Battle Red Blog: FanPosts

AFC South Eternal Thread #304: Wherefore Art Thou, My Fanposts Section?

2013-05-17T11:52:00Z

Hello, NFL fans!

A concept we'll be continuing ad infinitum is the 24-hour open thread for fans of all football, located in the FanPosts section of Battle Red Blog (a special thanks to Tim for allowing such nonsense for the low, low price of 2 Coors Lights). A place where football fans can get together and chat about a variety of topics ranging from football to foot fetishes. Just think of it as your favorite bar/hang-out spot where you can get to know your fellow NFL fans on a more relaxed and personal basis. The point of this thread will be to bring us, the fans of the NFL, together for some friendly conversation and camaraderie. These threads started out as a place for AFC South fans to gather, but it has grown to include fans from various NFL teams with Seahawks, Saints,Patriots, Dolphins, 49ers, Eagles, Jets and Packers fans in residence. Don't ask how that works, just be happy it does.

UPDATE:

We've also been honored to inspire other teams and divisions to form their own 24-hour open threads. We welcome them all as part of our growing network of sister-threads, so stop by and check them out. Just be sure to be respectful of their differing rules and traditions. In short, don't be abrasive until they get to know you a little better.

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

APC Open Threads at Acme Packing Company: Real friendly folks who welcome everyone. Headed up by OBrienSchofieldismyHero, a crazy Pack/Pats-loving writer of science fiction and lame jokes. Aaron Rodgers"belt dance" required for admission.

NFC East Eternal Threads (bEAST) at Bleeding Green Nation: They've been around for a while now, but sometimes their threads are a bit more spur of the moment and usually filled with pics and gifs of bouncing boobs. It's a place mostly for NFC East fans and guys with a lot of testosterone, but they'll take anyone with the guts to walk in the door.

Official Community Thread at Niners Nation: They've got topics ranging football to Justin Bieber. Right now, it's mostly 49er fans, but you can help change that! Just watch your language as they have a "no cursing" policy.NOW DEFUNCT

CSC Lagniappe Perpetually Open Thread (POT) at Canal Street Chronicles: If you enjoy discussing time of possession, horror movies, desperate women, no cursing and how Roger Goodell is Satan this is your place! Saints fans o' plenty and a few others mixed in as well. Give 'em a hand getting their brand new threads going and stop by for some conversation about Drew Brees' hairline running a 50-yard fade route. NOW DEFUNCT

Daytime Random Live Thread/Cool Kids Club (CKC) at The Phinsider: This is a daytime/nighttime kind of thing. The daytime thread is a little more PG and has a new thread every day. The nighttime thread is more clandestine and only occurs at random intervals and at random locations after hours and disappears by morning. Kind of like the interweb Fight Club for nerdy Dolphins fans. You just keep your fingers crossed and hope you get lucky. CKC was The First, the progenitor, like the Dracula or Blimpies of all off-topic, open threads everywhere (Google it). Bow down and show your respect.

GGN's Thread About Nothing at Gang Green Nation: This is a mostly all Jets fan thread started by rexthejet, but they are super-friendly and will accept pretty much anyone with a pulse. They enjoy talking about Tebow, Tebow and Tebow. So, if you are looking for some Seinfeld gifs and the highest concentration of single Jewish guys on the interwebz stop by and give them a shout.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE
Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.
This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.
No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.
If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.
Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.
Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!
There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.
If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.
Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Myself (peytonsurdaddy) and TexansDC from BRB will be hosting the threads. As time goes on we'd like to add a representative from both the Titans and Jaguars fans as well. You may lobby for the position by ~~killing a pedestrian at random~~ being a Titans or Jags fan and just showing up for more than 5 minutes and basically having nothing better to do with your life.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

you suck everything, sometimes jamkel says the creepiest shit, pud is a dazzling turd, holy shit lick, krm is a tag whore, cass hates black thanksgivings, colts homer died like he lived trolling like a boss, the horror, really bad pokemon references, listen you fucking douche, don’t call cass a casshole, evansville is teh bestest, is the u.s. open over yet, pud puts the lotion on your goat’s skin, squatters gonna squat, tdm’s boss, if this were my sig rip jersey would have had a fucking aneurysm by now, bam bam has a nice juice box, chris rucker deathrapes puppies, colts homer’s mom puts out something fierce, the lynx has killer cheeks, so many ninjas so little time, look at them there boobies, blackout shake is blacked out, josh groban sucks donkey balls, ptb loves the cocaine she loves the cocaine, gizz says fuck the swedes, marrebou says fuck the danes, we all say fuck the dutch, trollolololol, 504 killed jimmy hoffa, there are now two jags fans in the world let’s hope they don’t reproduce, red-headed pandas give jordann bamboo, ♫in the navy♫, any funny joke cass makes is actually dr.m, i have nothing to contribute, the tale of princess james and the weeping raptor, jamkel wants a ginger asspuppet, lynx doesn’t want jon because of his micropenis, marked is a punophile, needs less cowbell, emh has shit bigger comments than this, dick-joke madlibs, obsh is an android, fuck a hipster get a free pbr, it’s not funny anymore, now the tits we really suck, i went to the dark side and all i got was this shitty helmet, we’ll miss teh vodka collins, harry potter can swallow my lightsaber, don’t call etid matty, call etid matty, alex morgan is a ladyboy, hell hath no fury like a spazmo trolled, bam bam a word in there somewhere, my name is autra earl and i live in a trailer and steal wifi from my neighbors, we know who grandma is, ch is high as a kite, ayo shit fuck cass, emh the hookerologist, banks is forever 11, jamkel wants a blonde shitty qb, there will be consequences, no exceptions, 43 seconds is all spaz needs, by the time you finish reading this shake will have killed the thread, oh no we suck again, addition by subtraction, god fuckign damn you, suckoffluck, matty has a hard-on for sparkly vampires, jordann is screwing your girlfriend and giving asians a bad name, pork chop ho’, bitches love smiley face beads, i hope no one minds but i have no intention of facing this sober, pud likes to eat the peach, revenge of the fallen be sippin’ on that hiwskey, i’m so fucking pissed off by that fucking repost, i was michael jackson for at least a decade, semen tits, chequered past, shut your filthy whore mouth, cass fucks horses, bill polian is teh unemployed devil, i am tailgate andy and i have come to ruin your jokes, logic and other rational shit goes out the window when you enter the basement, the hatchet-faced gutterslut rides again, peyton’s locker is full of sweet salty brady-tears, gotdamn obama, barry is grandma, tdm has perfect boobs sometimes, candlebox wants cass’ body, isn is a filthy bronie, guess who is back, tailgate andy did, shake is a real pos now, marked got smoked at fantasy football

