personnel to run his supposed defense.
Kollar is as bad as Jethro Franklin.
/shrugs
I didn't say bad, I said weak
Cause he really should overrule Kollar on ruining the defense. It’s a very simple, “No offense Bill, but small DTs suck in my defense. I won’t lose my job because of you.”
"Lord, beer me strength."
Oh I agree,
I wasn’t disagreeing with you about Bush being weak. Because that’s definitely what it looks like.
This definitely reflects on Kubiak.
The fact is
Bush may be in complete agreement with Kollar about the 1 technique spot. In other words it’s not that he’s weak…it’s that he’s a tard.
I’m not exactly down for waiting on Bush to learn on the job, but the defense did show improvement last year. Hopefully he’s got things under a little bit better control this year and we start to see his grand plan emerge.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
I say fire Kollar & bring in a D-Line Coach willing to bring in a true NT
Then if Bush can’t work with that, then fire him next
I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but you appear to be unarmed.
by The Night Owl on Apr 27, 2010 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions
That's assuming that Kollar and Bush aren't on the same page as far as NT goes
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
We can always hire a Sumo trainer to help Mitchell pack on about 30-40 Lbs
I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but you appear to be unarmed.
by The Night Owl on Apr 27, 2010 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions
That's not a bad idea
At Mitchell’s speed (4.8 right?), if he gained enough weight that his speed is somewhere around 5.0, that is still good for a DT. However, I think that is their plan with Okoye…
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 27, 2010 9:43 PM CDT up reply actions
I hope so too
I think everyone wants Okoye to do well. However, it is odd that they made him gain weight last season. Oh well.
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 27, 2010 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions
His weight has always changed from season to season...
He was 290 his rookie season….and now he’ll be back there for next season. Hopefully, it makes a difference for him.
"Lord, beer me strength."
On Bush
You can’t blame Bush for supposedly being weak for not “overruling” Kollar. All decisions like that are on Kubiak, not Bush. It’s not like Kubiak is going to defer to Bush to defer to Kollar on personel and scheme issues. Kubiak is the only one that does the deferring.
I have no problems with Bush after how the defense played after the first 3-4 weeks last season. And if we go and get John Henderson, maybe people can settle down a bit.
by SpecialKCL66 on Apr 27, 2010 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions
That would depend
on how involved Kubiak is in his defense. Now, yes, he’s the head coach and should be involved in every facet of his team. However, his background isn’t in defense. So, does he micromanage, set the philosophy, and choose the scheme? Or does he pick a defensive coordinator and let him at it?
Some coaches do the former, some the latter, and the answer would help solve the issue. (For anyone who has a clue on this…)
"Lord, beer me strength."
Maybe so
But he’s already picked one dud defensive coordinator in Smith and Bush is not looking good right now either. He gets blame.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 27, 2010 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions
What I do like about Kubiak
is that he gives his hires (as well as players) a fair chance to show what they can do. But doesn’t hesitate to get rid of them if he believes they are not up to it.
Richard Smith hung around way too long.
He should have been fired at least a year before he was.
I wouldn't go this far
Smith got too long.
Nick Ferguson hung around too long.
Kevin Walter is getting a lot of respect and leeway despite Jacoby’s presence.
Studdard.
At the same time
Hill didn’t get much of a chance.
Caldwell was better than the other two post-injury guards this year and split snaps.
Etc.
I don’t think he’s necessarily BAD at it. But I wouldn’t call him great either.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 28, 2010 1:49 AM CDT up reply actions
Kevin Walter gets a lot of respect despite Jacoby's presence
because he is still a far better WR than Jacoby. Jacoby might have better wheels, but Walter is a better route runner and has better/more reliable hands.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
2008 called
They want their scouting report back.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 28, 2010 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions
Remember
That amazing catch Jacoby made over the defender against the Titans. Remember how they ran the exact same route the play before when he was wide open but dropped it? Or the one that went right threw Jacoby’s hand and was returned for a TD against the Pats?
I don’t think Jacoby is the guy Schaub is looking too when he needs someone to run a perfect route and find the hole in the zone for a first.
