SB Nation - Amobi Okoye

Texans Five on Five: Week 15 Edition

Jake — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:04:52 -0000

The Houston Texans picked up some momentum last week by trouncing the Seahawks 34-7. They'll try to keep that drive going on Sunday when they travel to St. Louis to play the struggling Rams. Remember last year when the Texans were coming off an emotional victory and played the struggling Raiders? Let's avoid the quintessential letdown game. Here's the five matchups I feel are the most pivotal to make that happen.

1. Amobi Okoye vs. Jason Brown - Brown rode his success in Baltimore to a lucrative contract with the Rams in the offseason. Now Brown finds himself on an island with the recent release of talented but impetulant guard Richie Incognito. Okoye has gone a long way to undo the "bust" label this yearl, but now it's time to start proving that he is going to take the next step. Look for Okoye to penetrate through a reworked interior line for the Rams.

2. Mike Karney vs. DeMeco Ryans - As people focus on the stellar rookie season of Brian Cushing, Ryans is quietly having a Pro Bowl year. Meanwhile, Steven Jackson is having the best season since 2006, even with the revolving door at quarterback this season. The Rams released talented fullback Madison Hedgecock early in 2007, which coincided with 4.1 yards per carry and an average of 1,022 yards over 2007 and 2008 despite Jackson being the focal point of the offense. This year, Jackson is averaging 4.5 yards per attempt and already has more than 1,200 rushing yards, largely due to the lead blocking of Karney. Ryans needs to shed the blocks in order to meet Jackson in the backfield and add to the 3 tackles for loss he recorded last week.

3. Bernard Pollard vs. Steven Jackson - With both Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller out, 6th round draft pick ~~Kyle~~ Keith Null will start at quarterback on Sunday. Look for the Rams to screen and check down to Jackson, who is easily their most talented player, often. Pollard showed last week that not only can he tackle in space, but he can jump running back routes and make opposing offenses pay. He also like to knock the piss out of people.

4. Matt Schaub vs. Rams Secondary - Schaub has already shattered his career highs in passing yards, completions and touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, he is also averaging an interception per game. On Sunday he will throw against a secondary that is second to last in the league with only 8 interceptions. Schaub has only had two weeks this year where he didn't throw a pick. If Schaub wants to put this game out of reach and therefore avoid even the possibility of a fourth quarter collapse, he needs to take care of the ball.

5. Texans players vs. Possible Kubiak Firing - Last week the Texans showed that they don't want to see head coach Gary Kubiak get fired. Andre Johnson not only made a public plea for Kubiak, but he also showed on the field that he flourishes under the offensive minded coach. The quickest way to put Kubiak in jeopardy is to lay an egg against a one win team. Hopefully the players continue to give Kubiak a stay of execution.

Texans vs Rams coverage

Behind The Numbers: A Quick Look At The Texans' Defense

bigfatdrunk — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:47:29 -0000

(image via www.nyu.edu)

In this thread, TexasHoosier made a claim that, call him crazy, but he believes the secondary is playing pretty well, Dunta aside. I started looking at the pure, raw numbers, ready to call him crazier than...than....well, crazier than a Texans fan, but I figured that was too cruel. Turns out, the more I dove into the raw numbers, the more interesting the argument.

SPECIAL NOTE: No fancy math used. I don't have time after putting together the numbers, and I just want to get something posted.

Looking at the RAW numbers (emphasis on raw), we've gone from a historically bad defensive football team the first three games of the year to, dare I say, about average?

Here's how we have progressed against the run:

Above, positive numbers are bad for us and negative numbers are good. This is looking at how teams did against our rush defense versus their yearly average. For the year, we've held opponents to 43 yards below their average, or a pretty negligible difference of about 4 yards per game. The biggest problem I see here are pretty massive fluctuations, signaling we lack consistency on stopping the run on a game-by-game basis. However, the trend is definitely positive. We're doing a decent job against the run, and this is reflected by our mid-season winning streak between the Oakland and Buffalo games (Arizona excepted).