Hello, NFL fans!

UPDATE:

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE
Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.
This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.
No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.
If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.
Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.
Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!
There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.
If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.
Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

Monday Night Footbal September 9

2013-05-16T22:22:23Z

I'm a Southern California Texans fan and I'll be repping Battle Red at Qualcomm for the September 9 beat down of the Chargers. Who else is going and would you want to go in on some group tickets? This will be my first time seeing the Bulls on Parade in person so I want to be with a bunch of fellow Texans fans. Single game tickets go on sale to the public on Monday. Comment below if you are interested or message me.

AFC South Eternal Thread #303: Now With 30% Less Herpes!

2013-05-03T00:55:32Z

Hello, NFL fans!

UPDATE:

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE

Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.

This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.

No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.

If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.

Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.

Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!

There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.

If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.

Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

Hello, NFL fans!

UPDATE:

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE
Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.
This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.
No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.
If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.
Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.
Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!
There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.
If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.
Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

Alec Lemon UDFA Syracuse

2013-04-29T05:04:12Z

I would be lying to you if I said I knew anything about Lemon pre-draft. But after he signed with the Texans as a UDFA I did a little studying, and I am really hopeful that he finds a spot on this team.

Some raw stats

4.59 40 yard, 32" vert, 7 reps, 6'1", and 202 lbs.

Nothing very impressive here. However everything you read about this guy is good. In High School set state records and also volunteered at school through a mentor-ship program. In college he produced better each year. Culminating to a 1000 yard senior season, with 73 receptions, and 7 touchdowns.

He is by no means flashy but seems to me to very much like another Kevin Walter. Everything says he works hard, has good character, and runs his routes extremely well. I think he could be a great locker room guy, and on the field I believe he could be a solid possession guy.

Some raw stats

4.59 40 yard, 32" vert, 7 reps, 6'1", and 202 lbs.

Poll

Where does Lemon end up?

Special Teams

5 votes

Practice Squad

28 votes

4th WR

3 votes

3rd WR

3 votes

Out of the League by end of year

10 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

Supposition for the WR position

2013-04-25T17:36:06Z

This scenario keeps popping into my head.

This draft is relatively deep in difference makers that no one tends to focus on. OL, pass rushers, and interior DL make teams great and therefore have potential to put the borderline teams into the spotlight.

Therefore... (I use one example among multiple possibilities) The 49ers trade Mario Manningham and a 6th round pick for the Texans 27th and 3rd rounder. At this spot they can fill a multitude of holes and the Texans get a solid WR.

Other teams that come to mind are Miami, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay.

This scenario keeps popping into my head.

Other teams that come to mind are Miami, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay.

How Important is an Elite Defense?

2013-04-22T19:56:08Z

So I was listening to the radio this morning and they were discussing whether or not the "defense wins championships" saying still applies in an NFL that through rule changes from years past seems to heavily favor offense and scoring points. After deciding to do a little research I found a decent article at freakonomics.com which attempts to answer that exact question, but that article uses all past Superbowls as well as games from the last couple decades. Also that article is over a year old, so lets take a look at specifically the 2012 regular season totals and where teams ended up in the playoffs.

For starters heres a list of the top 10 defenses ranked by points allowed per game (according to espn.com) and how they fared in the post season.

Rank	TEAM	YDS	YDS/G	PTS	PTS/G
1	Seattle - Lost to Atlanta in the second round.	4899	306.2	245	15.3
2	San Francisco - Lost to Baltimore in the Superbowl.	4710	294.4	273	17.1
3	Chicago - Missed the playoffs.	5050	315.6	277	17.3
4	Denver - Lost to Baltimore in the second round.	4652	290.8	289	18.1
5	Atlanta - Lost to San Fransisco in NFC Championship	5849	365.6	299	18.7
6	Pittsburgh - Missed the playoffs.	4413	275.8	314	19.6
7	Miami - Missed the playoffs.	5708	356.8	317	19.8
8	Cincinnati - Lost to Houston in first round.	5115	319.7	320	20.0
9	New England - Lost to Balt in AFC Championship.	5972	373.3	331	20.7
	Houston - Lost to New England in the second round.	5172	323.3	331	20.7

Next lets take a look at offensive stats. Heres a list of the top offenses from the regular season ranked by points scored per game, as well as how they did in the playoffs.