Remeber how Jacoby is still getting sat down for games because he missed/meetings flights? Hell, there was even rumblings that if he didn’t get out of the doghouse in camp last year he might get cut. I’m not saying he hasn’t improved, or that I’m not excited to see it, just that he hasn’t shown himself to be the solid well rounded WR that Walter is yet. I would love for him to prove that on the field this year because he is much more dangerous than Walter.
I fully expect Jacoby to become a bigger part of the offense, and am looking forward to it. The fact is if the front office had more confidence in Jacoby or less confidence in Walter then Walter doesn’t get that new deal.
After Walter went down they started asking him to do a lot of the things that Owen Daniels would normally have done…including some blocking. I know Walter’s numbers were down last year, but he’s still the clear #2 in the pecking order.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Walter and Jacoby have incredibly different skill sets, yes.
As far as your concerns on dropped passes, and I know this is weighed down by Schaub locking in on him, easier in slot, etc.:
Andre Johnson catch rate, 2009: 59%
Jacoby Jones catch rate, 2009: 68%
Routes: Jacoby has become markedly better at running a route.
The off-field stuff, I grant you, is a concern.
Basically, all I’m saying is: Jacoby’s skillset is more valuable than Walter’s. And it doesn’t matter that Walter is a possession guy, because you don’t need to match possession guys with speed guys to make a good offensive formation. I love Walter, and I’m willing to give him a pass for last year, but he needs to be lower than Jacoby, and this contract tells me he won’t be.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 28, 2010 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions
For me, Jacoby needs to prove that he can continue to improve
I kind of laugh that you are ready to make Jacoby the #2 when you want Pollard to prove that he can do what he did last year before locking him up long term. Yeah, it’s not a perfect comparison since you are just saying put your best talent on the field whereas Pollard having the best season of his career could be a fluke. I see Walter as the insurance policy, already a good #2 but does not have any upside at this point. Yeah, they may be throwing away money by signing Walter to that long contract, but hey, they did the same thing for Wade Smith.
by theaxeeffect4311 on Apr 28, 2010 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed...
Let’s keep in mind that Jacoby’s best season was last year, and he only had 27 catches for 432 yards (and 6 TDs which is really the big number).
As talented as Jakespeare is, he’s got to go out and outperform Walter to become the #2. That means he needs to put it all together, on and off the field.
"Lord, beer me strength."
I agree that Jones has a more dangerous skill set
I disagree that Jacoby’s skill set is more dangerous. He has one skill set that is significantly more dangerous than Walter’s. Speed kills, but it is only one trait out of many that makes up a WR…and I believe Walter ran in the 4.4’s at the combine. I’m sure he’s lost a step, but it’s not like he’s incapable of making plays down the field.
I have been giving Jacoby props on his routes after watching him at one of the open practices last year. The #2 vs. #3 debate is kind of pointless because they are both going to get plenty of opportunities. The fact is Walter probably going to see more snaps until Jacoby can prove that he can consistently do all the little things. I really don’t doubt that he’ll continue to improve and have been a huge fan since he was drafted.
I don’t really question his hands because of the drops. I question his focus. That’s something that would occasionally bite AJ early in his career too.
Every time I hear people (in general) talk about how Jacoby should be ahead of Walter I can’t help but think they have a little Al Davis in them.
I don’t really think this proves a damn thing, but you brought it up.
Kevin Walter catch rate 2009: 76%
Jacoby Jones catch rate 2009: 68%
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
"I don’t really think this proves a damn thing, but you brought it up."
2009 Catches Yards AVG TD’s
Walter 53 611 11.5 2
Jones 27 437 16.2 6
Not sure I would have offered KW $21.5MM after that season. He is a good receiver and I’m not saying he isn’t, I just think Jones potential is way higher than KW’s and I would rather have him out ther than KW.
We act like we forget about how reliable AJ is. AJ can be just as reliable as KW acting as a possesion receiver so why not put your two most dangerous guys out on the field at once.
We have great TE’s (all 10 of them) our RB’s can catch the ball and run well after the catch and DA provides stability at WR just as well. I think we have plenty of other guys that can carry KW’s load and at a lesser cost. I believe anyone of our other WR could match KW in any aspect you have discussed. Ok, so you question his focus, I can see why you might at times but he will grow as a player and will understand what they expect. He’s not a problem player by any means. He doesn’t have off the field problems and when he’s in the game playing he appears to be as focused as anyone out there. And when he gets the ball I personally believe that he thinks he can take it to the house everytime which is one thing I love about him and the best part about that is I believe it too. But then again maybe that’s just the Al Davis in me :)
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
The way I understand it
Walter’s contract is easy to dump. It’s only 8 million guaranteed. Only 8 mill is relative of course. It was thought it would take at least the 11 and 25 that Nate Burleson got to keep him. With his contract if Walter becomes expendable cutting him won’t be that hard.