Here we are versus the pass:

As with above, positive numbers are bad for our defense and negative are good. I was pretty shocked when I ran these numbers, to be honest. For the first seven games of the season, our pass defense was a sieve. The first two games were ugly, and Jacksonville didn't need to bother passing. Oakland, of course, is Oakland. Then Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, and Alex Smith (!!!) enjoyed nice games against us. Starting with Ryan Fitzpatrick, we've turned things around from a secondary full of holes to one that's not too bad.

Yes, I feel it necessary to not say great or even average. The BE-SFs are clearly a different team with VY at QB, and Indy still dropped 35 on us in the last three quarters. But yes, we are improving. Here's the big picture:

Overall, we are doing a better job keeping our opponents in check. But two huge factors stick out. First:

While we are consistently forcing at least one turnover a game, we need to do more. Also, I find it interesting that, in the beginning of the year, we were forcing fumbles. Now, we are forcing interceptions. I believe this is in large part due to the philosophy of the teams we are playing and when. My conclusion is that teams had success rushing the ball against us early in the year and are now trying to throw more.

The other factor, and to me, it's huge, is our miserable 19 sacks. This is clearly a poor number, ranking us third from the bottom in the league.

Remember that super aggressive defense we were promised by Frank Bush? I don't see it, either. Upgrades at SLB, SS, CB2, and an improved Amobi Okoye seem to be having a greater effect on our improvement than the scheme. And when watching our coverage scheme, I still think I'm watching Richard Smith.

I also can't help but believe that our schedule - we've only played three of the top 10 offenses in our 12 games - is helping cover other problems.

Nevertheless, the improvement on defense is something, and after years of Richard Smith's ineptitude, and this season gone down the tubes, I'll take the improvement and hope there's much more around the corner.

Texans State of the Union: Defense

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

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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.

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Lose In Soul-Crushing Fashion To Titans On Monday Night

Tim — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:10:02 -0000

/takes deep breath
/rubs eyes
/does shot of Bushmills

Okay...let's do this. Let's start with a quick inventory of where your Houston Texans are at the moment. You know it well; it's called .500. At this point, some might think it's probably time we stopped renting space in the Land of Mediocrity and put down some roots. Buy a house, raise a family, join the PTA, and so forth. The honest truth, however, is that the season isn't over yet. Going into Monday night's game against Bud Adams' minions, an objective analysis of the Texans' schedule showed the Texans had to win two of their next three games--Titans, Colts, at Jaguars--to stay in the playoff hunt. That would put Houston at 7-5 going into games at home against Seattle and on the road against St. Louis.

Now, in the wake of Monday night's loss? There is no margin for error. To stay in the playoff hunt, your Houston Texans have to hand the Colts (led by an angry Peyton Manning, coming off what was probably his worst game of the season in Baltimore) their first loss of the season. It's a must-win game in every tired sense of the phrase if the Texans are to remain in the wild card chase. Lose on Sunday and realistically the Texans are an also-ran. Win on Sunday and Monday night's loss becomes a bump in the road, rather than the six-foot deep pothole it is right now. Seeing as how it's only Wednesday, the loss at home to Tennessee remains a pothole until further notice. Let's take stock of the painful specifics of the loss:

1. When your play results in a FanPost that features a title suggesting you should fornicate yourself, things are bleak, Kris Brown. In the last PGB, I noted that Brown had already missed as many FGs halfway through 2009 as he did in all of 2008. Thanks to the two (2) he yakked on Monday night, the situation has progressed from troubling to critical. But cutting the guy now? I can't get behind it. Kris Brown has been one of the, if not the, most consistent player(s) on the entire roster during his tenure in Houston. I mean, there's a reason he's been with the team since its inception, and there's a reason his extension with the organization back in June was met with applause. The guy is paid to be money when it counts the most, and he's let the team down the last two weeks. My guess is that for the first time in years the Texans bring in a challenger for the kicking job in the offseason. Absent him misfiring on another kick to tie or win a game, Brown's not getting cut mid-season. He's been too good for too long, and that counts for a whole lot, even in the face of back-to-back piles of excrement.