Rank	TEAM	YDS	YDS/G	PTS	PTS/G
1	New England -Lost to Balt in AFC Championship.	6846	427.9	557	34.8
2	Denver - Lost to Balt in second round.	6366	397.9	481	30.1
3	New Orleans - Missed the playoffs.	6574	410.9	461	28.8
4	Washington - Lost to Seattle in first round.	6131	383.2	436	27.3
5	Green Bay - Lost to San Fransisco in second round.	5751	359.4	433	27.1
6	NY Giants - Missed the playoffs.	5687	355.4	429	26.8
7	Atlanta - Lost to San Fransisco in NFC Championship.	5906	369.1	419	26.2
8	Houston - Lost to New England in second round.	5953	372.1	416	26.0
9	Seattle - Lost to Atlanta in the second round.	5610	350.6	412	25.8
10	Baltimore - Won it all.	5640	352.5	398	24.9

So looking at the information above its hard to create any sort of relationship between individual offensive success or defensive success and success in the playoffs. Baltimore, the eventual champions ranked 10th in pts/g on offense, and 12 in pts/g on defense and had balance on both sides of the ball. San Fransisco the other Super Bowl participant ranked 11th in points scored per game and 3rd in points allowed per game. While other teams like the Steelers who ranked 1st in yards allowed, and 6th in points allowed per game, but 21st in yards gained per game, and 22nd in points scored per game ended up missing the playoffs entirely. Your Houston Texans have a very nice balance of offense and defense being a surprising 8th in points scored per game at 26.0 and 9th in points allowed per game at 20.7. I would have agree with Freakonomics' conclusion that a balance of offense and defense is needed, every team will need to spend high draft pics or toss lots of cash at offensive talent as well as defensive if it wants to make a run at a championship.

So now that the Draft is only a few days away and Andre has let it be known that he wants a WR bro to chill with and teach his recieving ways, I think the Texans are going to be forced to take a WR in round one or two. I personally don't think they have to select a WR in the first round when there are players like Swope projected to go in the third or fourth, but I wouldnt mind it if they did. I also wouldnt mind it if they picked up an ILB, OLB, or possibly NT in the first then went all reciever/tight end happy in the next few rounds. We'll see what the Smithiak lead Texans decide to do, we all know how they can follow their own path and make selections that shock us all, but after selecting defense as their first pick for the last four drafts, the loss of K Walt, and the injury to Posey they're going to have to pick a WR soon.

(I've been lurking here for a while and I finally decided to make a post, any criticism or sugguestions you have for me or my writing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.)

For starters heres a list of the top 10 defenses ranked by points allowed per game (according to espn.com) and how they fared in the post season.

Rank	TEAM	YDS	YDS/G	PTS	PTS/G
1	Seattle - Lost to Atlanta in the second round.	4899	306.2	245	15.3
2	San Francisco - Lost to Baltimore in the Superbowl.	4710	294.4	273	17.1
3	Chicago - Missed the playoffs.	5050	315.6	277	17.3
4	Denver - Lost to Baltimore in the second round.	4652	290.8	289	18.1
5	Atlanta - Lost to San Fransisco in NFC Championship	5849	365.6	299	18.7
6	Pittsburgh - Missed the playoffs.	4413	275.8	314	19.6
7	Miami - Missed the playoffs.	5708	356.8	317	19.8
8	Cincinnati - Lost to Houston in first round.	5115	319.7	320	20.0
9	New England - Lost to Balt in AFC Championship.	5972	373.3	331	20.7
	Houston - Lost to New England in the second round.	5172	323.3	331	20.7

Next lets take a look at offensive stats. Heres a list of the top offenses from the regular season ranked by points scored per game, as well as how they did in the playoffs.

Rank	TEAM	YDS	YDS/G	PTS	PTS/G
1	New England -Lost to Balt in AFC Championship.	6846	427.9	557	34.8
2	Denver - Lost to Balt in second round.	6366	397.9	481	30.1
3	New Orleans - Missed the playoffs.	6574	410.9	461	28.8
4	Washington - Lost to Seattle in first round.	6131	383.2	436	27.3
5	Green Bay - Lost to San Fransisco in second round.	5751	359.4	433	27.1
6	NY Giants - Missed the playoffs.	5687	355.4	429	26.8
7	Atlanta - Lost to San Fransisco in NFC Championship.	5906	369.1	419	26.2
8	Houston - Lost to New England in second round.	5953	372.1	416	26.0
9	Seattle - Lost to Atlanta in the second round.	5610	350.6	412	25.8
10	Baltimore - Won it all.	5640	352.5	398	24.9

(I've been lurking here for a while and I finally decided to make a post, any criticism or sugguestions you have for me or my writing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.)

Receivers of the 2013 NFL Draft: I Want Justin Hunter in Houston

2013-04-22T19:56:06Z

This is probably my last evaluation because the draft is right around the corner. I'm going to be blunt and acknowledge that Keenan Allen and much of the other top receivers in this draft are really souring in my rankings. The top receivers have all lost steam. DeAndre Hopkins has gotten into trouble for an alleged misconduct (maybe)? Also he failed to follow up his expected albeit disappointing 4.56 40 time. Keenan Allen has been bashed with injury concerns, drug concerns and now character concerns. Patterson has also interviewed extremely poorly based on what I've heard. Tavon Austin also reportedly scored a 7 on his Wonderlic. Not that the Wonderlic is an end-all test but it is a disturbing score none the less.