Remember that Walter had hamstring issues most of last year. In 08 he averaged 15+ypc. Last year he was also asked to take on blocks usually reserved for a TE quite a bit last year.
I love Jacoby, but I don’t think Walter gets enough credit from the the fans and everyone is a little too anxious to get rid of good productive player. In our offense you need 3-4 WR who can take care of business. I think we’re lucky to have one of the all time greats surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
#2 vs. #3 is going to be huge though.
Because the Texans are an I-Form team first and they rarely run it out of 3 wide sets when they have healthy tight ends.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 30, 2010 5:40 AM CDT up reply actions
I believe KW gets the respect
because he is more reliable, and a better blocker. I fully expect JJ to be our #2 WR this year. Not having to return punts should keep him fresh as well.
Better blocker.
That’s a big part of why they like him so much.
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 28, 2010 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions
So then why do
you resign a guy to a long term contract and give him $8MM guaranteed and worth a possible $21.5MM if he’s going to be your #3 WR.
I do agree with you and expect JJ to be our #2 which is why I was surprised at what they ended up giving KW.
Sorry for questioning the FO again.
//Hangs head in shame
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
I don't expect JJ to be the #2
He’s got to prove he’s reliable. He’s got to put in the work. Even still….I’d expect him to be in the slot because that’s where he’s the biggest mismatch.
"Lord, beer me strength."
I didn't think about him in the slot position.
Interesting. I would have thought if they moved anyone they would move KW to the slot and put JJ lined up across the #2 CB. And like others have said with holliday returning kicks and punts it might give them more time to focus on turning JJ into an every down threat at WR – which I honestly think he could be.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
Well just because he's getting more time to focus on WR...
doesn’t mean a bump in position.
When it comes to practice, how much time has Jacoby had to spend on returning kicks/punts? Now, he can really focus on offense. Focus on route running, catching, reading the defense. He’s not distracted, presumably as much, with returning.
KW is the #2 guy. He’s got the contract, he’s a good possession WR, and his blocking makes him valuable in a pro-set/2 WR set.
Jacoby in the slot is dangerous. He’s got starter-capabilities, but he’d destroy a nickel back. Jacoby’s big, fast, and more talented than any nickel back in the league. He’s a big-time X-factor in the slot….more so than putting him at the 2 and putting Walter at the slot. (Although I do imagine they’ll be moving their WRs around a lot….hoping to catch CB mismatches for all their WRs).
"Lord, beer me strength."
WR#2 or WR #3 doesn't matters when it comes to who lines up in the slot
AJ lines up in the slot sometime. Lining up in the slot is more about what match up Kubiak is trying to create than who the #3 WR is.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
All I'm going to say is
When our second best wide receiver plays 35% of the snaps again because he’s “not a good blocker” as if Walter’s blocking is so legendarily good, this is going to be a problem for me.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 28, 2010 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions
If Walter's blocking keeps Jacoby off the field
Then shame on Jacoby. It’s not like he doesn’t have the size to do it at least as well as Walter. Blocking for a WR is more about “want to” and having the focus to do it right every time.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
The problem with this reasoning is
Walter’s blocking isn’t really making up the difference between having someone on the field who can run a 30 yard out away from the safety help on Andre Johnson and someone who can’t.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Apr 30, 2010 5:33 AM CDT up reply actions
Not sure
but we’ve been paying Andre Davis to warm the bench and return kicks ocassionally
Assmass alone does not a NT make.
relatively speaking
Walter’s contract wasn’t that big. Most of the money is non-guaranteed. If/when Jacoby pushes him down the depth chart then they can cut him relatively pain free. He got a reward for the last few years…and if he can hold off the young guns he’ll make a little more. I thought Walter’s contract was very fair.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Disagree.