2. Remember when you felt like any kick inside 50 yards was going to split the uprights? Now every kick, whether it's a 20 yarder or a 54 yarder, is going to be fraught with tension. Such is our existence in this frightening new era with Kris Brown as your kicker. Across the country, Pittsburgh fans nod knowingly.

3. One more kicking-related note--despite Brown yipping in Indianapolis and missing an earlier, near-identical kick on Monday night, there's no question in my mind that Kubes did the right thing going to K. Brown when he did on Monday night. The data shows that Kris Brown usually nails that kick. You have to play the odds.

4. If you want to take exception with how Kubes handled his timeouts the last two minutes of the game, you'll get no argument from me. What I fail to understand is why people are suddenly calling for Kubes' head now. This is not a new development. Gary Kubiak has always been glaringly poor at two things--challenging rulings on the field and clock management. Always. He might be slightly better at it now than he used to be, but he's still well below average. If you want Kubes canned for his fourth quarter coaching now, you should've wanted him canned for it weeks, if not years, ago. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and Kubes (or the people he has in charge of clock management) is/are woeful at in-game adjustments and/or management late in a game. It's science.

5. Should the Texans lay an egg on Sunday, you're going to be hearing and reading a whole lot of stuff about firing Kubes. As the Texans' record has defined mediocrity the last two and a half seasons, it's a fair issue to raise. I would caution that I think jettisoning Kubes could be hugely detrimental to the passing game. Would it be worth it? I don't know, but I don't think so at this point. Ask me at the end of the season.

6. Preceding paragraph aside, if anyone can tell me why Chris Brown got more than twice as many carries as Steve Slaton and 11 more carries than Ryan Moats on Monday night, I'm all ears. The only thing I can think of is that Kubiak lost a bet. To Chris Brown himself. Because no one who had the Texans' best interests at heart would've ever suggested, even jokingly, that Chris Brown should have been the featured back. Nothing, and I truly mean NOTHING, logically explains that decision. What's more, I'm not sure I want to live in a world where Chris Brown is the Texans' primary RB. My blood will be on Kubes' hands if Chris Brown gets the majority of the carries on Sunday. Remember me fondly.

7. For all the heat Kubes and Frank Bush get on a week-to-week basis, I am stunned at how Alex Gibbs remains totally off the blame radar. The guru of offensive line coaching is presiding over a horrific rushing attack and an offensive line that cannot block for a running back to save its life. Losing Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel for the season hurts, but the absence of those two guys alone does not explain the completely anemic running game, particularly considering how potent it was last year. Teams don't even have to pretend to respect the Texans' running game. One first down running the ball on Monday night. One!

8. I'm baffled as to why the Texans' front four cannot formulate a consistent pass rush. Vince Young typically had as much time as he wanted. Yet, at various times, you see good play from each individual on the line--Super Mario, Amobi, Antonio Smith, Shaun Cody--on a given play. Why can't they put it together every snap?

9. Speaking of Vince Young...hate him all you want, but the guy did what he needed to do, especially in terms of converting third downs. I would hope that Frank Bush commits a spy to him next year.

10. The Texans did a pretty good job holding Chris Johnson in check. He needed 29 carries to accumulate 151 yards, which was more than a yard below his YPC average going into Monday night. Johnson really only had one big run, and the Texans kept him out of the end zone. Houston bottled him up well enough to win the game.

11. While the officiating on Monday night left much to be desired, it didn't cost the Texans the game. The play that infuriated me the most was at the end of the first half, when the Titans laid on top of Steve Slaton, waiting for the clock to expire. Smart play by the Titans' defenders; even though I would've liked to see a flag, I knew it wasn't coming.