As of now I would be severely disappointed if we didn't land either DeAndre Hopkins, Robert Woods, or Justin Hunter. Austin and Patterson were already dangerous prospects now Allen must be grouped in there as well. I understand that there are some man-crushes on prospects like Ryan Swope out of A&M, Aaron Dobson of Marshall and many others. That doesn't change the fact that the only true difference makers in the entire draft (without the high risk of Allen, Austin and Patterson) are Robert Woods, DeAndre Hopkins and Justin Hunter. Patton is a straight #2, Y receiver or Z, I'm just as high on him as I 5 months ago (I'm sure I was the first to call how talented he was). Plain and simple. I really like Dobson, I really do. However he is raw and he isn't a first year difference maker, I just can't see it.

Anyways Justin Hunter is my official draft crush. I love Robert Woods and DeAndre Hopkins but so do a lot of people. I've had Hunter in my top 5 (Overtaking Patton) for awhile now actually. Anyway I'll preview Hunter and then roll with my updated top 10 at the very end (explanations later). Thanks for reading, comments are appreciated.

Justin Hunter (6'4" 205lbs, Tennessee)

I really like Justin Hunter. He is an amazing athlete. Great football player with experience. Great personality. The main thing I want to focus this article on is to ask a couple questions. Why is Justin Hunter so down in most draft outlets? To further that, what are Hunter's real weaknesses? The answer is he really doesn't have any. He is Keenan Allen but faster and more elusive. He isn't as tough underneath as Allen is, but he makes up for it by being a menace downfield like no other receiver in the draft. He has no real weaknesses, he is a little skinny but makes up for it with 4.3 speed. He has strong hands and a fantastic mechanic. Is one of the best blockers in the entire draft with probably the best technique. Great body control with fantastic length. He is a threat after the catch, deep and in the red zone. Justin Hunter is a two prolific starter. He is refined and ready to make an impact now and possesses major upside. He is said to have interviewed extremely well and in interviews passes as a humble, hardworking young man. Hunter has the composure of Andre Johnson and seems to be a very genuine human being. Hunter combines impeccable physical traits with great skills in addition to great character.

Physical Composite: 28/30

Height (5’9"/6’1/6’4+): 6

Size (205lbs 33.3in Arms): 4

Speed (4.7/4.6/4.5/4.4/4.3): 10

Vertical (Yes 39.5"): 4

Broad Jump (11’4"’): 4

Justin Hunter was essentially taller than 95% of all other receivers at the combine. Jumped higher and farther than 100% of players at the combine. Ran faster than 90% of players and his only real problem is his bulk. However his frame only really needs 10-15lbs. Not much and much of it would be for his upper body strength to further his prowess against press and to aid in blocking. Many think that Cordarrelle Patterson or Tavon Austin is the physical specimen among receivers. It's Justin Hunter.

Film Composite: 63.5/70

Route Running: 21/24

Release/Shed: 5/6

Fluidity: 6/6

Play Recognition: 5.5/6

Breaks: 4.5/6

Hunter is a fantastic route runner. He would be in the same class as Robert Woods and DeAndre Hopkins, if he weren't so tall. It's hard to make the cuts that Woods and Hopkins do if you're as tall as Hunter is. However he makes up for it with a smooth and efficient stride , excellent play recognition and being deceptively agile. His long arms are extremely proficient at deterring press coverage, as is his deep threat capability. He will need to add strength to handle NFL caliber defensive backs however the tools and technique are already there. Justin Hunter is a smooth athlete, he has Robert Woods' stride but longer. Hunter is a really smart player and it shows. He is keenly aware of his position on the field and understands defensive schemes. Hunter makes solid and precise cuts. They are what you would expect out of an NFL receiver but they are simply above average. His savvy and pure speed is what gets him separation

Catching: 9/10

Consistency: 6/7

Mechanic: 3/7

I don't think anyone in the entire class has a better catching mechanic than Justin Hunter other than DeAndre Hopkins. The common trait are there unhuman 33.3" arms. Hunter's catching radius is fully utilized and his hand eye coordination are in sync. He uses his hand and keeps balls away from defenders. Underneath he doesn't pluck the ball out of the air (a trait that really endeared me to Keenan Allen) but is a sound catcher. Could stand to improve consistency but is a solid pass catcher and rarely drops.

Body Control: 4.5/5

Very good body control. Can box out defenders in the endzone, track balls over the shoulder, and keep feet in bounds. Only second to DeAndre Hopkins.

Blocking: 4.5/5

Strength: .5/1

Willingness: 2/2

Technique: 2/2

Probably the best technique from a receiver I've seen. Hunter is a willing blocker that understands the critical points of blocking, position and leverage. Hunters long arms combined with solid technique usually means neutralized defenders in the run game. He's not going to blow up linebackers but he definitely knows how to get under defenders half a foot shorter than him and cut them off from the play. Could stand to improve strength.

Play Making Ability: 24.5/26

Deep Threat: 9

Red Zone Potential: 8

YAC: 7.5

He may not have the box out skills underneath similar to Quinton Patton and Keenan Allen that make them renowned for being tough receivers but Hunter has the toughness to fight for sailing balls downfield. He fights for and tracks the deep ball like no other receiver in this draft. Best deep threat in the class. He is a red-zone player. He fights and wins 50-50 balls and can run back shoulder concept plays. Hunter is as solid as can be after the catch. Similar to Andre Johnson. He will fight for extra yards and can outrun the defense should he get behind it. Hunter won't be caught from behind. Has a superb blend of vision. However Hunter lacks the sheer agility and change of direction that makes Patterson and Austin such superb prospects.

