Kickoff - “The Humpty Dance Is Yo’ Chance To Do The Hump (Day)” Edition
Oct 1, 2008 2008 Season, DeMeco Ryans, H/T Eric, His name is Earl, Kickoff
Alt-title: “Hey, yo, fat girl, c’mere…are ya ticklish?”
Not something we are used to seeing. Paul Kuharsky labels DeMeco Ryans as the goat for Sunday’s loss because of his missed tackle in OT. “If Ryans makes that tackle, it’s a loss of yardage and a second-and-long that would have still had the Jags at least 10 yards out of good field-goal range.” UGH.
Cool. If you are creative, lame, or just otherwise bored, NFL.com has a neat-o new toy for you to play with. Basically, you pick your team and it lets you create your own highlight reels from game footage. Then you, umm, like, post it or something. Consider it YouTube for football junkies, I guess.
Question. Can we all please stop pretending that Dallas Clark is a TE? Regardless, here’s HT.com’s scouting report on the team from the land of ugly women. (Honestly, if you’ve ever spent even thirty-five minutes in or around Indy, you know what I’m talking about. /shudders)
Finally. It’s no secret that I loves me some Earl Cochran. If I had my way, he’d be starting opposite Mario right now. Regardless of your stance on his playing time, however, if you bounce around his foundation’s website a bit, it’s pretty hard NOT to come away rooting for the dude.
The Problem With Richard Smith, Or, Perhaps More Accurately, Referendum On Coaching Incompetence
Sep 30, 2008 2008 Season, Chocodiles, Curious Coaching, DeMeco Ryans, Hi Steve!, Kevin Bentley, Morlon Greenwood, Ranting, Super Mario
Let me just start by saying that, by and large, I agree with Tim and Chris’s points on the game. There were lots of positives (for the offense) and lots of negative (for the defense and special teams). In fact, this was one of those games that I didn’t really feel the need to write a recap of, since the goods and the bads were so glaringly obvious.
But, still, my job (as it were) here is to talk about the Houston Texans (as well as make inappropriate remarks about the team and people associated with it). So rather than do a traditional recap, let’s hit some big picture points.
First, if I were the GM of this team, Richard Smith would not be receiving paychecks from me. And I don’t just mean going forward, as he should have and would have been fired a long time ago. After all, the problems are manifold and obvious–no cohesive philosophy, no idea how to use his assets, no clue how or when to blitz, no attempt to adjust when another team is going the Tecmo Bowl route and burning you with the same exact play over and over and over and over, and nothing to suggest that his charges are this close to turning the corner and becoming markedly better. We’ve spent numerous first- and second-round draft picks on defense, especially the front seven, yet we remain incapable of getting to the QB before the ball is thrown or creating turnovers or (on many days) even tackling with any regularity. That’s ALL on Richard Smith.
Despite cries for his head after last year, Smith got a free pass to come back for another 16 games because (a) Mario became dominant in 2007 and (b) there were so many injuries that it somehow seemed unfair (to everyone but me, I guess) to fire him when he was shorthanded. Unfortunately, last year’s MASH unit was actually better, at least to the naked eye, than this year’s healthy squad has been. If Smith were any kind of DC, doing better this year than last should have been the easiest assignment of his tenure. Instead, everyone except Mario (yes, even DeMeco) seems to have stagnated or regressed in 2008.
Sunday’s game was a snapshot of the entire Richard Smith experience—players out of position, inexplicable defensive calls in tight situations, defensive backs who looked lost and exposed. Even worse, one got the feeling that absolutely none of those problems was going to go away until Smith himself went away. So, while I have railed against Smith in this space for over a year, I feel like it’s time to turn it up a bit. In that vein, “FIRE RICHARD SMITH” is now the official motto of DGDB&D 2008. I realize that I have no pull and a relatively limited audience, but I figure saying it a lot and trying to get others to spread the message absolutely cannot hurt our cause. Say it loud, say it often, and say it to anyone who will listen.
Moving on…
As bad as Smith’s squad was Sunday, Joe Marciano’s was even worse. And I’m not just talking about their inability to recognize that a team cannot punt when there is no punter lined up behind the center, though that was certainly the most egregious example. But, yeah, it was worse than that. All day long, our returners made horrible decisions and/or did nothing while our coverage teams allowed Jacksonville’s return men to get huge chunks of yardage on seemingly every kick. In fact, thus far in 2008, on Kevin Bentley has really been a consistent contributor on special teams.
Like Richard Smith, Marciano probably should have been gone a while ago. However, because he’s been blessed to have some very, very good return men, as well as the occasional solid cover guy, he’s been able to keep his job. Nevermind that, as a Texans fan, you have reached a point where you just expect the other team to be starting somewhere past their own 25 on every single possession. Hopefully, for my own sanity as well as the future success of your Houston Texans, Sunday’s game was the beginning of the end of the Marciano era. If not, here’s to hoping that Kevin Bentley becomes the next Eugene Seale.
Thirdly, can someone please tell me what the heck is going on between Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson? Because I honestly cannot come up with any sort of answer that makes sense. Some have suggested that maybe Andre’s injury has changed his route running or made him slower, but it seems like the passes to Schaub are behind Andre rather than out in front. Others have suggested that they are just not clicking because they didn’t get to play together very much in the second half of last season, but they had never played together before last season and they started the year firing on all cylinders. Like I said…I don’t get it.
What I DO get, however, is that our offense on Sunday was on fire and looked like the team from early 2007 that was putting up points fast and often. And that’s without Andre being involved even half as much as you would have assumed. If/when he and Matt get back on the same page, the Texans should be able to score against just about anyone. Judging by the success Denver had (prior to the KC game), a high-powered offense combined with a non-tackling defense can still win you more than it loses you, at least until playoff time rolls around. Maybe, for now, we need to approach the game like those old Colts and Rams teams did—we are going to put up 35 or more most weeks and assume that even our sub-par defense can stop you a couple of times. Scoreboard, holmes.
Finally, a couple quick thoughts on some players:
Steve Slaton is your running back for the foreseeable future. That TD pass he caught was the product of a route that no previous Texans RB could have done. In the modern, pass-happy NFL, having a back who can split out wide and blow by a corner is a luxury and it’s one that we now possess. This is very, very happy news.
Morlon Greenwood, what has happened to you? Consider this my official mea culpa: I was wrong on Morlon in 2008 and it’s time to replace him with…
Kevin Bentley. Gotta love what you’ve seen from LVJ so far. He’s playing fantastic on special teams, he’s one of the few guys on the team who has shown a willingness to hit, wrap up, and tackle, and he even looked solid playing in place of DeMeco for a few snaps Sunday. So, I ask ya, is there any reason not to assume that he would be an upgrade over Greenwood or Zac “I’m Way Too Small To Play SLB” Diles? I think not.
Dear Jacques Reeves, TURN AROUND AND FIND THE BALL EVERY NOW AND THEN. Signed, Anyone With Two Ounces Of Common Sense.
Last, but certainly not least, a kudos to the entire offense line (but, especially, Duane Brown) on Sunday. Nicely done, gentlemen. I see that you’ve realized that keeping Matt upright makes you look good and makes the whole team better. Let’s continue that approach against the Colts in what is certain to be an absolutely rocking Reliant Stadium this week.
About Lasterday
Sep 8, 2008 2008 Season, Andre Johnson, Anthony Weaver is a thief, Babyeating-Sisterfuckers, Curious Coaching, Damn it, DeMeco Ryans, Hi Steve!, Morlon Greenwood, Super Mario
Alt. post title: “Chainsaw Sodomy”
So, I suppose I have to say something about the game. Something more than “well, fuck,” I mean.
At the same time, there’s really not much to say that hasn’t been said. We played like shit, especially in the secondary and on the o-line. We let the back-to-back bad calls on the ball spot demoralize us. Schaub looked indecisive, slow to deliver, and (apparently) blind to the colors black and yellow. (He should see an optometrist about that.)
