SB Nation - Zac Diles

Texans State of the Union: Defense

Jake — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:58:02 -0000

Three weeks ago the Texans were cruising. They were riding a three-game winning streak, and at 5-3 Houston was positioning themselves for a run at the post-season. Now after three divisional losses that were all squandered in the fourth quarter, the season seems lost for the Texans. Some have begun speculating that head coach Gary Kubiak will lose his job and the franchise will once again start over, while others have already started to focus on the pinnacle of the Texans' season (the draft), while another small contingent of fans cling to hope that the remaining soft schedule will allow the team to pull off a five game miracle finish to sneak into the playoffs.

The wide spectrum of feelings is understandable. The Texans have what is undoubtedly their best team ever, but despite that promise, they keep meandering around mediocrity. The game Sunday against the Colts is a perfect metaphor for the season. In the first half the Texans looked unstoppable on both sides of the ball, and then in the second half they didn't look like they belonged on the same field.

So what should we think of this colossally frustrating squad? I'm sure Tim will write a great breakdown on the train wreck for this weekend, so I want to cover what I think of the future, not just for the season but for next year as well. In an effort to break it up, I will start with the defense, then move on to the offense and finally look at the coaching staff.

Author's Note: Please don't consider this as me giving up on 2009. I will explain my opinion on what can and should be accomplished in the remaining five games, but I feel the near and far-term future go hand in hand so it's easier to explain it all at once.

The defense was the biggest focal point of the offseason. It didn't take a genius after 2008 to figure out that side of the ball needed more help. The vast majority of draft and free agent focus was spent on the defensive squad after Gary Kubiak went out on a limb to give longtime friend and colleague Fred Bush the defensive coordinator position despite having Bush no experience at that level.

- Defensive End:

- Antonio Smith has been worth the ransom we paid for him. He is one of the new additions that has created a mean streak that had been lacking last season. That emotion can be detrimental at times, but I think he is just one of those players who you have to take the occasional bone-headed play from along with his inspired ones. Smith has applied considerably more pressure than his 2 sacks suggest, and he also has been adept against the run.

- Mario Williams is seriously hurt, and his shoulder likely won't heal until the offseason. That's a shame too because he finally has a bookend supplying the kind of pressure Williams never had before when he was being singled out by protection schemes. One thing that still plagues Mario is his aggressiveness. Opponents continually allow him to rush straight into the backfield and then run the ball right by him. Williams is a gamer and will continue to give his best, but I don't think he will be back to regular form until next season, and there might even be a possibility of surgery following this year.

-Rookie Connor Barwin is just as raw as expected. His two sacks were the results of both speed and effort, which constitute the entirety of his pass rushing moves as of now. While some may argue that second round picks shouldn't be used on projects, the presence of Smith gives Barwin some time to learn his trade before he learns the tricks.

- Defensive Tackle:

- Amobi Okoye is not a bust, but he's not yet a Pro Bowler either. I'd like to think that he'll get to that level eventually, but at least he's showing that last year was more of a fluke than 2007 was. So far Amobi has been better against the run than I thought he'd be, but not as good at pressuring the quarterback as I'd expected.

- The Texans larger nose tackles have been decent to invisible, but out of Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina, DelJuan Robinson and Frank Okam, there isn't a single starting caliber player at the position.

- Linebacker:

- DeMeco Ryans is about as consistent as possible, which is key considering he plays a position which values that attribute above all others. Ryans isn't the type of player that will ever have an abundance of sexy stats like sacks or interceptions, but he can almost always be relied upon to know his assignments, lead the defense and plug the middle. Losing him would be an enormous blow because while he may not be the best defensive player, he is by far the defensive MVP.

- Brian Cushing has been just as good if not better than advertised. You can nitpick at his coverage technique but no player is perfect, especially a rookie. All bias aside, Cushing gets my early vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year because while Brian Orakpo has the sacks and Jairus Byrd has the interceptions; Cushing has shown the ability to do it all.