Overall: 93

Remember when I asked what Hunter's real weaknesses are? He doesn't have many, his main problems will come from lack of NFL strength (which can be easily addressed) and only slightly above average lateral quickness. He is the best deep threat in the entire class. Barring a major change in personality, he will be humble and keep his head down. He is a future number one receiver. He is a future star.

2013 Receivers Rankings:

1. DeAndre Hopkins (93)

2. Tavon Austin (92.5)

3. Justin Hunter (91.5)

4. Robert Woods (90)

5. Cordarrelle Patterson (89)

6. Keenan Allen (87)

7. Quinton Patton (86.5)

8. Aaron Dobson (86)

9. Stedman Bailey (85)

10. Markus Wheaton (84)

Notables:

Ryan Swope (83)

Rodney Smith (80)

Kenny Stills (81)

Chris Harper (82.5)

Terrance Williams (83.5)

Da'Rick Rodgers (87*)

Justin Hunter (6'4" 205lbs, Tennessee)

Physical Composite: 28/30

Height (5’9"/6’1/6’4+): 6

Size (205lbs 33.3in Arms): 4

Speed (4.7/4.6/4.5/4.4/4.3): 10

Vertical (Yes 39.5"): 4

Broad Jump (11’4"’): 4

Film Composite: 63.5/70

Route Running: 21/24

Release/Shed: 5/6

Fluidity: 6/6

Play Recognition: 5.5/6

Breaks: 4.5/6

Catching: 9/10

Consistency: 6/7

Mechanic: 3/7

Body Control: 4.5/5

Very good body control. Can box out defenders in the endzone, track balls over the shoulder, and keep feet in bounds. Only second to DeAndre Hopkins.

Blocking: 4.5/5

Strength: .5/1

Willingness: 2/2

Technique: 2/2

Play Making Ability: 24.5/26

Deep Threat: 9

Red Zone Potential: 8

YAC: 7.5

Overall: 93

2013 Receivers Rankings:

1. DeAndre Hopkins (93)

2. Tavon Austin (92.5)

3. Justin Hunter (91.5)

4. Robert Woods (90)

5. Cordarrelle Patterson (89)

6. Keenan Allen (87)

7. Quinton Patton (86.5)

8. Aaron Dobson (86)

9. Stedman Bailey (85)

10. Markus Wheaton (84)

Notables:

Ryan Swope (83)

Rodney Smith (80)

Kenny Stills (81)

Chris Harper (82.5)

Terrance Williams (83.5)

Da'Rick Rodgers (87*)

Twitter reveals Texans draft strategy?

2013-04-22T18:11:41Z

We may have a clue to who's at the top of the Texans draft board - thanks social media! Within the last few days, the Houston Texans official twitter account has started following some interesting draft prospects.

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

Alec Ogletree, ILB, UGA

Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

Justin Hunter, WR, Tenn

and

Robert Woods, WR, USC

Full story:
http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/texans_twitter_account_showing_their_draft_hand/13432396

(Woods' account is not in the picture, but if you check the Texans' twitter account, he is there.)

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

Alec Ogletree, ILB, UGA

Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

Justin Hunter, WR, Tenn

and

Robert Woods, WR, USC

Full story:
http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/texans_twitter_account_showing_their_draft_hand/13432396

(Woods' account is not in the picture, but if you check the Texans' twitter account, he is there.)

The Countdown is On... But Who Can Predict What Our Texans Will Do.

2013-04-22T17:55:29Z

Well it is here three days to the day we Texan Fans live for... The Draft. Beginning the day after the last game of the season and many of you plan further who will become the newest Texan. Some based on needs. Some based on salary caps... Some based on popularity or effectiveness. Some even based on the dream one had after mixing Zima with Buckhorn Beer. Nonetheless, everyone displays his expertise in picking the picks that the Wade Smithiak Consortium will devise and the sure Super bowl winner year end and year out. Then there is the others like Dre' who never really says anything until now who wants a receiver that will take the heat off...and the Schaub Slayers who want a QB... and Marciano Murderers who would pay the organization for a swing at old Joe with a sledgehammer (I MAY BE PART OF THIS GROUP). Okay so this week we will see the last of the last mock drafts of the year. I was awakened this morning with the Bleacher Reports (so called...expecting another on Thursday) Last Mock Draft...Thus I want to get your feedback on their picks... Good? Bad? Who in the Hell are these guys" Please share your thoughts, feelings, hatred, suggestions, and whatever else you like to. Here is their list. I was hoping we would give up our first and a sixth for another second, third and fourth round picks. Who knows?

27 - Keenan Allen WR

57 - Matt Barkley QB

89 - Travis Kelce TE

95 - Jon Bostic ILB

124- John Simon OLB

160- Conner Vernon WR

195- Garrett Gilkey OT

201- Rentez Miles FS

233- Levine Toilolo TE

27 - Keenan Allen WR

57 - Matt Barkley QB

89 - Travis Kelce TE

95 - Jon Bostic ILB

124- John Simon OLB

160- Conner Vernon WR

195- Garrett Gilkey OT

201- Rentez Miles FS

233- Levine Toilolo TE

2013 TST Live Mock Draft Recap for your Houston Texans

2013-04-22T06:36:15Z

Well, it's that time of year again. Another Live Mock Draft by yours truly in the books. Have to say I couldn't have gotten it done this year without the help of Lukayyy & the expertise of Brett Kollmann. I pretty much negotiated all the trades in this mock draft, channeling my inner Daryl Morey. Before we get to the picks, let's run down all the trades that got us those picks.