12. Some free advice for Dunta Robinson: Fire your agent. Every time I watch him play, I grow even more bewildered that he purportedly turned down $23,000,000.00 in guaranteed money from the Houston Texans. Dunta might as well have had "Faggins" across the back of jersey on Monday night with the way he got targeted and abused. By a rookie wide receiver. And a QB who's not exactly trumpeted for his passing acumen. And lest we forget, said QB also made Dunta look extremely foolish on a completely whiffed tackle. At the rate he's going, Dunta Robinson is challenging Latrell Sprewell for the title of "Worst Self-Evaluation By An Athlete At Contract Time."

13. As much as I like the guy, David Anderson should not be leading this team in receptions.

14. Man, I am struggling for positives this week. But there were some:

a. Matt Schaub--despite being under pressure for much of the evening, he played extremely well. And that last drive to get the Texans into field goal range was reminiscent of what he did last year against Miami, albeit with a different result this time around. Although he did make a horrible throw or two, Schaub didn't throw any picks. How many QBs would you take over him right now? It's a very short list.
b. James Casey--showed enough on Monday night that I'm geeked to see what he does the rest of the season, especially if the Texans continue playing him as much as they did two days ago.

There. Let us never speak of this again. Colts will be here before we know it, and the Texans' playoff hopes are on life support. Time to turn the page. At least that's what my therapist tells me.

Titans vs Texans coverage

Take The Half-Season Poll: Most Disappointing Defensive Player For Your Houston Texans?

Tim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00:34 -0000

Two sides to every coin; we've already taken a look at the best, so now let's turn our attention to the other extreme. Which defensive player on the Texans has disappointed you the most thus far? Vote in the poll below and let us know why you voted the way you did in the Comments.

Poll

Who Has Been the Most Disappointing Player on the Texans' Defense Through Nine Games?

Mario Williams

101 votes

Antonio Smith

58 votes

Frank Okam

45 votes

Amobi Okoye

37 votes

Xavier Adibi

27 votes

Fred Bennett

135 votes

Jacques Reeves

6 votes

Dunta Robinson

155 votes

Connor Barwin

28 votes

DelJuan Robinson

7 votes

Dominique Barber

14 votes

Nick Ferguson

9 votes

622 votes | Poll has closed

Take The Half-Season Poll: Most Outstanding Defensive Player For Your Houston Texans?

Tim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:47:39 -0000

The Texans are slightly more than halfway through with the 2009 (regular) season, so let's take inventory of what we've seen. Through nine games, who has been the most outstanding defensive player for your Houston Texans? Note that I said "most outstanding" as opposed to "most valuable." In other words, who's been the absolute best on that side of the ball so far? Vote in the poll below and let us know why you voted the way you did in the Comments.

Poll

Who Has Been the Most Outstanding Player on the Texans' Defense Through Nine Games?

DeMeco Ryans

47 votes

Brian Cushing

448 votes

Antonio Smith

5 votes

Mario Williams

8 votes

Amobi Okoye

0 votes

Jeff Zgonina

3 votes

Bernard Pollard

46 votes

Eugene Wilson

1 votes

Dunta Robinson

3 votes

Glover Quin

4 votes

565 votes | Poll has closed

Texans Five on Five: Week Nine

Jake — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:44:26 -0000

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Many people are calling the game on Sunday between the Texans and the Colts the biggest football game for the City of Houston since the Oilers played there. The Texans have their best record in franchise history but are staring down the barrel of an undefeated Colts team. The Texans will have to play close to perfect to come away with what would be the most important win in their history thus far. These are the five matchups I feel will make or break the Texans on Sunday.

1. Amobi Okoye vs. Mike Pollak - Pollak, the Colts' right guard, had issues last week against San Francisco. The 49ers' defensive line was able to get penetration early and often, which did not allow Manning to step up in the pocket. Even though the Niners lost, I think they showed exactly what we need from Amobi Okoye this week--penetration.