- Zac Diles has been decent at the WLB position but nothing earth shattering. Xavier Adibi has seen little of the field since his removal from the nickel package in favor of Cushing in Week Two. Both are serviceable, but added depth would be beneficial, although low, on the list of priorities.

Cornerback:

- Dunta Robinson is not a number one corner... period. I know he is still a fan favorite to some, but the tape doesn't lie--he is not good in coverage. Quick, without looking, how many pass interferences can you remember Dunta committing because he was burnt? Now how many touchdowns do remember getting thrown to his man? Now how many interceptions and pass breakups do you think he has? I will give it to him that he plays the run extremely well for a cornerback, but that's not why you pay $25 million dollars guaranteed. I would be shocked if he was re-franchised. Rick Smith won't pay him the kind of money he is looking for, so in all likelihood he has five games left in Houston.

- Glover Quin is the reason that Dunta is expendable. He plays the run just as well and in the same fashion that Dunta does. He would, however, be just as abused as Robinson if he was out in the position to cover number one wide receivers, as would Jacques Reeves. Both are pleasant surprises as a number two cornerback and nickel corner respectively, but that doesn't mean that they can move up the depth chart once Dunta leaves. A lack of a true good-to-elite cover corner is one the biggest problems for this team, and considering that they don't get to free agency very often, it will likely be a problem next year too. By the way, you might have been able to tell but I have written off both Fred Bennett and Antwaun Molden.

Safety:

- Bernard Pollard has changed this defense because of a mixture of good play on his part and complete lack thereof on all the other strong safeties prior to Pollard's assumption of the starting role. He is not a prototypical interchangeable safety that can cover deep just as well as he can play the run, but it is rare to find a safety so good at one discipline. I can understand Kansas City feeling that they didn't want to start him, but he has made them look terribly stupid for giving him an outright release. As long as he is paired with a good coverage free safety, Pollard is a huge asset against the run and I am just as in favor of re-signing him as Mike Kerns is.

- Eugene Wilson is a good coverage safety and plays well with Pollard. The problem is that Wilson has played all 16 games in just one of his 7 NFL seasons, which is probably the reason why the personnel savvy Patriots let him go. What amplifies this problem is that the depth at safety is probably the weakest throughout the entire team (offense and defense) as Dominique Barber and John Bushing are substandard.

Summation:

- After three games of sieve-like defense, Gary Kubiak was under fire for elevating Frank Bush to a position that he appeared to not be ready for. Since those first three games, however, the defense has outperformed the offense. During the four losses in the time period stated, the defense allowed an average of 12 second half points, which is counting the two pick-6 interceptions that Matt Schaub threw. These were all games that were winnable and while the defense is not without fault, the offense continually showed an inability to put games away.

- The defense's performance is admirable considering the lack of depth and talent at certain positions, and Frank Bush should be commended for it. Take for example the lack of talent at NT, which has allowed opposing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket even when pressure is being applied on the outside. To counter this, Bush has sent Cushing on blitzes, resulting in 1.5 sacks but also making the defense susceptible to outside runs as well as quarterback sneaks like what we saw against Tennessee. Another huge problem is the coverage. If zone coverage is called, tight ends like Dallas Clark and Vernon Davis eat the middle for lunch, but if you go with man coverage you either concede Dunta getting burnt or lose a player to continually helping him over the top. Both options allow for quarterbacks to know exactly where they can deliver the ball and thus avoid pressure with quick throws. It's a vicious cycle.

Future:

- This season looks good for the defense considering they face the 24th, 22nd, 21st, 12th, and 2nd (in a game that may not feature starters for too long) offenses in the remainder of the season. Not only are they unproductive, but many are one-dimensionally favored toward running, which is something the Texans have stopped lately, even if marginally so in a loss against a Titans squad that scored 20 points. I believe that DeMeco will go to another Pro Bowl, and Brian Cushing will be defensive ROY.

