DGDB&D: a Texans blog.

Kickoff

Jul 16, 2008 Babyeating-Sisterfuckers, Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha, The X Factor, Vince Young can't read this post

Somebody needs a hug: As much fun as it is to make fun of Vince Young, noted cheap-shot artist and Teh Schaub killer Albert Haynesworth truly deserves our scorn.  With a h/t to Eric in the last thread, it appears that Haynesworth needs his favorite dolly and a nap after he and the BE-SFs couldn’t agree to terms on a long-term contract.  Instead, he’ll be slapped with the franchise tag.  If you go to the link, you can see him tearing up at the thought.  He’ll be OK, though: he’s gonna go all Cruella Di Vil on a bag full of puppies to make him feel better.

More man-crush coverage: Stealing this link from Jordan, the league’s version of an aneroxic Methuselah, Al Davis, couldn’t reach terms on a long-term contract with Nnamdi Asomugha.  A year is a long way from now, about a year, in fact, but since we drafted Antwaun Molden and signed Frenchy Reeves, I don’t think we’ll focus on CB next year.  Oh well, but here’s hoping our CBs make the decision easy.  As with Haynesworth, Asomugha gets the franchise tag.

9-7?: Tim at BRB takes his first shot at the season and comes up with a 9-7 season.  Personally, I like BigBlueShoe’s prediction of a 10-11 season.  Heh.

Vince Young != MVP, Cy Young, and Lady Byng all wrapped up into one neat little package: The 9-7 discussion led Chris to do a little look-back at a BE-SF prediction.  No pollyannas were found.

The X Factor Cometh: Temporarily breaking the Comicle moratorium, Xavier Adibi signed a four-year deal.  Finally, is it me or are some of the commenters at the chron, well, special?  This person, with his in-depth analysis, is likely to be hired by the chron soon: “CaptainHook wrote: He’s going to suck!!!!”  Hard hitting news you can trust.

Anyway, great news for the team getting him inked.

On the horns of an enema - Scraps at CB

Feb 21, 2008 2008 Draft, 2008 Season, Casserly blows goats... I have proof, DeAngelo Hall, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Dunta Robinson, I hate everything, Nnamdi Asomugha, Secondary issues are primary

Now that Nnamdi Asomugha has broken Matt’s heart like so many Anna-Megans, let’s take a look at some of the least sucky options at cornerback still available.

Marcus Trufant - Franchise tag. Not a surprising move by the Seasquawks, but it means he’s out.

DeAngelo Hall - Yeah, we have consensus that he’s an asswipe. I’ve always been of the opinion, however, that as long as you play for the team, being an asswipe isn’t all bad (see Sanders, Deion). But I’m not sure if Hall qualifies for that level. And considering the baggage he carries, and that the Falcons allegedly want a first round pick for him, fuck him. Of course, there’s the chance that we can dick the Falcons on a deal again, which definitely gives me warm fuzzies.

Asante Samuel - We’ve previously brushed Samuel aside for contract size reasons, but considering what Trufant and Nnamdi are getting, is that the market for a CB? Perhaps it’s now something to consider?

Lito Sheppard - A dirty, unsubstantiated rumor has the Eagles interested in Samuel because they think Sheppard has a glass jaw. If the Eagles do sign Samuel, I think Sheppard is gone.

Jacques Reeves - Ugh, a cowpoke, and one who was picked on during the year. But, sheesh, this is the territory we are starting to hit. Reeves is an unrestricted free agent.

Randall Gay - When watching the Patriots this year, it seemed to me that the Pats had two weak links in their secondary: King Asshole Rodney Harrison, and Randall Gay. Yet, Gay might be the most likely option as of today. Still, Gay can be flammable at times, and I kinda see him as a more expensive Petey. There, I said it..

Brian Kelly - Dude, you lost your job to P-Buch? Seriously? What, did you fall asleep on the field?

Drayton Florence - You can add him to the flammable list.

Chris Carr - Has seen most of his action on special teams, including as a punt returner.

Have I missed anybody?

Look at this list. It’s pretty pathetic at this point. There’s a chance somebody like Ricky Manning becomes available after the first round of salary cuts, and I wouldn’t mind him in the least. But, still, the lack of feasible CBs, along with Dunta’s injury, means that we have to address CB a lot sooner than later. Even though I am against huge mega-contracts, I think Samuel may be the only decent option out there, even if we have to overpay.

The way I look at it: we either overpay for mediocrity, or we overpay for above average production.

Or, of course, we take a CB in the draft with our 1st or 3rd round pick.

PS: Look, Matt, I bolded names all by myself. I’m a big boy today!

PPS: If you can name the show from where I got the reference in the title, give yourself a cookie.

Raiders pay $9.5MM to crush my soul

Feb 20, 2008 Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha, Non-Texan stuff, Shit, Teams that aren't the Texans

Well fuck me in the ear.

It seems that the puppeteers who manipulate the Corpse of Al Davis have placed the exclusive franchise tag on stud CB and cause of rampant wishing and speculation, Nnamdi Asomugha.

Asomugha, who emerged as a franchise star the past two seasons, will earn $9.465 million for the 2008 season, the average salary of the top-five cornerbacks in the NFL. He could earn more if the average is higher at the end of the restricted free agency period.

I know it was–at best–a pipe-dream that he would sign with the Texans. I know this and yet I am still pissed about it. And here I said I wasn’t going to drink tonight. Thanks, Al.

Safety Dance

Jan 26, 2008 2007 Season, 2008 Season, Alex Gibbs, Boulware, Dunta Robinson, Fuck, Nnamdi Asomugha

Peeling off from the last post, let’s talk about safeties.

As Andy so righteously mentioned, there are distinct differences between strong and free safeties. In summary, the strong safety is generally more relied upon in run support, while the free safety is more relied upon in the passing game. Think of it this way. The strong safety is on the strong side of the formation, thus, his “coverage” responsibility is the TE. Again, this is very much a general statement as the defense is wont to mix things up in order to confuse the offense (unless your defensive coordinator is Richard Smith, natch).

So, with a number of SS options already on the roster, why TF would I believe that we’ll target a SS in the draft?

I can’t be the only person who did a double-take when America’s Penis Idol (aka, Will Demps) got the Pro-Bowl nod. His manos de piedras were awesome, if that’s a good thing when the QB basically hands you the ball (hint: it’s not). And, even though he is a strong safety, I expect you to catch the damn ball every now and then. Demps still brings the pain, but unless his contract needs are very reasonable - and I don’t expect them to be so - I still don’t think we sign him. I might be wrong.

So, that leaves us with a “plethora” of other SSs: Boulware? Brown? Earl? Harrison??? Hurl!