Before we pour salt into those wounds, however, let us see if I can come up with five positives from the contest:
1. Mario Williams. If last year’s 10 sacks in the last six games didn’t sway you, Mario’s dominance against a team that was holding the entire rest of our defense in check should. Two sacks, a forced fumble, and a team-high six tackles? He’s good.
2. DeMeco Ryans and Andre Johnson. You’ve gotta love two pros who, despite the fact that most of the team isn’t giving ANY effort and despite the score, continue to play their balls off until the end. Johnson was more or less unstoppable. Too bad Schaub never had the time to really exploit this.
3. Steve Slaton. I know that his average wasn’t that great, but dude ran hard, was not afraid of contact or to run between the tackles, and showed no hesitation in making his cut and going. If he’s not the starter soon, I’ll be shocked.
4. It’s only week 1. There’s a good chance that we will not face a more physical team all year than the Pittsburgh Steelers. There’s an equally good chance that our staff (sans Richard Smith) is smart enough to see where we sucked and try to make some adjustments (more on that in a bit). To get that winning record, we just have to go 9-6 now instead of 9-7. Not the end of the world. I think.
5. No injuries. For as bad as the game was, at least we escaped intact. Watching the debacle unfold, I was struck by how, had this game happened last year, at least four players would likely have wound up broken in half. [Update: After I wrote this, I heard from Chris that Ahman Green is injured. Big fucking deal.]
Enough with the Pollyanna bullshit. For every one good thing above, there are at least five bad things that happened. The ones that really stuck out were:
1. The Playcalling. This goes for offense and defense. Now, I suppose the latter is not surprising, as Richard Smith’s play selection was a topic of much anger and despair around here for all of the 2007 season (save, possibly, for two or three games in November). The former, however, did surprise me. If Shannahan can’t call a game better than that, maybe Gary needs to take control of that side of the ball for good. There was none of the explosiveness that we saw in the early part of last season. While some of that is because Schaub was pestered all day long by Harrison and Woodley, that doesn’t explain all of it. There was no attempt to run outside zone at all that I noticed, there were FAR too many short passes on third down, etc., etc., etc.
2. The Secondary. Holy Christ On Rollerskates, they were atrocious. The Fred might want to double-check and see if the equipment guy packed his jockstrap because Fred got shaken out of it early in the day. Reeves was bad, but actually not quite as bad as he’d been in the preseason (though it would have been nice if he had the hands to snag that fumble before it went out of bounds). But the safeties…if they were any worse, we’d have been better off playing with 9 defensive players. Demps looked slow and C.C. looked soft. I am with SOLIS here–we should move Demps to SS (he’s better moving forward and playing the run anyway) and let Eugene Wilson try his hand at FS. No other move really makes sense (until Dunta comes back, that is.)
3. All LBs whose names do not rhyme with ReMeco Dyans. Morlon Greenwood…dude…do you have any idea how big of an asshole you are making me look like? How could you have seemingly aged five years since January? Why are you ALWAYS out of position? Does it bother you that teams are throwing and running right at you now? C’mon, dude. And Zac, you weren’t necessarily awful, but you sure didn’t do anything to make me say “well, at least HE came to play today.”
4. The Offensive Line. Wow. Kung Fu Panda was brutal, but I am almost willing to give him a pass, as asking a rookie to hold James Harrison in check all day in his first start is a suicide mission from the outset. Eric Winston, I am not as willing to let you slide—you just got fat dollars from the team, yet you looked like you were trying to be a matador out there. Don’t gimme this “ole!” bullshit. Chris Myers, you might not want to let yourself get thrown into the running back. That could be a sign that you just got owned.
5. Matt Schaub. Yes, I know, he had little time to throw. When he did have time, however, he looked scared, he looked like a certain other Texans QB who had no mental clock for when to get rid of the ball, and he looked right past the Steelers defenders who might stand between him and his intended target. And what the fuck was that red zone throw that hit the goddamned crossbar?!? Who was supposed to catch that, Matthew?! Also, I know you love Andre Johnson. We all do. But you might want to look around a little bit from time to time so you don’t miss Vonta Leach so wideopen that he could have moonwalked into the fucking endzone.
There are plenty more, including 3/4ths of the defensive line, but you get the gist by the now.
*deep breath*
OK…all that said, I am not yet ready to panic. All of the bad spots can be fixed (or, in the case of the secondary, at least patched up and made to look decent) and we still have Baltimore coming up next week. They are like Pittsburgh (3-4 defense, surprisingly mobile QB) without all the good stuff (defensive speed, talent at WR). On top of that, the Jags were bad in every area I suggested they’d be bad this year and the Colts looked pretty exposed when faced with a team that was willing to throw under the Tampa-2 all day. Besides, the BE-SFs are without their intangibly great QB for 4-6 weeks (don’t buy into that 2-4 week bullshit) and will either suck while he’s gone or face the mother of all QB controversies. Life could be much, much worse.
I think.
Oh, as a final note, there is a difference between being a fan, being an internet troll, and just being an obtuse douchebag. Suffice it to say Beans Carter falls squarely into this last category. Apparently the Titans are the class of the AFC and the Texans are the worst team in football. Or something along those lines. It’s always so hard to decipher stupidity.
Kickoff
Sep 4, 2008 2008 Season, Andre Johnson, Athletes who don't stab people, Boobies, DeMeco Ryans, Kickoff, Super Mario, The Schaub Experiment
Recon. Chris gets the skinny on the Steelers from AOL Fanhouse blogger JJ Cooper. Which brings us something that’s always bothered me. Namely, why are some initials ok to use as your everyday name while others aren’t? JJ, BJ, AJ, DJ…what is it about the second J that makes that acceptible?
O captain, my captain, our dreadful offseason is done. Your Houston Texans have elected this year’s team captains. Mario, DeMeco, Andre, The Schaub, and Kris Brown. No surprises there, I guess.
The leap. Marroncito returns to BRB with a question I had not really considered: which player(s), if he raised his game to very good/great levels, would take the Texans to the doorstep of being a Super Bowl contender? The most common answer in the comments is Amobi, and I tend to agree, but I can definitely see the argument for Schaub.
Finally.
Thank God For Sunday Ticket
Sep 3, 2008 2008 Season, DeMeco Ryans, Huh?, Sunday Ticket
OK, seriously…can ANYONE come up with a reason why the mid-South would be subjected to the botched abortion that is Jets-Dolphins? Because I sure as fuck cannot. Had the tornado not made it so I could get Sunday Ticket, there is a good chance I would kill someone this week. Thanks, Tornado!
Kickoff
Aug 20, 2008 DeMeco Ryans, I ask that you wash it first, Kickoff, Leg hugs for all
(All-DeMeco Ryans Edition)
He’s better than you. The mothership has a Camp Spotlight on DeMeco. Things we learn: DeMeco is a tough mofo who refuses to come out of the game, DeMeco is excited about Zac Diles‘ potential, DeMeco once turned a blind man into wine.
Reg-gie? NOLA newspaper looks back at the 2006 draft and comes away with the conclusion that DeMeco might just be the best player taken that year. As of this moment, you’ll get no argument from me.
Wally Pipp. Ryans was originally a center, of all things. It wasn’t until the team’s starting MLB got hurt that DeMeco got the chance to play there. “I mean, I made every tackle,” the Houston Texans All-Pro middle linebacker remembers. “I guess that was when I kind of discovered I had a special knack for finding my way to the ball.” Indeed.
Finally. You know what to do.
Kickoff
Aug 5, 2008 2008 Training Camp, DeMeco Ryans, Frank Okam is an evil genius, Kickoff, RB free-for-all, Super Mario
Look, kids! Haley’s comet! Chris Brown practiced yesterday, meaning that his ruptured labia must be healing nicely. I’m putting the over/under on the number of consecutive practices he makes it to at 3.5.