- The future looks bright for the Texans' D despite the current holes. Pollard, Okoye, Williams, Ryans and Cushing have all yet to play their fifth season, making the corps of the unit extremely young. Cornerback would be my first priority for the draft as it is not only the most glaring weakness but the position also typically takes at least a year or two before a player can rise to a great or even good status. Defensive Tackle and Safety are close behind with both being slightly less crucial because serviceable players currently fill those spots.

Is The Texans Defense Actually Good?

Jake — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:13 -0000

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As Tim alluded to in his postgame writeup, the defense came to play last Sunday. Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton owe the defensive squad a few baskets of muffins for giving up only 7 points on three first quarter turnovers. While the Ryan Fitzpatrick-led Bills are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, allowing zero second half points is impressive against any NFL team.

Speaking of playing a sub-standard offensive team, the issue of nitpicking because of the competition came up after a strong showing by the defense against the Oakland Raiders. Since that game though, the defense has played what in my estimation is likely the best five consecutive games in Texans franchise history.

In the offseason, there was a general consensus among the commenters on this site. The defense obviously needed to improve the abysmal play under Richard Smith, but several areas were specifically identified. The defense was shredded regularly in the preseason and after the first three games of the season, and for good reason--the improvements were nowhere to be found. What areas have the Texans improved, and which ones still haven't appeared yet?

1. Stop the run - The turn around in the defense's ability to stymie the run is remarkable. After the first three games of the year, the Texans were dead last in rush defense, averaging 205 yards allowed. Since that time, the defense has given up a paltry 291 total in five games. That's only 52 yards per opponent. Before anyone criticizes those opponents, four of those teams have averaged over 100 yards rushing a game when not playing the Texans (Cincinnati 141, Buffalo 112, San Francisco 107, Oakland 101).

It's been a team effort to create this change. The defensive linemen have all improved at the point of attack, especially Amobi Okoye and Antonio Smith. Neither has crazy statistics, but both are having success penetrating into opposing backfields. While the Jacques Reeves interception was namely due to miscommunication between Fitzpatrick and Terrell Owens, Amobi Okoye forced the early errant throw. The combination of Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans at the second level has been incredible because not only do both have a nose for the ball but they have rarely missed tackles (in the last five games). Lastly, the Texans have three defensive backs that are extremely good at defending the run and screen passes--Bernard Pollard, Glover Quin and despite all criticism, Dunta Robinson.

That's only half the answer though. The other half is that Frank Bush has been selling out against the run. It is very common to see Pollard creep into the box leaving only three defensive backs in coverage positions. This is one reason why two halves of these five games were marred by aerial attacks that garnered 21 points each (Cardinals and 49ers). While this has been working, someone will burn the Texans beyond anything the offense can repair in one game because of the next point.

2. Create Pressure/Sacks - I put both for a reason. The Texans have created a decent amount of pressure, but not nearly enough sacks. Only the Jaguars and the Chiefs have produced less sacks than the Texans, although quarterbacks are often hurried by a mixture of natural pass rush from the front four and a myriad of blitzes called by Frank Bush.

There are two problems with this phenomenon. First of all, supplying pressure without the sack works well against inexperienced/bad quarterbacks, but good/great quarterbacks deliver the ball whether they're going to get hit or not. The other problem is that the Texans secondary, while very good at supporting the run and short passes, is not great in coverage. Pollard is a true strong safety, Quin is learning, and Dunta just hasn't shown the ability to cover No. 1 receivers anymore. Eugene Wilson is good, but you need more than just one good coverage safety.

Antonio Smith was brought in to create disruption that opposing teams would have to focus on and therefore not double-team Mario Williams all of the time. Sometimes it works the other way around; both sacks against Buffalo were caused by Williams' pressure. In fact, despite a lingering shoulder injury, Wlliams often makes opposing quarterbacks to change their position in the pocket. If Bush can figure out a way to capitalize on this more regularly, like he did with Brian Cushing on his blitz on Sunday, we could start to see more sacks. Pressure also leads to one more thing...