Personally, I don’t think we have position of greater need than the entire fucking defensive backfield. Dunta is hurt, and it’s not good. As the proud owner of a half dozen knee surgeries, I can speak from experience that they suck. Dunta didn’t have a meniscus repair: he ripped his hammy off the bone and had a torn ACL to boot. Fred Bennett (this dude seriously needs a nickname) didn’t embarrass himself while starting, for sure. SS clusterfuck? FS???

Speculating, but I think a post-injury Dunta can be reincarnated as a top-flight FS. This means, of course, that we simply need to sign a shutdown corner. I don’t see any real alternative here. We can go into the draft and hope that a Mike Jenkins or Aqib Talib falls to us, but I don’t want to head into 2008 depending on a second year and rookie at CB. This is compounded by the fact that I hope we trade down.

Dunta’s injury puts us at a real disadvantage heading into April. 8-8 was great, but we are a team with a huge number of needs. Our DB was completely ass-tastic in 2007, and we’ll be without Dunta for at least the first month, if not more. Demps is likely gone. When you consider that Gibbs doesn’t necessarily take OL early in the draft, I’m guessing that we take a SS sooner than later.

Now, go into the comments and rip me a new asshole for this post. Beetches.

Enyimba Enyi

Jan 18, 2008 2008 Season, Adimchinobe Echemandu is fun to say, Free Agency, Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha

Good news, Texans fans: the team is already addressing some of our needs and filling holes in the roster. For instance, with the unceremonious release of Adimchinobe Echemandu a couple weeks ago, the team suddenly found itself short one Nigerian. Problem solved–yesterday, the team signed veteran Center Chukwunweze Sonume Okobi, better known to you and I as Chukky Okobi.

This is the kind of pro-active move that lets one know that the team is committed both to winning and to maintaining a Nigerian mafia. This is something that a certain Raiders cornerback might ought to consider when looking for a new team.

(Yes, yes…technically Chukky was born in Connecticut and his parents are Nigerian, but with a name like his, that is close enough.)

So…about that zone blocking.

Jan 11, 2008 2008 Season, Alex Gibbs, Awesomeness, Football 101, Nnamdi Asomugha, Posts that list too many players, Preview, RB free-for-all, Ron Dayne likes pie, Stats, Teams that aren't the Texans

The hiring of Alex Gibbs prompted at least three people to ask me to re-address the zone blocking concept. Because there are a few things in the original post on the subject that I wanted to correct or clarify, I am glad to. [Note: all block quotes are cut-and-pasted from the original post.]

Not long ago, I heard a color commentator mention during an NFL game that a “zone blocking system is one in which the lineman all have a specific area they are responsible for, kind of like a zone defense in basketball.” I found the same sort of thought at Football Outsiders, too. While this is more-or-less, sorta kinda accurate when it comes to pass blocking, it is not correct vis-a-vis run blocking. Or, at least, not near correct enough to get the point across. At its most basic level, all a zone run blocking scheme means is that the offensive linemen work in pairs against two or three of the defensive linemen–i.e. the guard and center simultaneously block a defensive tackle–with one of the offensive linemen then peeling off and blocking a linebacker. The “zone” the system refers to is the part of the line where the running play is going. This is what creates the “one cut” system, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Let’s expound on that a little. First, for the sake of brevity and clarity, let’s get some acronyms working. “ZPB” will refer to zone pass blocking and “ZRB” will refer to…well, you get it.

Anyway, in a ZPB scheme, it is true that the offensive linemen are responsible for an area rather than a specific defender. This means on a blitz or a defensive lineman stunt, the offensive linemen must all be on the same page as to assignments and all must maintain zone discipline similar to lane discipline on special teams coverage. Getting this coordinated movement down is one of the more difficult aspects of learning the system, mainly because of some of the intricacies involved.

For instance, imagine a twist-stunt between the RDE and RDT. In pure theory, the LT and LG are just going to wait for the stunting lineman to come into their respective zones. Problem is, the game moves at too high a speed–especially when you are talking about the speed of a DE compared to an OG. In this situation, assuming a normal twist where the end goes under the tackle, four distinct movements will happen on the O-line. (1) The LT will engage the DE to stop him from shooting the gap. (2) The LG will step backward and to his left. (3) The LT will disengage the DE, passing him off to the LG who is now in position to block him. (4) The LT will locate and pickup the stunting DT.

As with any pass-blocking scheme, you have the question of how blitz pickup works. There are some people who disagree, but I actually feel blitz pickup is easier in a zone system. Assume a blitz where the SLB is going to shoot the B gap, the LDE is going outside the tackle (C gap) and the LDT is going A gap. Here, we have at least three defined movements. (1) The RG engages the DT, allowing the C enough time to get his head up and make the 45-degree step back and to his right. (2) The RG passes the DT off to the C, now in position, and slides right to pick up the SLB. (3) The RT picks up the LDE as he usually would. The reason this is preferable (at least in my mind) is that it simplifies the blitz pickup assignment, as each offensive lineman is essentially guarding a gap rather than worrying about who will pick up the extra rusher. This way, if the SLB actually goes to the C gap and the LDE stunts to the B gap, the RT mirrors what the RG did in steps (1) and (2) above, then passes the DE to the RG. The TE mirrors the two linemen, picks up the SLB (if necessary), and then passes him off to the RT before releasing.

“Yeah, yeah,” you say. “That’s all fine and dandy, but what about the good stuff?” Because, as we all know, the real excitement of the Gibbs hire (and the real difficultly in implementing the zone system) comes from ZRB.

Let’s walk through a example play where the running back is supposed to go right against a 4-3 defensive front. At the snap of the ball, the left tackle and left guard block the nose tackle, the center takes under tackle, and the right guard and right tackle block the left defensive end. This two-on-one blocking allows the offensive front to get a push and, also, to create the running lanes. Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Depending on certain factors (where the defensive player lined up, which direction the running play is going, where the LB is in relation to the defensive lineman, etc.), one offensive player from each double-team will disengage the defensive lineman and pick up the corresponding linebacker. So, in our example, assuming a standard 4-3 Over, the LT would disengage and slide to the second level to pick up the WLB, the RG would do the same and pick up the Mike linebacker, and the TE would be responsible (from the snap) for the SLB.

If this is done correctly, there should be a hole between the TE and RT, the C and where the RG was, and the C and LG. This is the “inside zone” and is where the “one cut” comes into play. In this system, the running back chooses one of these holes, makes his single cut, and goes. Ideally, he won’t make this cut until he is almost to his offensive lineman, thus allowing the defense less time to react to his angle. By contrast, the “outside zone” is the area beyond the TE/Sam block. Plays designed to seal off the defense and open up the outside zone do not have the “one cut” aspect to them–the running back is obligated to head outside (in theory, at least)–so the linemen block similar to a man blocking scheme, where there is a pre-determined hole.