I got yer “low profile” right here. Want to see the most superficial look at Houston’s training camp? Look no further than this write-up from the Sporting News. For every decent point Greenberg makes, he follows it up with something asinine. Seriously, find me someone who says Dunta Robinson is the best defensive player on this team and I’ll show you someone who is a total dipshit. Dunta’s good, and he might be the “heart” of the defense, but DeMeco and Mario are WAY better respective to their positions than DR is. (Also, if this guy really believes Frank Okam “won’t see the field much” in 2008, he probably also believes that Vince Young is a great QB.)
New rule: If you write fantasy football articles for a living and as recently as yesterday you were claiming that Chris Brown was your “pick to be the opening day starter,” you should probably go into a new line of work. Or, you know, do a little research before you write this crap.
Finally. Caption this pic of Baby Shan.
All-Time Texans Team - Defense - MLB
Jul 22, 2008 All-Time Texans, Awesomeness, DeMeco Ryans
I thought about avoiding this one until the very end. Not for the sake of suspense, mind you, but because it is difficult as hell and that difficulty is totally different than choosing the least-smelly turd at each safety position. I mean, you have two candidates who played in entirely different systems, but both of whom looked like the best defensive player on his team nearly every snap.
Damn.
Double damn.
OK…deep breath…obviously, the two candidates are:
Jamie Sharper
DeMeco Ryans
What is there to say here? Sharper gave us 441 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 12 passes defended, and 6 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 0 INTs and a TD in three seasons. Ryans has given us 284 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 14 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 INTs, and a TD in two seasons.
I’m not going to lie; I was tempted to cheat and do two separate posts, one for ILB and one for MLB, and use the excuse that it was a different position altogether. But that would make me a namby-pamby pussy. So, instead, I forge ahead and choose…
umm…
DeMeco Ryans. By a hair.
Here’s the reasoning: Sharper was the RILB in a 3-4 that never featured a human being that could even pass for a NT, meaning that more or less every running play came right at him. Of course, the counter-argument is that the lack of NT meant that there was more potential for an O-lineman to get to the second level and block him. I’ll concede that, but raise you the fact that DeMeco hasn’t exactly had a murder’s row of DT talent in front of him (save for Amobi for about 12 games), and has faced a similar obstacle. However, due to the nature of the 4-3, plays are not funneled to DeMeco as readily and he has to use his impressive sideline-to-sideline speed to make plays. THAT is why he stands out when you watch the game–he literally is everywhere. Sharper, while very good, did not have to do that much side-to-side work.
Add to that DeMeco’s better play in pass defense and give him one bonus point for knocking the holy goddamned fuck out of Kerry Collins and scoring his first career TD at my first live Texans game and DeMeco wins. I expect, as time passes, the discussion won’t even be quite so tight.
Kickoff
Jul 8, 2008 Bad Juju, Batman, DeMeco Ryans, Kickoff, Travis Johnson
When DeMeco speaks, we all listen, Adam. Ignoring for a second that Adam Schein’s voice is so grating that it plays on a loop in the waiting room to hell, you gotta appreciate the love the national media is giving Mario and DeMeco. “Defensive Player of the Year,” eh? What a bust!
Muchas Gracias, Jesus. Travis Johnson will join former FSU teammates for a football camp in the Bahamas. Says one writer of Travis-Johnson-themed humor, “oh, dis is great news, mon!”
Have you seen my baseball?! Because I can’t find anything else, here’s a “Create Your Own Caption” photo for you. We’re all going to Hell.
I don’t know about you…
Jul 6, 2008 2007 Season, 2008 Season, Andre Johnson, DeMeco Ryans, Please let the season start soon, Super Mario
but I need some motherflippin’ football. Let’s go to the tape!
Now, let’s get ready for 2008…
Kickoff
Jun 23, 2008 2008 Season, Babyeating-Sisterfuckers, DeMeco Ryans, Drunky Drunkerton, Super Mario
And I want a blumpkin from Natalie Portman while I sit on a toilet made of solid platinum. Vince Young wants to throw the deep ball more often this year and his new offensive coordinator might let him do it. One problem: “Last year Young’s completion percentage jumped nearly 10 points from his rookie season, but he was 8-of-47 (17 percent) on attempts when the ball traveled 21 yards or more in the air. That was down from his rookie season, when he completed 18.9 percent of similar throws. The NFL average last season on passes of 21 yards or more in the air: 28.4 percent.”
Kearse to MADD: Go get me a beer, toots! Sticking with the B-ESFs for a moment, it seems The Freak was arrested over the weekend for driving while intoxicated in Nashville. I still fail to understand how guys can get in trouble for DWI in the city where they play. Aren’t there roughly 100,000 people within walking distance who would give him a ride home for free just to say they’d done it? (H/T to Eric for this link and the previous one.)
Mario and DeMeco slighted by Madden. Not a single Texan was the highest-rated player at his position in the forthcoming Madden release. According to the Madden overlords, Jason Taylor and Aaron Kampman, both rated 98, are higher than Mario Williams. Brian Urlacher, also 98, is rated above DeMeco Ryans. Now, while the latter is arguable, the former really isn’t–I can’t imagine a single D-coordinator in football would take Taylor or Kampman over Williams (or Jared Allen). (H/T to grungedave)
Kickoff
Jun 20, 2008 Curious Coaching, DeMeco Ryans, I love defensive football, Kickoff, Self-Referential Stuff
He’s not dead. I thought I would just mention that BFD is, in fact, still alive and will resume posting at some point. I haven’t fired him (because, honestly, why the fuck would I) and he’s not been abducted by Titans fans that I know of. I imagine he’ll return sometime around the end of the month.
Phallout. Interesting discussion of my 4-3 post from the other day. Not interesting so much in what they add to the post, but in their discussion of me. “He has no wife.” I had to laugh. (As an aside, I’ll point out in reference to a comment in that thread that the only way I think Reeves can do what the Eagles’ CBs do is in terms of getting to the QB in a very short amount of time. )
I want to punch that Verizon dude in the mouth. Article on DeMeco using the defensive headset. Nothing groundbreaking, other than it quotes Richard Smith saying, basically, that this is a huge advantage for the defense. You know what else is a huge advantage? Not calling plays like a scared old woman. Just sayin’.
A revised look at 4-3 defensive theory
Jun 17, 2008 2008 Season, Broken Record, Colvin, Curious Coaching, DeMeco Ryans, Dunta Robinson, Football 101, I love defensive football, Morlon Greenwood, Okam's Razor, Posts that list too many players, Rendhel and Sid, Teams that aren't the Texans, The Fred, Will Demps makes love to the...ladies?
Because two of my good friends are Giants and Redskins fans, respectively, I find myself engaged in more conversations about NFC East football that one would expect for a Texans fan. However, because I am obsessed with defensive football–especially defensive line play–I actually enjoy these chats and, more often than not, come away with some new ideas about our team.
Anyway, one idea that we’ve been kicking around lately is that the Texans should run a variation on the Eagles’ defense because (a) our personnel is tailor-made for such a system and (b) that system would allow our front seven to protect the weaknesses in our back four, just like it did for the Super Bowl Champion Giants. Sounds good, no?
Let me back up a bit, though, and lay this out. Back in late October of last season, I wrote a long post advocating, first, that we blitz, and, second, that we come up with some creative fronts and utilize the zone blitz more often.
2b. So, then…how should we go about blitzing (other than with the aforementioned proper use of the WLB)? The answer is simple: the zone blitz
[4-3 defense 102 here. Feel free to skip ahead.]
The idea behind the zone blitz is two-fold. First, duh, create pressure. Second, however, it tries to confuse the offense’s blocking calls by sending any of the three linebackers (or, occasionally, a safety) while someone else fills the space left by the vacating backer. In that way, the defense does not lose the extra hands in coverage, but should still be able to get penetration because the offensive line will not know where the blitz is coming from on a given play.