Traded picks #27 & #195 traded to Miami for picks #42, #82, #224
Traded pick #224 traded to the Jets for WR/TE Derek Carrier
Traded 2014 7th pick to the Jets for Tim Tebow
Traded 2014 1st round pick to Seattle for picks #56 & #231
Traded Tim Tebow, Ben Tate, & pick #231 to Arizona for Brian Hoyer & pick #163
Traded picks #124, #160, & #233 to Oakland for picks #100 & #209
Traded pick #100 to the Jets for picks #106 & #185

Now with that out of the way, onto the recap.......

#42. WR Aaron Dobson, Marshall - Missed out on Woods by one pick. Dobson was our #2 option here, but we were comfortable with him to begin with. His size, hands, speed, & route running skills are right in line with what the Texans usually look for in a WR.

#56. OT Terron Armstead, Arkansas Pine Bluff - Yeah, I know, some might be pissed that I gave up a 2014 1st for this pick, but for a guy who's potential is that of Duane Brown at RT, it just might have been worth it. We lucked out though that Miami didn't have a rep in the thread because they wanted him at #54.

#57. NT Brandon Willams, Missouri Southern - We had him pegged at this pick from the start. We decided to finally fulfill everyone's NT lust with this pick & grab a guy that is probably tailor made for Wade's defense. Him between Watt & Smith will make the D-Line a scary front line to face.

#82. TE Vance McDonald, Rice - We weren't planning on taking a TE this early. We originally planned to take either Phillip or Shamarko Thomas here, but both were gone at that point. Brett pointed out that not only was Vance the best value at this point, but that Graham's contract was up after this year & Daniels' contract was up the year after. There's was no guarantee that both would be resigned with Cushing & Watt's contracts coming up as well. Vance was not much of an in-line TE at Rice as he worked mostly out of the slot. However, that may just work out fine in the Texans offense.

#89. OLB Cornelius Washington, Georgia - Another guy that we had pegged at this spot. Washington was mostly used as a 3rd down specialist at Georgia, but he's also shown ability in coverage as well. He could work well as Reed's backup at SOLB or in packages where Reed shifts to ILB.

#95. ILB Sean Porter, Texas A&M - The man that would be Cushing's sidekick at ILB, Porter definitely would not be the liability in coverage that James, Ruud, & Dobbins were last season. Hopefully having Brandon Williams in front of him will keep him free from blockers so he could roam free in the middle

#106. OLB Quanterus Smith, Western Kentucky - Some of you might be wondering "who?". Others might be asking "Wait, didn't he absolutely own D.J. Fluker? How the hell was he on the board this late?" Well, the reason for that is because he suffered an ACL tear in November & is unlikely to contribute to any team in 2013 & may start the season on the PUP list. That being said, if he's medically cleared, he could have a 2nd round grade on him & could end up being one of the major steals in the draft. You might also be wondering why did we take two OLBs. Simple, injury insurance. If either Reed or Mercilus got hurt, the Texans could be screwed at OLB. This pick safeguards against that as Washington fits as Reed's backup & Smith fits as Mercilus' backup. Smith is a very similar player in that he's a pure pass rusher & is very capable of being a great assest, not to mention in this defense, you can't ever have enough LBs & pass rushers.

#163. SS Ray Ray Armstrong, Miami - We took Ray Ray here simply because we missed out on Cooper Taylor. However, Ray Ray is an impressive athlete in his own right. He could step in as the box safety & could also develop under the wing of fellow Miami alum Ed Reed.

#185. WR Rodney Smith, Florida State - We could not let this guy get away. 6'4", 225 lbs, 4.50 40, played in a run first offense, is a very willing blocker, runs smooth routes, & accounted for 10 receiving TDs last season (again in a run first offense). He's everything that the Texans want in a WR. With Posey out at least until mid season, Smith could be a contributing factor in the offense. Also, he'll have Lestar Jean looking over his shoulder wondering if he'll still be on the roster when Posey comes back if he doesn't step his game up.

#201. RB Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook - Yes, I know some of you might be concerned that I shipped Tate off to get rid of Tebow (will be explained later), however don't hold that against Maysonet cause I would have drafted him regardless. Maysonet was made to fit in a one-cut zone running offense. He has the potential to be a major sleeper coming out of this draft.

#209. QB Matt Scott, Arizona - I had no intention of drafting a QB, but I just could not ignore the value of Matt Scott in the 7th. He's a mobile QB who played in Rich Rodriguez's scheme at Arizona, & has good arm strength to go with his mobility. He's has some kinks in his game, but as a developmental prospect, you couldn't ask for a better starting point. He could potentially be our Russell Wilson (except for that he's 6'2")

Acquired WR/TE Derek Carrier from Eagles - I'm sure some of you might remember me talking about him last year during the draft process. He is a physical freak at 6'3", 238 lbs, & running with 4.50 speed. He is a true Joker, capable of playing at WR or TE. He's also still eligible for the practice squad (or IR stash just to be safe) so that he can learn the system. He could end up being a monstrous mismatch either at TE with his speed or at WR with his size.

Acquired QB Brian Hoyer (who will be promptly cut) - I'll admit, Lukayyy & myself weren't thinking clearly when we traded for Tebow (hell, I nearly died laughing). So that gets around to the question "why the hell did you get Hoyer?". Simple answer, salary cap reasons. Cutting Tebow results in $1.5M in dead money whereas cutting Hoyer costs nothing....... and that the Cardinals wouldn't take Tebow unless I took Hoyer.