The above part is where I should have been more precise. Apologies.

For one thing, if you want to be extremely technical, running this play to the hole between the RG and RT is “middle zone.” That’s really neither here nor there for our discussion, but I want to be thorough. Additionally, you could include a stretch play, where the RB heads for just inside the last offensive player (i.e. a WR). This is far more common in college, but can be done in the NFL with the right personnel.  We shan’t be doing it much with Ron Dayne, however, so we’ll ignore it for now.

Another slight correction. Re: the man-blocking appearance of the outside zone runs, it is possible to run a variation, wherein the tackle seals the DE, the C cuts the DT, and the G peels around to seal off the OLB. This is often called a “pull and overtake” or “pin and pull” maneuver. The key is that the G make an initial hit on the playside shoulder of the DE to knock him off balance and allow the OT to overtake him.

With those corrections out of the way, let’s look at some other aspects of ZRB.

First, some historical background. Like all good football innovations, ZRB was developed as a response to a defensive trend. Teams were using a slant/angle defense, where the defensive linemen all rush to the same side of their corresponding offensive linemen and the blitzing linebacker flows back the other direction into a wide open rushing lane to sack the QB or blow up the running play. ZRB (and ZPB) mitigated this by allowing linemen to pass rushers off and stay home to deal with the linebackers. In fact, with ZRB, a properly-handled blitzing LB is basically taking himself out of the play. If he is blitzing to the same side as the running play, he’s picked up and and sealed off like any other defensive lineman; if he’s blitzing to the backside of the running play–as long as it is not through the A gap–he is generally allowed to shoot through with minimal resistance as the one-cut technique allows the RB to be long gone by the time the LB adjusts.

A second feature of ZRB is its consistency in appearance. From snap to cut, every play should look more or less the same, forcing the linebackers into a no-win choice–do they stay home and see where the play develops (and, thus, risk getting picked up by the offensive lineman who has just disengaged and looked to the second level) or do they flow with the play and more often than not overpursue? Part of the reason they are forced into this quandry is because the RB in a ZRB system has two responsibilities–first, he is running to a specific spot (usually called a “landmark”) on each play. This spot can vary, but it usually somewhere right around the OG’s butt. Second, he is running toward that landmark as for as long as he can, so that he gets as deep as possible into the line–and causes the flowing linebackers to keep moving away–before making his cut.

[Author's note: I need to make another correction here. I stated that running to the outside zone does not have the one-cut aspect to it and that it is more like traditional man blocking. While this is true, it overlooks that, because it looks the same as the middle- and inside-zone runs as it initially develops, the fact that your back has been making cuts effectively turns not making a cut and going outside just as effective as the cuts. Like anything in football, it's all about mixing it up.]

A third feature of ZRB is actually what it does not feature. Namely, it is very rare (read: never) that you will see a counter or misdirection play. The reason for this should be obvious. If the running back goes right, but the entire ZRB unit sets up for a run to the left, the play doesn’t really fool anyone, the RB is pretty much forced to turn the run into an outside zone or stretch play when he heads back to his left, and the RB is running right into the defensive players that ZRB lets through with minimal resistance. There are some variations on ZRB that attempt to incorporate traps and counters, but they are few and far between.

Fourth, traditional ZRB chooses which side to run the play to based upon the defensive technique. What do I mean? Well, take your inside zone, for instance. Most teams will run all inside- and middle-zone runs toward the 1-technique tackle, regardless of whether he lines up on the right or left. This is because his position relative to the inside shoulder of the OG makes it easy for the C and OG to double-team him, push him in the proper direction, and still be in position to pick up the LB. This lack of this sort of theory is part of what made the Texans system in ‘06 and ‘07 a hybrid–they would run plays to pre-determined sides, meaning that certain plays called for man blocking and eliminated double teams.

Facets of zone blocking thus taken care of, let’s move on to the final pieces of the puzzle–personnel and Gibbs’ history.

In the last post, I wrote:

Well, as Tim correctly notes, the zone blocking scheme almost invariably features smaller, more agile offensive linemen. The reason should be obvious–it is not going to be real easy for a Larry Allen to engage a defender, then slide his big butt away from the block and pick up a linebacker who is 4 or 5 tenths of a second faster than he is. Besides, since you are hitting at the initial point of attack with a 2-on-1 advantage, you don’t need a pair of 340 lb. behemoths; a pair of 280 lb. lineman will work just fine, with the added bonus of being able to pick up linebackers and be more maneuverable in space.

I then went on to opine that our current crop doesn’t fit that mold, which is true, and explaining the underlying theory of the smaller guys. However, what I failed to really flesh out is that the idea of smaller linemen is only the current theory of what works and it is primarily based on the success Denver has had. However, just like how teams moved from the power-I to today’s offensive formations, the current mold for a ZRB lineman is not necessarily the only thing that works.

The Denver theory of using two-on-one and having the speed to get to the second level is fine and it is incredibly successful. However, it is also the reason that they have to use the cut-blocks that so many people complain about. When Gibbs took over Denver’s offensive line in 1984, his offensive linemen were nearly all between 260 and 280. He played with the hand he was dealt and created a ZRB scheme that utilized cutblocking because he had to (though it is no stretch to say that, over time, he developed an affinity for the sub-300 lbers). After all, there are two ways to create running lanes–you can move the defensive player out of the way or you can knock him down. Even going two-on-one, because of the way ZRB quickly disengages and moves to the next level, your two 280-lb linemen don’t have the bulk to appreciably move a 340-lb 1-technique tackle before one of them releases. So you send one of the 270-lbers into the side of the DT’s thigh and knock him flat.¹

If, on the other hand, you have more bulk at the point of attack, you obviate the need for the cut block because you can physically move the DT before the OG (or whomever) slides to the next level. Simple physics, really–620 lbs are going to exert more force in a given time than 560 lbs will.

Now…which of these lineman prototypes is preferable? I honestly can’t say. On the one hand, as we discussed, the smaller, more agile linemen give you the speed to move to the linebackers and the size to fit through smaller gaps in order to get to that next level. However, as commenter cseafous pointed out (comment #4), modern linebackers are always going to be faster than even the most agile OG. So, unless your RB is really, really good at running to his landmark and freezing the LBs, there’s a fairly decent chance that the OG will not be able to pick up the LB on the run. Conversely, if you have traditional offensive linemen, you have a lot more mass at the point of attack, but you create a situation where the doubleteam has to engage, move, have one disengage, and find the next level more quickly to compensate for the lack of speed.