For example, the zone blitz allows the MLB to blitz through the A-gap, while the nose tackle stunts over through the B-gap. In coverage, the WLB fills the space vacated by the MLB and the RDE drops back and out into the space that WLB would fill in a standard two deep zone. So, when the QB sees the MLB attack, his natural reaction is to look to throw at where the blitz came from (or, if he’s guessing that the WLB will fill, to where the WLB came from), only to find the ball thrown right at a defender.
Then, on the very next play, with the very same package, the team could go with a more traditional WLB blitz, but have the RDE slide back to fill. We saw this play once or twice in the preseason with Shantee Orr lined up outside the RDE and it was effective.
An added bonus of blitzing out of a two-deep zone is that it allows our best defensive player to make even more of an impact on the game. DeMeco Ryans has two sacks this season, both of which have come on a straight blitz. On both plays, he came more or less untouched (one against Harrington late in the game when we decided to actually play D and the one last week where he nearly killed Kerry Collins) because he was allowed to read the offensive line and choose between the A- and B-gap and he smacked the QB right in the mouth. He has also been asked to run blitz a couple times and he’s found success there. So, if we start using him on some zone blitzes, teams will have to account for him more. Meaning that blitzes from other positions–say Danny Clarkstunting over the LDE with Morlon Greenwood dropping back to the middle and DeMeco filling the space where the SLB would normally be–a team throwing over the blitz would be throwing the ball right at our best defensive weapon. Likewise, letting DeMeco creep up and show blitz, especially if he’d already had success, would create more chances for the d-linemen on either side of him to get ignored by an overzealous o-lineman. And so on, and so forth.
[/4-3 Defense 102]
I cannot state this strongly enough. Blitzing is a necessity when you have 1/4th of a real secondary.Zone blitzing allows for our strong front seven to create mismatches while still keeping two or three extra bodies in coverage and allowing our best defensive player to better impact the game. While you cannot necessarily use the zone blitz on every down (it becomes less effective at some point), how is this not a better option than dropping the three LBs, relying entirely on your front four for any pressure on the QB, and watching the QB have time to locate and throw at Petey Faggins?
3. Why do we use our front four in such a vanilla manner?
Just like you can’t run the zone blitz on every defensive snap, if you do anything over and over, eventually everyone in the NFL will know your tendencies. (By “eventually,” I mean “by next week.”) Right now, we have the same formulaic defensive line positions. Mario at RDE on running plays, Mario at LDE on passing plays, blah blah blah.
Why?
First of all, backing up a step, why when Mario moves to LDE–a move I really, really like–do the tackles not flip-flop so that Amobi Okoye is not beside Mario? We’ve covered this before. Yes, I am fully aware that Amobi has four sacks and that, on three of those, Mario is clearly occupying at least two blockers. That’s all well and good, but, like we said before, it’s not really the highest, best use of their talents. Flipping Amobi puts your two-gap, big-bodied tackle between Mario and Okoye. It is this player’s goal to pick up two blockers, which means that either Amobi or Mario (or, possibly, both) would draw single blocking more often than not. Meaning, oh I don’t know, that we would get more consistent penetration from both sides of the line.
But, back to where we started question 3: why even have a definite set order for your defensive linemen? I mean, sure, if you are going to have set positions based on down and distance, then for god’s sake, do it correctly within the constraints of the 4-3. But do you really even have to have set positions? Right now, you have Mario Williams who, though Richard Justice would disagree, is actually playing very well [This sentence is hilarious in retrospect. --Ed.]. You have Amobi Okoye, who is playing the pass-rush role as well as we hoped and playing the running game better than we hoped. AND you have Travis Johnson who is just playing some inspired football right now, hustling, hitting people, and playing like you would hope a first-round DT would [Did I really write that? Jeez. --Ed.]. That’s three real pass rushers, plus we haven’t even touched on Kalu,Weaver, Maddox, etc.
With that kind of ability up front, why become so predictable that teams can game plan and negate some of the advantage you have? Mix it up a little. Go big on one play and have Mario, Maddox, Johnson, and Amobi from left to right. Next time out, go with your more traditional base. Then turn around and go small (relatively speaking) with Mario, Okoye, Cochran, and Orr [Replace "Orr" with "Colvin" or "Thompson" --Ed.]. Create a mismatch by putting Mario at under tackle and then having him twist-stunt with Weaver lined up at DE. The possibilities are vast…if you will just use them.
Note: I am fully aware that Mario moved around a lot last year and that some of the coaching staff thought that might have been his “problem.” You know, rather than just having an injured foot and being a rookie at a tough position. That’s all well and good, but setting up your front so that he is guaranteed to get doubled on every single play is hardly the answer.
I guess the bigger point here for question three is JUST DO SOMETHING. Don’t keep running out there with a predictable front four rotation, no blitz packages to speak of, and a secondary that can’t cover for as long as you are asking them to. DO SOMETHING.
The great thing about the 4-3 is the balance. But that balance is in terms of playing the run versus playing the pass, meaning you still have to play to the strengths of your D. Consistency in game planning will always equal regression in the NFL; worse, consistently planning in the same incorrect manner will always equal failure.
While a number of you bought into my arguments, there were a good number who argued that “we’d blitz if we could” and “Richard Smith is doing the best he can with what he has.” Of course, my whole argument was that, no he wasn’t, but that’s beside the point. The point is the team did start blitzing the very next week (I know you are reading this, Smith!) and did so with success, I might add. Unfortunately, it never really got into the idea of true zone blitzing or, more importantly, blitzing teams with high-octane offenses (read: the Colts game) and there was little or no creativity shown in our alignments and packages.
Now, I still stand by my assertions that my approach to the defense would work and work well given our roster. However, upon further review, I see that there is an even better approach we could take.
Which brings us to the Eagles’ scheme. And, even better, brings us to an Xs and Os breakdown of said scheme.
The Eagles ostensibly run a 4-3 defense. Their system differs from the standard 4-3, though, in a number of ways, all of them significant.
1. The Outside Linebackers. Instead of having a true SLB and WLB, they make the two OLBs interchangeable in terms of responsibilities and positioning. Using these fungible LBs, on nearly every play one of the OLBs rotates up, creating a five-man front and showing blitz while the other rotates back, creating additional space between himself and the line. Despite being on the line, however, there is no guarantee that that linebacker will blitz; the Eagles will sometimes bring the other OLB, a CB, a safety, or nobody at all (though bringing no one is rare–the Eagles blitz almost 65% of the time), with the up linebacker dropping into coverage either by hitting a specified zone or by picking up the TE or RB or FB in man coverage.
On the other hand, there will obviously be times when the up linebacker does blitz. In this system, though, he might be joined in the rush by the other OLB, by either corner, or (one of the Eagles’ favorite moves) by the safety. Or maybe he’s joined by two or three of those guys. Or maybe you think he’s going to be joined by the safety, only to find the safety back in coverage right as you release the ball…see where I’m going with this?
Another facet of the Philly scheme is that OLB speed is not as important as instincts and the ability to get where you need to be in coverage. This is not to say that speed isn’t an asset–of course it is. Rather, it just means that a player like Greenwood who has shown great instincts (see, e.g., the Atlanta game when he realized Faggins had blown the underneath coverage and tried to get there from his spot on the edge) becomes more valuable in this system.
2. The Middle Linebacker. The Eagles’ system simultaneously limits the MLB and gives him greater freedom to impact the game, which sounds illogical but isn’t. In your standard 4-3, the MLB generally reads the offensive line and the FB and then flows to a hole, whether that hole is in the A-gap or all the way out in the D-gap. But his flow to the hole is limited by his added responsibility of maintaining interior defensive positioning until he is sure there is no cut-back run. Only after making all of the proper reads is your MLB free to use his speed and be the sideline-to-sideline playmaker.