2. Dunta Robinson vs. Reggie Wayne - I hate this matchup. I have visions of Wayne running loose all over the place on Sunday. Last time I said that Robinson had to prove he was worth the money he demands, he was burned for 5 receptions for 103 yards and a lengthy pass interference penalty to boot while covering Chad Ochocinco. Dunta will have to limit Wayne as best he can if he wants a leg to stand on next time he writes on his shoes.

3. Duane Brown vs. Dwight Freeney - Last year, Freeney abused Brown for three sacks in two games. That means that roughly 30% of Freeney's sacks in 2008 came at the expense of Brown in his rookie season. Brown has probably been the most improved player on the offense and a big reason that Matt Schaub has performed so well. Brown needs to continue to give Schaub the time he needs despite the history he has with Freeney.

4. Steve Slaton/Ryan Moats vs. Clint Session - The Colts have given up the fewest points in the NFL, but opponents have rushed for an average of 4.5 yards per carry against them. Outside linebacker Clint Session has the second most tackles on the team, but safety Antoine Bethea has the most, and it's never a good sign to have a member of your secondary lead that category. Whoever runs between the combo of Slaton and Moats needs to run well in order to open up the passing game.

5. Frank Bush vs. Peyton Manning - Everyone knows this is the guy you need to at least slow down in order to have a chance. If you blitz him too much, he'll gouge you with huge plays. If you don't apply any pressure, he'll nickel and dime you all the way down the field. Bush will have to come up with the right mixture to try to limit #18 as much as possible. Even though 347 yards passing doesn't sound like a bad day, San Francisco was able to frustrate Peyton for zero touchdowns. Three words will have to sum up the Texans defensive philosophy on Sunday--"Bend, Don't Break."

Texans vs Colts coverage

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 Beat Bills To Improve To 5-3

Tim — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:14:46 -0000

That was, well, uh, unique. Come the offseason, what will we remember yesterday's win for? That Owen Daniels' otherworldy season was cruelly cut short? That Steve Slaton's inability to hold onto the football finally had lasting consequences? That Ryan Moats somehow laid claim to a job that none of us ever thought would be in play? Possibilities all.

Personally, I believe I'm going to remember it for a different reason. Namely, that it was the first game I can readily recall in the Gary Kubiak Era that the defense won. Yes, the offense put up 31 points, highlighted by Moats' three (3) fourth quarter TD runs. The offense also turned the ball over three (3) times in the first quarter, thanks to two (2) picks by Matt Schaub and yet another inexcusable fumble by Slaton. In years past, those three turnovers would have been fatal. Each would have likely led to points, and the snowball effect of it all would have been insurmountable. Not this time, though.

This time, the defense refused to budge. This time, the three miscues resulted in a yield of only seven, not twenty-one, points. This time, the defense picked the offense up. For a team that's generally seen the offense compensating for the defense's shortcomings, that's simply huge. 31 points scored or not, any Texans fan who watched yesterday's game knows the victory belonged to the defense. I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time a Houston win was due more to defense than offense. Pittsburgh in 2002 comes to mind, and that's it.

Has the defense arrived? Depends on what your definition of "arrived" is. No one's going to confuse this Texans' D with the Steel Curtain. But has it progressed to a point where you'd deem it average, with the capability of being flat out good on some afternoons? I think so. Given how good the offense has been on balance this season, this team just might be complete enough to make some noise when it counts. We'll find out much, much more in Indianapolis on Sunday.

On to the specifics from the Bills game:

1. Condolences to Owen Daniels, who was playing like one of the, if not the, best TE in the NFL. OD may have become Schaub's favorite target, even moreso than Andre Johnson. It's impossible to quantify how big OD's absence will loom until we see how the offense evolves, but I will say this: Schaub spreads the ball around, as evidenced by the fact that ten (10!) different Texans had receptions yesterday. If there was ever a system that could withstand the loss of a star, it may be this one.

2. Joel Dreessen figures to be the new starter at TE, but James Casey was the guy catching passes once OD went down. There's little doubt that Casey can be a helluva receiver; unfortunately, that's only half the gig. It's going to be his blocking skills that limit his snaps, at least for a little while. Dreessen is the more complete option at TE for now, though I expect Casey to see more and more time as the season progresses.