$8MM guaranteed with as much as $21.5MM seems high to me for an average WR. Heck, the Jets got Holmes for less than that and I would rather have him. I think the money could have been spent elsewhere and on a bigger need. There were plenty of players available in the draft at the WR position and I think he could be replaced especially with all the other receivers already on our roster. I would almost argue that Martinez would be just as good of a possesion receiver as KW. Dickerson should be able to challenge him as well.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
Homes is still on his rookie deal
as far as I can tell. The Jets re-worked his contract to shift money away from salary to things like roster bonus so that he wouldn’t have to pay in much in fines for his suspension. I’m sure the Ginger hammer loves that.
Burleson got 11 mill guaranteed with 25 million total. Over the last three years they have been fairly close. Nate was probably better last year, but was hurt the year before when Walter had his best year. We got a great deal. Although Nate is a deep threat.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
I'm not necessarily a fan of Frank Bush's
But I do believe that he has shown an ability to learn from his mistakes, albeit at a glacial pace. I also think that drafting Jackson is one of the clearest indicators yet that we’re going to see about as much zone as we did last year.
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 1:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Learn?
What exactly, how to draft all-pro LBs, sign Bernard Pollard, cover Chris Johnson when he lines up at wide, and not play Busing? I could have done that last year, or in my absence, a developmentally disabled sea lion named Sven.
Fact of the matter is I always felt like our defense succeeded despite the man’s “aggressive” scheme and because our players were simply better last year. Same reason our O-Line got worse last year. Crappier players, same scheme. Presto magic! Can you imagine if we’d hired a decent DC instead, if we had a decent DC and not Kubiak’s BFF/homer hire? Hiring Frank Bush is like hiring the winner of the apprentice as hosted by Richard Smith. It hurts me to think about it, and it’s too early to drink. But I might have to since you referenced the carpet zone.
I know you’re not a fan, I just think I might be an enemy.
by JimboTexan on Apr 27, 2010 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying
But unlike the clinically insane Richard Smith, Bush did change a few things here and there. He blitzed a little more creatively. He showed signs of occasionally game-planning for the other team.
Again, I’m not saying he was Dick LeBeau or anything. I’m just saying that he was slightly less retarded than Richard Smith. But only slightly. He totally benefited from having more talent (especially Brain Crushing and Bernard Pollard) out there.
BTW I love this line:
Hiring Frank Bush is like hiring the winner of the apprentice as hosted by Richard Smith.
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions
One day
We may even have a DC with average intelligence. I dare to dream.
Our O-Line got worse last year because the starters got hurt.
The year before would be hard to measure up to again – all 5 starters started all 16 games.
Yup.
And SS had 1200+ yards and we finished 8-8.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
re: Kareem
I thought he was better suited for press and man coverage???
Bacon tastes good... Pork chops taste good.
Can't say I'm an expert
But my understanding was that he’s also comfortable in the type of zone that Bush (unfortunately) likes to run, and that was part of why we drafted him.
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 2:44 PM CDT up reply actions
We supposedly like for our corners to jam WR at the line
Much like lining up in a 4-3 under set and letting the SAM jam the TE though, we rarely do it and instead have our corners playing off at the snap.
My understanding of Jackson was that he was capable in man, but more effective in a Zone.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Rec'd
Damn.
In summary,
What im trying to say is we have a DC that runs a 4-3 under and a D-Line coach that believes smaller DT’s are the wave of the future. In other words, we’re fucked.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
That's great
Im listening to Battle Red Radio right now and this is exactly what they’re talking about.
Shouldve listened to the podcast before taking my time to type this lol
word on chron is that
we jus signed ANOTHER TE, hes 30 yrs old, and a rookie S from purdue
another TE.. this is plain stupid.. i said we coulda got some TE’s after the draft but no they drafted TE in the 4th when we coulda got Myron Rolle
this is really stupid
Tight end Michael Gaines, 30
Safety Torri Williams (6-2, 208) is an undrafted rookie from Purdue
Gaines is old news.
They signed him on Friday/Saturday. It’s why so many were puzzled by drafting Graham.
Although, judging by Gaines’ contract, he’s probably just a camp body.
"Lord, beer me strength."
o well i havent been readin all the blogs
this is wat pisses me off wit the FO, its stupid as hell
waste a dam 4th on TE when we coulda had a good yung S
then still sign a TE ‘camp body’
cant stress enuf how stupid this TE bizness is
Not trolling.