Ideally, you’d get guys like Eric Winston who were slightly smaller than average (305) but were strong (22 reps) and quicker (4.93) than average, basically splitting the baby and getting maximum push in a short amount of time while still having the agility to pick up LBs. Of course, if it were that easy to find those guys, everyone would do it. Still, I imagine that, over time, you will see the girth of our existing line lessened.

Ignoring the size of the blockers for a second, the cool thing about Gibbs, however, is that he’s had success everywhere he’s gone, regardless of the initial group he got to work with. When he got to Denver, the team ran for 746 yards in its first five games. When he went to Atlanta in 2004, he had guys like Kynan Forney (307), Martin Bibla (306), Michael Moore (318)…not exactly the prototype from his Denver days (and not exactly All-Pros). Yet that Falcons team had both backs–Warrick Dunn and TJ Duckett–average at least 4.2/carry and they were consistent in those averages pretty much game in and game out.

With that kind of sustained success, regardless of the personnel he starts with, I think it is safe to say that hiring Alex Gibbs is going to prove to be bigger than any single offseason move we might make. And I would stick by that statement even if we signed Nnamdi Asomugha.

Another consistent thing about Gibbs’ teams–more often than not, they don’t take offensive linemen early in the draft. In 1984, the first o-lineman they took was in Round 8 (Winford Hood). In 1985, Round 5 (Billy Hinson). In 1986, Round 4 (Jim Juriga–this one is misleading, though, because the fourth round was the first pick Denver had). In 1987, Round 8 (Dan Morgan). In 1995, Round 4 (Jamie Brown). In 1996, Round 7 (Leslie Ratliff). In 1997, Round 3 (Dan Neil). In 1998, Round 7 (Trey Teague). In 1999, Round 2 (Lennie Friedman). In 2000, Round 4 (Cooper Carlisle). In 2001, Round 4 (Ben Hamilton). In 2002, they didn’t draft one. Finally, in 2003, Round 1 (George Foster).

When he went to Atlanta, the trend continued. 2004–didn’t draft one. 2005–Round 5 (Frank Omiyale). 2006–Round 5 (Quinn Ojinnaka).

Long story short, you can probably stop mentioning names like Ryan Clady and Sam Baker when you are talking about possible picks at 18. While not drafting first-round OTs is nothing new for this franchise, with Gibbs on board, the results almost surely will be.

¹ Mark Schlereth has also said that a benefit of the cutblock is that you keep knocking these 300 lb. DTs down and they have to get right back up and trail the play while the O-lineman lays there and rests until the play ends, thus tiring the defensive player far more quickly. This is probably true, but is more of an added benefit than a raison d’etre for ZRB.

Opening Salvo (Remix)

Jan 3, 2008 2008 Draft, Barbaro is dead, Charles Spencer, Dunta Robinson, Free Agency, Injury bug, Nnamdi Asomugha

Two follow-up notes to the post below:

1. I realize that I am being uncharacteristically optimistic when it comes to Dunta. It is entirely plausible that he doesn’t step on the field at all in 2008. I am just buying into the idea that his rehab is going well and assuming that he has the type of personality that lends itself to a more rapid recovery (i.e. “fuck the naysayers, this is the style I bring” vs. “oh, man, I don’t deserve this; why’d this happen to me?”) You’ll note, however, that I am not so sold on my own beliefs that I don’t also think we should go after Asomugha.

2. Until Steph mentioned it, I was completely unaware that Charles Spencer is a big ol’ fatty now. Probably not the best thing for a rehabbed leg. I’m leaning more toward assuming he’ll be a guard in 2008.

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.

He might be moving slowly with a limp [as of now], but at some point next season, No. 23 will throw his body around Reliant Stadium, making hard-hit highlights.

***

The most likely scenario calls for Robinson, 25, to be placed on the physically unable to perform list entering camp. If he isn’t ready at the start of the season, he would not be eligible to be activated until after the sixth game.

Though he has been told he is ahead of schedule in the rehab, he smartly realizes to rush would be foolish.

Really bad grammar aside, no one is currently ruling out the possibility that he will be back on opening day. Now, given the severity of the injury–see video here–it might be a little much to expect a September return, but what if he is ready to go by October? With Dunta and Fred Bennett, it would make very little sense to draft a CB at 18. (This is doubly true when you consider that this draft isn’t exactly rife with big name cornerback talent–not only would be drafting redundantly, but you would be reaching to do it.)

One strange sub-question to this is what if Dunta does return as planned in 2008, but is not as fast as he was prior to the injury? Because I know we don’t want to hear it right now, but there is no guarantee that he can rehab his speed back to what it was (or even what it needs to be to be a top corner). If this happens, as a couple people said shortly after he was hurt, it might just make sense to pencil Dunta in as a free safety when he returns, allowing him to play the ball and still knock the piss out of people, but without expecting him to also turn and run with the Reggie Waynes of the world. In such a scenario, obviously that second corner position is an issue. I’m just not sure it is an issue to address via the draft.

Predicted answer to the question: I think Dunta returns in mid-October and, by November, is in “playing shape.” He might be slightly slowed, but any conversion of him to safety would be in 2009 at the earliest.

2. What is the 2008 contribution from Charles Spencer likely to be?

The Facts: If it seems like a really loooooong time since Spencer got hurt, you are not imagining things. He had surgery on the broken leg on September 18, 2006, meaning that 103 weeks will have passed between that date and opening day 2008. Now, of course, the good news is that there was some talk and hope going into 2007 Camp that Spencer would play at some point this past year. While that didn’t happen (obviously), the team website reports that Barbaro is expected to participate in the team’s offseason conditioning program.

To have been cleared for such workouts, Spencer’s rehab would have to be completed to his personal physician’s satisfaction and he would have to have been evaluated by the team doctor. So, apparently, 2 out of 2 medical professionals agree that Spencer is healthy enough for NFL workouts. That’s a start. Much like with Dunta, however, there is no way of knowing short of seeing Spencer play whether he was able to rehab to the level of an NFL left tackle.

Also similar to the Dunta situation, if Spencer does not have the quickness and explosiveness needed to take on professional defensive ends, the team is not without options. Fred Weary is a free agent and Chester Pitts was less than stellar for much of the year, so moving Spencer to a guard spot is certainly a possibility. Given his bulk and athleticism (6-5, 350 compared to 6-4, 307 for Weary and 6-2, 320 for Pitts), lining him up beside Eric Winston or a real–read: not Ephraim Salaam–left tackle would certainly be an asset to our running game (unless it is foolishly decided by the powers above that we are going to convert to a pure zone blocking scheme).