In the Philly scheme, the MLB has two responsibilities–the A-gaps–because all of the other holes are filled with rushing bodies. If the play goes away from these gaps, the MLB’s defined responsibilities are done and he is freed to roam the field, ad-lib, and create plays, meaning that he doesn’t have to have the same great recovery speed that the standard 4-3 MLB does. It is this simultaneous limiting and freeing that makes someone like Jeremiah Trotter a dominant MLB in this system; ask him to play sideline-to-sideline like a typical 4-3 MLB as they did in Washington and he sucks immensely, but put him in Philly where he only has to play the A-gaps and he’ll consistently get 100 solo tackles and 3-5 sacks a year.
3. Defensive Line Theory. In Philly’s scheme, the only player in the front seven who has true two-gap responsibility is the Nose Tackle, and even he only has to do it every once in a while. (The MLB is responsible for two gaps, but they are really just the same gap on either side of the center and not a two-gap responsibility in the same sense that the NT has.) Now, on the face of it, that is not so different from a standard 4-3. The devil is in the details, though.
A typical 4-3 is a read-and-react defense for everyone except a blitzer (and, really, even he is supposed to do this). Now, while the linemen in a 4-3 only have one gap responsibility, the difference between their one-gap requirements and Philly’s DL one-gap requirements is one of intent and initial movement. For example, in the read-and-react approach, his primary responsibility is to read the lineman blocking him because, while he has C- or D-gap (depending on alignment and shift) requirements as well as contain, he has to remain in position to go either direction with respect to his blocker–on an inside run, he has to be able to shed the block and crash down; on an outside run, he needs to get free of the block and seal the edge. To do this successfully, the lineman must stand his blocker up and stay square with him long enough to read the play and react to it (hence the name).
In an attacking, Philly-style system, which is a one-gap attacking approach, the first responsibility for the DE as well as all the other lineman is to get 1.5 to 2 yards upfield, then flow to the ball. What this means in practice (assuming perfect execution) is, in a read-and-react D, every lineman stands his blocker up, then flows along the face of the blockers down the line of scrimmage to the ball, while, in an attacking one-gap system, the defensive linemen get behind the blockers and then flow (or, more accurately, crash) to the ball.
As a quick aside, obviously, each system will have its flaws and benefits. The read-and-react defense expect the linebackers to make most of the tackles, which means consistent positive yardage for the opposing team, yet it also gives you a safety net of a clogged line and three backers moving to the ball. The attacking defense runs a risk of giving up the big play if the linemen or LBs miss their tackles, but it also gives you a near certainty of consistently stopping the opposition for no gain or a loss.
A second difference in D-line theory between the two schemes is movement of the front four by way of stunts and whatnot. Because it is a one-gap system, the linemen are freed to do any number of a variety of stunts so long as the movement ends with one of them in each gap. While such stunts are theoretically possible in a standard 4-3, you can’t do it too much when the DTs may have multiple gaps or when you are worried about breaking contain on the outside. When you are sending the house on a blitz, however, all that matters is (a) that a body ends up in each of the gaps and (b) that you can count on your MLB to make tackles on anyone who comes thru the A gaps or slips around the edge (which goes back to the freedom of the MLB’s responsibilities).
4. Coverage. Much like the front seven, the coverage in a Philly scheme is incredibly fluid. If you watch the Eagles (or the Giants, who are actually a better comparison given their lack of a super secondary), the coverage calls might change two or three times before the ball is snapped. An initial coverage is called based on down and distance. Once the offense breaks its huddle, the coverage is changed if necessary to account for the personnel and the formation. Even better, the coverage can change on the fly after the ball is snapped. So, while the Cover 2 (which is pretty much a one-gap system up front) has players moving to specified zones and has some discrete coverage schemes within the larger system, the Philly system moves seamlessly from zone to man to zone again.
I just re-read that paragraph and it is not overly clear. By way of an incredibly simplistic example (that doesn’t account for some coverage variables): In the Philly system, assume the defense has called a 5-man blitz based on the offense’s personnel of two WR and two TE on third-and-long and that the OLB who has rotated up to the line is supposed to cover one tight end, the nickel corner is coming on the blitz, and the other OLB is picking up the second TE. Now, presnap, the offense shifts the second TE out wide, so the coverage audibles for the third CB to pick up the second TE and the OLB who was going to pick up that TE to blitz. At the snap, the TE who was to be picked up by the up linebacker stays in to block, so that OLB instantly becomes a blitzer as well. You’ve gone from a 5-man corner blitz to a 6-man two-LB blitz without changing your alignment or your package. By bringing out the extra TE, the offense has caused more blitzers to come. That’s some beautiful stuff right there–it’s the beauty of the system that, should the defense recognize the initial blitz and audible into something else, your system accounts for that by changing your blitz altogether.
The second part of the scheme is that it does not pigeonhole your coverage into a certain system. So often, teams that run a Cover 2 design their blitzes based on the principles and assignments of the Cover 2. You will almost never see them come with a safety blitz because that leaves a hole in the coverage they are comfortable running and it is impossible to disguise from the Cover 2 alignment. A corner blitz is disguiseable because the CBs line up on the line, but it requires an OLB to cheat out and cover the area where the corner vacated, which is always dangerous.
But, as Philly showed against New England and Dallas last year, their system doesn’t force you into any specific pass defense. Against the Pats, the Eagles blitzed constantly, from all sorts of angles, and played straight up man coverage behind it and very nearly won that game. In the first half against the Cowboys, Philly again brought extra rushers, but alternated between man and zone behind it. Then, in the second half, they continued to show blitz on every play, but dropped everyone into coverage. The first half pressure had gotten to Romo, though, and he could not find a rhythm even when the blitz didn’t come.
Underlying each of these differences are the basic tenets of the system–create confusion by showing lots of different looks pre-snap and by bringing pressure from all sorts of locations, never let the offense know who is coming or how many are coming (anywhere from 5-8, but more than 4 about 2/3 of the time), and plug every hole while confusing the O-line and causing them to make mistakes. Basically, it’s an offensive take on defense: an attempt to create plays rather than reacting to what the offense is doing. Get upfield, and then play football.
How Does This Apply To Us?
Which brings us to the point of this post. Namely that your Houston Texans possess enough talent and flexibility in their front seven to run a modified version of this system and run it well.
Our defensive line would thrive in the one-gap approach. Imagine telling Mario Williams and even Anthony Weaver, “ok, first we want you to just get in the backfield, then worry about where the ball is.” Could anyone stop Mario in that situation if he didn’t have to react to the play before choosing a lane? Hell, could any TWO people consistently stop him in that situation? I think not. Weaver, likewise, would thrive because he would not have to react to left tackles–something he lacks the speed to do consistently–as much as just beat them off the line and get past them on whatever line he wants. Amobi and Frank Okam on the inside would also be fantastic in this scheme–you wouldn’t be asking two young players to read the play and their blockers. Amobi has already shown a nose for the ball, so you’d be telling him to follow those instincts. And Okam would actually be better than anything Philly uses on the inside–both of their starting DTs are much smaller than he is–and as the only two-gapper would have the girth to really eat up the blockers in his path. Hell, this system would even make Travis Johnson valuable again as the backup for both tackle positions. Love him or hate him (and I did both last year), his biggest problem is that he’s too small to really be a two-gap NT. This system would make him just put his head down and go upfield rather than trying to take on two blockers, so you could spell Okam with him when you didn’t need a two-gapper at all, or Johnson could back up Okoye. Oh, and Rosie Colvin? He could be the second D-end in nickel situations because, like Weaver, his success would not depend on being able to react and beat a LT. Much like Mathias Kiwanuka was for the Giants, he would be the pin-your-ears-back rusher in pure passing downs.