As I told Kerns a couple of days back, Im gonna wait and see what Smithiak plans to do with all the TE’s before bitching about it.
Remember last off-season when we drafted 2 TE’s consecutively? We were all like “More TE’s? What the fuck?!” but in the middle of the season, we actually ended up needing those TE’s and signing another one of the FA because all of our TE’s were injured.
Raise your hand if you've seen our players' medical evaluations....
/exactly Jordannnnn’s point
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
by Shake on Apr 27, 2010 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Darkness
Imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 4:17 AM CDT up reply actions
Fuck you
you know that’s going to be stuck in my head all day now….I might as well go home.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Oh yeah, blame Shake
You don’t want to be there, anyway.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
True
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Solution
Just bring your Xbox to work.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
That's funny stuff,
I thought the exact same thing this morning. I got the new Splinter Cell and haven’t even played it yet. I figured work would be the best place to try and get some gaming in.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
Sorry, but thanks for trying
“Fuck you
you know that’s going to be stuck in my head all day now….I might as well go home.”
Those are in fact not the next lines in the song. But your effort is always appreciated.
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
**weep**
Mommy and Daddy are fighting again.
A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
by bigfatdrunk on Apr 27, 2010 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions
I got the next lines for you
Rudimentary creatures of flesh and blood, you touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding.
by nolander on Apr 27, 2010 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
WTF is James Hetfield wearing????
I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but you appear to be unarmed.
by The Night Owl on Apr 27, 2010 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions
That is fucking hilarious
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Is that Hammett in the background?
He looks like a totem pole or something.
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Cigar Store Indian
that’s what you were going for
If the Treasury Secretary doesn't have to pay taxes, then why do I?
Maybe
its also a supply/demand type of thing. Lots of teams are running 3-4s these days, which really, really need a galactoid NT to work. So there is a lot of demand for those types, and consequently less demand for the penetrating UT types. So its cheaper to get them, avoid the mammoth DTs, and make up for it with LBs and SSs. At least maybe.
Those penetrating UT guys end up
being LB/DE in a 3-4 because they are too small to hold the line or rush from the interior – they have to rush from the outside to try and utilize speed and quickness to beat their guy because they can’t do it straight up. So why would that make them anymore able to hold the line in a 4-3 or rush from the interior – it doesn’t (see the Texans). If you draft a guy as a penetrating UT and he gets no penetration you have no interior dline pash rush.
Confucius say "man who enter door sideways going to Bangkok".
Mark Schlereth...
…just said the Texans need to look at Brian Westbrook. He’s just pulling stuff out of his ass right? Please tell me there is no merit to that.
The only way I could see them looking for another RB is if they are worried about Slaton's health
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Exactly what we need
An aging, Slaton like running back whose career could be over with one more serious hit.
"Lord, beer me strength."
I'd rather see more Jerimiah Johnson than sign Westbrook
Three years ago, I would have loved to see Westbrook in a Texans uniform, but not now
I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but you appear to be unarmed.
by The Night Owl on Apr 27, 2010 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
One problem I have with it
Is it just seems too easy to counter when we rely soley on our linebackers to stop the run. When you go against teams with a good pass attack, they can just spread you out in your nickel package and occupy your linebacker with a tight end or something and just run draw plays up the gut all day because your line sucks at stopping anyone.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
By The Way, TGC
Best caption I’ve ever seen on a photo. Kudos.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on Apr 27, 2010 1:23 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Thanks!
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 27, 2010 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed =) excellent caption
and a very good article to go with it ;-).
by BattleRedFan on Apr 27, 2010 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks to you too!
I'll eliminate you like I eliminate gluten from my diet.
by tehGrindCrusher on Apr 28, 2010 7:38 AM CDT up reply actions
doesn't it look like kubes
just sharted and is wondering if his wife packed extra boxers? sorry just had that thought pop in my head.
"Your mother is a hamster and your father smells of elderberries! Now Go away or I shall taunt you a second time!"
Go Texans!
he looks like that a lot
…at least he’s not a mouth breather like Capers.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
Earl Mitchell
Love the pick. He’s pretty comparable to Lamarr Houston only with a stouter base and less experience at the position. We need all the guys we can get to get after Peyton.
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