Texans UDFA Targets
RB Onterio McCalebb, Auburn - Scat back with 4.34 speed. Adds a speed element out of the backfield we don't currently have. Follows blocks well on screens & kick returns. Could challenge Martin for the KR/PR jobs

LB Jon Major, Colorado - Yeah, we all know about Major. His pro day obviously showed he didn't have the athleticism we hoped he'd have. However, the film still shows he has outstanding instincts & a nose for the ball. At the very least, he's a special teams monster & could make Sharpton expendable if he can't stay healthy

CB/FS Melvin White, Louisiana Lafayette - A secondary tweener that compares to Richard Sherman. Might not be fast enough to play CB, but at 6'1", he could handle larger WRs or move to FS & join Ray Ray in Ed Reed's film sessions.

LB Cameron Lawrence, Mississippi State - Some of you brought him up recently, as did Brett. Very similar to Major in that he's not the greatest athlete, but his instincts make up for it. Again, special teams needs all the help they can get.

C Dalton Freeman, Clemson - Might want to put this kid on the radar. Undersized lineman with the athleticism needed for a zone blocking scheme. With Jones all but moved to Guard, it doesn't hurt to pick up a UDFA Center that compares to Chris Myers.

Traded picks #27 & #195 traded to Miami for picks #42, #82, #224
Traded pick #224 traded to the Jets for WR/TE Derek Carrier
Traded 2014 7th pick to the Jets for Tim Tebow
Traded 2014 1st round pick to Seattle for picks #56 & #231
Traded Tim Tebow, Ben Tate, & pick #231 to Arizona for Brian Hoyer & pick #163
Traded picks #124, #160, & #233 to Oakland for picks #100 & #209
Traded pick #100 to the Jets for picks #106 & #185

Now with that out of the way, onto the recap.......

Poll

How would you grade this draft

A

3 votes

B

14 votes

C

7 votes

D

3 votes

F

3 votes

30 votes | Poll has closed

Would you give up your First Round Pick for nothing in return this year?

2013-04-21T22:18:29Z

Hear me out!

Would you trade your first round draft pick this year to say the Jaguars or Raiders if they wanted to move back up into the first round to select a QB for their 2014 first round pick?

Perhaps they think that they will be middle of the pack type team with a mid-round pick next year. I'd put my money on one of those two teams finishing in last place with the first overall pick. (don't give me details about why this wouldn't trade wouldn't work) (it could if we spiced the deal up, but you never know)

With that pick or close to the top pick I would trade up to select Jadeveon Clowney (if you don't know who that is yet, please take a look at his highlights).

So would you trade our first round pick this year for Clowney? I would!

Hear me out!

Would you trade your first round draft pick this year to say the Jaguars or Raiders if they wanted to move back up into the first round to select a QB for their 2014 first round pick?

With that pick or close to the top pick I would trade up to select Jadeveon Clowney (if you don't know who that is yet, please take a look at his highlights).

So would you trade our first round pick this year for Clowney? I would!

AFC South Eternal Thread #302: Worse Than Herpes

2013-04-21T18:11:32Z

Hello, NFL fans!

UPDATE:

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE
Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.
This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.
No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.
If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.
Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.
Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!
There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.
If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.
Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

Hello, NFL fans!

UPDATE:

~~Jack-A-Thread (JAT)~~ Off-Topic Activities (OTA) at Pats Pulpit: A place for mostly Pats fans, but they welcome all visitors that are not Jets fans or actually from Boston.

Rules of the house:

Nothing will be considered off-topic other than the usual religion/politics. [EXCEPTION!: SEE BELOW!!!!] NO POLITICS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE
Check your hostilities at the door. All previous problems you have had with other NFL fans will be considered forgotten when you enter the thread. You may encounter others who seem to be ragging on each other. Please don't jump into the argument like you own the place. Things aren't what they always appear to be. It's probably people who know each other extremely well participating in some inside-joking or friendly ribbing.
This is not a Game Thread! There are threads already dedicated to this, and for good reason. It's the same reason why I don't watch Pats/Colts games with my Pats-loving brother-in-law anymore. Things get crazy real quick. The Colts game threads will be hosted at The Colts Authority. Feel free to join the fun there.
No trolling, please. If the only thing you have to say is, "Colts/Texans/Jaguars/Titans SUUUUUUUCK!!!1!!1" you're not going to make very many friends.
If you are having problems with someone in the thread, please email me and we can work together to resolve the issue in-house. Our hope is that this thread will be self-regulated by the fans themselves and won't need any outside intervention. If you don't like what you see, treat it as any other unpalatable link you have clicked on in the past. Apply eye-bleach and move along.
Have fun! We're all fans and fellow pathetic computer nerds. We have more in common with each other than we have with most everyone else in the real world. Try to remember that.
Try to keep the thread "safe for work" since a lot of the threaders may be viewing from the job site. In other words, TDM loves her boss's boobs, but it would be inappropriate for her to show pics of them on this thread.NOTE: THIS IS NOW A SITE-MANDATED RULE!
There’s a lot of joking that goes on around here and it’s usually taken with a grain of salt, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. The line is kind of vague, but I like to think that if it is bothering someone that they should just point it out to the offending party to insure that they know where that line is to avoid future offense.
If you were one of the people who rec'd the previous open thread to move it to the Recommended FanPosts section, please go back to that previous thread now and un-rec it. That way, the previous thread will move out of that section, and we won't be cluttering BRB as much. Also, feel free to rec this thread to get it up to the 5 required to move it to the Rec'd FanPosts section, but please don't go above that as it makes it harder to un-rec it later.
Read THIS! It is link directing you to a topic that can never be discussed on this site. If you break this rule it may result in warning or banning. So if I were you, I'd read it before commenting on this site, and more importantly, this thread, as it is closely monitored to prevent it's mentioning.