Predicted answer to the question: I think that Spencer will be at 100% of whatever his post-surgery ability is and that Kubiak will give him every chance to win back the LT spot. For better or worse, unless Spencer is visibly way too slow, has some sort of major surgery-related setback, or Jake Long/Sam Baker falls to us at 18, I’m guessing that Spencer is our guy going into next season.

3. Is Travis Johnson going to be on the 2008 Texans?

Facts: Travis is a loud-mouthed, under achieving jerk. While his taunting of Trent Green was hilarious (to me), his play has never been such that we can absorb his stupid penalties and brain farts.

Prediction: This organization values “character” and “appearances” more than just about any team ever, so I really can’t see how Travis is on this roster come September. He will be gone either through trade (if we can find a sucker) or outright release closer to June 1, either of which is fine because we need a real nose tackle anyway.

4. Which of our free agents are going to be re-signed?

Facts: The following are my predicted fates for the unrestricted free agents:

• Roc Alexander–gone w/ no offer
• Charlie Anderson–signed
• Kevin Barry–gone w/ no offer Oops.
• Mark Bruener–gone? retired? neither?
• Danny Clark–signed
• Andre’ Davis–signed
• Ron Dayne–signed
• Will Demps–signed
• Glenn Earl–gone w/no offer
• Von Hutchins–gone b/c offer withdrawn after Wynn signs
• ND Kalu–signed
• Cedric Killings–gone (retired)
• Jason Simmons–gone w/ no offer
• Matt Turk–signed
• Fred Weary–gone b/c unable to perform in 2008
• Dexter Wynn–signed

And for the restricted free agents:

• CC Brown–signed
• Anthony Maddox–signed
• Jerome Mathis–gone b/c he’s a fragile wuss
• Scott Jackson–signed

Quick Review:

Unrestricted Free Agents have four or more seasons of service and have reached the end of their contract. They are free to sign with any club through the first day of the first scheduled NFL training camp. After that, their exclusive rights revert to their original club (if that club made a June 1 tender to these players) and that team has until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season to sign the player. If the player does not sign, he must continue to sit out the rest of the season.

Restricted Free Agents have completed three accrued seasons of service and have reached the end of their contracts. They have received offers from their old clubs, but can negotiate with any team until April 21. If a new team’s offer is accepted, the old club has the right to match the offer and keep the player. If they do not match the offer, the old team might receive a compensatory draft pick (subject to how much the new team’s offer was).

Notes regarding predicted answer to the question: I have been going back and forth on whether they will sign Mark Bruener. He’s a great run blocker, but he’s old as hell, so it wouldn’t shock me to see them carry Joel Dreessen if they want a third TE or for them to keep Bruener because they release Putzier. I think the Von Hutchins/Dexter Wynn thing comes down to who signs first and, god, I hope it’s Wynn. I think Demps wins out over Glenn Earl and I think that is a good thing. Finally, I think they keep Turk for another year unless someone releases a top-tier punter for some odd reason.

5. Which free agents from other teams are we looking at?

Facts: We have a better free agent budget than in some recent offseasons, but we are still not free and clear of some of the dead money (Domanick Davis Williams, anyone?) Keeping in mind the overriding philosophy of not over-spending on big names and putting character at the forefront of any player evaluation, here are some names at key positions that I could see us considering (my favorite at each position is linked to player info):

RB–Musa Smith, Derrick Ward, LaBrandon Toefield, Michael Bennett, and Justin Fargas. Notable omissions–Michael Turner (price), Julius Jones (not good)

DE–Marques Douglas, Bobby McCary, Travis LaBoy. Notable omissions–Jared Allen (character, price), Justin Smith (price)

DT–Ethan Kelley, Isaac Sopoaga. (This position is likely better filled through the draft) Notable omissions–Albert Haynesworth (character, price), Pat Williams (I was an idiot and overlooked his extension signed in September, so he’s not a free agent like I had been saying)

S–Gibril Wilson, OJ Atogwe, Mike Doss. (This position is extremely thin in free agency this year) Notable omission–Ken Hamlin (slight character concerns, overpriced due to Pro Bowl)

CB–Keith Smith, Domonique Foxworth, Nnamdi Asomugha. (Yes, I realize Asomugha’s predicted price tag, but if the team thinks Dunta will not be back in 2008 or will not be back to his old self, I think Smithiak realizes the value of a shutdown corner. Plus, I am hoping that his low INT total this year will temper the cost.) Notable omission–Asante Samuel (will think he’s worth too much and won’t talk to smaller-market teams)

OT–Jordan Gross, Stacey Andrews, Adrian Jones. Notable omissions–Flozell Adams (age), Cory Lekkerkerker (not enough Ks for jersey if he’s signed)

6. Which role players/reserves from this year played well enough to challenge for an expanded role next year?

Facts: The injuries to 94.35% of our roster this season gave us an extended look at some guys who under normal circumstances would have gotten nothing but scout team and special teams reps. Honestly, this was the one silver lining to come out of the bubonic plague that struck our locker room.

Not counting free agent guys like Andre Davis and Charlie Anderson, the three guys who jump to mind are Earl Cochran, Kasey Studdard, and Zac Diles. Last one first, Kubiak said recently that Diles had shown an ability to possibly play the other LB positions, so I could see him getting a chance to earn the SLB position in camp next year. This is not ideal–I’d much rather have a pure SLB over there–but if we can’t resign Charlie Anderson and Danny Clark, it might not be the worst thing to happen. Cochran showed a real nose for the ball every time he got in there and he even earned a starting role for the last game of the season. Studdard is a coaching staff favorite and showed real potential on the interior.

Predicted answer to the question: If the team is able to get a big nose tackle either through the draft or through free agency, it would not shock me to see Cochran given a chance at the starting defensive end gig next summer. I like the guy, so this would not bother me. Diles’ opportunity to earn a starting role is going to be limited to a total departure of the other SLBs on the roster or the untimely death of DeMeco Ryans. Finally, Studdard should be in line to compete for an OG position, especially if Spencer is playing OT. There’s also a chance that Brandon Harrison or Brandon Frye could compete, but, again, that is going to depend more on who leaves this offseason than what either actually did during the 2007 campaign.

7. Which starters–other than Travis Johnson–played poorly enough to “earn” their outright releases?

Facts: Anthony Weaver is the highest-paid player on this team, yet he was not even among the five best DEFENSIVE players we had this year. That is unacceptable. Shawn Barber started off fine, but injury derailed him. Still, that might be enough to earn a ticket out. Ahman Green I cannot discuss without getting angry. DeMarcus Faggins should lead this list, but he seems to have some sort of soft spot in the hearts of the leadership. Jeb Putzier…I’m pretty sure he is still on the team, though you wouldn’t know it by watching the last 8 games. Jordan Black was atrocious from day 1. Mike Flanagan apparently subscribed to the Jordan Black newsletter. Finally, Michael Boulware was decent on special teams, but horrid in coverage. If you listen real closely, you can hearing him whiffing on another assignment as I write this.