Like I said way back up there, this defense would make Greenwood even better than he has been for us. (And he has been very good, but that’s a whole other article.) Opposite him, it would make life both easier and more fun for Zac Diles–he would be freed from playing the standard run-stopping role of the SLB and would be allowed to use his speed and ability more freely. Plus, you are simplifying the game for a young guy learning a new position because you are giving him specific assignments–rotate up and blitz, rotate up and cover the TE (but blitz if he tries to block you), rotate back and cover the TE/RB, rotate back and blitz. Simple, straightforward. You could also sub in Chaun Thompson in pure passing downs if you thought he was a better blitzer than Diles because teams would then assume he was coming, even when he wasn’t.
I’ve mentioned the Giants a few times through this thing as a more apt comparison for us and a better model to build from. This is because the Eagles have one piece that we do not have–Brian Dawkins. Dawkins role in the Philly system is manifold: he is an additional linebacker, he plans man-up on WRs, he blitzes, and he patrols the deep middle. We don’t have a player that can do that unless and until Dunta comes back as a FS. (Which would be amazingly perfect for this system.) The Giants don’t have the dominating safety, nor do they really have an impressive secondary, but they run a version of this same Philly defense up front (Steve Spagnolo is from the Philly organization) and they won the Super Bowl with it! All without a great secondary. Sound familiar?
The important thing is, if you lack the physical presence of a Brian Dawkins, you have to have a safety back there who is smart enough to make the right reads for the coverage. For the Super Bowl Champion Giants, it was Gibril Wilson. For us, it could just as easily be Will Demps, who might not be Dawkins but is a smart, instinctive safety nonetheless. In fact, to paraphrase my buddy Rendhel, the Giants have not had a great secondary in years, but they always have a good defense because they understand the value of pressuring the QB. When they got Spagnolo and the Philly system, they took this appreciation of pressure to a new level.
Right now, we don’t have a very good secondary, but we seem to also lack the proper appreciation for just how much QB pressure can improve the coverage. Jacques Reeves is blindingly fast, meaning he could come on corner blitzes. But he could also stay with anyone in the league for two or three seconds. It’s when you start asking him to cover longer that he becomes a liability. Fred Bennett is an instinctive young player and will probably become pretty good, but he has still shown that he can be beat if you ask him to cover too long–why not remove that liability more often than not?
I could go on and on, but the point is that we have the personnel to do this and we have first-hand evidence that this kind of defense turns an otherwise non-spectacular team into a playoff team and a real contender. Unfortunately, we also have a defensive coordinator who wouldn’t blitz at all until around Halloween and then backed of his blitzing any time it stumbled a bit. That is the absolute worst attitude a d-coordinator can have. Now, maybe the presence of Ray Rhodes (phormer Philly coach!) will give Smith the testicular fortitude to at least be more aggressive. I can dream, I guess. Because, until we get a new coordinator or our coordinator gets a new outlook, this post is nothing but navel gazing to a disgusting degree.
Like always, though, just because they won’t do it, doesn’t mean I am wrong.
Kickoff
Jun 12, 2008 Anna-Megan is retarded, Bloggerating, Bob McNair, DeMeco Ryans, Football 101, Kickoff, Winstonsaurus
Your balls are shaped funny. As the U.S. Open kicks off today, you might notice one duffer, Bobby Collins, with a Texans logo on his hat and bag. That’s the kind of thing you do when Bob McNair agrees to sponsor you in the Gateway tour, brining you back from the verge of early retirement. Hey, maybe he’d like to sponsor a couple ne’er-do-well bloggers…
Winstonsaurus smash puny baseball! Grr! Texans players hit the field at the Juice Box yesterday for the 6th annual charity homerun derby thingy. Contestants included DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams, and Captain Tradebait, among others, but the big bat of the night belonged to Eric Winston. Three of Winston’s four homers even reached the upper deck, an area that Darin Erstad and Michael Bourn have only heard legend of.
Slut. It seems that Shake’s interest in the Texans extends beyond smart-assed comments and witty observations. Shake: From the defensive side of the ball, what specific improvements do you see in the O-line this offseason? DeMeco: Hey, ain’t you that dude who comments on those dumbass blogs? (One of those quotes might not be accurate.)
80=80. Chris has been doing a great job of breaking down some of the logistical concerns behind guessing who will make the 80-man roster. One thing that makes it so tough this year is that the 80-man roster really does mean 80 human beings. In years past, teams were allowed the use of up to 6 additional players through NFL Europa roster exemptions. Now, of course, Europa is dead, but the league has not increased the 80-man limit.
“Adibi” is Nigerian for “man crush”
Apr 30, 2008 2008 Draft, Awesomeness, DeMeco Ryans, The X Factor
I rarely do the whole “link to another story” post, but this is an exception. Check out SOLIS’ post on Xavier Adibi over at BRB. And then allow me to reiterate that he is, by far, my favorite player we took in this draft.
Chaun of the Dead
Mar 19, 2008 2003 Draft, 2008 Season, Big dudes doing the little things, Chaun, DeMeco Ryans, Dunta Robinson, President Lyndon Veins Johnson, Spin City
Building off of BFD’s last post–or, more accurately, one sentence in the italicized post script to that post–I thought I’d cobble together some information on the newest Texan linebacker, Chaun Thompson. Anyway, the Google pointed me to this series of five articles run by CNNSI.com in the weeks leading up to the 2003 NFL Draft.
It seems that CNNSI decided to follow Thompson through the combine and his pro day, telling the story of the “intriguing” prospect from little-known (in football terms) West Texas A&M. While Thompson was ultimately a second-round pick by the Cleveland Browns, some of the information in these articles is still illuminating. I think. Or maybe I am just looking for column filler.
A native of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, Chaun is comfortable in the warm weather that embraces the Lone Star State.
****
“I really don’t have a preference,” Thompson said of his eventual NFL destination. “Wherever I have to go is OK with me. I just want to be there. Whoever calls, I’m there.
“My mom doesn’t care, either. She just wants me to keep playing. … I love my mom,” he said. “She’s never had nothing; just hand-me-downs.
“I’m just thinking about the opportunity. My mom says not to blow my money, but I’m going to help my mama.”
****
Thompson — a new-age linebacker, complete with size and speed — went man-to-man last week with his fiercest competitor yet. He asked Faith Boyd’s father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. “And you know he had to give me that fatherly talk,” Thompson added. “‘I love my baby, I never harmed my baby … you better not …’
“I was scared,” he admitted, “because when he said ‘you better not’ he was clinching his fists!
“Then he started crying and went inside. … A few minutes later his wife came out asking, ‘What did you do to my husband?’
“I was nervous,” Thompson said, “because they’d never seen him cry. … The Combine was nothing like asking a dad for his daughter’s hand.”
****
“Then I walked in and bench-pressed 225 [pounds] 29 times. I was pumped about that; others didn’t get as many. Those Division I players are just like me; you’ve got to hit the weight room and work hard.”
Despite his impressive workout — his 29 reps at 225 pounds was tied for most among the 12 inside linebackers who participated in the combine drill — Thompson said he remained in awe of his surroundings.
****
A three-year starter at the Division II school, Thompson finished with 104 tackles as a senior and played well in two all-star games.
“All I want — all I can ask for — is that one chance,” Thompson said. “I’m maybe not the greatest, but one team is going to give me a chance. … I’m not going to ask for $17 million after five years; I’ll take a pay cut to get a championship.”
****
“On Dec. 11, an AFC scout saw Chaun at 223 pounds run a 4.44″ in the 40-yard dash, recalls Griffin. “We sent Chaun to San Diego to work out and then he turns up in Indianapolis at 240 pounds and still had his speed.
“It just goes to show that Chaun is willing to work at all costs for this, his dream. He added 20 pounds, kept his speed and he has 34 1/2-inch arms — all of that is what teams find intriguing.”