3. Turnovers - The Texans had created 9 defensive turnovers at the halfway mark last year and had 22 at the end of the season. They have 15 this season, 11 of which have come in this particular five-game swing. Of those 16, only 6 are interceptions, going back to the point that the Texans do not employ a coverage-oriented secondary. The turnover numbers aren't record setting, but a 66% improvement is substantial.

The biggest catalyst of turnovers?... Brian Cushing. We've kicked the "I was wrong and I am so glad" horse beyond death, but criticism of Cushing remains. He's not an All Pro, maybe not even a Pro Bowler, but what would you have done for a SLB with a statline of 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 7 pass deflections, 1 safety and 66 tackles halfway through last season?

Who is responsible for these changes? Is it the new defensive coordinator? Is it the free agent pickups (Smith, Cody, Pollard)? Maybe the rookies (Cushing, Quin)? Probably a little of all of the above. That creates one more interesting and possibly detrimental aspect though; this is a young defense that is still learing how to play together. There are five current starters who didn't play in Houston last year, and that number goes up to seven if you count Dunta Robinson and Zac Diles, who both missed at least half of last season due to injury.

The defense will continue to have lapses of inconsistency because of youth and inexperience. In the offseason though, we were hoping for marginal improvement. After all, the confidence in the offense is as high as ever, so the theory of "a mediocre defense makes this team good" remains valid. There will be highs and lows, but if the defense plays close to the level that they've shown in the last five games, they can be much better than mediocre.

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Dominate Raiders

Tim — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:49 -0000

The offense has looked better this season. The defense most definitely hadn't. Qualify the victory however you want, but give me those qualifications every day of the week over the suicide watch that would have surely accompanied a loss. 2-2 is exponentially better than 1-3, so we should probably keep a positive outlook. Quick thoughts on the game:

1. I'm going to lead with Brian Cushing because he impressed me more than any other player on the field yesterday. He was, as -Jay texted me, "...everywhere...including [my] mind." Sure tackling, pressuring the QB, the appearance of being in on every play, the safety...what can I say, except that it's all but confirmed anew that I have no idea what I'm talking about? While I remain concerned about his ability to stay healthy, I've seen enough to say: Mea culpa, Mr. Cushing. Please accept this idiot's humble apologies.

2. Yesterday was Amobi Okoye's finest game in two years. Anyone disagree?

3. While Antonio Smith has yet to look like he was worth the huge free agent dollars he commanded, a few more afternoons like that and we'll all feel a whole lot better about him being in the long-term plans on the defensive line.

4. Throughout this young season, I've failed miserably at giving Tim Bulman the recognition he deserves. Seems like every time he's on the field, he's around the ball. Nice to see him getting more reps in the rotation.

5. Say what you will about Jeff Zgonina, but the guy consistently makes one more play per game than Travis Johnson ever did.

6. A very solid, albeit rather quiet, game from Zac Diles. The same could be said about DeMeco. Both were blotted out by the Sun That Is Brian Cushing.

7. Typing that last sentence felt like penance for me.

8. I'd love to get excited about the secondary's play. Really, I would. But JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland receiving corps are so bad, I'm just not sure that the secondary's success against the pass wasn't more a product of a bad offense's misfiring repeatedly. I will say, however, that Glover Quin and Bernard Pollard looked much, much better than the dudes they replaced (Fred Bennett and Dominique Barber, though Barber got the start due to Eugene Wilson's illness and actually played darn well). Indeed, D. Barber's stellar play yesterday, after looking so clueless the previous three games, only underscores the notion that any strides that may have appeared to have been made on the defense could be primarily due to the inept nature of the opposition. I'll reserve judgment, particularly because the secondary will have a chance to address the criticism directly on Sunday in Arizona, where they will be sporting large bullseyes on their backs.

9. Like pretty much everyone else on the defense, Dunta Robinson had his best game of the season. Was it worth $23 mil guaranteed? No.