Obviously, there are salary cap implications for cutting any of these guys. Based on the best numbers I could find, the cap hit for each guy would be as follows (and remember that you can split guys cut on June 1 over two seasons as well as 2 guys cut prior to June 1 but designated as such):

• Weaver: $8.1MM
• Barber: $1.4MM
• Green: $3.75MM
• Faggins: $425K
• Putzier: $950K
• Black: $900K
• Boulware: $0 (unless there are some hidden bonuses that I missed)
• Flanagan: $1MM
• (Johnson: $2.7MM)

Keeping Weaver is going to cost us $6.2MM against the cap, so it depends entirely on whether losing him is worth roughly $2MM plus whatever his replacement costs. Then again, if he is one of the June 1 guys, you are saving money ($4.05MM vs. 6.2MM) in the short term. Knowing this, I think he’s either gone or will be “asked” to restructure his deal. Same deal with Green, though I say it is less likely that he is given the chance to restructure because he is cheaper to cut than to keep ($3.75MM vs. 5.1MM). Deciding whether to keep the others listed here depends less on dollars and cents and more on long-term planning for the franchise.

Predicted answer to the question: Like I said, I think Weaver is either not a Texan or is not under the same contract come September, but I am betting it is the latter. I think Green is giving his walking papers, which he will carry with a limp. Faggins stays around be he’s cheap, they like him for some reason, and because God likes to torture me like that from time to time. Putzier…I’m going back and forth on. I think he’s gone if they keep Bruener and vice versa. Boulware and Flanagan are done. Barber stays because he’s versatile and is good leadership for some of the younger ‘backers.

*****

So, about 2700 words later, there you have it. One obsessive-compulsive fan’s look at the background questions that have to be answered before we can form a coherent draft strategy. I’m sure I missed something in there.

Everyone out! C’mon. No, not you, Scottie. Not you, Number 2. Not you, Frau. Not you, Goldmember. Not you, guys back there. Not you, henchman holding a wrench. Not you, henchman arbitrarily turning knobs, making it seem like you’re doing something.

Dec 27, 2007 Adimchinobe Echemandu is fun to say, Corky Johnson, Free Agency, Hype, Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha, Tremendous Busts, Undrafted Free Agent watch list

Tim beat me to the punch on this, but Adimchinobi Echemandu was cut by the Texans yesterday, ending my dream that he would become the new Nigerian Nightmare.

While the official reason given was that the team needed to cut someone to make room for DelJuan Robinson (more on him in a minute), the fact remains that there had to be some underlying reason for why Joe E. was the person chosen. One can only assume that either Kubiak never got past Joe’s back-to-back performances against Oakland and New Orleans (2 carries for 6 yards, then 1 carry for 2 yards and a fumble lost) or the team is completely committed to using Darius Walker the rest of the way in order to evaluate him.

Either way, I can live with the decision. After all, this was a guy that we signed out of absolutely nowhere and those kinds of players rarely get mulligans. Besides, it’s not like he bounced back after that New Orleans game–in two more games he had 7 carries for 15 yards. Walker, on the other hand, is averaging 3.7 yards per carry and has 13 catches for 81 yards in his three games of action. Now, the pessimists–of whom I am a charter member–will point out that Walker showed last week that he lacks the speed to be a true number one back in the and that he would be best suited as a 3rd-down back, so an evaluation of his “long-term potential” is rather pointless. (The numbers certainly support this: he ran a 4.56 and a 4.57 at the NFL Combine; for the sake of comparison, Najeh Davenport ran a 4.44 at his Combine. Davenport also pooped in a hamper, which has nothing to do with Darius Walker but is still worth mentioning.) While this may be true, I think the general consensus was that Echemandu was not going to be the answer, regardless of how Walker did or did not pan out. Fair enough.

All of this overlooks the main reason I was high on Echemandu from the start. Namely, that a certain cousin of his is arguably the best or second-best cover corner in the NFL and can opt out of his contract at the end of the season. I was hoping that some family ties might have made it easier to entice him. With the emergence of Fred Bennett, however, and assuming that Dunta Robinson will be back and be 100% at some point next year, then giving Nate-Clements-money to Nnamdi Asomugha is probably not the highest best use of our free agent dollars (see, e.g., Pat Williams, Alan Faneca, Jared Allen, Demorrio Williams…)

Which sorta segues into DelJuan Robinson. The Second-team All-SEC tackle was undrafted out of Mississippi State, primarily due to a knee injury that limited his senior season to 8 games. In those 8 games, he had 12.5 tackles for a loss, which was fifth-best in the SEC. At MSU’s Pro Day, Robinson ran a 5.07 40, a 2.88 20, and put up 23 reps on the bench. He was part of the group of undrafted free agents that the Texans signed in May, was released by the team at the end of August, and was signed to the practice squad shortly thereafter. Because defensive line was the one place that didn’t turn into a M*A*S*H unit, Robinson had not gotten a shot at the active roster. Until now.

But let me ask you this: if you are the front office and you have four healthy defensive tackles, one of whom is retarded, but have injuries throughout your linebacking corps, secondary, and offensive line, why would you activate another defensive tackle? The only answer I can come up with is “because we are washing our hands of the retarded guy.” If that’s the case, it makes sense to see if Deljuan can play and let Travis languish until the time comes to set him free. (If they make Johnson a June 1 casualty next year–either by cutting him then or cutting him prior to that date but designating him as one of the two June 1s allowable under the CBA–there will be a cap hit of almost $2.5MM in 2008 and 2009 as opposed to a $5MM hit in 2008 if they cut him right now just to make a point). Besides, they might be able to convince Cincinnati that Travis would fit right in on their roster and get something in trade for him.

So while I might have had high hopes for him, if you are telling me we had to sacrifice Joe Echemandu to get rid of Travis Johnson…well, that’s a deal I’d make any day of the week.