Like I said, Thompson wound up playing in Cleveland, where he never missed a game in five seasons. He was a starter at SLB in 2004 and 2005, with that 2005 season being his best effort by far (102 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks, 4 QB pressures, 2 FF, 1 FR). He lost the starting gig in 2006, but remained a solid contributor on special teams. Digging around the internets some more, I can’t come up with any particular reason that he lost his starting spot other than Romeo didn’t like him much. That’s fitting, however, because it appears that many, many Browns fans disliked Thompson because he was a second-round pick. I’ve never really understood Browns fans, though. I mean…you know your actual team is in Baltimore, right? Just sayin’.
Anyway, given the incredibly reasonable deal we gave Chaun (2 years, $4MM, $650K guaranteed) and given that his numbers as a starting SLB are as good as anything we’ve had in recent years and given that he is a Texas boy who wanted to come home to be closer to his family, I have to say that this my be my favorite signing of the offseason. Assuming he wins the starting job, I think it’s reasonable to pencil him in for 5-8 sacks, 75 tackles, 2-3 FF, and other numbers in keeping with that. And that is my reasonable, low-ball estimate, because here is the kicker: When he played his best season in Cleveland, he did not have a DeMeco Ryans lining up beside him, freeing him to go after the QB with reckless abandon; and he did not have a Mario Williams in front of him, eating up double teams and creating nice, large gaps for him to blitz through. Maybe I am just doing my usual self-convincing, but I am actually excited about our linebacking corps right now.
Even if he doesn’t win the starting SLB position, either because Kevin Bentley is way better than I imagine or because Zac Diles makes a seamless transition over there, it’s safe to say that Thompson will be a contributor in 2008. He has (as BFD pointed out) the speed and size to be a situational end, which is good because Anthony Weaver apparently died some time in late 2006. He’s a top-notch special teams player. And he can still get reps in nickel packages and as a backup SLB.
As a bonus, he also makes the spelling of Dunta’s name seem slightly less silly.
A dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Mar 11, 2008 2004 Draft, 2006 Draft, 2007 Draft, 2008 Combine, 2008 Draft, 2008 Season, Amobi Okoye is 20, Corky Johnson, DeMeco Ryans, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Huh?, Jason Babin, Morlon Greenwood, Posts that list too many players, Pulp Fiction, Rendhel and Sid, Teams that aren't the Texans
It is not much of an exaggeration to say that I have seen Pulp Fiction at least 500 times. My freshman-year roommate had a copy (VHS, baby!) stolen from Blockbuster, which we watched almost daily for that entire year, and I’ve continued to watch it more frequently than any other movie over the past decade. I am reasonably sure this says something about me, but I’m not sure what it is.1
Anyway…I mention this as background because, by this point, you’d think nothing could surprise me in that film. You’d be wrong.
So, here’s the deal. When the guy who looks somewhat like Jerry Seinfeld comes out of the bathroom and shoots at Vince and Jules, why in the hell did he have that gun in the bathroom with him in the first place?
Hear me out–clearly, Brett and “Flock of Seagulls” were not expecting Marsellus’ guys to show up at that instant, as they were enjoying Big Kahuna Burgers2 and just otherwise chilling. Seagulls was lying on the couch and, one assumes, did not have a gun within easy reach. Brett, likewise, was seemingly unarmed. The look of terror on both of their faces suggests that, had they been expecting a visit from Jules and Vince, they would certainly have been armed and ready to shoot for their lives. I mean, Brett seems to know from the moment Marvin opens the door that he is probably going to die. If you had ripped off a crime kingpin and were expecting hitmen to show up and kill you, would you be more likely to sit and eat burgers or arm yourself and prepare to shoot back?
Besides, on top of the surprise factor, you have the size of the gun. It was, as Vincent pointed out, “a goddamned hand cannon.” Such a gun is not the type that someone would have cavalierly tucked in his waistband, nor was he wearing a holster. So basically, logic dictates that he either picked up the gun and carried into the bathroom or the gun was already in the bathroom. Neither of these situations really makes sense to me. On the one hand, if Brett and Seagulls were not expecting Vince and Jules to arrive, there’s no reason to think Guy in Bathroom would have suspected it enough to carry a large handgun into the crapper. Likewise, I can see no reason why that gun would already be in the bathroom considering the people out in the living room did not have guns within easy reach.
By now, you are probably thinking “what the hell does this have to do with football?” Simple: I had been blindly accepting the situation as it was presented to me, when I should have been considering the context. Because, once you consider the context, some things that seem to make sense really don’t.3
Which brings me (finally) to the draft.
Over the past days and weeks, many people have come to grips with the idea that the Texans are probably taking a CB with the 18th pick in the draft. On the surface, where you have an injured Dunta Robinson; a horrid Petey Faggins; a possibly-horrid Jacques Reeves; and are relying on a second-year corner and a veteran sex machine safety, it would seem logically sound to take a corner and hope to improve your atrocious secondary. It would seem that way until you really consider the context.
Right now, you can easily claim that our holes on defense are NT, DE2, CB2, SLB, and (possibly) SS. Of those holes, CB2 is the one where we have already spent the most cap space this offseason, albeit on a guy who might not be able to cover me for 4 seconds. Does it make sense to use your draft pick on a guy who play the same position as the guy you just overpaid for?
But that’s not even the biggest issue.
The fact is, a great defensive line can make a suspect secondary look average to good for multiple games in a season. A fantastic secondary can make an average D-line look good a couple times per game. Partly, this is because of the nature of the rules that allow WRs to play virtually untouched. But it is also due in no small part to the logistics of what the positions are asked to do. Your defensive line exists to get to the QB (or RB), correct? Well, they know where the QB is going to be once the ball is snapped. Defensive backs, on the other hand, are asked to cover someone with no clue as to where he is going or what path he will take to get there. This means that even the best CBs are going to get beat on a long enough timeline. SO–and I know you see where I am going with this–you can improve your secondary just as much by drastically shortening the length of time you ask them to cover as by upgrading your cornerbacks.
Hell, this year’s Super Bowl Champion New York Giants are an embodiment of this principle. Their monster defensive line was able to consistently get pressure on opposing QBs. Because of this, the Giants were able to survive with subpar linebackers (Pierce is a good player, but his main strength is in leadership and getting the D set correctly; Mitchell is a smart player and a sure tackler but is nothing special; and Torbor is notably below average, but tough) and an average defensive backfield. Corey Webster looks like he turned it around, but he still isn’t very good yet. Aaron Ross looked very good for a rookie, but Gibril Wilson is at best good (in terms of skills he’s probably comparable to a healthy Will Demps, maybe very slightly better) and James Butler more or less stinks.
Yet, despite having a back seven that was basically average, the Giants defense looked absolutely dominant at times–including against the Patriots–because they were able to get after opposing QBs on a regular basis. This is not a novel concept, really. And, given the choice, I would almost always rather go into a season with three great defensive lineman than with 2 great defensive linemen and a great DB. And, hell, with Ryans and Greenwood behind a line similar to the Giants, even Petey Faggins would seem decent at cornerback.
*Pauses to consider the implications of that last sentence. Shudders.*
WHICH (finally) brings me to my bigger point. Namely that, if we are drafting defense in the first round or third round, we should be looking for a defensive tackle or a speedy defensive end or–shockingly–both. I mean, clearly someone in Texans management thought that Reeves could play or else they wouldn’t have signed him. You want to make that signing make sense? Then put together a front four that can limit how long he has to cover. The kid has fantastic speed, but his instincts and coverage skills are not all that amazing. Ask him to cover for 2.5 seconds instead of 4.5 and his speed/quickness should be able to overcome his technique/skills. Unless, that is, someone thought it prudent to give $8MM guaranteed for a nickel corner. Which I choose to believe no one in our front office is stupid enough to do.
[Author's note: I realize that some of this--ok, fine, much of this--is a rehashing of the philosophy I've been espousing since the end of the season. I was pushing for a NT at that time and, for the most part, my position hasn't changed. I have only amended it to say that I would be nearly as happy with a solid DE and that the only CB I would be willing to change my opinion for would be the mutant Rodgers-Cromartie.]