10. One of these days, Mario Williams is going to split a QB in two, and I will not be the least bit surprised.

11. A note about the Raiders...why didn't they run more, especially early in the game? If I didn't know better, I'd think Tom Cable bet his bail money on the Texans to cover the spread.

12. In your entire life, you may not ever see a worse group of wide receivers than what Oakland trotted out at Reliant Stadium. I've never seen so many drops in a professional football game.

13. Of course, it might have helped if JaMarcus Russell was capable of putting touch on the ball instead of trying to break fingers with every pass.

14. I feel bad for Raiders fans. And if there's something more humiliating than pity from a Texans fan, I don't know what it is.

15. After looking like one of the best QBs in the league the last two weeks, Matt Schaub looked awfully shaky yesterday. I realize he didn't have a chance to atone much in the second half due to the conservative nature of the game plan, especially after the safety and Jacoby Jones' TD, but a 50% completion rate is not getting it done. And for the record, that's two awful interceptions in the red zone in two weeks.

16. In the same vein as the preceding point, I'm stunned that Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels only had two (2) catches each. I'm even more stunned that they were the team's leading receivers with those numbers.

17. That gorgeous 95-yard TD return isn't fooling me. I'm still mortified every time Jacoby Jones takes the field.

18. Two scores aside, can we officially be worried about Steve Slaton? It looked like it took Ryan Moats stealing carries, and threatening to steal more, before Slaton got it together.

19. Kris Brown missed a field goal. When was the last time that happened?

20. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Steve Slaton (I guess); Defense--Brian Cushing; Special Teams--Jacoby Jones.

Your Houston Texans head to the desert this weekend. The good news is that we should get a much better idea whether the new additions to the starting secondary are tangible upgrades or merely rearranged deck chairs on the Titanic. I think we'll see a healthy amount of blitzing again, because Frank Bush cannot realistically like his unit's chances of covering Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston & Co. if Kurt Warner does not feel heat on a regular basis throughout the afternoon. From a big picture perspective, I'll be watching with great interest to see if the team can put together two consecutive quality games in a row. Hasn't happened so far this season, and it had better start soon if this team has designs on breaking the 8-8 mold.

Gary Kubiak's Clock Management And Why It Makes Me Question The Existence Of A Benevolent Creator

Tim — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:18:17 -0000

While there have certainly been hiccups along the way (e.g., an ongoing and staggering failure rate at throwing the red flag), I've been a relatively steadfast supporter of Gary Kubiak. He inherited a 2-14 team with holes almost everywhere and presided over an overhaul of 99% of the roster. Kubes transformed an offense that was totally impotent into a unit that's as dangerous as any in the league. The defense...well, the jury's still out, but his decision to cede control of that facet of the squad to Richard Smith and then Frank Bush looks as though it could eventually be his ultimate undoing. As I wrote back in January, Kubes' future in Houston is likely to be determined by Frank Bush's success this season. And while I still feel that way, that's not the purpose of this entry.

I want to talk about how Kubes handled the last four minutes and twenty-five seconds of Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. By way of context, I'm talking about what went down after Dunta Robinson's strip of Mike Sims-Walker and Zac Diles' recovery of the ball. From the play-by-play on NFL.com, with your Houston Texans taking over on the Jags' 49-yard line and trailing 31-24:

1-10-JAC 49 (4:25) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 83-K.Walter to JAX 31 for 18 yards (21-D.Cox).

1-10-JAC 31 (3:52) 20-S.Slaton left guard pushed ob at JAX 11 for 20 yards (27-R.Mathis).

1-10-JAC 11 (3:45) 8-M.Schaub pass incomplete short middle to 85-J.Dreessen.

2-10-JAC 11 (3:39) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 81-O.Daniels to JAX 1 for 10 yards (52-D.Smith).

1-1-JAC 1 (2:54) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 85-J.Dreessen for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN NULLIFIED by Penalty. PENALTY on HST-83-K.Walter, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at JAX 1 - No Play.

1-11-JAC 11 (2:48) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 89-D.Anderson to JAX 2 for 9 yards (26-B.Russell).