Odds and Ends

Oct 25, 2007 2007 Season, Fuck the Cowboys, Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha, RB free-for-all, Teams that aren't the Texans

So, we are supposed to learn today where Sunday’s game will be played (and if it will even be on Sunday). The current realistic choices are Reliant, Texas Stadium, University of Phoenix Stadium, this guy’s backyard, and Qualcomm. If the game is at Qualcomm and (possibly) if the game is at U-Phoenix, odds are it will be a Monday night game. Taking those options in order:

• Reliant. This makes the most sense to me. I mean, in theory, if you are supposed to play a game with a team and you are unable to host it, the default should be to have it at their stadium and just call you the “home” team. Baseball does this all the time, most recently with some Cleveland and Seattle games (though, to be fair, those games were played later in the year instead of the day of the original game, but baseball has that kind of logistical flexibility). Still, I can see the Chargers and (more accurately) their fans getting all up in arms about this scenario. To which I say, “why do you hate charity?” You see, as Steph pointed out to me, if they are going to use this game to raise money for San Diegans, the Houston is a perfect locale. First, Bob McNair did all sorts of fundrasie-y type stuff for the Katrina victims, including shelling out $1MM of his own cash–by the way, Bob, this blog would gladly accept a sugar daddy–so it’s not like using a game at Reliant to raise cash is out of left field or anything. Second, I assume that tickets to this game will just go on general sale to the public instead of being part of the season tickets, which means that nearly everyone who buys tickets will be doing it because they want to see the game, meaning that the disaffected season ticket holders who don’t even sit in their seats will be kept to a minimum.
• Texas Stadium. Let’s be really blunt about something. Texas Stadium is a festering shitbox. And it’s not just because of the team that plays there. No, it really is a disgusting, run-down facility. Of ALL the options on that list, it is hands-down the worst if only because of the structure. On top of which, last I checked, Dallas was primarily full of mouth-breathing yokels and credit card millionaires. (Dallas residents who read this blog are excluded from that characterization.) Not exactly a polo match crowd. Which might be what they want, with the theory being that the people who show up will do so to boo the Texans. Brilliant. Let’s hold a game in a place where you have to bank on animus to drive ticket sales. I’m sure that is going to raise as much money as the game at Reliant. Assbags.
• University of Phoenix Stadium. This is easily the nicest stadium sponsored by an online university. Kidding aside, this plan at least makes logistical sense in that San Diegans could migrate to the game if they were so inclined. And if their cars hadn’t burned up. The problem is, apparently someone else has rented out the whole complex for some kind of something until Sunday, which would make preparations a problem. The game would have to be played on Monday, which, while that would not be a problem were it in San Diego (more on that in a minute), asking fans of either team to get to a game like that on a weekday night is probably stretching it. Update: I took a break from writing this to go to lunch and, upon returning, saw that UoPS had been eliminated due to the obligations through Sunday. This is good.
• That guy’s backyard. Unlikely. Though, judging by the pictures of both, it is probably nicer than Texas Stadium.
• Qualcomm. Word has come out today that they might actually get to play the game at Qualcomm. They have cleared out most of the evacuees, with the number currently holed up in the stadium at around 5,000. If they can get everyone out and if they can get the place cleaned up and ready, then the game would be held there. Possibly–again, assuming the ifs–on Sunday as planned. I wouldn’t hold my breath (unless I was near the wildfires), though. The league has said that they will give the organization as much time as possible to figure out if Qualcomm will work.

In other news, I cannot believe I waited this long to mention that Sam Gado was asked to turn in his playbook, pack his 2 yards/carry, and head to somewhere other than Reliant Stadium. This is good news. Perhaps even better news, though, is that the team activated recent signee, liason to Nnamdi Asomugha, and has-to-be-better-than-Gado RB Adimchinobe Echemandu (Joe Echema, for the Nigerian-impaired). You could say I am a little happy about this. He might turn out to be a total bust, but I’ll take that kind of chance on 4.33 speed any day.

You say "Echema," I say "Echemandu"

Oct 13, 2007 2004 Draft, Amobi Okoye is 20, Free Agency, Jerome Mathis got hurt reading this, Nigerian Mafia, Nnamdi Asomugha, RB free-for-all

I didn’t mention it on Wednesday, but the Texans signed Adimchinobe Echemandu–known as “Joe Echema” at Cal before he decided to go back to his real Nigerian name–to the practice squad. (There was an extra spot after we filled Jerome Mathis‘ roster hole.)

Anyway, it could be the fact that it’s late and I’ve been drinking or it could just be the paint fumes getting to me, but I am sorta jazzed about this signing. “Why,” you ask? A number reasons.

First, the simple fact that we signed him may mean that Samkon Gado is not factoring into our long-term plans. Which is good, because he sucks.

Second, though, and more importantly, is that when Echemandu is not injured, he’s fast. No, scratch that. He’s fast. He was banged up and didn’t run the 40 at the combine in 2004, but he turned in a 4.33 into the wind the summer before. Had he run that time at the combine, it would have been the fastest time in that year’s RB crop. Not shabby. And not surprising, as Joe was a sprinter before turning to football full time. He has had some injury issues since and has been very limited in playing time in the NFL, but that kind of speed is hard to come by. If you can get it at a discount like this, why not take a shot?

Third, Echemandu is a cousin of Nnamdi Asomugha. Do not underestimate how excited this makes me.

Finally, Joe is the fifth Nigerian-born player under some sort of contract with the Texans right now, joining Amobi Okoye, ND Kalu, Samkon Gado, and WR Gbolahan Devin Aromashodu. I suppose the way Amobi talked early in camp about Kalu being like a mentor/big brother to him is what makes me like this signing of Echemandu, as I buy into the idea of players overachieving when placed into highly comfortable situations. And that idea ties into us somehow luring Asomugha here in the offseason. Yes, I am slightly obsessed.

It hurts doesn’t it? Your hopes dashed, your dreams down the toilet. And your fate is sitting right besides you.

Oct 11, 2007 2007 Season, Andre Johnson, Injury bug, Nnamdi Asomugha, Posts that list too many players, Predictions Guaranteed To Go Wrong, Zoolander's snazzy handwear

I have a question for male readers who have shared their bed with a pregnant woman. Do they all snore like a comatose warthog? Or am I just lucky?