Thanks,

peytonsurdaddy

THE HOLY TAGS:

Texans Need a Good Draft to Stay Contenders

2013-04-19T18:10:31Z

The Houston Texans came off a great regular season, a 12-4 finish and first place in the AFC South. However, the disappearance from the playoffs is not what the team had in mind. Rick Smith enters his 8th season as the general manager and third as executive vice president of football operations. The Texans have been slowly but surely building their franchise to be long-term contenders. Smith is the architect behind the teams back to back playoff appearances. The Texans had a very strong defense last year, led by Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. Wade Phillips built the kind of defense he is known for; aggressive and fast paced. His roster consists of stars, and guys with star potential. That being said, no team is without its holes. The 2013 draft is a great place to continue to build a contender.

Wide Receiver

The Texans still have Andre Johnson, and he is a beast, but they are going to need more than that if they want to continue to contend. The first target should be for a speedy guy on the outside who can stretch the field vertically. That would allow Johnson to play to his strength, which is being a tough, underneath possession type receiver. I would have like to see Kevin Walter stick around, he would have fit in perfect on the inside matched up against a number 3 corner.

Nose Tackle

The Texans get an outstanding amount of production from their defensive end positions with Watt and Antonio Smith, but they need some more in the middle. Wade Phillips traditionally likes to get more production from the nose tackle, which is regarded as highly important in a successful 3-4 scheme. Being able to collapse the middle of the pocket would bring havoc to opposing quarterbacks.

Inside Linebacker

Brian Cushing is an All-Pro caliber linebacker when he is on the field. However, the Texans are going to need more than just him if they hope to improve upon their 16th ranked pass defense. In the game they got eliminated in against the Patriots the middle of the field was the soft spot as New England cruised to 41 points. It's currently a hole that the elite teams will be able to exploit unless the Texans fill the gap.

Offensive Line

The team asked Derek Newton to step into the right tackle position last year and no one has been exactly impressed with his performance. The team likes to have a strong run game with athletic lineman that can execute the zone blocking scheme. They will likely be looking at tackles they believe they can develop over the season into starters next year. Brandon Brooks will also jump into the starting role at right guard, but he is not the answer there long term either. Without help on the offensive line the team may have another rocky road when it comes to the run game this season.

Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak are smart, effective judges of talent. With the 27th overall pick in the draft they would love to see a player like Robert Woods fall into their lap and give Andre Johnson the help he needs. A big, strong receiver at 6-1, 200 lbs Woods would be able to step in the starting role and contribute to the Texans offense. Setting him up on the outside would allow him to operate in space, where he is most dangerous. He has shown the ability to routinely slip tackles and rack up big yards after the catch. He is a natural hand catcher which reduces drops and allows him to catch the ball in stride. Good quickness off the line and strong hands make him tough to deal with in press coverage as well. He was initially targeted as a top 5 talent going into this draft , but his stock slipped throughout the season. His role was diminished at USC as Marqise Lee saw his role in the offense grow. Nevertheless, Woods remains a top talent who can be molded into a steal if he is picked up at 27th. If the team decides they can get talent at the receiver position later in the draft, Johnathan Hankins would be the likely other pick. As one of the biggest defensive tackles, 6-4, 325 lbs in the draft he would likely be able to make the transition to NT in a 3-4. He is also quick for his size with a good understanding of leverage. He would be able to apply good pressure up the middle and offer a great compliment to what they already have on the outside.

Wide Receiver

Nose Tackle

Inside Linebacker

Offensive Line

BRBers -- care to mock the full first round?

2013-04-19T17:30:10Z

I know it's maddening this year, but if anybody wants to get a full first-round mock on record (or at least mock me when I get about 2/32 right), I set up a group on nfl.com.

Group name: BRB2013

Password: fleenerhillorbust

(Note: the password is case sensitive)

I think this link will take you there, once you've created an account at least. Otherwise, just create an account there and search the "Groups" page for "BRB2013".

I know it's maddening this year, but if anybody wants to get a full first-round mock on record (or at least mock me when I get about 2/32 right), I set up a group on nfl.com.

Group name: BRB2013
Password: fleenerhillorbust

(Note: the password is case sensitive)

I think this link will take you there, once you've created an account at least. Otherwise, just create an account there and search the "Groups" page for "BRB2013".

The winner will receive the admiration of their peers, and the prestigious award of "luckiest mock drafter at BRB".

BTSC Mock Draft

2013-04-19T01:34:38Z

Hi guys, I'm c63tho and I'm repping the Texans in the BTSC community mock. So the BTSC draft fell like a dream for the Texans - DeAndre Hopkins, Arthur Brown, Keenan Allen, Jesse Williams are all available at 27. I know it's receiver vs all the other positions for you guys at this point and Hopkins has a big (mancrush) following around here. I also know that Arthur Brown heads the list of non-WRs for you guys. I'm strongly leaning to pick Hopkins over Brown at this point, but am I missing anyone important in there? Thoughts?

If you wanna head over and have a look at what's been going on so far, here's a link: http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/4/18/4236764/2013-nfl-mock-draft-chicago-bears-select-dj-fluker

Over at Behind the Steel Curtain we're pretty...different...so it's worth a look as a contrarian view of things.

If you wanna head over and have a look at what's been going on so far, here's a link: http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/4/18/4236764/2013-nfl-mock-draft-chicago-bears-select-dj-fluker

Over at Behind the Steel Curtain we're pretty...different...so it's worth a look as a contrarian view of things.