2-2-JAC 2 (2:10) 22-C.Brown right guard to JAX 1 for 1 yard (52-D.Smith). FUMBLES (52-D.Smith), RECOVERED by JAX-52-D.Smith at JAX 0. Touchback. Houston challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #2 at 02:00.)

At the outset of this analysis, a couple of things to bear in mind:

1. After their failed challenge on Dunta's strip, Jacksonville was down to a single timeout, plus the two-minute warning.

2. The Texans' defense had given up more than 390 yards of offense to the Jags and did not look capable of slowing a Pop Warner team comprised of blind four year old girls.

Knowing this, I ask you: Why in the world was Kubiak in such a hurry to score?

Think about it. If Schaub's TD pass to Dreessen isn't called back, the Jags get the ball back with nearly three minutes to play. Seeing as how his defense hadn't managed to stop Jacksonville all afternoon, what would make Kubes think they'd stop 'em now? Indeed, even factoring in K-Dub's pass interference call (which Kubes sure as heck wasn't banking on), the Texans were primed to score with more than two minutes remaining until Chris Brown fumbled. When your defense is as pathetic as Houston's is/was, how can you justify leaving that much time on the clock? Once you hit the 11-yard line, why aren't you running Slaton or Brown right into the back of your offensive line to burn time off the clock and/or to force Jacksonville to use its last timeout? Or at least to get the two-minute warning out of the way?

Wait a second, you say. Is this moron really advocating tying the game with as little time left as possible to go to overtime, where 60% of the time the team that wins the coin toss wins the game? Yes, I am. Give me the 50% chance of winning the coin toss and having Schaub & Co. controlling the Texans' destiny over the miniscule percentage that would accompany the Texans' defense actually stopping Jacksonville from scoring late in the fourth quarter, be it by FG or by TD, especially when the Jags would have had the opportunity to stop the clock twice. I'd rather play the percentages, thankyouverymuch.

Thus, we're left with the bitter reality that even if things had gone according to Kubes' plan, the Texans were still almost assured of suffering the loss, just in a different heartbreaking fashion. The most aggravating part of this is that I'm just a schmuck in the stands. How is it that I was thinking and yelling about this as it happened, yet Kubes seems oblivious? In his FOURTH YEAR as a head coach in the NFL? Doesn't it terrify and/or frustrate you, the fan, that something so elementary as burning clock seems to evade the head coach of our beloved squad?

Am I missing something? Making too much of a non-issue, seeing as how it was all made irrelevant by Brown's fumble? Sound off in the Comments below.

Texans Five on Five: Week Three

Jake — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:02:21 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

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After an emotional win over the Tennessee Titans in Week Two, many Texans fans are worried about the dreaded "let down" game. Enter the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that is desperate for a win and loaded with talent. The Jaguars have played two divisional champs from 2008, and these teams always play each other close. Here are the five matchups that are most important in my opinion in order to prevent a deflating loss.

1. Maurice Jones-Drew vs. Brian Cushing/DeMeco Ryans/Zac Diles - MJD is one of the best running backs in the league, and the best Jags player. He runs with power but can also burn defenders in open space. MJD averaged almost 5 yards per carry last week against the Cardinals, but only received 13 carries because of the necessity to catch up through the air. The Jaguars are a team that wants to set the tempo of the game through the run, and the Texans have been wholly inconsistent defending it. Hopefully the Texans linebacking corps can keep the momentum from the fourth quarter last week.

2. Mario Williams vs. Eugene Monroe - After mounting an early lead, the Cardinals were able to blitz freely last week which resulted in 4 sacks. Despite playing Dwight Freeney on opening day, Monroe will face his toughest challenge so far against Williams. The Texans secondary needs all the help it can get, and with only one sack in the season, Mario is primed for a big day. Last time Mario played the Jags he tallied three sacks. I know it's a different O-Line this year, but a similar result is more than possible.