Last week: 10-4 (!)
Season: 47-28

Week 6 Picks

Byes: Indianapolis, Buffalo, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Denver, Detroit

St. Louis @ Baltimore. Scott Linehan told reporters this week that he was not embarrassed by his team’s play thus far, but that he was a little humbled. He then pulled down his pants, showed his balls to the camera, and said “everyone who drafted Steven Jackson can eat these!” Pick: Baltimore

JUGGERNAUT @ Jacksonville. OK, I’m going to come out and ask it: why is no one questioning the wisdom of Andre Johnson going over the middle in the fourth quarter of the 31-14 game? With the way we’d dominated the game and only 12 minutes remaining, shouldn’t Andre have been resting at that point? You know, in case Schaub accidentally threw a bad pass that wound up getting Andre hurt, causing our best WR to miss three or four games? I’m just sayin’. Pick: Houston

Miami @ Cleveland. I am going to join the chorus of people saying that the Browns are a lot better than we thought they’d be. Not playoff caliber, but certainly better than teams like Miami. I look for them to put a metaphorical knee in the head of Cleo Lemon and the Dolphins. Pick: Cleveland

Minnesota @ Chicago. If you took Chicago, removed all the cool shit, and then turned the temperature down 15 degrees, you’d have Minneapolis. I’ve been to the Twin Cities twice, which is two more times than I recommend anyone go there. Unless, of course, you like frostbite, hotdish, and Garrison Keillor. All that said, though, Brian Griese and Cedric Benson against a strong front seven is not a recipe for success. Pick: Minnesota

Washington @ Green Bay. Right now, a person could make a pretty good argument that the Redskins are the second-best team in the NFC. A win over Green Bay would pretty much prove it. Of course, neither of these teams can beat the Colts or Pats, so who fucking cares? Pick: Washington

Cincinnati @ Kansas City. After the way the Jags manhandled the Chiefs last week, holding them to 10 yards rushing on the day, can we all agree that the AFC South is far-and-away the best division in football? As for this game, flip a coin because either one of them is capable of playing poorly enough to lose on Sunday. Pick: Cincinnati

Tennessee @ Tampa Bay. Vince Young continues to pull of the “he just wins” part of his myth with alarming regularity. Considering his domination of both Michigan and the Texans, I should hate the guy…but I can’t. Don’t get me wrong–I’ll never root for him. Still, he’s impressive. The fucker. Pick: Tennessee

Philadelphia @ New York Jets. I realized just a second ago that I picked the Eagles to win the NFC East this year. Looking back at the predictions, though, my NFC is jacked up in a number of places. That’s what happens when you try to handicap a conference that is composed entirely of teams that would struggle to finish above .500 in the AFC. (I’m only slightly exaggerating here.) So, my new rule for this year is, when faced with a shitty NFC team and a shitty AFC team, take the AFC. Pick: New York Jets

Carolina @ Arizona. I looked forward to a Jake Delhomme injury because I was thrilled at the prospect of watching Johnny Whitegloves “lead” the Panthers. Of course, he promptly bruised his labia, the Panthers signed Vinnie Testaverde, and David might not have a starting job if Vinnie shows that he is better than Carr. Which, you know, basically requires him to throw to Steve Smith. Pick: Arizona

New England @ Dallas. Five fucking interceptions, one fumble, and the assholes still manage to win? Jesus, I hate the Cowboys. I have no love for New England, but I can’t stand the thought of Dallas being 6-0. And what the fuck was with interviewing Tony Romo after the game instead of, you know, Nick Folk? Guh. Pick: New England

Oakland @ San Diego. So, wait. Just because San Diego dominated a Denver team that also lost to Oakland earlier in the year, we are supposed to believe that the Norv Turner Experience is finally on track? I’m not buying. Oakland is a lot better than we thought. (Yes, I just threw that line in so I could quote it in the offseason as I sing the praises of Asomugha.) Pick: Oakland

New Orleans @ Seattle. If New Orleans could go back and redo the 2006 Draft knowing what they know now, do you think they hesitate on the Bush pick? Maybe for just a little bit? Pick: Seattle

New York Giants @ Atlanta. Let’s see, the last time the Giants went against a team with a young left tackle, they racked up 12 sacks. The Falcons currently feature a left and right tackle who were signed as undrafted free agents. I don’t see this ended well for Joey Harrington. And I am glad. I hope they kill the sonofabitch. Pick: New York Giants

I’d like to by a vowel

Sep 23, 2007 2008 Draft, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Dunta Robinson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Posts that list too many players, Secondary issues are primary, The Fred

The focus of today’s game, whether we like it or not, will be on the Texans secondary. That’s what happens when you play a team that features at least four bona fide weapons in the passing game. So, I figured today was as good a day as any to discuss the future of that unit.

So far in 2007, Dunta Robinon has played like a bona fide NFL CB1. I am hoping that this is really the season where he establishes himself as a true lockdown cover corner. Now, I realize that I am in the minority of Texans fans when I suggest that Dunta has not been stellar throughout his career, but–at least according to KC Joyner–the stats bear this out. In Scientific Football 2006, Joyner pointed out that Dunta was tied for 68th in completion percentage, 63rd in tight/good coverage percentage, 61st in deep completion percentage, and 74th in short completion percentage in 2005.

Anyway, the 2007 version of Dunta is looking like he is finally putting it all together. I mentioned it the other day, but while Dunta was defending him, Steve Smith managed all of 3 catches for 23 yards and Dunta notched an INT. That’s solid defense. So, for now, let’s labor under the assumption that Dunta is finally the real deal.

On the other side, Demarcus Faggins spent the first two series against Carolina as the poster child for poor coverage. Now, I think I have mentioned once or twice my distaste for Petey as a CB2, so the fact that he was abused so thoroughly last week did not come as a surprise, at least to me. Unfortunately, as of right now, I have to agree with Stephanie and Kubiak that Faggins is the best option we have out there. Jamar Fletcher has played well (at times) as the nickel, but he hasn’t shown me anything that would suggest he can make the move to CB2. And, while Fred Bennett still might develop into that role, his penchant for getting lit up on deep routes gives me pause.

So, just for a second, let’s assume that the Texans end this season in the same position as last season–with one real CB. Just like the lack of depth at safety in the upcoming draft, which we’ve already touched on, 2008 does not look like the year to snag another top flight corner.

So, what’s the answer? Nnamdi Asomugha.

Asomugha can opt out of his contract and become a free agent at the end of this season, and he will likely demand Nate Clements money. While that’s a steep price tag, Nnamdi is arguably second only to Champ Bailey as an NFL corner. Also, we look to have some decent space left under the salary cap going into the 2008 signing season.

In addition to giving the Texans the best 1-2 CB tandem in the league, signing Asomugha would also allow us more flexibility in dealing with our safety situation. Hopefully, Boulware can come on and be a contributor. In addition, we get Earl back. With that kind of CB coverage in front of them, it is entirely possible that you could piece together a good safety duo out of existing parts, meaning that you would be able to address other areas (RB, SLB, OL) with your draft picks. So, yes, it would cost a lot to sign Nnamdi, but–at least by my count–the benefits to the defense would far outweigh the price tag. I mean, in a division where you will be forced to defend Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison twice per season, can you think of a better way to do it than with Robinson and Asomugha?

UPDATE: Well, sure enough, Faggins continues to be atrocious in coverage. At this point, merely being “bad” would be an upgrade.