Who, then, should we be looking at? I’m glad you asked. Two names that immediately jump out to me are Brian Johnston and Kentwan Balmer.
Last one first, let’s take a look at Balmer, since most of you have probably heard of him. A 6-5, 308 DT out of UNC, Balmer posted 59 tackles (33 solos), including 3.5 sacks, 9.5 TFL, and four quarterback pressures. Balmer was solid against the run in general, allowing 1.69 yards/carry on his 55 running stops. The one knock I would have against him is that he is about 15 lbs lighter (minimum) than I would like out of my NT, but that is countered by the fact that he is strong (33 reps) and explosive (29 in. vertical jump). Even better for our purposes, Balmer is currently projected to go in the late first/early second, meaning he should be available at 18. Speaking of that 18th pick, I think even if most teams have Balmer slotted at 25-30, we should be willing to reach a little if we find a guy we really want because of the lack of a second rounder.
The other guy I mentioned, Brian Johnston, might be unfamiliar to many of you. That’s what happens when you go to Gardner-Webb and don’t get a combine invite. Of course, after reading about his tryout in front of some NFL scouts, maybe he should have been invited.
Measuring in at 6-foot-5, 274 pounds, Johnston ran his first 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds. Johnston’s 40-yard dash time would have been the fourth best at the NFL combine for defensive ends, and the best for any lineman weighing more than 260 pounds.
Johnston’s most impressive stat from the 40-yard dash came with a very strong 1.51-second time through the first 10 yards, an important time with regards to a players quickness. By comparison, Johnston’s 10-yard split was the same as Arkansas’ running back Darren McFadden turned in at the Combine earlier this year.
The most impressive result overall, however, may have been Johnston’s time in the 20-yard shuttle. He turned in a 4.18-second time, which is better than any lineman at the NFL’s Scouting Combine. In fact, the 4.18-second time was faster than any running back at the event - with Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall the only back to match that time.
So, yeah…I’d say he fits the definition of a speed-rushing DE. Now, I know some of you are likely saying “ACK! Workout warrior from a small school! Babin! BABIN!!!” That’s fair. But let’s not forget that Babin was a college 4-3 DE drafted to play OLB in an NFL 3-4. Going forward was never a problem for him; it was sideline to sideline and dropping into TE coverage that killed him. In Johnston’s case, you would be drafting a college 4-3 DE speed-rusher to play NFL 4-3 DE speed-rusher. And, because Mario and Okoye occupy the extra blockers, he’d be going one-on-one with o-linemen most of the time. That’s always nice when you are lightning-fast.
ANYWAY, I am just spitballing here. If the word around the campfire is to be believed, we will take someone like Aqib Talib at 18 and then a RB in the third. And I’ll deal with it, even if I don’t think it is the right approach. And, hell, maybe I get kinda lucky and we take Talib (or whomever) in the first but still snag Johnston in the third. Regardless, until Draft Day, I am just going to keep doing my best to shepherd the weak through the valley of darkness.4
1 That’s not entirely true. I think it says that I liked the movie when it was (a) popular, (b) cliched, (c) ironic, and (d) suggestive that I am getting old.
2 That IS a tasty burger!
3 On the flip-side, some things that seem utterly inexplicable–say, the selection of Mario Williams over Reggie Bush–make perfect sense once you consider the context. While some things–say, the popularity of Mambo No. 5–remain inexplicable regardless of how much you ponder them.
4 And to not shoot Marvin in the face.
DeMeco Ryans > Jesus
Feb 11, 2008 Awesomeness, DeMeco Ryans, Pro Bowl 2008
You wanna know why I love DeMeco Ryans?1 It’s not because he sent me and my son all sorts of autographed stuff, even though he did. It is because he ALWAYS thinks about how he could have done better. And, unlike Travis Johnson, DeMeco plays so well day in and day out that often he is the only person who thinks he could have done better.
Take, for instance, the Pro Bowl.
The Texans’ first-time Pro Bowler and starting middle linebacker for the AFC had two passes defensed and a forced fumble in only the first quarter of Sunday’s game. He added two more tackles and another pass defensed later in the contest. [***]
On the NFC’s first play from scrimmage, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo executed a play-action fake that didn’t fool Ryans, who dropped into coverage and tipped a ball intended for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Later in the series, Ryans knocked down a pass intended for Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens in the red zone.
Asked about the two early pass breakups, Ryans lamented his missed opportunities.
“I should’ve had two interceptions,” he said. “I’m a little upset about that. I should’ve picked those passes off. I was kicking myself about that one. But it was good to actually put my hands on the ball, but I fell down. I wish I would’ve pulled them in, though.”
That’s right–in a game where nobody even pretends to give a damn, Ryans was upset with himself for not having two INTs. Defensive backs stand around and watch WRs fly past, but Ryans is in coverage on Fitzgerald and is mad he didn’t do more.
My middle linebacker is so much more awesome than your middle linebacker.
1 In a totally NON-gay way. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The All-Pro Roster is a tale told by an idiot — full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Jan 9, 2008 2007 Season, Anger, DeMeco Ryans, Douchebag Tom, Posts that list too many players, Righteous Indignation, Super Mario
Well, ain’t this about a bitch? It seems that the NFL All-Pro First Team features nary a Texan. Not one. At defensive end, the All-Pro roster has Jared Allen and Patrick Kerney. A sane person could make a case for those guys over Mario, though I would certainly argue that Mario was more dominant than Kerney from play to play. Whatever.
The real injustice, however, comes at the linebacker position. Rather than take uberstud DeMeco Ryans, the All-Pro roster features Mike Vrabel, DeMarcus Ware, Lofa Tatupu, and Patrick Willis.
Seriously?
I mean seriously seriously?
Look…everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but if you honestly think Mike Vrabel had a better season than DeMeco Ryans, you are no longer entitled to offer your opinion without first prefacing it with “I’m a fucking idiot, but I think….”1
This is the dumbest shit since Microsoft Bob.
1 Or you could just wear a nametag that says “Tom.” It’s the same thing, really.
Opening Salvo
Jan 2, 2008 2007 Season, 2008 Season, Barbaro is dead, Batman, Black Salaami, Boulware, DeMeco Ryans, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Dunta Robinson, Free Agency, I'm not a doctor, Mark Bruener, Matt Turk rules, Nnamdi Asomugha, Posts that list too many players, Roster, Secondary issues are primary, Sign Andre Davis now, Tremendous Busts
Certain discussions in football are incredibly dependent upon context. Take, for instance, “who is the greatest player of all time?” Without contextualizing the question, we can have different answers and all might be correct. If you are asking “who was the most dominant in his era,” the near-universal answer is Jim Brown. If you are factoring in which player had the biggest drop-off in talent between himself and the second-best player at his position, Lawrence Taylor is a popular answer. And if you are considering longevity coupled with a high level of performance, a case can be made for Larry Allen, Emmitt Smith, or even Brett Favre if a person is so inclined.
Discussing the draft is no different. Before we can have any sort of serious discussion regarding our needs (both perceived and real) and how the draft can meet them, we have to answer the following:
- What is the 2008 contribution from Dunta Robinson likely to be?
- What is the 2008 contribution from Charles Spencer likely to be?
- Is Travis Johnson going to be on the 2008 Texans?
- Which of our free agents are going to be re-signed?
- Which free agents from other teams are we looking at?
- Which role players/reserves from this year played well enough to challenge for an expanded role next year?
- Which starters played poorly enough to “earn” their outright releases?
Let’s try to tackle these. Everything from here is on is my best guess, so feel free to correct/mock/taunt me in the comments.
1. What is the 2008 contribution from Dunta Robinson likely to be?
The facts: According to this article (hat tip to reader Eric, who keeps me abreast of stuff almost daily), Dunta is taking rehab seriously and is progressing well.
“I know myself, and I know what I will do to get back on the field,” [Dunta said].
Unless you enjoy being wrong, don’t doubt him.