3. Mike Sims-Walker vs. Fred Bennett - After being shut out against the Colts, Sims-Walker managed 6 receptions for 106 yards and a TD against a very good Cardinals secondary. Bennett still hasn't shown the ability he flashed in his rookie year, but the Texans will need him to step up since Dunta Robinson will likely see more of Torry Holt. Both need to play better than they have so far.

4. Andre Johnson vs. Rashean Mathis - It's cliche to cite "our best WR vs. their best CB", but we saw what a difference it makes in the offense when Johnson is able to regularly get free like he did last week. It is still undetermined if Kevin Walter will be able to make his first start of the season this week or how effective he will be still nursing his hamstring, so Matt Schaub will likely again ask Johnson to shoulder a large load. Kurt Warner had an amazing day last Sunday, but Larry Fitzgerald only managed 4 catches for 34 yards, largely due to Mathis.

5. Gary Kubiak vs. Texans' Complacency - After a huge win against the Titans last year, the Texans laid an egg against the Raiders the following week, thus ruining the chance at a first ever winning season in franchise history. After last week's win, Kubiak made a point of focusing on the things the Texans have to fix rather than reveling in the victory. Hopefully he kept that message going all week in practice and it will show on the field.

Decision Day: 53-Man Roster Speculation

bigfatdrunk — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:13:47 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

3 months ago: Houston Texans' David Anderson (89) congratulates James Casey (86) after Casey's 11-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Rex Grossman during the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

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With cuts due by 3pm CDT (I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong), I wanted to pontifibate one last time on the 53-man roster. It's not going to be much different than my first take.

As a refresher, here's the composition of the Texans original 53-man roster last year:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

Again, there's substantial reason to believe the roster will be similarly composed. So here goes:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Arian Foster (over Ryan Moats)
1 FB: Vonta Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis, Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Again, that leaves us with 52 of the 53 spots. I think it's going to come down to:

Rex Grossman: He'll be tough to cut after last night's performance.
Glenn Martinez: Was a fiend on special teams all preseason.
Joel Dreessen: Your basic, but very good, utility TE.

After Anthony Hill's performance last night, I believe Dreessen takes the last spot. While Casey needs some time to mature into the position, Hill is definitely not ready. Dreessen will be the steady hand.

As far as Grossman, I believe there's a chance he still makes the team over Jeff Zgonina. Kubiak hasn't shown any indication he's going to take three QBs, and after last night's game, he seemed pretty non-committal about keeping Rex. Personally, I don't believe Rex makes the team.

I'll be out of town when the cuts are made, but I'll be back this afternoon.

Plenty Of Reasons To Watch The Final Preseason Game

Mike Kerns — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:09:03 -0000

Quarterback Rex Grossman will play for the first time since pulling his hamstring on his first play from scrimmage against Kansas City on August 15th.

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I am usually the type that watches the final game of the preseason for a few series and then I am done. The starters are usually rested and we watch a bunch of guys play that will probably be working at Discount Tire by that time the following week. But this year, there are certainly some things to watch for.

First off, even though his status changes every five minutes, we could finally get to see first round draft choice Brian Cushing get some playing time Friday against Tampa Bay. The news from camp today was that he was on the field in pads and taking some contact. Some are anxious to get him out there and get him some time to pick up some of the scheme. Others, including me, think we should just rest him one more game and let him loose against the Jets in week 1. No need to rush him. I would hate to see him with that nagging injury all season. Even when his history shows that the chances of that are pretty high already.

Next, apparently Rex Grossman is all better and ready to play. Sweating a roster spot there, Rexy? Well, it’s not like Dan Orlovsky has been a world beater thus far. Rex has virtually zero chance of passing Dan-O on the depth chart, but if he plays well Friday I could see us carrying three QBs for the first time under the Kubiak Era. I’m not a big Grossman fan (who is?), but he is John Elway next to Alex Brink.