3. Going to be very, very, very, VERY interesting to see how the organization proceeds with Daniels in contract talks. Everything OD has done this season up to the point of injury says he deserves big dollars. Now what? Although the situations aren't identical, they're similar enough that the way the Texans handled Dunta Robinson is probably instructive. I'd be surprised if Daniels doesn't get the franchise tag in a few months; he's going to (rightfully) want more than the Texans are likely to offer, and the Texans are going to want to see him produce on that surgically repaired knee before they commit to the kind of dollars OD wants.

4. There's been a lot of back and forth on what Kubes should do about his newfound Steve Slaton/Ryan Moats conundrum. My take is rather simple, echoes the view of several others, and pains me considerably, seeing as how Slaton is on my fantasy squad. Start Moats against the Colts. He earned it with what he did yesterday, and Slaton earned it with what he's done all season. That's not to say that Slaton should be tethered to the bench. He's the most talented RB on the roster, and he should remain a big part of the gameplan on Sunday. Until Slaton shows he can avoid putting the ball on the turf, however, he cannot be consistenly counted upon. Although the sample size is skewed, the data we have this season shows that Moats is the more surehanded option. As such, give him the start.

5. It's a fine line Kubes has to walk; he can't bury Slaton, and he has to be careful not to exacerbate what I imagine is an increasingly mental problem for Slaton. At the same time, he can't keep trotting Slaton out there as though nothing's wrong when the early returns show that Slaton's good for a fumble or two each game. Turnovers kill, and Slaton's been skirting first-degree murder charges all season.

6. One more word about Casey, before I forget. Prior to OD's injury (I think), Casey had an absolutely monstrous special teams tackle. Merits a mention.

7. As LoneSpot noted in the Comments, Super Mario managed to completely avoid mention in the box score. Odd, though I seem to recall him being directly responsible for one sack by making Ryan Fitzpatrick step up into the pocket and into someone's grasp. I plan on writing a longer post about Mario in the coming days.

8. Antonio Smith finally posted some stats yesterday. Again, I think he's been solid for most of the year; it just hasn't shown up statistically. Now it has.

9. Amobi Okoye is not a bust.

10. Is Brian Cushing already the second-best linebacker in franchise history? Depends on what you think about Jamie Sharper.

11. Bernard Pollard is too good in run support to have been on the street when the season started. Smithiak really got lucky there.

12. Terrell Owens got his first TD of the season because Dunta Robinson did not do his job. -Jay saw it immediately and pointed it out to me; I caught it on the replay. Dunta had contain and should have forced Owens inside on that TD run. Instead, Dunta gave up the sideline, and that was all she wrote.

13. Has anyone gotten further explanation why Jacques Reeves was demoted to the nickel corner job? I like Glover Quin and all, but I don't get it.

14. Sign No. 79 This May Not Be Your Grandmother's Texans Defense: Jacques Reeves put his hands up and made a fine play in the end zone in coverage on Terrell Owens.

15. This would be where I lavished praise on Jacoby Jones if I wasn't terrified of jinxing Jacoby Jones.

16. Fake Game Balls: Offense--Ryan Moats; Defense--Brian Cushing; Special Teams--Rhymes with "Macoby Mones."

Off to Indy before the bye week. Peyton Manning & Co. may well be playing the best football in the entire league right now, and the Texans have had as many wins at the RCA Dome as Kerry Collins does this season. The Colts are prohibitive favorites, as they should be. It's going to take a near-perfect effort from the Texans to pull this one out. A month ago, that wouldn't have seemed possible. Now? Who knows?