Arian Foster, who many people had penciled in as Slaton’s backup from the moment he was signed as an undrafted free agent, will get lots of time on the field Friday. Gary Kubiak was quoted as saying that Foster was "on the bubble." So Foster needs to do something worthwhile against the Bucs' third stringers to make the team. Right now he has to be behind Chris Brown and Ryan Moats. As well as Steve Slaton, of course. He has been banged up almost all preseason and that hasn’t helped his case to make the squad so far. I’d like to see him make the team, but he hasn’t really shown me anything yet. I’m anxious to see if he has any of that burst left that he had the season before his injury at Tennessee.

Then there is every Texans fan's apparent man crush (you know who you are!), James Casey. With Vonta Leach resting a bruised knee, "Thor" will see time at fullback Friday. It is a great opportunity to see his versatility and I am interested to see if they try a wildcat play or two. Doubtful, but it's fun to know that they have that option. And if you can’t try it in the preseason, when can you try it?

Add to all of this that I want to see if Dan Orlovsky can keep from turning the ball over for one game and to see how Xavier Adibi responds to losing his starting job to Zac Diles, and there are plenty of things to be watching for. Besides, what else you got to do on a Friday night?

Texans Name Zac Diles Starting Weakside Linebacker

Mike Kerns — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:31:41 -0000

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According to a league source, Zac Diles has beaten out Xavier Adibi and will be the starter on the weakside week 1 against the Jets.

When asked about Zac Diles play so far in the preseason, Head Coach Gary Kubiak was quoted as saying "Pretty darn well."

To me, this was expected after Adrian Peterson's 75 yard TD run on the very first play from scrimmage last Monday night.

bfd's First Take at the 53-Man Roster

bigfatdrunk — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:31:53 -0000

Great discussion last week on the possible composition of the 53-man roster started by Texans-Brocos. Here's my take with a little bit of background.

Last year, the Texans' opening roster consisted of:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

I think it's reasonable to believe the 2009 roster will be similarly composed. After last night's game, here's my guess as to how the 53-man is shaping up:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Ryan Moats (depending on his injury)
1 FB: Vonta "Human Coke Machine" Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones (almost by default)
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill (no Joel Dreessen, which is our loss)
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers (depending on his health, obviously)
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina (no Travis Johnson)
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis (depending on Cato June's health), Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden (no Dunta Robinson...just in case)
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Several differences from last year, though nothing crazy. Last year, we carried 6 DEs and 5 DTs, whereas I have us carrying 5 DEs this year. Sadly, I still have us carrying Jeff Zgonina as I just don't see anybody on the roster otherwise. There's the difference in OGs and OTs, and I have us keeping 5 CBs and 4 Ss, where that was swapped last year.

Also, and I doubt you noticed, but I have listed only 52 players for 2009. If Dunta signs, I do believe we'll keep 6 CBs on the roster as I believe the Texans, rightly so, would be afraid to release either McCain or Molden, who are the two I believe to be most on the bubble. I also believe that one of the CBs will be in line for a position change to S.

One guy who really intrigues me is Glenn Martinez, as he was the most "on" last night. He can return punts and kickoffs and looks like an excellent gunner on special teams. As I said in the game thread, he reminds me of Steve Tasker in the way he plays. There's a chance he overtakes Jones, but because we're carrying extra CBs, it'll make it tougher for Martinez to win a job.

What do y'all think?

Jacques Reeves Out 6-8 Weeks With Broken Leg, FML

Riott — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:15:00 -0000

Apparently, your Houston Texans projected starting corner Jacques Reeves is out 6-8 weeks with a broken leg that happened during training camp on Monday. He tried to bat away a ball headed for Andre Davis and landed awkwardly. It shouldn't require surgery

Your two starting corners at this very second are Fred Bennett and Brice McCain, as Quin is out with a lower leg bruise (though he should return soon). This will get the younger guys a lot of reps and may give sleeper Mark Parson a chance to make the team. It also gives Dunta more negotiating leverage.

In other news, Zac Diles was found with a contagious strain of what is informally known as "breakyourleginpractice-itis". It is being studied by the training staff now to prevent other random broken legs to players on the team.