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Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Hang On Against 49ers

Tim — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:04:02 -0000

BFD already did a fine job taking a look at many of the individual performances from Sunday's win over the Niners, so I'm going to focus on the bigger picture in this PGB. First and foremost:

1. I can't help but notice how many of us seemed viciously unhappy with the "W" on Sunday. Reading many of the Comments in the open game threads, you'd think the Texans lost the game. This isn't exactly the first time we've responded like that, either; recall how down and/or critical many of us were after the win over Oakland. My thought? The Texans don't have a rich enough history of success for any of us to be depressed about a win, no matter how nasty it got at the end (and it did get way too close for comfort). I lose sight of this from time to time. We're not the Steelers. We're not the Colts. Our best single-season winning percentage is .500. To put it mildly, wins have been scarce. When we get one, we shouldn't let the potential sting of a near-loss ruin the experience. Now, is there a lot to discuss and question? Absolutely. Never should have gotten as close as it did. But I'm going to do my best not to let those concerns completely overshadow the relative rarity of a Texans victory. In a year or two, with some semblance of sustained achievement, perhaps. Not yet, though.

2. Even with the second-half struggles, I can honestly say that I never had a doubt the Texans would hold on. I don't recall ever feeling that way before.

3. The defense remains a work in progress, but the rush defense is exponentially better than it was at the beginning of the season. It's been exceptional for the last month.

4. Not coincidentally, Amobi Okoye is becoming more and more of a factor every week. I no longer think his face should be on the back of a milk carton.

5. Nice to see Super Mario return to the sack column. Query: Is that injured shoulder affecting him more than he or the team is letting on?

6. Jeff Zgonina: Second-best DT on the roster? Third-best? Under any analysis, Frank Okam is getting embarrassed week in and week out.

7. Every superlative performance by Owen Daniels makes it less likely that he gets a long-term deal from the Texans. I cannot see Smithiak giving him the Kellen Winslow, Jr. money he wants considering the upcoming obligations the team has to address (e.g., DeMeco Ryans, Matt Schaub's option, a new deal for Mario Williams, etc.), and games like Sunday only reinforce the notion that OD deserves to be paid like one of the top TEs in the league. What's more, given the animosity between the parties that surfaced this past summer, banking on OD taking a hometown discount to stay in Houston seems foolish. Thus, the question becomes whether you think the Texans should pay a TE, even one as gifted as OD, the $20 mil or so guaranteed that it'll likely take to keep him happy here. I hate to say it, and I absolutely love Owen Daniels, but I don't think you can, given the dollars you're going to have to dole out to others. And that's not even taking into account whether James Casey can be a reasonable facsimile of OD.

8. Has any player fallen farther during the Smithiak Era than Fred Bennett? From rookie stud to not even dressing for a game when presumably healthy. Who ever would have thought we'd be here after the 2007 season?

9. Eugene Wilson and Bernard Pollard are the best safety tandem the Texans have ever had.

10. What did Ryan Moats do to Gary Kubiak and/or Kyle Shanahan? I'm all for yanking Steve Slaton when he puts the ball on the ground, but why is Chris Brown the exclusive backup? Especially since Moats looked so good against Oakland?

11. Watching Matt Schaub play QB for the Houston Texans makes me truly appreciate how wretched David Carr was and makes me even angrier that it took me almost five (5) years to stop making excuses for Carr.

12. Is the Texans' offense multidimensional enough to warrant playing it safe with Andre Johnson this week? And what is playing it safe--can you dress 'Dre and play him as a decoy? Or do you give him two weeks to heal in preparation for the divisional battle with Indianapolis? I'd like to think the Texans can win one without 'Dre, but I would not want to be making that decision.

13. Alex Smith should send the Texans a nice care package for getting his career back on track. No disrespect to Smith, of course, but three (3) TD passes to the exact same player on what appeared to be the exact same route? He owes Frank Bush a bottle of scotch.

For all the positive vibes we've seen from the first winning streak this season, the Texans must keep it going on Sunday at Buffalo if they truly are in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Bills have had several chances to roll over and haven't, so they're not to be taken lightly, and a road game is a road game. Even with Andre Johnson, this wasn't going to be a picnic. Without him? Very, very dangerous.

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